Are we becoming a one-man team?

[rurikbird]

Today 2 goals: Salah and Salah assist.
Plymouth, no Mo, no goals
Spurs in Carabao Cup - Salah assist and Salah goal for the first 2 goals
Bournemouth: Salah both goals

How the fuck is this sustainable? Are all the other attacking players becoming way too comfortable in their expectation that Mo will bail the team out both in terms of goals and creativity twice every week? This imbalance is starting to remind me of Suarez carrying the team in 2013-14 and eventually even he ran out of gas, but we are arguably even more replying on Mo than we were on Suarez, and Mo is 32 years old.

This worries me more than the draw against Everton.

 

[MomoWASright]

No because Mo is one of the issues. Yes he scores. Other than that he wasn’t in the game today which happens so many times. Like Mane’s last season, the stats covers the actual performance.

That is what I put first time round.

Then deleted it then put it again.

We are set up for Mo to do just that. Gakpo has scored in something like 7 consecutive home games. Slobby and Mac now contributing to goals. The problem we have seen this season has been both centre forward and left back. We have no balance or consistency in those positions.

 

[Tinto]

Yeah, but it’s a feature of the way Slot built his attack

 

[Squiggles]

The fact we have literally no credible succession plan or progress with his contract worries me even more than that. I suspect Gakpos goals per minutes aren't that bad, though, and Diaz is out of position, so Slot has to take some of the focus there.

 

[LarryHagman]

Gakpo has been in great form. But clearly Mo is the main man.

Diaz is great in spells, ineffective in much longer spells. And that's every season. He's not good enough to be a consistent starter.

Nunez is nowhere near good enough full stop.

Jota I love, but he misses large chunks of every season.

Chiesa is pointless.

I think we need a rethink in the summer. Mo, Gakpo and Jota I'd keep, the others I'd let go and let Slot have a go at who he likes.

 

[i_rushie]

On paper, Mo Gakpo and Jota look to be our best attackers, but over the course of a season, on an actual pitch, you'd mostly be seeing Mo + Gakpo + Another up front. It's a shame his body is not up to it, but time is up for Jota.

 

[LarryHagman]

In that scenario then, we need 4 new forwards.

 

[darkstarexodus]

This is why we need to pay the man what he wants. Because we currently have no credible alternative or succession plan, despite having at least two seasons to get one in place.

For whatever criticisms may land on Mo for the negative impact he has on our overall play, there is no one who comes close to contributing what he does on the scoresheet.

So it's either pay Mo for another year or two of the same (we'll likely be paying him for three years but the play will eventually decline) or we'd better have a Plan A replacement and be a lot better at securing them than we did with Bellingham or Zubimendi.

 

[Dreambeliever]

We are not a one man team and nowhere near that but he turns us from a good side into a great one.

He’s up there with the best to ever wear the shirt.

These games are always tough, but Jota is back and the rest aren’t horribly out of form.

 

[rurikbird]

The point of this thread is not yet another discussion of summer transfers or contracts – we have 3 titles we’re going for this season and yet we’re relying on one player for almost all attacking production. How many “non-Salah” goals have we scored in the last few weeks?

Our dependency on him is becoming worse, not better. This is what concerns me. Gakpo, Diaz and Jota did fuck all in this game. At least Nunez had a shot that led to Salah’s go-ahead goal. We need at least a 1-2 punch to keep the attack sustainable, relying on one player, no matter how great, is madness. Who can be the Sturridge to Mo’s Suarez or Gerrard to Mo’s Torres?

 

[LarryHagman]

Gakpo's been in good form. Jota scores when he's fit. Nunez is obvs pants and Diaz is good for 10% of a season, we should have sold him to Barca last year. Get rid of Nunez and Diaz (and cheesy bollocks) in the summer and sign some young hungry mofos.

 

[Dreambeliever]

The point of this thread is not yet another discussion of summer transfers or contracts – we have 3 titles we’re going for this season and yet we’re relying on one player for almost all attacking production. How many “non-Salah” goals have we scored in the last few weeks?

