Enrique: Presence of Nunez is hurting impact of Salah

[TLW]

Jose Enrique believes that the signing of Darwin Nunez has had a detrimental effect on the overall game of Mo Salah.

 

The second half substitute produced a cameo for the ages on Wednesday evening against Rangers when Salah scored a six-minute hat-trick, the fastest in Champions League history.

 

It was a reminder to any doubters who believed he was resting on his laurels after signing the big contract extension in the summer that when he is in the mood, Salah remains one of the most formidable attacking forces in the game today.

 

The iconic Liverpool front three lost one of its key members in the summer when Sadio Mane left to join Bayern Munich.

 

With Mane heading for the exit door, in came Darwin Nunez from Benfica. 

 

And while he is not a like for like replacement in any shape or form and due to looking to play to the strengths of the new signing, Enrique believes it has taken away some of the strengths of Salah forcing him out wide away from the central role where he is so dangerous.

 

Metro (per Midnite) reported the former Liverpool fullback as saying:

 

"Mo Salah can definitely use the hat-trick to get back to his best.In my opinion, the wingers used to be strikers really, close to the centre-backs, and Salah played as a striker (against Rangers.)

 

"But now with Darwin Nunez it has changed a little bit, he is the one who will run into the spaces and you have the wingers as being more open.

 

"For Luis Diaz this is helping him, because he’s that kind of winger, but it’s killing Salah.

 

Enrique said that it is a difficult balancing act for Jurgen Klopp, but for him there is only one answer to the conundrum.

 

 

“For the confidence (of Nunez) he needs goals. So I’m not sure what he’s going to do against [Man] City, it’s going to be interesting. Because when Salah plays that central role, he makes a difference, he scores goals. But it’s definitely a big step, and has to play a central role, not as wide as he’s playing now."

 

While saying that Nunez is hurting the impact of Salah, Enrique also believes that unfair expectations have been placed upon the shoulders of the Uruguayan international.

 

“I think they have a weaker squad than they had last season.

 

"You need to keep improving. You can lose Mane, even if I don’t understand it, but then they go for a 23-year-old from Portugal.

 

"It was the first season he played really well in Portugal, and then he’s coming here and you’re giving him all the pressure of a number 9 at Liverpool, and you think he’s going to be like Mane?”

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[Red Shift]

Which is why holding back Mo until the 2nd half against Rangers worked. Nunez played well, got a goal, and at 3-1 up swapping him for Mo provided the kill. Either could start, but only one should be on the pitch.

[Guest]

Is Enrique basing these scientific findings on more than just the result against a Scottish team?

[J-V]

Nunez was clearly impacting Salah’s form in the second half of last Season.

[sir roger]

I think it is more the fallout from the ANC and WC non-qualification, and less support from Trent outside him up the right.

[Kevin D]

The Reds have got no Mane,

Which is why we’re 11th in the league,

The Reds have got no Mane,

Which is why we’re 11th in league,

[Aventus]

I like Enrique but he chats shite sometimes. 

[ZonkoVille77]

Load of bollocks

[Captain Howdy]

1 hour ago, Aventus said:

I like Enrique but he chats shite sometimes. 

He’s popping up on Sky quite a bit these days

[Aventus]

1 hour ago, Captain Howdy said:

He’s popping up on Sky quite a bit these days

Turns out chatting shite on twitter can lead to more lucrative avenues of chatting shite elsewhere too. 

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

The point of Salah being played more wide than earlier is a valid one. But dont think it has much to do with Nunez, the drop in form and end product from Salah started long before Nunez arrived, and has been there this season as well in the games Nunez hasnt played.

 

Attention seeking ex-player trying to keep his own brand alive?

[Guest]

If there is a common link, I'd be more tempted to look at the arrival of Luis Diaz than the arrival of Darwin Nunez.

 

I don't think there is just one common link, life is rarely that simple.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Salah hasn't been his usual level for longer than Nunez has been here, its a cheap point. I dont know the reasons I'm sure there's multiple ones but Nunez being here isn't really one.

[fredo49]

Seems a bit far fetched given that Nunez has hardly played....

[El Dangerous]

Enrique had a world class game at left wing once, discuss.

[Megadrive Man]

It seems to be a thing now where pundits think they have spotted something that nobody else has spotted, but in reality they've just spotted something that isn't actually true!

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

2 hours ago, El Dangerous said:

Enrique had a world class game at left wing once, discuss.

Enrique was a very strange player. One of the few I’ve seen that frequently managed to be both world class and totally useless within the space of two seconds.

[m0e]

He had this unique ability to shield the ball from practically the halfway line, all the way for a goal kick, without letting anyone touch it.

 

It was quite astonishing.