There can only be one

[SummerOnions]

I've been thinking about Salah and Mane this season.

When Salah was getting touted as the literal number one in the world, everyone was saying Mane was shite, done, dusted.

Now Mane is balling, lifted Senegal to a trophy and the world cup spot, and Salah looks shot, and can't find his shooting boots.

I'm curious what seems to cause this, and what it means for them both staying with us, especially with Diaz here now.

Right now you'd say it would be crazy not to give Mane a new deal, so what happens now?

Are we only keeping one of them? Would anyone want to lose Mane now?

Will Salah hit top form again in the last matches of the season?

 

[MomoWASright]

I flipped when I heard the 400k figure. Salah has done nothing to justify it since it surfaced.

Right now if we sold Salah for ridiculous money kept the rest of the 4 plus a forward in, I’d trust the process.

If Mané keeps scoring, then give him an extension. 1 or 2 years on more dough and I’ll be okay with it. Diaz pushing Mané centre has helped him find them scoring boots.

 

[Markeh]

I flipped when I heard the 400k figure. Salah has done nothing to justify it since it surfaced.

Right now if we sold Salah for ridiculous money kept the rest of the 4 plus a forward in, I’d trust the process.

If Mané keeps scoring, then give him an extension. 1 or 2 years on more dough and I’ll be okay with it. Diaz pushing Mané centre has helped him find them scoring boots.

Same although Mane is going to Qatar in winter and Afcon in summer which is fucking ridiculous, I’d favour Salah if he retired from international football.

It was also pointed out previously that Mane and Bobby have declined statistically for the last few seasons where Mo hasn’t. Honestly it’s difficult to make a case for giving out huge / long contracts to any of the traditional front 3.

Imo we’ll sell one, renew one and let one go for free and that’ll be Bobby / Mo / Mane although i can easily see Bobby stay and leave on a free too. Klopp loves continuity and keeping guys he trusts for as long as possible.

 

[peekay]

Still would pick Salah. Rested in summer and a winter break next season, I would back him to break records for us again next season. Having said that, whatever the circumstances, players demanding 400K plus in wages shouldn't go on 6-8 game scoring droughts.

I think we will extend Mane for a couple more seasons. My guess is that Firmino will be sold this summer or leave at the end of his contract.

 

[redblack7]

I' d keep Bobby and Mane for another 2 years at least, unless they make ridiculous wage demands. We should sell Salah in the summer not lose him on a free, if he is sticking on 400k. Let him go where he can get it and let them pay us too.

 

[Hansern]

Mane has come into to contention again after the recent months.
I’d be tempted to keep both and continue to develop Mane in that centre forward role.

 

[Red Astaire]

The agony of choice but Salah all the way

 

[The Nomad]

For sheer things he can do, you'd keep Salah. But I've been consistent for a while it looks like we'll keep one.

Part of me is wondering if all the noises about the new contract being close are all from Salahs camp, and the club are refusing to budge anywhere near 400k. Hence the downturn in form.

If the deal isn't signed, where does Salah go? The only two places realistically are Madrid (who are fucked financially, but are always bailed out). Or PSG.

Sure Newcastle could afford him, but I doubt he'd want to go there.

 

[Frogfish]

Still would pick Salah. Rested in summer and a winter break next season, I would back him to break records for us again next season. Having said that, whatever the circumstances, players demanding 400K plus in wages shouldn't go on 6-8 game scoring droughts.

I think we will extend Mane for a couple more seasons. My guess is that Firmino will be sold this summer or leave at the end of his contract.

Hmm I found this intriguing - especially given the extenuating circumstances around Salah (poor Egyptian team for AFCON, WC, Contract pressure).

So I checked a few other top players however we have to take into consideration the quality of the team/league that player is playing in. Mostly Bayern, Barca, Real and PSG have dominated their leagues with very little competition and so it would be expected for them to score more goals (see Lewandowski in the Bundesliga).

Mo's previous worst slumps were 10 games for Roma and 8 games for Liverpool. He's currently on over 850 mins since his last goal from Open Play (not sure how many since his last goal - any help with this @King Binny ?

M'Bappe :
No goals in any KO game in the 19/20 CL and followed that with zero goals in the 20/21 group games.
2 x 7 games in Ligue 1 without scoring

Ronaldo :
2008/09 season when he went on for seven matches without scoring a goal
2021/22 PL 6 games without a goal (second time in the PL)

Messi :
2006/7 : 816 mins
2007/8 : 757 mins
2007/7 : 564 mins
3 years without a goal against Real Madrid

Lewandowski :
Went over 600 mins not scoring for Poland
In the BL his most without scoring is 8 games.

Kane :
2021 : 5 games (x5 in his career)
2015 - 8 games (ended in his 9th against San Marino)
2015 - 6 games
2014 : twice went 8 games without scoring

Haaland
7 games in 2021 (inc. against Gibraltar)

Sterling
12 games (3 times)
27 games without a goal for England
25 games without scoring vs United (and counting)
2 goals in 18 games 2021

Benzema
7 home games (2021)
for France : 1,222 minutes (over SIX years)
In 2018 he underperformed his xG by more than any player in La Liga history

Neymar
2016/17 for Real 12 games
2021 for PSG 8 games

Suarez
10 games for Atleti

Put money on Mo scoring vs United !

 

[Frogfish]

Rumours today we've started on negotiations to renew Mane's contract.

 

[MomoWASright]

This probably fits in here. Feom today’s Guardian “what we learnt from the weekend”.

[article]
Liverpool are masters in recruitment
Liverpool’s previous great era of the 1970s and 1980s owed its longevity to a careful evolution of the squad. One or two players at a time would be quietly added to augment and eventually supplant those in the first XI. Decades on, and with top-level football a squad rather than team game, Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool is doing much the same, with recent additions making big contributions to the club’s push for multiple trophies. Ibrahima Konaté’s header for Liverpool’s first was the latest showing of his power in the air while Luis Díaz’s energy and devilment caused Manchester City huge problems as Liverpool compiled the 3-0 first-half lead that eventually took them through to the final. Diogo Jota, last season’s addition, has already proved indispensable in the forward line. Though Manchester City have the greater financial muscle, Liverpool are keeping pace via careful recruitment of players finding it easier to adapt than Jack Grealish so far has.

[/article]