Our dependency on him is becoming worse, not better. This is what concerns me. Gakpo, Diaz and Jota did fuck all in this game. At least Nunez had a shot that led to Salah’s go-ahead goal. We need at least a 1-2 punch to keep the attack sustainable, relying on one player, no matter how great, is madness. Who can be the Sturridge to Mo’s Suarez or Gerrard to Mo’s Torres?

I think that’s ok as Salah has always stepped up when needed.

Gakpo, Diaz, Jota, Jones, Dom and Macca have goals in them.

 

[darkstarexodus]

The point of this thread is not yet another discussion of summer transfers or contracts – we have 3 titles we’re going for this season and yet we’re relying on one player for almost all attacking production. How many “non-Salah” goals have we scored in the last few weeks?

Our dependency on him is becoming worse, not better. This is what concerns me. Gakpo, Diaz and Jota did fuck all in this game. At least Nunez had a shot that led to Salah’s go-ahead goal. We need at least a 1-2 punch to keep the attack sustainable, relying on one player, no matter how great, is madness. Who can be the Sturridge to Mo’s Suarez or Gerrard to Mo’s Torres?

The truth is we don't have anyone of that profile to be a true part of a duo. We can and should ask more of several of our players but it's hard to avoid the conclusion that the solution is found anywhere other than the transfer market.

 

[rubans]

We kind of are. No fault of Mo but other attacking players are’nt doing enough when they get their moment. Szbo, Diaz, full backs whom were so prominent are less influential then they could be at times.

 

[StevieM]

The point of this thread is not yet another discussion of summer transfers or contracts – we have 3 titles we’re going for this season and yet we’re relying on one player for almost all attacking production. How many “non-Salah” goals have we scored in the last few weeks?

Our dependency on him is becoming worse, not better. This is what concerns me. Gakpo, Diaz and Jota did fuck all in this game. At least Nunez had a shot that led to Salah’s go-ahead goal. We need at least a 1-2 punch to keep the attack sustainable, relying on one player, no matter how great, is madness. Who can be the Sturridge to Mo’s Suarez or Gerrard to Mo’s Torres?

While I get what you’re saying, I don’t think we are relying on one player - it’s just that Salah is very good at scoring and creating - like the absolute best at it - so everyone else looks shit in comparison.

I look at it like this - and I’m looking only at league games.

Salah is playing on the right and scored 22 - and he plays there all the time.

Gakpo & Diaz have scored mostly from the left and have shared the load in rotation and goals - they have 8 a piece, so that’s 16 from the left.

Darwin & Jota mostly occupy the central role and have contributed 9 goals.

So that’s just under half the goals coming from Mo - I think it’s fair to say he’s our most important outlet but not that we’re a “one man team”.

Although I also think it’s fair to say our goals through the middle are less than expected - but I wonder if that’s due to Slot’s system or the fact Jota is always injured (as his goals to game ratio is relatively good) or that Nunez is just a bit shit at finishing.

 

[rurikbird]

While I get what you’re saying, I don’t think we are relying on one player - it’s just that Salah is very good at scoring and creating - like the absolute best at it - so everyone else looks shit in comparison.

I look at it like this - and I’m looking only at league games.

Salah is playing on the right and scored 22 - and he plays there all the time.

Gakpo & Diaz have scored mostly from the left and have shared the load in rotation and goals - they have 8 a piece, so that’s 16 from the left.

Darwin & Jota mostly occupy the central role and have contributed 9 goals.

So that’s just under half the goals coming from Mo - I think it’s fair to say he’s our most important outlet but not that we’re a “one man team”.

Although I also think it’s fair to say our goals through the middle are less than expected - but I wonder if that’s due to Slot’s system or the fact Jota is always injured (as his goals to game ratio is relatively good) or that Nunez is just a bit shit at finishing.

It’s not just goals but assists as well, Gakpo’s last goal for example was a far post finish from a Salah cross, Macca’s goal today was yet again created by Salah… I didn’t necessarily think we were a one-man team either, but last few weeks it has been ridiculously one-sided in Salah’s favour, as listed in the OP.

