Mohamed Salah

[Pidge]

Agreed

[VladimirIlyich]

He's either still carrying that injury from the AFCON or the Ramadan thing has fucked him up more this year than previous years. It could also be a combination of the two? It's clear he isn't anywhere near his best but we'll probably never truly find out why. The only real problem I see,and it relates to Elliott particularly too. It's why the fuck are these top players and possibly left footers,so bad on their right side? I get that it's foreign and they,like most,will never be equally adept on both feet but a basic level is good enough. They get plenty of time,or could make that time to practice and improve it.

[redheart]

His legs have gone. Sell him to Saudi in the summer

[Barrington Womble]

16 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

He's either still carrying that injury from the AFCON or the Ramadan thing has fucked him up more this year than previous years. It could also be a combination of the two? It's clear he isn't anywhere near his best but we'll probably never truly find out why. The only real problem I see,and it relates to Elliott particularly too. It's why the fuck are these top players and possibly left footers,so bad on their right side? I get that it's foreign and they,like most,will never be equally adept on both feet but a basic level is good enough. They get plenty of time,or could make that time to practice and improve it.

 

Diaz is the same on the other side. It's fucking shameful how bad most players are with their "other foot". The chances Diaz could create if he went outside his full back is unbelievable. And if he (and others) start to do that, they become much more difficult to defend against. Diaz every time they show him outside and crowd inside and he just runs into the bodies. 

[TheHowieLama]

56 minutes ago, Bob said:

Shouldn't forget he'll be asked to play differently for a new manager. It might suit him better or it might not suit him at all. 

 

He has only been Mo Salah under one system.

[VladimirIlyich]

43 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

 

Diaz is the same on the other side. It's fucking shameful how bad most players are with their "other foot". The chances Diaz could create if he went outside his full back is unbelievable. And if he (and others) start to do that, they become much more difficult to defend against. Diaz every time they show him outside and crowd inside and he just runs into the bodies. 

Steve Heighway said that once he was put on the left side he knew how big an advantage it was to improve his left foot and how it would benefit the team. The rest is history.

[SasaS]

The fact Salah turns 32 in two months may be a bigger factor than the Afcon injury or fasting. He is slowly but surely going the way of Firmino and Mane.

[BeefStroganoff]

If you play anyone whose fasting expect shit results. 

[TheHowieLama]

Technically you would expect less shit while fasting but point taken.

[Code]

Since coming back from the Afcon and injury, he has scored 5 goals and got 4 assists in 5 starts. 
 

I’d look elsewhere if I was looking for a problem.

 

 

[TheHowieLama]

17 team golas in those 5 games yet we dropped points in two of them and he missed the biggest game of the season.

 

Maybe we need to look harder.

[Barrington Womble]

7 minutes ago, Code said:

Since coming back from the Afcon and injury, he has scored 5 goals and got 4 assists in 5 starts. 
 

I’d look elsewhere if I was looking for a problem.

 

 

Mate, honestly, take your eyes off the spreadsheet for a minute and watch his all round play. You can't possibly think he's playing well or looks 100% fit? We know Salah will always get numbers, he's always done it. He does it when he's the worst player on the pitch and it's why we pay him almost double anyone else in the squad. But right now he's just not the same player. 

[Code]

Just now, Barrington Womble said:

Mate, honestly, take your eyes off the spreadsheet for a minute and watch his all round play. You can't possibly think he's playing well or looks 100% fit? We know Salah will always get numbers, he's always done it. He does it when he's the worst player on the pitch and it's why we pay him almost double anyone else in the squad. But right now he's just not the same player. 

I dont think Salah played especially bad yesterday, he should have scored one more goal yesterday, but apart from that I think he did fine.

 

Several times he found himself in great positions only for him to never get the ball even if the pass was on. That would have been giving him far better chances to score than the chances he actually got. 
 

Getting the numbers is pretty vital in football though, I will never point the finger at a player who score or assists as regularly as he does. 17 goals and 9 assists (10 assists really as Diaz was not offside) in 23 PL starts, thats world class.  

[Pidge]

To be fair to him, having taken a quick look at who scored, he's actually faring better on several attacking stats beyond g&a compared to the last few seasons. 

[KevieG]

He looks weak at the moment. 

 

Edwards will be sorely tempted by the next Saudi offer.  If we do keep him at least there is no Afcon next year. Going to that destroyed him in the last two title run ins.

[3 Stacks]

Said it many times, this attack is about the group and how many times you can have all 5 of them impact games. 

 

Code is right about him this season. People can't honestly be looking at the other 4 on an individual basis and think Salah's an issue. He is the best by a long way.

 

But that's totally separate about whether he should or will go elsewhere this summer. 

[Pidge]

For all of Diaz's faults (he does make some pretty bad decisions), he has been contributing fairly consistently since Christmas and always runs himself into the ground. Makes up a lot for Salah's slightly blunted fitness. Needs that one guy who can knit it together. I really like Dom, but Elliott and Jones have both provided that more consistently at various points.

