Topic: Mohamed Salah - Best in the World *

[Kalito]

Yep knives were out pre sharpened.

In this place as well, by the looks of it.

[Keith Lard]

Last year was defo the time to cash in (if all parties wanted it, which it sounds like they didn’t). But that was then and this is now.

If I was a betting man, I’d bet on Salah killing it next year, runs his contract down, Liverpool fans hoping he signs a new deal, and then a queue of clubs lining up to take him.

That’s why I say … sign him up now whilst the chips are down

Hate to say I told you so, but I would be lying They want to extend Salah’s contract because Mo is gold class and will be rejuvenated next year.

There’s one thing I understand - the contrarian investor mindset, and these guys that run the club are not scared to swim against the tide to extract value. Salah contract extension is the equivalent of a “bear market investment”. Sign him up now when it’s easy and demand is down , he gets off to a flyer next year and his value on a long contract soars … wouldn’t surprise me if they try to cash in at the end of next summer with Salah in better form and in a longer contract.

[terry_macss_perm]

Premier League this calendar year.

Haaland
7 goals 1 assist
Missed 1 game

Salah
5 goals, 2 assists
Missed 6 games

Both were the top scorers going into the new year, only one had AFCON and multiple injuries since.

Maybe City should sell the robot as he's fallen off a cliff or something

If Haaland was 32 in 6 weeks the comparison might be vaguely relevant.

[Johnny Aldridge]

Been a mad few days with Mo….
My take on it is he’s not right since the injury, he’s playing shit and not involved in the games and the frustration boiled over at the weekend. It’s part of football but it’s mostly kept to the dressing room.

Signing a new contract might make business sense, it locks him in for another season and we can sell him the year after. Without a renewal if he stays next season he can go on a free at the end of it (is that right?) I do think he has another season in him at least. He has enough credit in the bank to be allowed a dip in form, and it’s not just him that’s dipped. Mo will be 32 next season and if he stays some reinvention will be needed, a new manager might get a new tune out of Mo.

[Coolie High]

Assists this season:

Nunez - 13
Salah - 13
Jota - 5
Gakpo - 4
Diaz - 5

This doesn’t disapprove what I said, I said chances, assists is reliant on another person finishing them.

[Crouch Potato]

As we've seen before though, Torres was a big example, you have to know the best time to sell a big player, and if we were to receive a ridiculous offer from the Saudis, eg. £150M, we would be mad not to take it.

[jepovic]

Hate to say I told you so, but I would be lying They want to extend Salah’s contract because Mo is gold class and will be rejuvenated next year.

There’s one thing I understand - the contrarian investor mindset, and these guys that run the club are not scared to swim against the tide to extract value. Salah contract extension is the equivalent of a “bear market investment”. Sign him up now when it’s easy and demand is down , he gets off to a flyer next year and his value on a long contract soars … wouldn’t surprise me if they try to cash in at the end of next summer with Salah in better form and in a longer contract.

He's not a second hand car though. I agree it makes sense for the club to extend his contract for relatively low wages, but it doesnt make sense for Salah. He's on a great contract now and will have plenty of lucrative offers, being one of the biggest stars in the game.
If we want to keep him we probably have to pay him as least as much as the current contract.

[jepovic]

As we've seen before though, Torres was a big example, you have to know the best time to sell a big player, and if we were to receive a ridiculous offer from the Saudis, eg. £150M, we would be mad not to take it.

Yeah, and I cant remember any ageing player where I felt like we sold too early.
I also want to keep Salah if possible, but my mind says that we should take a good offer and get someone younger

[redbyrdz]

Been a mad few days with Mo….
My take on it is he’s not right since the injury, he’s playing shit and not involved in the games and the frustration boiled over at the weekend. It’s part of football but it’s mostly kept to the dressing room.

Signing a new contract might make business sense, it locks him in for another season and we can sell him the year after. Without a renewal if he stays next season he can go on a free at the end of it (is that right?) I do think he has another season in him at least. He has enough credit in the bank to be allowed a dip in form, and it’s not just him that’s dipped. Mo will be 32 next season and if he stays some reinvention will be needed, a new manager might get a new tune out of Mo.

Agree about him not being fully fit and frustrated about it. Think it might also have to do with Afcon - he's tried to get on a bit of peak fitness for it, but then got injured and is now in a bit of a slump.

He looks after himself very well fitness wise, so I don't think he can't get back to the level he was at at the start of the season. Might just need a bit of proper rest.

Think mentally though, there's something a bit odd about him needing to spend every minute on the pitch. He'll need to accept at some point that he can't play all the time.