We didn’t create much in the 2nd half today, but in the first almost every meaningfull attack we had was down the right. If you’re opposition manager, it’s now a no-brainer how to defend against us - if you shut down Salah, you shut down Liverpool.

 

[StevieM]

It’s not just goals but assists as well, Gakpo’s last goal for example was a far post finish from a Salah cross, Macca’s goal today was yet again created by Salah… I didn’t think we were a one-man team eaither, but last few weeks it has been ridiculously one-sided in Salah’s favour, as noted in the OP.

If you’re opposition manager, it’s now a no-brainer how to defend against us - if you shut down Salah, you shut down Liverpool.

Well, by definition, even if that was as easy as it sounds, that then opens up the space for other players.

Roughly, across all comps it’s 29% of goals and 27% of assists.

Remember he’s just a stat-padding luxury player 😉

 

[rurikbird]

Well, by definition, even if that was as easy as it sounds, that then opens up the space for other players.

Roughly, across all comps it’s 29% of goals and 27% of assists.

Remember he’s just a stat-padding luxury player 😉

So based on your stats, if my math is right, 56% of all our goals this season is either scored or assisted by Salah (presumably he can’t assist himself). So, are we actually a world-class team or simply a decent one propelled by one world-class player who is having an unbelievable season even by his standards?

I don’t see any other top team accross Europe that depends on one player to that extent.

 

[Farkmaster]

Here's the main thing...

Earlier this season I said we did not have elite attacking interplay, between the attackers.

Now I'd say it's not even good. There's little switching in the team, little swagger, zero reliable outballs.

We basically look for a through ball from defense and turn on it. It's like a training drill, today while people threw shit at us, and we happily ate it like we'd been sectioned.

That's what happens when a team with reasonable structure says "do something" to us recently. It's shit, there's no vaunted "control" to it, and it's boring. Now if a team wants to make an open game on the deck, then it's different.

We've become a little stale. It's not the end of the world, it happens. We do have to change it though, because no, we won't win a league playing how we have been. We won't win jack shit.

 

[StevieM]

So based on your stats, if my math is right, 56% of all our goals this season is either scored or assisted by Salah (presumably he can’t assist himself). So, are we actually a world-class team or simply a decent one propelled by one world-class player who is having an unbelievable season even by his standards?

I don’t see any other top team accross Europe that depends on one player to that extent.

Not quite mate - (penalties I don’t think have assists and other little things that will change that number) but I take the point.

Don’t know off the top of my head about other teams - I’m sure it’s probably a lot more common than you think - but again what you’re probably arguing is that Salah is uniquely talented and irreplaceable by a single other player.

The argument would be we’re utilising our most effective asset and if we didn’t have that asset, we’d utilise other things… probably.

 

[King Binny]

I wonder what changes Slot might attempt with our midfield in the long run. During his past managerial stints, he always had midfielders who contribute directly offence wise.

At Alkmaar, it was Koopmeiners (42 apps 16 goals 3 assists) and during the title winning season at Feyenoord, it was Szymanski (40 apps 10 goals 7 assists) & Koku (46 apps 12 goals 5 assists)

 

[mark1975]

I think this is where we know that we need to buy a good central striker and move on one or two from Diaz, Nunez and Jota. They all have their merits, but they are all patchy players. Jota might be the best finisher, but he spends half his time in the treatment room and half of his available time trying to get match sharpness. We end up with a spell of a few games where he scores and then the cycle repeats itself.

Diaz should have become a better player but didn't, he hasn't really progressed. He's great at taking a few players on, but that's about it.

Gapko is a good solid 15 goals a season player, if a little one dimensional, but he is progressing and has a good ceiling I think if he continues to learn and get into good goalscoring positions. the problem is he can be a bit on the peripheral too at times, so having him and Salah popping up with goals, but not always getting involved in our attacking play.. it can be a problem, it's almost playing with two passengers at times and praying one of them has a moment of ingenuity. Mane used to be involved, he did what Diaz does but scores goals. We need that again.

