Looking at the redmen tv footage of the game last night, Mohammed wasn't happy at all with being subbed off. I thought it was pre arranged with Sunday in mind but his reaction would suggest otherwise
I honestly don't care. Let's have an angry Salah out to score on Sunday. A hat-trick would be a nice way for him to get over it!
From the Elliott thread: https://www.irishkop.com/forums/index.php?threads/harvey-elliott.28583/page-8#post-1219906 I agree with this after last night. Nunez finishing was very poor against yesterday. Salah has missed some chances too but he's more likely to score than Nunez if the ball falls to him inside the box.
If Salah wasn't getting chances, I could see the logic in that argument. But he is,he's getting just as many as Nunez is, and has always been prolific from the right hand side. He's also still creating chances from there,and doesn't have the same attributes as Nunez,so imo,in reality what's being suggested is to take a player who's missing a lot of chances from his current position,and play him instead in a position where there's a good chance he'll get and create less chances. That's without taking into account Elliott for Salah is a massive downgrade in that position. Imo the possible solution is much simpler than that. Play Jota at number 9,leave Salah where he is and play Diaz or Nunez on the left.
But so much about football is about creating them chances that fall in the box. I'd still be much more interested in ensuring we create more chances and I don't think that includes Mo in the middle even if it did lead to an uptick in finishing (which is debatable at the moment with Mos current record)
I see there's early talk or noises about Salah's age catching up with him. If he didn't pick up that injury in Jan I'd be worried also but to me I'd be cutting him a little slack and waiting to see if the hamstring injury has had a bigger effect on his fitness than what's been let on.
the lads on the late challenge podcast read out an interesting stat the other day, would've never though it meself but in the last 5 seasons (might've been 4) salah's figures for the last 10 league games fall off a cliff compared to the first 28 league games, the only season it didn't was last season. they said it suggests he's played too much in the early part of the season and is goosed for the back end.
looks miles off it since he has come back. I felt early on in the season he wasn't contributing much from open play but he was scoring. I remember being at the Everton home game and he was terrible from open play but scores 2. If we can get a decent price I think its a no brainer to cash in and get him off the wage book
Unfortunately I agree, I love mo and is a legend regardless what happens. I think he be off on summer
Not sure about letting go one of our few genuine bona fide world class players as the new manager arrives. I know his firm hasn't been great recently but I think you've a greater sense of decline around the club if you start seeing the likes of Salah, VVD or Allison going out the door
I think there's been a lot of revisionism around some of our players in the last month,including Salah. He was excellent in the first half of the season,and with the way he looks after himself there's absolutely no reason why he won't be next season. I see the logic in selling him why his value is still high,but he's not finished as a world class player,far from it.
I'm not sure Salah needs to be in the conversation with Nunez, they are unrelated. VVD, Trent and Mo is the trio in the same bracket, all 3 will want wages we will be unwilling to pay, we'll probably get agreement from 2 but definitely not 3.
Doubt there'll be any agreement from Trent or vvd till they know what Salah is being offered if he's staying.
With the season appearing to be going out in a whimper, what looks like an imminent slightly underwhelming managerial appointment, I think we could see some fairly sharpish contract extensions for the new leadership to get everyone onside. Hopefully a few early signings as well. Would be a massive statement if new contracts for Trent, VVD and Mo were announced shortly after the new manager is announced
I'd agree with a lot of that even though I'd probably sell him. I think his position out right isn't helping the situation for him or the team. He doesn't seem to have the legs to beat a man and is currently giving us no width on the right side. More and more defenders are happy to go tight to him. If he plays through the middle with 2 aggressive runners outside him I think there is a case to be made for keeping him. Also when he shoots he seems to often do it leaning back generating no power and with the man in front of him. Instead of being able to drive past a player and get over the ball.
I saw a montage yesterday of chances he's created this season,so much of it outstanding and going back to that brilliant assist on the first day of the season, and it reminded me why I just can't buy into the theory he can't play on the right. He's almost always played from the right and if he's still creating chances to that standard,and he's still getting chances,then he's still the man for that role imo. He'll eventually start taking chances again.But I also don't know how Slot will set up.
The 3 are mentioned will be our 3 biggest earners if they stay. Based on the fact Edwards didn't want to offer Henderson a long contract I can't see him being too keen on locking down Mo and Virgil, that scenario could change if Trent wants to leave but under no circumstances can I see all 3 getting the contracts they want.
My extensive analysis (one tweet from a random on the X) states that Slot favours the 4-2-3-1 Gakpo or McAllister seem ripe for the man behind the lone striker. Of current squad appears Darwin seems the obvious however hard to know. Can Mo fill the wide right role in this formation, it definitely requires a lot more tracking back than the current role, could he reinvent himself as the player behind line Striker. This is a my stab of the current squad with Arne favoured formation Bradley, VVD, Quansah, Robertson Trent, Endo Mo, McAllister, Diaz Jota Also heard on a pod that Slots team have highest rate of pressing in all of Europe this season. Again not sure what that is based on. Does Mo have capacity to do that for another season ?