Topic: Mohamed Salah - Best in the World *

[GBF]

Would be one of the "smart" decisions as he still has value and I reckon we need some funds. Also I expect the nerds back themselves to replace him accordingly or sell Slot down the river if it does not work out. Either way the nerds win.

Easier to replace a defender than someone who brings goals and assists.

I'll sell Trent or Virgil before.  Also the Saudis aren't going to spend like crazy this time

[RyanBabel19]

I dont think we should sell Salah, still class despite his recent struggles

Bang out of order today though

[DiggerJohn]

We sold Suarez and replaced with Balotetti and Lambert. That was under Rogers and the season was a shit show

[surfer. Fuck you generator.]

My issue is the replacement. We have a good collection of forwards outside Salah but no outstanding ones bar a injured Jota. If you are telling me we are replacing Salah with a top quality attacker ready to start for us the fine, but I am not in for the idea of getting some young player who one day develops into something good.

We have never had a situation under Klopp where we have sold our best player, there has always been another at the club who already took up the mantle or was there ready to. This will be different, there will not be a single attacker at the club as good as Salah when he leaves.

We don't have a single top attacker who is quick, can dribble and finish all in one. We're back where we were before we signed Mane. The new (old) recruitment team can do what they want, renewal is life. 

[JackWard33]

How the fuck are the Salah and Nunez threads the most active on this forum when both played 15 minutes today and our attack has better than our defence all season

Rawk is basically sky sports with a Liverpool spin these days

It’s like if Jamie Carragher was a forum

[farawayred]

I can understand that a player needs replacing and sometimes that player can still have a good season before the legs fall off. Mane and Firmino both had good seasons for us before they left and then they fell off a cliff. It could be the same for Salah as well if we sold him.

My issue is the replacement. We have a good collection of forwards outside Salah but no outstanding ones bar a injured Jota. If you are telling me we are replacing Salah with a top quality attacker ready to start for us the fine, but I am not in for the idea of getting some young player who one day develops into something good.

We have never had a situation under Klopp where we have sold our best player, there has always been another at the club who already took up the mantle or was there ready to. This will be different, there will not be a single attacker at the club as good as Salah when he leaves.

I see where we are coming from. But in recent seasons we've allowed way too many of our core players to lose their legs on our pitch. Way too many. The signs are there with Salah. We didn't believe the same signs with Fabinho, Hendo... We should learn from that.

We are not anything special when it comes to scored goals from expected xG:
https://twitter.com/BassTunedToRed/status/1783542942101025169
It's a fine line, but this is wrong for a team fighting for trophies. I agree that from our forwards Lucho and Jota (when fit) may be the only ones deserving their place. Gakpo can be good, but blows hot and cold. Nunez is yet to prove effective in our setup. Harvey has not been given the possibility to develop there. I'd have to say that Dunns may have emerged as one of our top options, TBF. I agree with you about our attacking options, we need to bring better picks.

As for the replacement, I don't think that Salah should be replaced directly, but his functions should be distributed to new players. The non-penalty goals are below par from all of our attackers:
https://www.statmuse.com/fc/ask?q=most+non-penalty+goals+premier+league+this+season
Do you really think that is not replaceable?

[Red_Mist]

Love Mo, but been thinking recently that Bob P might well have shifted him on already by now, club legend or not, and we need to be more like Bob P’s Liverpool. Ruthless. No room for sentiment.

He’s been incredible. Legendary. Among the best of the absolute very best. But he’s not the future for the Reds. Sad, but just how it is. Finally come round to thinking if we can still get decent money for him then we should. Give Slot a half decent pot.

[Tonyh8su]

After seeing him refuse Jurgen’s handshake that’s it for him for me to be honest. I didn’t play at a hugely high level but a “decent” level when I was younger and anything like that would’ve got you sat back down. Anyone but Salah does something similar and I think there’d be calls for them to not kick a ball again under Klopp and, I’ll be honest, for me I think that’s what should happen.

Not just not shaking his hand, not just the outburst but then the trifecta of the snarky comment to the media to keep fanning the flames.

The absolute cheek of him to do that today to Jurgen. As someone says above, that’s now the meme of Klopps final season. I’m fuming,

[Clint Eastwood]

It feels like every player from Klopp’s incredible Liverpool side has left under a bit of a cloud. Feels like the same is happening here.

[Coolie High]

After seeing him refuse Jurgen’s handshake that’s it for him for me to be honest. I didn’t play at a hugely high level but a “decent” level when I was younger and anything like that would’ve got you sat back down. Anyone but Salah does something similar and I think there’d be calls for them to not kick a ball again under Klopp and, I’ll be honest, for me I think that’s what should happen.