[lionel_messias]

Agree about him not being fully fit and frustrated about it. Think it might also have to do with Afcon - he's tried to get on a bit of peak fitness for it, but then got injured and is now in a bit of a slump.

He looks after himself very well fitness wise, so I don't think he can't get back to the level he was at at the start of the season. Might just need a bit of proper rest.

Think mentally though, there's something a bit odd about him needing to spend every minute on the pitch. He'll need to accept at some point that he can't play all the time.

If he stays, and gets fit and happy = grand.

But you rather suspect FSG would like Michael Edwards to get a fee this summer that goes into the transfer pot for Slot's business.

[smutchin]

If he stays, and gets fit and happy = grand.

But you rather suspect FSG would like Michael Edwards to get a fee this summer that goes into the transfer pot for Slot's business.

Surely they'll be looking at more than just the money they can raise from selling him? They've shown in the past that they're not afraid to let players run down their contracts if the value of keeping them at the club for their contribution on the pitch outweighs the financial benefits of selling them.

For me, Salah is still a vital player for us, despite his recent dip in form, and we need him in the squad next season regardless of his contract situation. But I'm sure the business brains in this thread are right and we should just cash in asap.

[NickoH]

If he stays, and gets fit and happy = grand.

But you rather suspect FSG would like Michael Edwards to get a fee this summer that goes into the transfer pot for Slot's business.

I feel he may be the Coutinho of this era. Sell him and reinvest the money on players.

He could also stop, so what do I know.

[Hestoic]

Sounds like he's staying which I'm happy about.

Hopefully the people talking shit about him the past few days enjoy the news.

[Fruity]

Premier League this calendar year.

Haaland
7 goals 1 assist
Missed 1 game

Salah
5 goals, 2 assists
Missed 6 games

Both were the top scorers going into the new year, only one had AFCON and multiple injuries since.

Maybe City should sell the robot as he's fallen off a cliff or something

haaland is 24 in july

Mo is 32 in June

if we get a decent offer we should sell. FSG will not splash the cash to get his replacement and a DM and CB etc

[smutchin]

haaland is 24 in july

Mo is 32 in June

if we get a decent offer we should sell. FSG will not splash the cash to get his replacement and a DM and CB etc

It's funny the way different people can react so wildly differently to the same piece of information. You see that stat and only see his age as a red flag. I see that stat and think, wow, even at that age he's still one of the very best strikers in the Premier League.

[Knight]

Not in this league where he hasn't played it in 7 years. He doesn't see the pictures, have the close control or see the pass let alone be able to execute it.

Madness. His creative passing is brilliant. His expected AND actual assists are about as good as anyone else in the world. Do you just not watch us, at all? The man pulls a worldie of a creative pass from his back pocket on a regular basis.

[BCCC]

Madness. His creative passing is brilliant.

Not from a 10 position, he can't do what Firmino did from a false 9 or 10 position hence why he's never played there.

Thinking he can thread a pass quickly from the right hand side of centre off his right foot in the most congested area of the pitch is madness. He's a legend from the left but in my opinion he can't play the 10.

[ToneLa]

FSG will not splash the cash to get his replacement and a DM and CB etc

Nunez was expensive
So was VVD

[Knight]

Not from a 10 position, he can't do what Firmino did from a false 9 or 10 position hence why he's never played there.

Thinking he can thread a pass quickly from the right hand side of centre off his right foot in the most congested area of the pitch is madness. He's a legend from the left but in my opinion he can't play the 10.

The idea that a man who is literally as good or better than every forward in world football at creative passing ‘can’t’ do it from a central position is so very odd I don’t know where to start. Many of his creative passes are from 10 like positions anyway - it’s hard to play killer creative passes when you’re on the right flank.

[Wool]

He doesn't see the pictures, have the close control or see the pass let alone be able to execute it.

Salah is the only player in PL history to reach 20+ goals and 10+ assists in three PL seasons. The only one. The idea that he “doesn’t see the picture, see the pass or be able to execute it” is just not true at all. He’s always been our most creative player in the attack no matter who he’s played alongside.

[Studgotelli]

I’m of the opinion we should be looking to move on but perhaps they want an extra year to scout a replacement.

[SamLad]

It's funny the way different people can react so wildly differently to the same piece of information. You see that stat and only see his age as a red flag. I see that stat and think, wow, even at that age he's still one of the very best strikers in the Premier League.

that's how I view it too.  classic glass-half-full thing isn't it?

[Jookie]

I’m of the opinion we should be looking to move on but perhaps they want an extra year to scout a replacement.

To be honest it might not just be a year to scout his replacement

Diaz needs a new contract or sold.

Next summer Jota is 28 and 2 years left on his deal

Nunez and Gakpo arguably have make or break seasons coming up in their Liverpool careers.

