Salah - pre/post AFCON

[LeTallecWiz]

Staggering really ...

Before - 26 games, 23 goals (0.88 goals/game), 9 assists (0.35 assists/game)
After - 21 games, 7 goals (0.33 goals/game), 6 assists (0.28 assists/game)

If he can just give us pre AFCON form the next 5 games, I think we'll be ending the season on a serious high.

 

[Markeh]

I’ve said it a few times and it might be a ridiculous demand but I’d want his international retirement in return for the juicy new contract

 

[Farkmaster]

If you discount penalties it's even more staggering. It's caused us to rotate positions against his lack of production, rather than tactically against a team, which is unprecedented. It's his worst form ever at Liverpool and is absolutely contributing to our levels dipping. Given the number of minutes played I get it, but I don't see him finding form this season, and we would be dumb to not consider this a peek at the near future with him.

I'd love him to really show something in the finals, but his form in finals and big games isn't remarkable either. It would be incredibly helpful.

 

[darkstarexodus]

Yikes. That's a stark difference.

 

[juniormember]

And I also imagine his stats for getting dispossessed/giving the ball away/dribbling into a crowd of 7 players is way higher post-AFCON as well.
He's been very shite recently. I wish we could give him a rest until the final(s).

 

[peekay]

And I also imagine his stats for getting dispossessed/giving the ball away/dribbling into a crowd of 7 players is way higher post-AFCON as well.
He's been very shite recently. I wish we could give him a rest until the final(s).

Physical and mental fatigue is one aspect. I am wondering if the pressure he and his agent has put on himself, with the not-so-subtle demands of being paid 400K, has started to affect him. Maybe he is trying too hard to prove that he is worthy of that salary every time he steps on the field.

 

[Farkmaster]

Physical and mental fatigue is one aspect. I am wondering if the pressure he and his agent has put on himself, with the not-so-subtle demands of being paid 400K, has started to affect him. Maybe he is trying too hard to prove that he is worthy of that salary every time he steps on the field.

It's a mix of getting older, getting tired, and reversion to the mean after three billion games and disappointment.

Thank fuck for mane, however, we do need Salah to find form, and I really don't think he will.

 

[moron]

I think he has always had a disproportionate high opinion of himself. Its showing now, and the way defenders are stopping him, and his inability to find or be in the right spaces in key moments is a telling factor of what appears to be his decline. I would prefer we sell him after this season, and keep Mane at any cost and play him as the main striker. Having a similar player to Diaz on the right would be more effective for us, someone who is a very strong dribbler with a huge amount of drive in them. Any effectiveness from the right is because of TAA these days and not Salah.

 

[i_rushie]

Any effectiveness from the right is because of TAA these days and not Salah.

You're a real chicken little at times, Moron. Trent has had 8 assists since the turn of the year, while Salah has had 7 goals and 6 assists. Perhaps reconsider?

 

[moron]

You're a real chicken little at times, Moron. Trent has had 8 assists since the turn of the year, while Salah has had 7 goals and 6 assists. Perhaps reconsider?

No - , yes he may score but I honestly feel we have had the best of him.

 

[StevieM]

Is it partly a Ramadan thing for him as well?

does his form suffer similarly around the same time each year?

 

[Brizzle]

Its not just shite form and decision making on the pitch (we could have won against Spurs with a couple of simple passes from Mo to Diaz/Naby), but his aura means that Klopp is scared to bench him meaning he's getting even more knackered by playing and then frustrated by not performing. We should have left him at home for an away game to get 48 hours of time to himself then looked to get him back all guns blazing.

It is absolutely no surprise to me that he is in a huge lull after the weight of responsibility for the AFCON and the World Cup Qualifiers both failed. He'll be well up for the Madrid game, but he has not been at the races in the PL lately.

 

[bluebell]

I think his form tapers off towards end of the season, this season has been worse than any other.
He is still a £100m player, however, with his age and wage demands, I'm thinking we cash on him.
This would allow us to get Darwin Nunez and Brennan Johnson, which will then complete the rebuild of the attack.

 

[Brizzle]

I think his form tapers off towards end of the season, this season has been worse than any other.
He is still a £100m player, however, with his age and wage demands, I'm thinking we cash on him.
This would allow us to get Darwin Nunez and Brennan Johnson, which will then complete the rebuild of the attack.

I wouldn't want to cash in unless someone offered over 100m - he's world class but I feel we've overplayed him when the circumstances around him suggest he needed a recharge. If he wins us #7 I would expect him to get 40 goals next season.

 

[Best Believe It]

I know Salah wants to play every game, but at some point, even if we are keeping him, we'll need to have someone who can come in and deputise on the right wing. I don't really think any of our current forwards can do that effectively. Did Taki play there a couple of times and do okay? Can't remember. Anyway, not sure whether Elliott is a potential for that position. We obviously can't go out and sign someone like Raphinha to come in and sit on the bench 9 times out of 10 but we do need someone else.

 

[Fabio]

I'd be giving harvey a run out there

 

[i_rushie]

Oh goody Darwin Nunez and Brennan Johnson. Remember the last time we sold a world class striker and it richly paid off when we replaced him with a mercurial Balotelli, rising star Markovic, and Lambert coming off a season he earned a call up to England? What a piece of cake!

 

[bluebell]

Oh goody Darwin Nunez and Brennan Johnson. Remember the last time we sold a world class striker and it richly paid off when we replaced him with a mercurial Balotelli, rising star Markovic, and Lambert coming off a season he earned a call up to England? What a piece of cake!

All transfers are a gamble. I remember many people were not happy at Salah's signing.
If its any consolation to you, LFC has never bought anyone I've recommended - So Nunez and Johnson isn't happening

 

[moron]

All transfers are a gamble. I remember many people were not happy at Salah's signing.
If its any consolation to you, LFC has never bought anyone I've recommended - So Nunez and Johnson isn't happening

@bluebell - I was one of them, felt like a real let-down when we signed him. But back then - the Salah I thought we would get would be the one that we are currently watching now in terms of form. Don't get me wrong - he has been our most consistent and world class goal scorer - even this season, but since the AFCON - something just is not right. What worries me - is that if we sign him to an extension - what if what we are seeing is his new level ? its just fucking weird (even accounting for the number of games he has played).

 

[Woland]

Even an out of form Salah is still top tier... He just isn't the best in the world right now. He was a few months ago. Replacing even this version of him will be very difficult... Not impossible mind, but I don't think the gang will be making their decisions based on this couple of months

 

[Hansern]

His underlying numbers are pretty much the same but not taking his chances. Hopefully he'll rediscover his goalscoring form against Chelsea.

 

[bluebell]

@bluebell - I was one of them, felt like a real let-down when we signed him. But back then - the Salah I thought we would get would be the one that we are currently watching now in terms of form. Don't get me wrong - he has been our most consistent and world class goal scorer - even this season, but since the AFCON - something just is not right. What worries me - is that if we sign him to an extension - what if what we are seeing is his new level ? its just fucking weird (even accounting for the number of games he has played).

He is in a rut at the moment, and trying his best to score himself out of it. Ideally, you'd send players on holiday and they miss a couple of games, but we can't do that! I have no doubt he will recapture his form, then towards end of the season it peters out agan. At 30,wouldn't you want to cash in on a player and use that fund to get promising young players with lower wage demands? Otherwise we could have a repeat where he is unbelievable for 20 games and MIA for the next 18.

I am not averse to keeping him but I am afraid we'll see his efforts being replicated in the coming seasons

 

[Woland]

Well he's one of our only players definitely not going to the world cup