Not just not shaking his hand, not just the outburst but then the trifecta of the snarky comment to the media to keep fanning the flames.

The absolute cheek of him to do that today to Jurgen. As someone says above, that’s now the meme of Klopps final season. I’m fuming,

Not sure about that, we’ve already seen Mane do that in the past and there weren’t widespread calls for him to never play for Liverpool again.

[jedimaster]

Salah can have no complaints about being dropped to the bench, he has been contributing next to nothing to our attack. I was just surprised it took so many bad games to start Diaz in his place.

[slaphead]

The media want everyone, especially Liverpool fans, to make a big deal out of that incident today. They'll over analyse it for days now. It was pure and utter frustation. At how he himself has been playing, about being benched, about the season petering out. Over and done with. Move on and just try and give big Kloppo a decent send off now

[keano7]

Fully expecting him to do one of his motivational Insta / Twitter posts tomorrow to clear it all up. The longer the silence goes on the worse look it looks for both the club and the player.

[jepovic]

I can understand that a player needs replacing and sometimes that player can still have a good season before the legs fall off. Mane and Firmino both had good seasons for us before they left and then they fell off a cliff. It could be the same for Salah as well if we sold him.

My issue is the replacement. We have a good collection of forwards outside Salah but no outstanding ones bar a injured Jota. If you are telling me we are replacing Salah with a top quality attacker ready to start for us the fine, but I am not in for the idea of getting some young player who one day develops into something good.

We have never had a situation under Klopp where we have sold our best player, there has always been another at the club who already took up the mantle or was there ready to. This will be different, there will not be a single attacker at the club as good as Salah when he leaves.

But we have to replace peak Salah anyway, because he doesnt exist anymore. Its not easy, but that's life.
We can either choose to keep the current Salah, or to sell him, but we cant turn back time.

The current Salah is on 13(?) non-penalty PL goals + 9 assists. That's still good numbers, but hardly irreplacable.

I used to be in the camp of trying to keep him and try to use him differently. But now I dont believe he could cope mentally with that

[glewis93]

Easier to replace a defender than someone who brings goals and assists.

I'll sell Trent or Virgil before.  Also the Saudis aren't going to spend like crazy this time

You'd sell our captain and vice-captain before Salah?

I'm not on the "sell Salah" train just yet but that's absolutely crazy to me. Trent is world-class and still only 25, Van Dijk has been a leader and a rock for years and in a position where physical decline isn't so impactful. If it's a choice between selling Salah or either of those two for big money, it's a no-brainer for me, Salah is gone.

[Coolie High]

You'd sell our captain and vice-captain before Salah?

I'm not on the "sell Salah" train just yet but that's absolutely crazy to me. Trent is world-class and still only 25, Van Dijk has been a leader and a rock for years and in a position where physical decline isn't so impactful. If it's a choice between selling Salah or either of those two for big money, it's a no-brainer for me, Salah is gone.

You say that but the defence has underperformed the attack this season, it’s quite fascinating that all the critique seems to be directed at our forwards.

[glewis93]

You say that but the defence has underperformed the attack this season, it’s quite fascinating that all the critique seems to be directed at our forwards.

I'm not talking about current performances, I'm talking about team composition. Salah is 31 and can't be expected to maintain the incredible level in a wide forward position season after season.

I'm not saying he deserves to be sold, I'm saying that both Trent and Van Dijk would be considerably further down on the 'cash in' list for me. I can't see a situation where we'd keep Salah over either of them, especially Trent.

[decosabute]

Not sure about that, we’ve already seen Mane do that in the past and there weren’t widespread calls for him to never play for Liverpool again.

Mane didn't do it to the manager when being subbed on. Him kicking off after getting subbed about his teammate not passing is not the same, no matter how many times people repeat it.

I've never seen any Liverpool player act that way when getting subbed on. It was more like latter-day Ronaldo behaviour.

[Coolie High]

Mane didn't do it to the manager when being subbed on. Him kicking off after getting subbed about his teammate not passing is not the same, no matter how many times people repeat it.

I've never seen any Liverpool player act that way when getting subbed on. It was more like latter-day Ronaldo behaviour.

I guess us seeing it makes it worse, but Millie was literally telling the same man to ‘Shut the fuck up’ and almost coming to blows with him.

Was a shit thing for Salah to do and he should be utterly ashamed of himself, but I gather Klopp is more forgiving than many on here.

[decosabute]

It feels like every player from Klopp’s incredible Liverpool side has left under a bit of a cloud. Feels like the same is happening here.

