05 Mar 2019 11:40:22
The Salah Conundrum
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I've seen a lot of articles recently criticising Salah and even one poster on here laughably suggesting we sell him.

While it's true that many areas of his game have fallen from last year I don't think it's panic stations just yet.

People are looking at Salah missing chances he would have buried last year and suggesting he has a problem. Well those people can't fix the problem because they're not really looking at it.

Salah form is not a problem. It's a symptom of a problem. I'm of the opinion that we as a club (players, fans etc) do have a bit of an anxiety issue when we are considered favourites, pressure is an issue but that's a post for another time.

The reason why we have looked less fluent this season, and some players have struggled a little is because we are missing the influence of creative players.

When coutinho left we were all surprised to see it had little to no effect on performances and we mostly attributed that to our team being so good we didn't actually need him. And we don't. But we do need someone like him, luckily for us last season Ox pretty much stepped in where coutinho left. He didn't score or assist as many goals but he did break open defences often with running, passing and dribbling which created space and time for all three of our forwards. Let's not forget it's not just Salah who has performed worse, all our forwards have (though they set a bar so high that it was unluckily they would meet it again anyway) .

Our midfield is not bad at all, but it's not one filled with ingenuity it's just filled with legs. We didn't feel the effect of losing ox because it happened so late in the season so nobody realised how influential he was. Keita was supposed to be another of those players but as of yet he hasn't been.

The problem isn't salah, firmino or mane. It's not our shift towards more defensive solidity either. The problem is there's no football brain in midfield at the moment.

Sell Salah? Utterly ridiculous.

1.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 12:42:26
Thanks for the support mate :) .

2.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 12:51:51
Mo Salah is victim of his incredible 2017/ 18 season.

Football fans have short memories.

He will be the first since Suarez to get back to back 20 goals a season in the league for us and people are saying he is an issue? Please.

3.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 12:56:44
Great post and lots of positivity to start a dialogue. I’m in full agreement with the large part bar creativity. I personally think that our midfield make up of Gini and Hendo lacks confidence driving forwards, in the same way Stevie G used to. The players themselves driving forwards creates space for our front 3 to dip into but equally creates space at the back, which leaves us prone to the counter attack and I suspect is one reason why Hendo will dip back.
We saw Fabs early in the season driving forwards and I wonder how influential his game may become when his position is freed up from defensive duties. Gomez has the confidence to push forwards when we needed the extra man and the raw pace to chase back. Perhaps patience is needed rather than a creative player.
At the end of the day we have lost one game this season. I think we can all agree that the lads have made us proud to be an LFC fan. what a great season this is!

4.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 13:15:22
“There is no football brain in midfield”
Loved it!
Football is won and lost in midfield. Our central midfielders are mostly ball winners with the exception of Fabinho and Keita. The former is settled into his deeper role but the later is not even seen on the bench!

5.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 13:39:59
Salah is a world class player - selling your world class players is a recipe for failure and something we should of learned not to do by now. The guy is class, he will score more this season and have a big part to play in how the season concludes and, if he stays beyond the summer, how future seasons pan out as well. We're lucky to have him - selling him makes no sense on any level.

6.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 14:06:40
OP, I agree with you to an extent. Let's start with reality. Anyone who thought Salah would have the same level of success this season like he did last season, is first of all, deluded, end of cos that is clearly not the way footie works. Teams amd players now know how we play and how Salah plays so of course they adapt. People are paid very well to figure you out so of course, they will close ranks and prevent not just Salah BUT the whole of the front three to perform.

Second, Klopp anticipated this problem hence, changed the way we play to start the season so even tho we are not as clinical as before (which is crazy judging by the fact that we have the 2nd best attack in the PL), we are still scoring enough goals to win games for the most part while remaining solid at the back and being patient in our approach.

Also, the whole Cou thingy is a hoax and a false argument. You said we were better w/ o him in the team as Ox stepped up big time. To me of all the players we are missing, HE is the one we are missing for the very reasons you raised. In midfield, we may need to tweak a few things there BUT all in all it is not a disaster as many shamelessly say it is. Why? It is the same midfield that has gotten us to this stage. We are also missing Shaq who is injured and out of form right now, something that was not an issue early on. The midfield is there to win the ball high and release it to the forwards. That is what the Wiji's, Fab's and Hendo's and Milner's do best. You may disagree BUT that is the reality. Saying "there is no brain in midfield" cos they are not doing what you want is just uncalled for. Peace!

7.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 14:30:29
This is the best season we have ever had in the premier league era, any other season we are 8 pts clear of second place with 70 pts after 29. We are not missing coutinho, ox necessarily although he would be a boost, or anyone else from the past. We may just have to accept that our title rival does indeed edge us in certain crucial areas.

