17 Feb 2026 08:09:05
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Sunderland v Liverpool - A Quick Liverpool Perspective
17 Feb 2026 08:51:28
Nice one. ? Thank you.
17 Feb 2026 09:59:37
Good read, Ed. Pls regarding Salah, do you think that with the more attacking style we seem to have reverted to (hopefully, that continues) has helped him get more touches and openings in that right side inside/half space that has been his bread and butter since he arrived?
Cos it seems to me that with overlaps and esp. with Szobo back in midfield (like the Brighton game) has helped loosen the double teams he gets hence, getting more 1 v 1's out in space. Cheers in advance, man.
{Ed001's Note - yes, as I have been saying all season, his problem is that he gets the ball too late and they can constantly double and triple team him. The last 2 games, he got the ball one on one and has looked like himself again. We just need to move the ball forward more quickly.}
17 Feb 2026 11:05:57
Slot learning and adapting Ed1??!!?
{Ed001's Note - let's hope so!}
17 Feb 2026 11:38:27
People on here keep saying that Salah's legs have gone, but I've been really impressed with his pace the last few games. He's outrun the opposition fullback a few times. He's lost the explosive acceleration to beat a man from a standing start, but play him a ball early to run onto, and he is still scaring fullbacks.
{Ed025's Note - he played well in the last game SK...but thats it, one swallow does not make a summer mate..
17 Feb 2026 13:32:48
Ed25, I know he is still well off his best. I was just pointing out that once up to speed he was still able to outpace his opposite man, and that getting the ball forward quicker suits him. I know, as soon as we are back passing the ball monotonously sideways, we will not get anything from him - because he has lost that explosive acceleration.
{Ed025's Note - he was really good second half of the last game SK against a very open defence, maybe he is back to his best mate but i wouldn,t be putting any money on it myself..
17 Feb 2026 14:09:02
I think tactics have hindered him. Even if his legs had gone, he wouldn't look half as crap as he's been made to.
{Ed025's Note - tactics are a problem John, but its not an excuse for not being able to beat a man, pass with your right foot or losing the ball constantly mate..
17 Feb 2026 14:30:20
Even last season, when it was confirmed that Trent was leaving, I said that Salah would be the one to suffer most. He would always find Salah early before he was double or triple marked. In the first half of this season, I watched Salah making runs in behind, but the ball just never came. Trent was massively underrated by many of his own supporters. As well as feeding Salah, he could beat the press with a quick ball into midfield that would set us on the break. He always set the tempo and knew how to quicken it up.
Not like now, where we play around with it at the back or hoof it anywhere. I would go as far as to say that we would be challenging for the title if Trent was still here. Imagine Wirtz getting the ball early while in space. I know the haters would say he made his bed and should lie in it, but I would have him back in a heartbeat to drive the new rebuild. Bradley and Frimpong are just nowhere near the same level. If we could welcome Ian Rush back after he made a mistake going to Italy, we could do it for Trent.
17 Feb 2026 14:52:33
Ed25, Salah has always been prone to losing the ball for donkeys, so not sure that part is relevant. Also, Mo is not some great dribbler or 1 v 1 demon since he has been with us. That is not his strength, unlike Sadio Mane, who was a great dribbler. That is why both were worked so well, because they are different. Salah has always been known for his insane output; hence, the burden was on the manager to devise ways of getting him the ball and getting him open for him to do numbers.
Slot did the same thing last season by creating a way to do all these things for Salah, the same cooking he had been doing under Klopp, with 4 Golden Boots to boot. The issue here is that Slot abandoned all of that and replaced it with his pathetic tactics that stifled the team, not just Salah, something we both agree with. Even Cody has suffered because he did not look this bad last season playing the system we played.
{Ed025's Note - i have said the tactics employed by Slot does not suit a lot of the players Oli, but if you cant see the downturn in Mo,s overall game mate then im afraid you are not looking, im talking about basic stuff like ball retention, misplaced passes and shooting that makes Darwin Nunez look like Pele, hes been a great player for many years but like all good things it comes to an end and i see him as a squad player now who,s playing time should be limited, but thats just my opinion of course..
17 Feb 2026 15:37:27
I thought Rush never wanted to leave Liverpool, and that the club needed money? That's a pretty different case with Trent, even if I agree with you that he is a glaring miss who has not been properly replaced in the team.
17 Feb 2026 16:17:07
Blooming hell, are we still blaming Slot for Salah's drop in form?
{Ed025's Note - i think a lot of them are starting a go-fund-me page for him Rome.. :)
17 Feb 2026 16:41:04
Ed25, I never said that I don't see Salah's downturn. In fact, I thought we should have sold him after 23/24 because I thought he had lost a step, so I know you ain't telling me that I have not seen his downturn, because it was already clear to me from 2/3 seasons ago. The problem is that all the things you mentioned are more palpable to see due to the tactics. Are Mo's legs gone? Mate, are there gators in swamps down there in the Florida Keys? Also, you think Salah's legs hadn't been going last season already in comparison to prev. seasons? Of course they had; however, Slot was able to hide these gaps by providing him with tactics that would help him get open w/o him using his pace.