Nunez I can live with because at least he's robust, pretty much always fit and can cause havoc when we need it, but we need to spend big on another talisman.

 

[bluebell]

Why is it unless we win some of us have a melt down? The reality is things like this happens. We will get more draws before the season ends and may be even another loss as will the Arse. Unlike the Man U game where we saw one player down tools and rightfully fans lost their shit.
Look at the occasion, its a local derby and its Everton's last game at Goodison... We also need results like this so players don't get complacent.
As to the question pose, we are not getting enough goals from the MF. Lex and Dom need to score more, they had 5 goals and 5 assists each last season. They should be looking to get 8 goals this season

 

[Fabio]

So, we are a 1 man team, and have been for a while. Salah consistently dominates our goal scoring and assist charts, with little sign anyone else wants to share the load.

At our peak with bobby salah and mane, salah was still leading the way, but the other 2 more than made up for it. Now we're like "we've got tons of options". The other 5 options individually are nowhere near mane or bobby output. or even mane or bobby talent. I have hopes for gakpo but he needs to impose himself on the game more.

Nunez and diaz need to be out the door, and tbh we need to spend big on a striker and arguably someone to push gakpo to the bench

Szob needs to start chipping in with more goals and assists, as he has it in his locker. Whether it's because we don't play with a decent 9 to interplay with, i don't know

 

[King Binny]

Why is it unless we win some of us have a melt down? The reality is things like this happens. We will get more draws before the season ends and may be even another loss as will the Arse. Unlike the Man U game where we saw one player down tools and rightfully fans lost their shit.
Look at the occasion, its a local derby and its Everton's last game at Goodison... We also need results like this so players don't get complacent.
As to the question pose, we are not getting enough goals from the MF. Lex and Dom need to score more, they had 5 goals and 5 assists each last season. They should be looking to get 8 goals this season

@rurikbird has never been someone who does kneejerk reactions though. The reliance on Salah has been covered in bits and pieces/on and off on The Egyptian King thread previously too.

Dated 6 Dec 2024: Responsible for 72% of Liverpool's goals - Are Arne Slot's team too reliant on Mohamed Salah?

The highest percentage of goal involvement in a Premier League title-winning team
Dated 30 Dec 2024

Mohamed Salah’s spectacular season has helped Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table.

The Egyptian has 17 goals and 13 assists for the campaign and counting, following another devastating display at West Ham at the weekend. Salah’s remarkable run has seen him directly involved in 30 of Liverpool’s 45 goals scored this season – a whopping 67%.

But are Arne Slot’s side too reliant on the 32-year-old’s brilliance?

We’ve looked at the players with the highest percentage of goal involvement in a Premier League title-winning team.

1. Alan Shearer – Blackburn Rovers, 1994/95 (59%)
2. Thierry Henry – Arsenal, 2003/04 (49%)
3. Erling Haaland – Manchester City, 2022/23 (47%)
4. Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United, 2007/08 (46%)
5. Jamie Vardy – Leicester City, 2015/16 (44%)

 

[Modo]

I vote to move on from the two non-english speaking fellas, because racism.

 

[Hansern]

Gakpo has 21 goal involvments in 36 games this season. That is insanely good numbers.
I think our biggest problem is that we have next to no goals from our nr 9.

 

[jan]

Gakpo has 21 goal involvments in 36 games this season. That is insanely good numbers.
I think our biggest problem is that we have next to no goals from our nr 9.

Jota has 10 in 22 and half of those appearances were late subs. It's a shame that even the new physio wonderteam can't fix him

 

[Fabio]

I vote to move on from the two non-english speaking fellas, because racism.

Tbf I'm also happy to sell Jota as he's always a cripple, but that's a bit too wholesale for one window.

 

[peterhague]

In that scenario then, we need 4 new forwards.

I'd keep Diaz for now personally. Not that great but good enough to rotate in and out.

I think Jota has to go. Nunez is probably more useful over a season than him, although I'd sell him as well.

Then sign two new strikers and give Salah a new deal.