Liverpool have a ‘special’ player who is the key to Mohamed Salah’s goalscoring form. The Egyptian isn’t quite himself.
Mohamed Salah isn’t scoring goals at his usual rate. In fact, he’s not getting the same number of chances that he used to as Liverpool struggle to get him near the goal.
Liverpool have a ‘special’ player who is the key to Mohamed Salah’s goalscoring form. The Egyptian isn’t quite himself.
Mohamed Salah isn’t scoring goals at his usual rate. In fact, he’s not getting the same number of chances that he used to as Liverpool struggle to get him near the goal.
The Egyptian is much wider than he used to be, often hanging out on the flank for large stretches of play. It means Liverpool don’t have their greatest goal-threat actually near the goal. It’s no surprise that he isn’t attacking the goal in the same way, then.
That has led to questions about his form – and even mentality. At the very least, Jurgen Klopp appears to have his tactics wrong.
We’re not sure he does, however. Instead, we think Liverpool are relying on a ‘special’ player to find Salah’s form.
Mohamed Salah’s goalscoring form
For years, Salah has drifted centrally as a False 9 vacated the centre-forward space. He’s been less of winger and more of a striker at times. Liverpool, though, are moving away from that system.
Partly, it’s because teams aren’t sitting back as they used to. Liverpool are being pressed quite high, making it harder for False 9s to drag defenders away. It also means Salah has to stay wide as the full-backs aren’t able to get all the way up.
Liverpool FC v Crystal Palace – Premier League
This was predicted, however. Liverpool signed Darwin Nunez to combat this, with his physicality and pace able to punish teams who push high. That will have two effects. Teams will sit back and allow Salah to drift inside more and Nunez should occupy more defenders on his own.
Nunez should be too much of a threat to leave one-v-one, in other words. As soon as multiple defenders are on him, Salah will find more space and get his path to goal back. It just relies on Nunez being enough of a threat for defences to truly worry about him. He has the ability – it’s what makes him ‘special’ in Pep Lijnders’ eyes.
And it’s plain to see. Salah’s goal against Fulham and his penalty against Manchester City came as a result of Nunez. The link will only get stronger with time.
In the meantime, Salah will focus on other aspects of his game. Aspects he does to a league-best level.
