FSG should lastly promote Liverpool’s £34m “celebrity”

It is honest to say that Liverpool‘s Premier League title defence has not gone to plan.

Arne Slot‘s aspect may need steadied the ship with a hard-fought win over Sunderland on the Stadium of Mild on Wednesday night, however they continue to be three factors behind fourth-place Manchester United, and that tells you every part it’s worthwhile to know concerning the present state of play at Anfield.

The place does Liverpool’s collapse boil all the way down to? So many issues have gone fallacious. Whereas an absence of defensive depth has consumed the Reds this season, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are standing agency for the time being, of their best type of the marketing campaign.

The identical can’t be stated for Slot’s frontline, with Cody Gakpo discovering himself as one thing of a scapegoat for Liverpool’s issues.

What’s gone fallacious for Gakpo

Gakpo scored 18 objectives and provided seven assists in all competitions final season. For Liverpool, he performed an vital position in a title-winning group.

Nonetheless, he is flattered to deceive this season, too predictable, too one-dimensional. Sunderland was the newest match by which he break up opinion, making a couple of questionable choices.

The 26-year-old is a powerful finisher with an underrated emphasis on creating for his teammates. And but he has nonetheless didn’t catch the attention, with the next output of photographs on objective with out hitting the goal as often.

That is a by-product of his intuition to chop inside on his proper and hearth at objective, one thing that has been sussed out by opponents this season.

An absence of variation has been irritating to look at, particularly because the Dutchman ought to be hatching into his prime model proper now.

FSG should remorse their choice to promote Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich and select in opposition to changing him. Now, the summer time switch window is approaching with a left-sided ahead trying to be one thing of a precedence for sporting director Richard Hughes out there.

Nonetheless, different areas want brushing up, with one other a part of Liverpool’s frontline probably in additional pressing want of consideration.

FSG should boldly promote Liverpool “celebrity”

Because the introduction of his Liverpool journey, Mohamed Salah has been nothing in need of a “celebrity“, as has been stated by many, together with Sky Sports activities pundit Gary Neville.

This is among the biggest gamers of his technology, a proper winger whose identify instructions respect. Within the Premier League, he has cemented himself as a two-time champion, scoring so many objectives and helping so many extra.

Throughout all competitions for the Merseyside outfit, Salah has scored 251 objectives and provided 120 assists throughout 427 appearances. Few thought he would set up himself as a talisman after becoming a member of from AS Roma in a deal price round £34m. Liverpool signed a Chelsea reject and he would flop, wasn’t that the road?

Final 12 months, after all, Salah determined that he wished to double his titles, plying one of many nice particular person campaigns as he supercharged Slot’s debut season and secured silverware at a relative canter.

May it’s that the 33-year-old expended the final of his world-class juices final season? 2025 was a 12 months that took its toll on Salah, in addition to everybody else concerned at Liverpool, and there is no denying that his performances on the sector this 12 months have left so much to be desired.

Solely final April, Salah prolonged his Liverpool contract till 2027, now on a jaw-dropping £400k-per-week wage.

FSG, in that, haven’t acquired bang for his or her buck, with the Egyptian King having solely scored 4 objectives and provided six assists throughout 18 top-flight encounters this season, criticised at giant for his lack of defensive work and uncharacteristic bluntness within the ultimate third.

The Saudi Professional League are proving persistent suitors; they’d love nothing greater than to land the Premier League’s definitive sensation of recent instances.

Current experiences have advised that Professional League aspect Al-Ittihad have opened talks with Salah’s representatives forward of a possible summer time bid, and it is one thing that FSG ought to contemplate, as unpopular as that may be.

Salah is displaying little signal of reviving his one-time degree, and Father Time shouldn’t be on his aspect. Watching him wrestle to impress has been each bit as irritating as watching Gakpo toil this time period, probably extra so. That stated, the veteran ahead is ageing and can’t be blamed for reaching this late stage of his profession after giving Liverpool a lot.

Whereas Liverpool can’t afford to short-change themselves on the precise flank (with Federico Chiesa’s future additionally unsure), Salah shouldn’t be pulling his weight, and the membership might want to act and land an improve if this persists.

Salah does not appear to be the kind who would wish to play second fiddle, one thing that was illustrated throughout his incendiary flare-up in December.

It is a participant who will go down as one of many greats, revered as an immortal presence by Liverpool followers. Nonetheless, there’s something to be present in recognising when a factor has reached its finish, and Liverpool and Salah are certainly heading towards that important juncture. A call, for positive, must be made.

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