Mohamed Salah‘s poor efficiency at Nottingham Forest served as a warning of earlier mid-season burnouts, however can Arne Slot belief his backups to step in?
It has been a outstanding season for Salah – one which has seen him accumulate 38 objective contributions (21 targets, 17 assists) in 29 appearances.
Within the 1-1 draw at Forest on Tuesday, although, the 32-year-old endured a irritating evening by his world-class requirements.
Apparently, Salah truly had his highest variety of touches (61), his joint-second most photographs (six) and performed his third-most key passes (4) of any recreation this season to this point.
However the Egyptian additionally produced his joint-fourth most ‘miscontrols’ (5) in what was a messy efficiency at instances.
We rightly maintain Salah in greater esteem than others, however his shows over the previous few weeks haven’t been wholly convincing.
His solely objective involvement within the final three video games was the penalty at house to Man United and he hasn’t fairly possessed the spark he did earlier than Christmas.
Fatigue needs to be prevented
At this level within the season, it will be unsuitable to say that Salah is struggling burnout.
As his statistics towards Forest present, he was nonetheless closely concerned, and it was erratic ending – together with the intervention of Matz Sels and Ola Aina – that permit him down greater than something.
The priority is that fatigue may change into a problem if Slot continues to be so reliant on his No. 11.
Salah has began each Premier League and Champions League recreation this season, along with his minutes within the league (1,767) solely inferior to Virgil van Dijk (1,800).
In seasons previous, Salah’s type has typically abandoned him within the spring, significantly in these campaigns interrupted by the Africa Cup of Nations.
Final time period, he scored solely 3 times within the league from March onwards after AFCON, not helped by damage, and it coincided along with his frustration boiling over with Jurgen Klopp at West Ham.
In 2021/22, the arrival of Luis Diaz added life to a flagging Liverpool assault halfway by way of the season, and Salah solely scored 9 instances in 26 appearances from New Yr’s Day onwards.
Salah has nonetheless excelled throughout the latter levels of campaigns, however with Liverpool starting to drop factors it’s vital that they fastidiously handle their essential supply of targets.
Can fringe gamers fill in?
The most important downside Slot has is that not solely is Salah an indispensable determine who must play more often than not, but in addition that he could not absolutely belief the backup choices.
Liverpool’s head coach not too long ago admitted as a lot, saying it’s not straightforward to easily depart the Reds’ star participant out.
“Everyone right here is aware of the numbers Mo Salah brings in. There’s not many instances a motive to take him out throughout a recreation or earlier than a recreation,” Slot stated.
“It’s not solely about Federico after we are speaking about him being restricted in his enjoying time. It’s additionally in regards to the others.”
Federico Chiesa has had a rocky opening to his Liverpool profession, not making a single begin within the league, with accidents and health points holding him again.
Can Slot depend on the Italian to return in for Salah and begin an necessary recreation? And can he be persistently out there to pick?
Harvey Elliott isn’t at his greatest on the correct wing, with an absence of tempo working towards him, so it’s exhausting to see him filling in recurrently.
Finally, Slot has the unenviable activity of discovering a stability between overplaying Salah and tiring him out, and making certain that the squad choices are dependable sufficient to fill in.
It actually labored towards League Two opposition in Accrington Stanley, however it could be a distinct story in Premier League fixtures the place each level is essential.
With Champions League progress all however assured, although, there ought to be one other alternative to rotate within the ultimate league part conflict at PSV Eindhoven on the very least.
Salah has solely dipped barely in latest weeks – he could roar again with a hat-trick at Brentford this weekend – however at 32, it’s necessary to handle him sensibly.
We’ve seen this earlier than within the second half of seasons, with supporters ruing a drop-off from Salah, however avoiding it’s a powerful activity.
