only passing mention of what for me is the obvious explanation: the league has adjusted to him, and to Klopp's formations, from last year. I don't have numbers on the percent of chances completed, but they only tell a partial picture anyway. now that the rest of the league knows who and what Liverpool is and that stopping Salah is their first priority, isn't it up to Klopp, Mane, Firmino, et al to use that focus to make them pay? isn't this when Salah serves the scousers best by drawing so much attention that his teammates have room to thrive?
4
@Matt If you are missing basic chances. It has little to do with other teams...and more to do with your inability to execute.
1
A difficult column: brilliant, but not brilliant enough, or as brilliant as he was last year.
Not asked, how should the team adjust if he needs an extra 1/2 second?
The fact of Liverpool out of first by a point should recede to the view that the club has the players and team that has the wherewithal to stop the Premiership title drought this season. Salah at this point may be a bit 'out of form' but he is a consumate professional with great skill. He knows what must be done. And I am sure Herr Klopp will be working to motivate him as well as the entire team.
The team and Klopp when on their way out to the pitch from now on can do well to take a page from Bill Shankly the Liverpool great who won alot of silver for the club. At this time every player needs to dig deep with great desire and effort...
'For a player to be good enough to play for Liverpool he must be prepared to run through a brick wall for me then come out fighting on the other side'.
And as far as missing goals here's another point for players to ponder from Shankly: 'Yes, Roger Hunt misses a few but he gets in the right place to miss them'.
Go Liverpool! I want you to win that title. It's been awhile.
1
It's a long season w/ many games especially when you factor in the CL, FA Cup and numerous other matches. Throw in the WC this past summer, and it's a wonder that these players are still able to compete at such a high level.
MS is an exceptional talent who just might be a bit fatigued. Imagine that.
1
"Perhaps, in the early months of the season, there were mitigating circumstances"
Perhaps the mitigating circumstance is that last year was the best Salah will ever have in the Premier League. There is an insatiable need among fans and writers for athletes to equal or "best their best". We're like junkies jonesing for the best-ever high.
Being human though means there is a limit to all things possible. Perhaps Mo achieved his best last year and he won't ever match or better it. That's not a knock on Salah or his excellence. It just means that other years, of necessity, will be less thrilling.
We spend so much time yearning for the improbable and impossible we often miss the excellence right before our eyes. Too bad.
11
I am a Chelsea fan but rooting for Liverpool. I was very disappointed by Liverpool's performance yesterday. Salah is not as good as people think and is getting worse as the season progresses. A true winner, given the opportunity he had, would have scored it. He relies too much on his left foot and that is why he missed. Oh well, at least we are going to have a great finale
It tells you you should not judge a player by one season, only consistency
Over a period of time will tell you the true class of a player and maybe the other defense has figured him out
And he has to come up with another skill set, adding more spice to the game.
2
@Newscast2 -- I don't think it's fair to imply that he's been inconsistent. Salah has scored seventeen goals in the league this season, only one behind Aguero, the top scorer so far. Let's not ignore the seven assists he also has. Before last season, he was scoring for fun at Roma. Perhaps Salah hasn't hit the heights of last season, but that would be quite an ask for any player. He's played at a very high level for at least three years now.
I think most Liverpool fans are very happy with his contributions to the team. After all, it's not only about scoring goals, it is about creating space and opportunities for other players.
8
@LC -- The number of goals is not as important as the number game-winning goals. A single goal yesterday could have been the one that won the championship for Liverpool.
@Moshe -- I don't think anyone would deny that game winning goals are more important than goals that run up the score in an already decided contest. I don't think that was really the point of my post, either. The original poster implied Salah was inconsistent, and I disagreed.
I wish Salah had taken his opportunities yesterday, but that he did not does not in my eyes make him an inconsistent or somehow underwhelming player. Liverpool is a better team with Salah than without, and that is maybe the most important "stat" of them all.