Mohamed Salah has had an extremely spectacular season for Liverpool, combining for 54 objectives and assists, however how does his first half of the season evaluate to his second to this point?
Liverpool’s No. 11 has been the focus in assault, contributing 49.5 p.c of Liverpool’s objectives in all competitions having amassed 32 objectives and 22 assists to this point.
Arne Slot‘s aspect have seven video games left within the season and Salah has the possibility to eclipse his best-ever tally for purpose contributions on the membership, which stands at 58 from his debut season.
He has now gone 4 video games and not using a purpose – his longest drought since February 2023 – and 6 video games with out an help.
There is no such thing as a want for alarm bells to ring as we all know the disruption at right-back has not helped Salah, nor the malaise hanging over the staff typically.
However it obtained us desirous about whether or not there are notable variations between his first half of the season and the second.
A drop off this season?
If we use the Premier League midway level as a information for Liverpool’s midpoint of the marketing campaign, it runs as much as and consists of the go to of Man United on January 5.
From the season opener to the draw towards Ruben Amorim’s aspect, Salah scored 21 objectives and offered 17 assists throughout 27 appearances.
In his 18 appearances since – he was overlooked of the matchday squad thrice in cup matches – he has contributed 11 objectives and 5 assists.
On common, Salah had 1.4 objectives and assists per recreation within the first half of the marketing campaign versus his present fee of 0.88 within the second, which nonetheless has seven video games left – as per FBref.
Whereas his common touches contained in the opposition’s penalty field are steady between the primary half of the season (7.8 touches per recreation) and the second half (7.7), his variety of photographs have decreased.
Salah averaged 3.25 photographs per recreation, however because the halfway level of the season he’s averaging 2.38, and his shot-creating actions have additionally dropped.
Firstly, a shot-creating motion is likely one of the two final offensive actions within the lead-up to a shot, which may embody a cross, tackles, dribbles and fouls.
The 32-year-old was averaging 4.18 shot-creating actions within the first half of his season, in comparison with his present fee of 1.9 – fairly a noticeable drop.
It dovetails with Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s harm and the squad’s rising fatigue, however are these numbers in keeping with Salah’s development traditionally at Anfield?
Salah’s historical past at Liverpool
Salah has usually discovered himself on the Africa Cup of Nations all through Liverpool’s season over time which considerably distorts the figures, as does when the Reds exit cup competitions.
However the development clearly exhibits when he’s most influential, and that’s within the first half of a season.
In all competitions, Salah has scored 141 objectives and contributed 59 assists within the begin of the season, in comparison with the 102 objectives and 50 assists after the halfway level.
Which means Salah scores 58 p.c of his objectives within the first half of the season, and 54 p.c of his assists.
Whether or not it’s cumulative fatigue, his direct opponent stepping up their recreation or opposition groups figuring him out and altering their ways accordingly, Salah isn’t fairly the identical all season spherical.
It’s a debatable topic, with among the thoughts that expectations change because the season goes on and thus he’s extra harshly judged, however the development remains to be evident within the Premier League solely (above).
Solely thrice has Salah scored extra objectives within the second half of a Premier League season than the primary for Liverpool, with 2022/23 the most important differential with 5 objectives.
This isn’t successful piece on the Egyptian, removed from it, it’s merely offering proof behind when he’s at his greatest and, fortunately, it would ship a league title this season.