 

Mac Allister is the guy, but we're asking him to give so much elsewhere.

[Barrington Womble]

46 minutes ago, Code said:

I dont think Salah played especially bad yesterday, he should have scored one more goal yesterday, but apart from that I think he did fine.

 

Several times he found himself in great positions only for him to never get the ball even if the pass was on. That would have been giving him far better chances to score than the chances he actually got. 
 

Getting the numbers is pretty vital in football though, I will never point the finger at a player who score or assists as regularly as he does. 17 goals and 9 assists (10 assists really as Diaz was not offside) in 23 PL starts, thats world class.  

I'm not talking about his overall contribution for the season. I'm with you, he's been brilliant. He hasn't been since the last week and he looks like he's holding back to me. He will score goals in the same way Ronaldo continued to score at the mancs. I'm not saying he's finished. I'm saying he doesn't look right at the moment. 

[Carra_is_legend]

Diaz is one hell of a frustrating player. He never gives up, runs himself to the ground in every game but he doesn't have to do that if he makes better fucking choices at least 50% of the time. Why the hell he always tries to come inside is beyond me. He can do a lot of damage by mixing it up and not make it predictable almost every time. 

 

If he mixes it up, we will probably be 2-0 or 3-0 rather than 1-0 or 2-0 in which case he doesn't have to run himself to the ground everytime.

[TheHowieLama]

14 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

 I'm not saying he's finished. 

 

He is certainly finished under Klopp and the system that both made him and now we are struggling with.

Can't play 3 upfront with two wide guys who aren't a constant threat to get behind as well as beat their man off the dribble. Both Salah and Mane were/could in their pomp.

You can get away with one of those but not both on both sides, leaves no space - and neither Diaz nor Salah can/do atm for different reasons.

 

I could see Salah playing off Nunez effectively in a different set up but I don't think that will be the plan.

[SasaS]

28 minutes ago, Carra_is_legend said:

Diaz is one hell of a frustrating player. He never gives up, runs himself to the ground in every game but he doesn't have to do that if he makes better fucking choices at least 50% of the time. Why the hell he always tries to come inside is beyond me. He can do a lot of damage by mixing it up and not make it predictable almost every time. 

 

If he mixes it up, we will probably be 2-0 or 3-0 rather than 1-0 or 2-0 in which case he doesn't have to run himself to the ground everytime.

 

It's like all of our attack has turned into one big Diaz lately, there is a lot of running, high work rate,  numerous chances but also constant lack of composure, good decision making and finishing. 

[Barrington Womble]

48 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

 

He is certainly finished under Klopp and the system that both made him and now we are struggling with.

Can't play 3 upfront with two wide guys who aren't a constant threat to get behind as well as beat their man off the dribble. Both Salah and Mane were/could in their pomp.

You can get away with one of those but not both on both sides, leaves no space - and neither Diaz nor Salah can/do atm for different reasons.

 

I could see Salah playing off Nunez effectively in a different set up but I don't think that will be the plan.

Well klopp doesn't have too many games left. And it would be highly surprising if he doesn't pick Mo even if they have a plan to nurse him through till the summer. So we need to find a way to get the most out of him and the players around him. For me nothing else matters but winning this league. I'm not interested in the UEFA cup. I'm not interested in giving players opportunity because it will aid their development. I want us to get our best XI in whatever is our best setup for the remaining 7 league games.  

[Judge]

25 minutes ago, SasaS said:

 

It's like all of our attack has turned into one big Diaz lately, there is a lot of running, high work rate,  numerous chances but also constant lack of composure, good decision making and finishing. 

This.

 

Diaz and Nunes has pace, power and workrate, but their lack of football intelligence is stunning. Salah has the intelligence, but he has lost the pace and power and barely seems able to shoot. His finishing has become worse and worse.

 

There seem to be no pattern in our attacking play, this in sharp contrast to City, Arsenal and ourselves in the days of Mane and Firmino. 

[TheHowieLama]

32 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

Well klopp doesn't have too many games left. And it would be highly surprising if he doesn't pick Mo even if they have a plan to nurse him through till the summer. So we need to find a way to get the most out of him and the players around him. For me nothing else matters but winning this league. I'm not interested in the UEFA cup. I'm not interested in giving players opportunity because it will aid their development. I want us to get our best XI in whatever is our best setup for the remaining 7 league games.  

 

I wasn't talking about the rest of this season - the tactics will obviously continue this year.

 

I mean next year - don't see how we can have Salah and Diaz (Gakpo or Jota are even more limited in many ways) as the primary wide players going forward and try to continue to play like we have - just 18 months ago even. Any new system/tactic would presumably see Salah in a tweaked/different role.

That said the new fella will want some leeway and some cash.

Of the big three up for contract I think Virg is a definite and the most important to re-sign.

[TheHowieLama]

Other issue w Salah is he is way too good to go to Saudi now and would probably, and rightly, refuse if it wasn't his first choice. So the just sell him to SA shouts are off for me.

And we wouldn't sell him in England.

He could play the last year of his contract and then just go wherever he wants.