We’ve seen the club embrace doing big changes in 1 part of the team over 1-3 windows. We’ve done it in attack with Diaz-Nunez-Gakpo in successive windows. We did 4 midfielders this summer.

I wonder if we stay roughly as we are attacking wise going into 24/25. That next summer will be the time to address Salah and age, Gakpo and Nunez’s ability to reach required level and assess Jota’s durability and therefore value. That gives Hughes and Slot 12 months to assess a group that has its merits but also question marks. Might mean summer 25 is an overhaul or just a tinkering. Feels like there currently too many unknowns to overhaul our attacking options this summer. Just keeping Salah for 1 season could be part of that approach.

[number 168]

Given that FSG, despite recent huge sponsorship deals, have chosen to increase my ST price I for one hope Mo stays as it's an absolute privilege to watch that guy play football.  His virtuoso goal against City and his piledriver against Chelsea will live long in the memory.

[SamLad]

Given that FSG, despite recent huge sponsorship deals, have chosen to increase my ST price I for one hope Mo stays as it's an absolute privilege to watch that guy play football.  His virtuoso goal against City and his piledriver against Chelsea will live long in the memory.

they are the 2 I always think of when his "greatest goals" comes up.  third for me is the late goal vs Spurs at the Annie Rd end.

[kaesarsosei]

I think if you are hard-minded financially then it makes sense to sell this summer, even for the £50m type of figure that I see bandied about. However if Slot thinks he can get a tune out of him and he fits into his plans then keep him.

For me a lot depends on his physical state post-injury. Is it one of those things where a month off and a pre-season means he is back to pre-AFCON levels? If so then I think its OK to take the £50m hit on him potentially running down his contract. I hope the money men, Slot and physios are all on the same page with this decision.

[Scottymuser]

I think if you are hard-minded financially then it makes sense to sell this summer, even for the £50m type of figure that I see bandied about. However if Slot thinks he can get a tune out of him and he fits into his plans then keep him.

For me a lot depends on his physical state post-injury. Is it one of those things where a month off and a pre-season means he is back to pre-AFCON levels? If so then I think its OK to take the £50m hit on him potentially running down his contract. I hope the money men, Slot and physios are all on the same page with this decision.

I would 100% expect him to get back to pre-AFCON levels with a month off, a good pre-season, and working with the new management.  And that level btw was Ballon D'Or worthy - he was the best player on the planet for 4 months (again).

[faisfais]

I have written some critical comments about Salah in this thread, but my overriding memory of Salah will always be his performance against Roma. In the Anfield semi-final, he was UNPLAYABLE. We romped to a 5-0 advantage with Salah contributing 2 goals & 2 assists. When he was taken off (as a precaution), we lost momentum and conceded 2 late goals. But those 75 minutes were PURE FOOTBALL GOLD.. the closest to a Maradona performance by a Liverpool player in my 40+ years supporting the Reds.

[Fruity]

Nunez was expensive
So was VVD

They were but over the last five seasons we average around £27 million per window net (so 54million per year according to transfermarket). That's involved selling players to buy players like mane for Nunez and presumably VVD - was that Coutinho money?

At a guess I reckon we could get 2 more years out of salah playing at a good level as long as he doesn't get injured. But we would get little to  no sale value from him as he would be 34. Or if a decent amount is put on the table now to buy a replacement then we should be at least seriously thinking about it.

Don't get me wrong I would keep Salah 100% if money was no object but a lot of seasons it has been a big consideration, so how do we keep improving and refreshing the squad to a high standard if we don't move players along at the right time.

[Fromola]

god, on social media so many want to sell him over his "spat"

which I looked back on and looked like hardly anything

Plastic fans after Saudi money

In isolation it's neither here nor there, but the thing for me is it risks becoming a sideshow for Slot going forward whenever he's on the bench/ gets subbed off. It was similar with Gerrard/Rodgers and he didn't really have the balls/gravitas/authority to deal with it.

Henderson saw his arse last summer because he couldn't handle not starting every week, with his legs going, and by all accounts was pouting last season when he was dropped (while playing shit). That'll be magnified a lot with Salah. If he's back near his top form next season then it's not so bad, but then you've got the contract situation hanging over his head as well.

For me, there's 3 options this summer:

1) Sell him in the summer and it's realistically going to be Saudi and that's if he wants to go

2) Accept he'll probably go for nothing in 2025 and make the best of what'll probably be his last year

3) Extend his contract by another a year or two

I can live with either. The thing for me, is are Edwards/FSG content for us to take the financial hit of option 2? And would it make sense to? That's why i'd take with a pinch of salt the briefings of the club keeping him next year. We've let too many players run their contracts down and leave for notihng.

