The years might be catching up to Mohamed Salah. Federico Chiesa says four players at Liverpool are quicker than him.
I’m starting to miss the Egyptian king.
Salah was knocked out of AFCON on Wednesday night courtesy of a Sadio Mane match-winning goal, and will return to Anfield after Egypt’s third-place play-off against Nigeria.
Unpopular opinion: Peak Sadio Mane was better than peak Mohamed Salah…
People aren't ready for that discussion…
He has been on fire in Morocco, displaying form we haven’t seen at Liverpool this season.
Last season was his best in a Liverpool shirt, proving age is just a number — well, maybe not when you talk about pace.
Federico Chiesa has seen the numbers when it comes to pace at Liverpool
Salah has long made his living from direct, attacking play off the right flank.
Part of that is down to the rapid runs he has made over the years. But if you watched the semi-final against Senegal, you would have seen the Liverpool star beaten to many a through ball as Egypt attempted to crack a solid back line.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Salah turns 34 this year.
The preconception may be that he is still one of Liverpool’s most rapid players, but Chiesa has set the record straight in an interview with the Premier League YouTube channel.
Asked for the Liverpool stars with the most pace, he said: “Jeremie for sure, but from the data I’ve seen, Szoboszlai, Konate and Joe (Gomez) I think Joe is like 36 km/h, the data doesn’t lie, you know.”
Jeremie Frimpong was the name that came to him without delay. After that, he fell back on the data-driven tests they have done as a squad.
Dominik Szoboszlai is a physical beast, and Ibrahima Konate is believable too. Joe Gomez was a surprise. Maybe it’s the injury issues that have plagued him for years, but he doesn’t spring to mind as a speed-merchant.
But, as Chiesa reminds us, the numbers don’t lie.
Liverpool need more pace
When the summer window came to a close, you would have thought Liverpool were covered in every attacking aspect.
But there has been a steadiness, a predictability to the side that stems from a lack of direct, speedy play.
Liverpool are missing Luis Diaz this season, and the unique skillset he brought to the Liverpool attack.
When Rio Ngumoha is on the pitch, it feels like Liverpool are getting that threat back, but that happens far too little.
Do you think it’s time for Arne Slot to start trusting Rio Ngumoha more?
Aldo reckons he would solve our predictability issue…
It’s going to be a quiet January at Liverpool, but they need to recruit that profile of wide player in the summer. It mightn’t even be tactically essential, but it fits into the Liverpool culture in that it will excite the fans.
We need that this season.
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