Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher reckons that Mohamed Salah is developing a habit of losing possession in key areas and that is why Jurgen Klopp has been forced to take him off in high-pressure matches. Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher recently shared his thoughts on the matter and said, “He’s not in great form but I don’t think he’s in bad form either.
“Where Klopp has got a problem, where he’s [Salah] not playing well, I think he’s been very sloppy in those areas [further away from goal]. If you go to the PSG game, he gave the ball away and they scored – two minutes later he was taken off.
“This is what will frustrate a manager. It’s not about missing chances, it’s about putting the team in danger [by losing the ball]. As a manager on the side of the pitch, if you’re thinking he’s not at his best you think he might get us a goal [you keep him on].
“But if you think he’s putting your team in danger, he’s got to get off the pitch. ‘That will be the problem for Klopp, how he’s performing in those areas [further away from goal] on the ball.”
Carragher’s Comments: Does The English Pundit Have a Point?
We can see that Carragher makes some good points while citing the game versus Paris Saint-Germain as an example of why Salah was withdrawn earlier than expected by Jurgen Klopp. He was also subbed early in the second half against Chelsea last weekend but it was mainly because he missed a lot of chances in the first half.
Salah’s Lackluster Start To This Season: A Cause For Concern?
The Egyptian had a marvellous season last term but he has started off this campaign a bit slower than most expected. If Salah can find some form in front of goal, we can once again witness him firing on all cylinders for the Reds. So the jury is still out on how successful he can be in front of goal during this campaign. It would be foolish to expect the Egyptian to match or even better his goal tally from last season but Salah still can make a significant contribution for Liverpool going forward.
The Egyptian is blessed with blistering pace and has a habit of taking up right positions inside the opposition penalty area. The fact that he had so much joy going forward last Saturday against a resolute Chelsea side under Maurizio Sarri should be enough proof that he still can score on any given match as long as his finishing and decision-making improve in the final third.
Verdict
Although Carragher makes some good observations about Salah’s bad tendency of giving away the ball in key situations, yet we can still expect the Egyptian to turn the corner and be a blessing for Klopp rather than a curse. It’s only a matter of time before the Liverpool forward starts taking his chances in front of goal and becomes more reliable while in possession of the ball. So Carra’s comments could be deemed as a bit premature.