8.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 14:39:25
As much as other teams are watching us, surely we should be watching them. The best game Salah had to date is against Watford at Anfield. that's 1 out of how many where he has failed to deliver.

He is not in the Messi/ Renaldo level. I accept that. But surely if you train daily, focus on finishing, factor in the noise levels and the like and pressure, a player of his calibre should be putting away the 2 clear chances he had against Everton. That game will be our defining moment because now we must HOPE other teams do us a favour.

There are so many times where he has had a chance to cross, square or put in Mane, but he fails to do so. His always looking for Firmino. Those stupid flicks and turns rarely work. He wants to do the impossible instead of the easy.

The minute we play as a team, we will score more goals.

9.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 15:46:36
Decelticon, players miss chances. It is nothing new. In fact players miss BIG chances and even the top class players you mentioned, do that as well. Again, it is nothing new. I know the media and some fans always find a scapegoat in situations like this BUT you should not fall for it. The fact that he missed the chances is low hanging fruit. The more pressing issues lie elsewhere.

For example, how were we not able to impose ourselves in the first half vs Everton when they were ripe for the taking? How did we not create a lot more chances? Why did we seem to retreat into our shell midway in the second half and how on earth did those subs happen? If you are moaning about the obvious then you are missing more important points.

10.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 16:28:40
Guys, truthfully all this talk of bottling the league should not be directed at the team, but to us as fans.

Against, Utd, yes I feel they were there for the taking but a point at Old Trafford is not something we've often got is it?

Against Everton, Salah could have had a hat trick. Sell him? Seriously? All forwards go through lean spells (even Shearer, Fowler, Henry and the greats Dalglish and Rush) - it is what it is tbh, it happens

We have lost one game all season, drawn mire than I would like, but ask yourselves - would you rather be in this position, like 1 point behind, excellent goal difference etc or where we were say last year (nowhere near the top)?

Let them get on with it, heaping discord and pressure will not help but hinder, just sit back and enjoy the ride - if you disagree, ask yourselves one question: 'Backbefore the season started, would you have been delighted if someone told you we'd be where we are now? '

Seriously, just drop the negativity and enjoy - yes, tough times. Title challenges are, we acknowledge that and we keep going.

11.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 16:42:52
Salah is one off Top scorer in the league. People used to say Ronaldo didn't score against the top sides.
It's just trying to down play a world class player it wouldn't surprise me if he scored 3/ 4 in his next 2 games.

12.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 16:43:15
OP, I agree with you to an extent. Let's start with reality. Anyone who thought Salah would have the same level of success this season like he did last season, is first of all, deluded, end of cos that is clearly not the way footie works. Teams amd players now know how we play and how Salah plays so of course they adapt. People are paid very well to figure you out so of course, they will close ranks and prevent not just Salah BUT the whole of the front three to perform"

How many seasons has Harry Kane scored goals or Aguero? Do players not adapt for these players and their teams also?

{Ed001's Note - and Salah has scored more than Kane again so far.....}

13.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 18:11:08
IR if you have not noticed the numbers, Kane is not scoring as much as he used to and neither is Aguero compared to other seasons. There goes your argument. Peace!

14.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 18:20:33
When Salah hands in a transfer request this Summer, we’ll be selling our best player like we always do.

15.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 18:57:53
If he hands in a TR then wave him goodbye.

He’s not irreplaceable but I wouldn’t be offering to sell him. If he’s happy, he stays 👍.

16.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 19:26:45
I feel as though some of the responses didn't read my full post and assumed because the post started talking about Salah form that I am critical of him.

I defended Salah.

17.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 19:30:28
Was a bit of a tounge in cheek comment mate, I agree, we have to keep hold of our best players.

18.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 19:35:34
Drogie, no club can afford him, IMO. If Cou went for 142 and he is inferior to Salah then trust me, that amount will only buy Slalah's right foot.

19.) 05 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 19:37:53
Aguero is certainly doing as well as other seasons.

Reality is that teams might try to change tactics to stop certain players but the very top players, Kane, Salah, Aguero or whoever and their teams find a way. Are you trying to tell me that it took 4 seasons to suss Harry Kane out or is it just down to him being good at his job with a good team behind him.

20.) 06 Mar 2019
05 Mar 2019 22:12:36
I think the words "World class" and "Ledgend are way over used. While Salah is a very good player I wouldn't class him as either. He's not in Messi/ Ronaldo and hate to say it Naymar's bracket. Stevie G was a legend along with Dalgliesh Rush Fowler and going further back Hughes Hunt etc. Doing the business over 5 to 10 years would for me qualify.