Slot messed up because he wanted Salah hugging the touch line, isolated with no help from a midfielder, no overlap (cos the rb is inverting), and the slow progression of the football, all the things that help the opposition double/triple up on him rather than free him and get him open. Proof? In 21/22, Klopp tried the same tactics by moving the ball slowly and have Salah hug the touch line, and it failed then, and this was when Mo was even younger. Suddenly, Slot has changed things of late and Salah is playing better. Hmmm, what changed? I have no idea.
{Ed025's Note - would you keep him for another year Oli?..
17 Feb 2026 17:01:39
I'd blame Slot for Salah's downturn. Look at what Salah did in our title-winning team last season. Fast forward about 5 months or so. You don't lose what he has in that period of time without it being a change of circumstance to trigger and continue that.
Agreed, all players obviously have a poor patch, lack of form, confidence, etc., but in this instance Slot's tactical change and inability to recognize the errors created by it are the main drivers here. imo, only, of course.
17 Feb 2026 16:39:07
I don't know why I respond to such guff, Ed025. Slot is to blame for many things, but Salah's form dropping off a cliff is down to Salah.
He played well on Saturday, that was down to himself. Those games, sadly, are becoming few and far between. It happens to all the greats, like you say. But, please, stop blaming Slot!
{Ed001's Note - sorry Rome, but it is you talking guff.}
17 Feb 2026 18:48:07
Ed01, let's agree to disagree.
{Ed001's Note - ok, if you like.}
17 Feb 2026 19:02:20
@Ed25, I would keep him for another year without hesitation. Play the right style of football to suit his skills, and he's still one of the best forwards in the PL and Europe. He's proven that beyond all reasonable doubt since the day he joined. He hasn't lost a leg in the last 6 months! He's just restricted by who is directing him.
{Ed025's Note - i certainly cant argue with his past SG, he will go down in history as a Liverpool great and deservedly so, its what the future holds thats the burning question mate?, is he past his best now and would it be best to move him on to get money for him while you can?, is it really Slot,s style of play thats effecting him or is it father time finally calling time on his glittering career?, lots of questions and i certainly dont know the answer my friend..
17 Feb 2026 19:06:06
Even though Mo has lost a bit of pace, he's still faster than most. If the ball is delivered in the right way, he's more than capable. I feel it is touch and confidence that have slipped more so than pace. I feel he's been almost over-eager trying to bring teammates into play on occasions this season. Time and again he's forced play too early, played passes too quickly, taken shots when not balanced, or used his left foot instead of having a swing with his right.
The last couple of games show me he's trying to adapt more to the team instead of expecting the team to adapt to him. I also think he should be coming off after 70 mins now; playing the 90 is not working.
17 Feb 2026 20:05:06
If Alonso is in, as I believe he is, then Salah will indeed benefit. Father Time hasn't caught that man yet at all! He's probably the fittest player at the club, and I cannot remember a time that he was injured for any period, with the single exception due to that spanner Ramos! He still has goals to offer, and I hope he goes out with a bang next season, netting a 25 goal haul.
To include a hat trick in the Docklands. ? ? ? ?
{Ed025's Note - he could well play against us at the theatre of miracles SG, he could even score i suppose but it would be disallowed if it came off his zimmer frame mate.. :)
17 Feb 2026 20:07:03
Agreed, Christy. Play the man for 60-70 and rotate him regularly. There's more left in the tank for him and us!
17 Feb 2026 22:10:21
I love Mo, but I would cash in during the summer!
17 Feb 2026 22:51:33
Mad how people can't see the correlation between our slow football and Salah's form. Only 7 months ago, he carried this team to the title. I'm sure if Slot played the same way, Salah would be leading the goal-scoring chart.
Now his confidence has hit a low, but in the last few games he looks like he has found a bit of confidence. Let's hope it continues and it takes us to the top 4 at the end of the season.
18 Feb 2026 00:27:26
Let's be honest, Strom - he had a mediocre 2025. His brilliant form in Slot's first 4 months was what really pushed us on to the title. We built up a good lead, but he dropped off once the contract was signed, I'm afraid.
{Ed001's Note - are you for real? He scored 12 goals last season in 2025 in the Premier League alone and added 5 more assists. People are rewriting history again. 12 goals and 5 assists is the kind of total players like Saka would love to get in a season, let alone in just the second half of it!}
18 Feb 2026 01:41:12
Slot's tactics have affected several players this season, but that's just one reason. I think Salah can still contribute a lot, just not as much. We need to play quickly, and players will play better; that's what they are good at and are used to.
17 Feb 2026 20:49:16
LOL ED25! ??
17 Feb 2026 20:52:35
@ED25; is it difficult to get tickets to Everton home games?? I'd be actually like to go to a game there!
{Ed025's Note - very difficult SG, i have only been there once and i have to say the match day experience is excellent mate..
18 Feb 2026 09:09:10
Ed001 is correct about those goal numbers. I looked again at the goals. 20 Premier League games, Jan - May 2025. 12 goals (7 open play, 5 pens). I guess I got his contract extension date all wrong in my head.
He signed it on 10-11th April 2025. Jan - 11/4 2025: 13 PL games, 10 goals (5, 5 pens). April 12-May 29 2025: 7 PL games, 2 goals (0 pens). He was certainly very productive in Feb 2025.
18 Feb 2026 22:02:55
We agree, Ron.
19 Feb 2026 07:06:01
It'll be interesting to see how Mo, and all other Muslim players for that matter, cope now that Ramadan has started. He's been showing signs of finding some form, but Ramadan has been something of a trial for him in the past.