[FlashGordon]

Short memory. He was exceptional before that injury layoff.

The one thing to factor in is how gash the midfield has been this season which has impacted the attackers. Unbalanced, slow, ponderous with the midfield three having to "stay close to each other" (Klopp's words) so as not to expose the slow 6. A pressing team (which is Klopp, and Slot) doesn't do "staying close". That's more a Rafa style, "compact", low risk. Press is high risk, and leaves gaps, which can be exploited on the counter which is why an athletic 6 is a necessity. This season has not seen a Klopp midfield. It's been low energy, weak, flaky, wide open defensively and too slow in getting the ball to the attack. Bringing in a quality, athletic 6 who can do his job without impeding others from doing there's (ie. allowing the 8s to stay advanced), will make the attack function better.

If you want to press effectively you need to be close  Good pressing teams don't leave big gaps, that's what bad pressing teams do.

[yes]

I have written some critical comments about Salah in this thread, but my overriding memory of Salah will always be his performance against Roma. In the Anfield semi-final, he was UNPLAYABLE. We romped to a 5-0 advantage with Salah contributing 2 goals & 2 assists. When he was taken off (as a precaution), we lost momentum and conceded 2 late goals. But those 75 minutes were PURE FOOTBALL GOLD.. the closest to a Maradona performance by a Liverpool player in my 40+ years supporting the Reds.

Better than Suarez? Interesting.

[Jwils21]

Quite remarkable that despite his form falling off a cliff he’s only 4 goals behind the greatest robotic goalscorer in history, 6th in the PL Golden Boot with 17 goals. In the 3 seasons prior to him joining our top scorers had 13, 10 and 9 goals.

There’s a potentially interesting summer ahead but here’s hoping he finds some form for the last few games. What a player

[slaphead]

Disgusting how people label him a diver when he's the exact opposite of a diver. He gets manhandled countless times a game. Heard a clip of that wally Simon Jordan saying Salah "is a fair weather player and he dives".  Jordan often talks about media making up narratives and having nothing to back up what they say. Fairweather player?  What a load of bullox. He's stood up season after season right when we needed him. Talk about reacting to the moment. In his time at Liverpool I can remember Salah going down easily, or diving, once. Once. Contrast that to Kane, Vardy, Deli Ali, Rashford, Saka, Maddison. I wonder why Salah gets labelled a diver and they dont

[Jookie]

Better than Suarez? Interesting.

As a Liverpool player it’s not even close.

Personally I’d say Salah is our best attacking player since Rush.

It’s arguable there’s only Gerrard close to him as the best Liverpool player in the PL era. I’d probably say that in my time watching Liverpool Salah is probably a Top 3 best player. I think Suarez would be Top 10 but somewhere near 8-10.

[Knight]

As a Liverpool player it’s not even close.

Personally I’d say Salah is our best attacking player since Rush.

It’s arguable there’s only Gerrard close to him as the best Liverpool player in the PL era. I’d probably say that in my time watching Liverpool Salah is probably a Top 3 best player. I think Suarez would be Top 10 but somewhere near 8-10.

I'm not sure i've seen a more remarkable season from a Liverpool player than Suarez in 13/14 (I can only remember mid 90s onwards). He was out of this world. 31 PL goals (no penalties!) and 12 assists. He only started 33 games. And some of the goals he scored were just outrageous. Salah got very close in numbers terms in his first season with us but give me just one season and I'd take that version of Suarez. So if we're purely asking, 'who reached a higher peak', Salah or Suarez, it's Suarez for me. However, Salah has done it year after year and in so far as longevity and trophies comes into the conversation about who's been the 'best' then Salah has obviously been better.

[mullyred94]

Suarez was the best individual talent I've seen for Liverpool.

Salah had a better Liverpool career and one of the best but he was no Luis Suarez in terms of talent for me.

[classycarra]

Yeah I think for me the only way Salah comes out on top of Suarez is based on longevity of time playing for the club. And I guess having fewer suspensions!

If Suarez had Salah's robustness (for example his knees), I'd expect he'd still be playing as a 37 year old now (albeit fewer games) in a top league.

[MonsLibpool]

Yeah, if we talk best season them Suarez 13/14 is on a different planet.
Salahs best season 21/22 had 23 goals, 18 of them non penalty.
Suarez had 31!!

But in every other aspect Salah is better.

Salah's best season was 40-odd non penalty goals in 17/18 (31 NPG in the league).

[jepovic]

Salah's best season was 40-odd non penalty goals in 17/18 (31 NPG in the league).

Yes, you are right