I think only Henderson has really left on bad terms. And a lot of that is because of how terrible and hypocritical his choice was. The rest may have been annoyed that a contract wasn't coming (Wijnaldum) or wanted to try another league (Mane), but none of them left because the relationship had gone sour with Klopp or their teammates.

[Lord Roger Hunt]

Mane didn't do it to the manager when being subbed on. Him kicking off after getting subbed about his teammate not passing is not the same, no matter how many times people repeat it.

I've never seen any Liverpool player act that way when getting subbed on. It was more like latter-day Ronaldo behaviour.

Roger Hunt threw his shirt into the dugout when he was subbed.

Tempus Fugit, and all that.

It might make you angry but no one can’t beat the sands of time.

[decosabute]

I guess us seeing it makes it worse, but Millie was literally telling the same man to ‘Shut the fuck up’ and almost coming to blows with him.

Was a shit thing for Salah to do and he should be utterly ashamed of himself, but I gather Klopp is more forgiving than many on here.

Even the Milner thing was different. He was subbed off - his blood is up from the game, he thinks he still has a lot to offer. That's understandable. Henderson has done that before too. Salah has done it several times. We see that at every club and it's very common.

There's a difference between the emotions of getting pulled out of the game when you feel you still have a lot to give (and maybe are disappointed at yourself), and then sulking and being pissed off when called upon to come into a game. One is normal human behaviour, the other is petulant bullshit. And especially disappointing from a supposed leader in the dressing room.

Salah might not like sitting on the bench, but it's what he deserves and the least he can do is be professional and ready and willing when called upon. Apparently he looked absolutely not-arsed when warming up as well. It's not good enough from a player of his standing. Or any liverpool player for that matter.

[William Regal]

Not sure if theres been any theories today on what happened but this was mine, klopp was trying to make 3 subs including Salah and Gomez, did Klopp try and get the 3 subs on at a break of play at 2-1 only for salah not to be ready and then west ham go on to equalise at 2-2 in a situation that Klopp thought Gomez would have defended better than the man he was subbing in Trent? Did Klopp go up to Salah then after the delay, pissed off and say something like "are you sure you're ready now?"

Just a theory, may be completely wrong.

[G Richards]

Salah was out of order today. After Klopp drew a line under it and said he had spoken to the player, Salah kept it going with his subsequent comment. Poor form Mo. Because now the story rumbles on, and Jurgen will certainly be asked about it again.

As for Mo’s future here on the pitch, he has another year of his contract to go. If he sees it out, I expect him to do quite well and score goals as he hopes to try for the Prem and CL again. He might be used a bit more sparingly, and not be a 90 minute man every game, but that will help him to give his best. As a player he is past his peak, but I would imagine he is better than he has shown lately, as some of that is coming back from injury, and losing form, rather than him being totally over the hill. If he stays he will still do well for us next season.

If we have a choice in the matter (Mo has the final say) then I would sell him, to give Slot the dough to reinvest as he shapes his own side. Even if the Saudis aren’t as flash with the cash, Salah will be a jewel in the crown type for them, so they will still splurge for him. Whether Mo wants to go to a footballing backwater, with plenty left to offer on the pitch, remains to be seen.

Edit
If he goes to another club in summer besides the Saudis, we will not be receiving anything like the same sort of fee. And the takers will be a very small group indeed, as not many can afford the wages AND give us a fee that would tempt us to part company, instead of keeping him for the remainder of his contract. Maybe PSG would give 50M? They have their own issues to keep a rein on their finances. I suspect the Saudis would give double that.

It will be an interesting summer.

[Dim Glas]

Not sure if theres been any theories today on what happened but this was mine, klopp was trying to make 3 subs including Salah and Gomez, did Klopp try and get the 3 subs on at a break of play at 2-1 only for salah not to be ready and then west ham go on to equalise at 2-2 in a situation that Klopp thought Gomez would have defended better than the man he was subbing in Trent? Did Klopp go up to Salah then after the delay, pissed off and say something like "are you sure you're ready now?"

Just a theory, may be completely wrong.

No need to look so deep I don’t think!
It’s assumed it’s to do with Salah being a brat when Klopp wanted to do his isual handshake/hug with the sub before they go on. that’s what the vid doing the round shows. He doesn’t want to do that, walks off, Klopp says something, he comes back and sort of fistbumps him, and walks off to the edge of the technical area again and then all the arm-flapping starts. Just very petulant, disrespectful and uncalled for from any player let alone one so experienced.

