Arne Slot is considered a very detailed, intelligent and successful coach. However, in the past 2-3 months, everything in his hands has shown signs of losing control. Salah is at the centre of the problem since the defeat at the Etihad in February, Liverpool have played 11 games against big sides such as Man City, Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Real Madrid and PSG, losing seven of them. Salah was a full presence, did not assist, did not score and often felt like a "ghost" in the squad.
It is worth mentioning that when Liverpool spent huge sums of money to recruit Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, letting a player like Salah play regularly was a confusing decision. A typical example is the match against Man City, the Egyptian star's lackluster performance further captured this. Arne Slot saw it but didn't act, it was a mistake.
Salah and fitness and speed problems
Liverpool have always stood out for their pressing intensity and physical dominance. However, now, with Salah (33 years old, small physique), Wirtz (not adapted), Mac Allister's physical weakness, the team suddenly becomes weaker in challenges and speed. At the Etihad, Wirtz and Salah were "taken care of to the teeth" by Doku and O'Reilly, the Liverpool duo suffered complete losses in one-on-one confrontations.
When the front line lost its ability to threaten and could not support the remaining two lines, the entire system was dragged away. Defenders have been towed to the right wing, midfield has had to arrange more players and Liverpool have been lost at many times this season. This is not Salah's fault alone, but his dependence on him and Slot's lack of replacement are hurting the team.
Salah is a tactical burden
The Egyptian star does not deserve to be " punished" as a toi. He is still one of the most effective strikers in Premier League history. However, the question is whether Arne Slot should build a team around a 33-year-old striker, while rebuilding the system with faster, younger and stronger criteria?
When re-signing Salah in April, Liverpool agreed to keep their icon. However, they did not adjust their lineup to suit the "scoring" of Salah on the pitch. Assigning him to play defensive duties, pressing or operating outside the box is a disadvantage for the Egyptian star.
Arne Slot and the reconstruction problem
The Dutchman is trying to build a new version of Liverpool, but keeping Salah on the pitch despite his ineffective play has affected his project. As a result, valuable new signings like Wirtz still struggled in both attack and defence, Isak and Ekitike were not exploited, the defense was pulled out of position in a favorable position, all related to tactical deviation.
Slot's big mistake was not daring to revolutionize the squad, not daring to take strong measures to eliminate a star who had become deeply invested in the team because of tactical ideals. This caused him to lose control, causing the team to stagnate against big opponents.
What is Liverpool's chance at the moment?
The FIFA Days in November is an opportunity for Liverpool to look back. Salah will be playing with Canh as usual, Slot can experiment with the new lineup by bringing Liverpool to more direct play, using Ekitike and Isak as two spearheads, or experimenting with younger strikers like Chiesa. This is not just a team rotation, it is also a philosophical shift from relying on Salah and controlling to fast, creative, diverse.
If Arne Slot cannot handle this situation as not changing the formation, not changing the players, Liverpool will likely continue to be left behind in the race with Arsenal and Man City. If Salah still keeps the starting position and does not bring efficiency, it will not only affect current performance but also hinder the team's revolution.
