Liverpool's title defence hangs precariously in the balance as their star striker Mohamed Salah struggles to rediscover his form after a series of unconvincing performances. The Egyptian international has been instrumental in driving Liverpool towards a record 20th league title last season, but this term he finds himself at the centre of a disruption that extends beyond his personal woes.
Salah's recent dip in form is symptomatic of a larger issue - a lack of cohesion within the team. Despite boasting an impressive squad of individual talents, Liverpool's collective performance has been marred by inconsistency and a worrying reliance on set pieces to score goals. The team's struggles are compounded by the presence of new signings, with coaches Arne Slot seeking to accommodate Wirtz and Ekitiké in the starting lineup.
The impact of Salah's absence from his usual spot at right-wing-back has also been felt, particularly in his partnership with Trent Alexander-Arnold. The duo's chemistry, which blossomed over eight seasons, has been noticeably absent this term, with Salah often operating behind three full-backs and alongside three new forwards.
Slot acknowledges the need for a balance between wingers and full-backs but requires Salah to command centre stage again, particularly against Manchester United on Sunday. A win would be enough for Slot to reach a 100-point mark in fewer games than any manager in Liverpool's history, but his team's cohesion is still lacking.
Salah's recent performances have been largely overshadowed by personal struggles, including the grief over Jota's death last season. The trade-off made last year, where Salah took on more attacking responsibilities, has been jettisoned this term, with coaches seeking to expose him on the counter-attack and exploit his defensive duties.
While Slot is aware of the risk of exposing Salah's flank to Enzo Maresca's probing, he remains convinced that the Egyptian will find his form again. However, for now, it's a delicate balancing act, and Liverpool's title defence hangs precariously in the balance as they look to rediscover their rhythm against United on Sunday.
Salah's recent dip in form is symptomatic of a larger issue - a lack of cohesion within the team. Despite boasting an impressive squad of individual talents, Liverpool's collective performance has been marred by inconsistency and a worrying reliance on set pieces to score goals. The team's struggles are compounded by the presence of new signings, with coaches Arne Slot seeking to accommodate Wirtz and Ekitiké in the starting lineup.
The impact of Salah's absence from his usual spot at right-wing-back has also been felt, particularly in his partnership with Trent Alexander-Arnold. The duo's chemistry, which blossomed over eight seasons, has been noticeably absent this term, with Salah often operating behind three full-backs and alongside three new forwards.
Slot acknowledges the need for a balance between wingers and full-backs but requires Salah to command centre stage again, particularly against Manchester United on Sunday. A win would be enough for Slot to reach a 100-point mark in fewer games than any manager in Liverpool's history, but his team's cohesion is still lacking.
Salah's recent performances have been largely overshadowed by personal struggles, including the grief over Jota's death last season. The trade-off made last year, where Salah took on more attacking responsibilities, has been jettisoned this term, with coaches seeking to expose him on the counter-attack and exploit his defensive duties.
While Slot is aware of the risk of exposing Salah's flank to Enzo Maresca's probing, he remains convinced that the Egyptian will find his form again. However, for now, it's a delicate balancing act, and Liverpool's title defence hangs precariously in the balance as they look to rediscover their rhythm against United on Sunday.
... I mean, the guy has been carrying that team on his back for years! And now he's gotta find his groove all over again? 
It's like they're trying to reinvent the wheel here. I get it, new signings and all that, but can't they just get everyone clicking at once? 
The team's got so much talent, but cohesion is key, right? 
Maybe Slot needs to take a step back and think about how he can best utilize Salah's strengths while still giving the other players their chance to shine. I mean, it's not like they're gonna win 20 titles without him... 
. we need to see the team come together again before i get too worried 
Salah's struggles are like, really affecting the whole team. I'm loving Trent Alexander-Arnold btw, he's still giving me major fits with his goals 
but seriously, coaches need to find a balance between wingers and full-backs. And honestly, I feel for Salah, grief over Jota's passing last season is no joke 
. Can't wait to see him back to his old self tho! 
. The team needs him back to his old self ASAP! 
. It's like they're trying to reinvent Salah instead of working with what we know works 
. And Trent is looking lost without their partnership 
. Liverpool can't afford to drop points, especially against United on Sunday 
... but at the same time, I think it's a perfect example of how much pressure he's under - if he doesn't deliver, there's gonna be all sorts of blame directed at him 
. I'm worried that the team is losing its mojo, but at the same time, maybe we need to see some new chemistry form between Salah and Trent 
.
, or else... well, you get the feeling 
️
, but I still got faith in him 
. Can't have newbies disrupting chemistry like Wirtz & Ekitiké 
. Need Slot to get it together 
!
- if he doesn't get it right, Liverpool might fall behind.
. It's gonna take more than just one win against United to fix this, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Slot gets it sorted soon 
like they're still getting used to each other and finding their rhythm. and that's okay, it happens! 
especially with all these new signings trying to shake things up 
losing jota was a huge blow 