[Andar]

No need to look so deep I don’t think!
It’s assumed it’s to do with Salah being a brat when Klopp wanted to do his isual handshake/hug with the sub before they go on. that’s what the vid doing the round shows. He doesn’t want to do that, walks off, Klopp says something, he comes back and sort of fistbumps him, and walks off to the edge of the technical area again and then all the arm-flapping starts. Just very petulant, disrespectful and uncalled for from any player let alone one so experienced.

That just goes to show he's not playing injured. Ignoring the initial handshake comes from the frustration for being benched.

That frustration would not have been if he knew Klopp was managing his injury.

He was bitter at being benched for being in crap form.

[William Regal]

No need to look so deep I don’t think!
It’s assumed it’s to do with Salah being a brat when Klopp wanted to do his isual handshake/hug with the sub before they go on. that’s what the vid doing the round shows. He doesn’t want to do that, walks off, Klopp says something, he comes back and sort of fistbumps him, and walks off to the edge of the technical area again and then all the arm-flapping starts. Just very petulant, disrespectful and uncalled for from any player let alone one so experienced.

Apologies, been out all day and didnt know that , is there some footage doing the rounds?

[Fromola]

It feels like every player from Klopp’s incredible Liverpool side has left under a bit of a cloud. Feels like the same is happening here.

It's like the motto of all political careers end in failure. If a player leaves Liverpool it's either because he's fucked us off for another club (Coutinho/Torres/Sterling), we've fucked him off because he's not been good enough/we've got a good offer, or his legs are going and we're having to faze him out/a contractual issue for a player over 30.

One of the reasons we get a lot of bitter ex-players as pundits is due to how they left.

The likes of Firmino and Milner are the exceptions in that their contracts are up and they get the big send offs in their last game. Milner still disappointed not to be kept on though.

[slaphead]

Salah's been one of our best ever players. His consistency has phenomenal for us for years, never out of the team. We've shat ourself in the league, he's out of the team and he knows himself its deserved and he's seeing the last glimmer of a chance of maybe his last league title going away today. He threw the head, wrongly. Disrespectful.  I think Kloppo will have dealt with it after the game and that's that. Don't let Sky with their Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville shite make it a big thing when its not

[Fromola]

Salah's been one of our best ever players. His consistency has phenomenal for us for years, never out of the team. We've shat ourself in the league, he's out of the team and he knows himself its deserved and he's seeing the last glimmer of a chance of maybe his last league title going away today. He threw the head, wrongly. Disrespectful.  I think Kloppo will have dealt with it after the game and that's that. Don't let Sky with their Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville shite make it a big thing when its not

Doesn't really matter much if it's been dealt with or not at this point, they'll only be working together for a few more weeks and there's not much else to play for. Salah's future is in the hands of Slot/Edwards/Hughes as well as his dickhead agent.

But if he's pissed off with Klopp for being left on the bench when playing terribly, and throws his toys out the pram, it's hardly a big incentive for them to want to keep him.

[KC7]

How the fuck are the Salah and Nunez threads the most active on this forum when both played 15 minutes today and our attack has better than our defence all season

Rawk is basically sky sports with a Liverpool spin these days

It’s like if Jamie Carragher was a forum

Agree its nonsense.

We conceded SIX goals in two games at 0T, against a dreadful United outfit who barely got a kick for most of those games, yet the main gripe was over our finishing. We would have needed EIGHT goals (i'm using block capitals here just to emphasise the bleedin obvious issue). 

Our main problem all season has been defensively, coughly up easy chances for the opposition, which primilarily stems from the midfield being too easy to waltz through (not sorting out the DM position has hurt us, again).

I've gone further than not critiquing the forwards, I think with such a dysfunctional midfield they have done remarkably well to have scored as many as they have. Alot is made of the misses, but like with today's 28 shots we don't win the ball back quickly as we used to and carve out clear openings, as the chances today were largely difficult. Its a much slower ponderous build up from the back, little speed from the 6 to the 8s, then we get to the edge of the crowded box and usually have to try something out of nothing. There are exceptions such as Palace at home when the chances were much better, but even in that game we had to ask the forwards to bail us out again having gone behind for the umpteenth time, and there is only so many times you can go to the well.

Those breakaways at OT, we started so far back in those, deep in our own half, whereas previously we were winning the ball much higher up the field when the midfield was a pressing machine and the chances were much better, much closer to goal. The midfield isnt functioning like it was, anywhere close for that matter, and Jurgen was clearly working on it with all those 8s brought in. Slot bringing in an athletic 6 would complete that task. Get that area firing again,  which in turn will make things much easier for the forwards.

[Dim Glas]

Apologies, been out all day and didnt know that , is there some footage doing the rounds?

https://x.com/AnythingLFC_/status/1784236847402549662