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 purpose 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 night time by his world-class requirements.
Curiously, 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 sport this season to this point.
However the Egyptian additionally produced his joint-fourth most ‘miscontrols’ (5) in what was a messy efficiency at occasions.
We rightly maintain Salah in greater esteem than others, however his shows over the previous few weeks haven’t been wholly convincing.
His solely purpose involvement within the final three video games was the penalty at dwelling to Man United and he hasn’t fairly possessed the spark he did earlier than Christmas.
Fatigue needs to be averted
At this level within the season, it could be flawed to say that Salah is struggling burnout.
As his statistics in opposition to Forest present, he was nonetheless closely concerned, and it was erratic ending – together with the intervention of Matz Sels and Ola Aina – that allow him down greater than something.
The priority is that fatigue may change into a difficulty if Slot continues to be so reliant on his No. 11.
Salah has began each Premier League and Champions League sport this season, along with his minutes within the league (1,767) solely inferior to Virgil van Dijk (1,800).
In seasons previous, Salah’s kind has usually 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 harm, 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 occasions in 26 appearances from New 12 months’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 primary supply of targets.
Can fringe gamers fill in?
The largest downside Slot has is that not solely is Salah an indispensable determine who must play more often than not, but in addition that he might not absolutely belief the backup choices.
Liverpool’s head coach not too long ago admitted as a lot, saying it’s not simple to easily go away the Reds’ star participant out.
“Everyone right here is aware of the numbers Mo Salah brings in. There’s not many occasions a motive to take him out throughout a sport or earlier than a sport,” Slot stated.
“It’s not solely about Federico once we are speaking about him being restricted in his taking part in time. It’s additionally concerning 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 come back in for Salah and begin an essential sport? And can he be constantly out there to pick?
Harvey Elliott isn’t at his greatest on the proper wing, with a scarcity of tempo working in opposition to him, so it’s laborious to see him filling in recurrently.
Finally, Slot has the unenviable activity of discovering a stability between overplaying Salah and tiring him out, and guaranteeing that the squad choices are dependable sufficient to fill in.
It definitely labored in opposition to League Two opposition in Accrington Stanley, however it could be a unique story in Premier League fixtures the place each level is essential.
With Champions League progress all however assured, although, there must be one other alternative to rotate within the closing league section conflict at PSV Eindhoven on the very least.
Salah has solely dipped barely in latest weeks – he might roar again with a hat-trick at Brentford this weekend – however at 32, it’s essential 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 robust activity.
