Less than 4 months ago, Mohamed Salah once compared having to sit on the bench to the feeling of being "thrown under the bus". But at this moment, he seems to be adjusting himself - a player who always wants to play all 90 minutes but actively leaves the field early after the 73rd minute.
He feels something" - coach Arne Slot shared vaguely, although his tone was not too worried.
Although he did not score the decisive goal in Liverpool's big win against Galatasaray, Salah still showed signs of a strong comeback. This is contrary to his previously unstable performances.
Salah has launched 7 shots, including 6 on target - the highest numbers of the season. The last time Salah shot so much was almost a year ago, and the number of shots on target was similar, falling back to the 2022 Champions League final.
Salah reacts strongly after missing a penalty kick
One of the notable situations was the missed penalty. However, Salah responded with an active performance in the second half.
He played well in the first half but unfortunately missed a penalty. That could make many people evaluate differently. But in the second half, he maintained his composure, had one assist and one goal" - Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk said.
This is the third time this season that Salah has both scored and assisted in the same match. He played teamwork when passing to Hugo Ekitike to score, and almost scored more if he hadn't been denied by the crossbar.
Adjusting Salah's unlocking tactic
A noteworthy point is Slot's tactical change. Unlike Jurgen Klopp - who used to use Salah as a lone center forward - Slot arranged him to pair with Ekitike. Playing near the center helps Salah have more scoring opportunities.
Galatasaray coach, Okan Buruk, described Liverpool's system as a 4-1-3-2 formation. Meanwhile, Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai played higher than Alexis Mac Allister, moving flexibly to open space for full-backs to push high.
Slot admitted that he has tested two strikers in some matches this season, including the 5-1 victory over Frankfurt and 1-0 against Inter Milan, although Salah did not play a central role in those matches.
Initially, Slot prioritized the traditional 4-3-3 formation, but Liverpool had problems in the winger position. They have not found a worthy replacement for Luis Diaz, while Cody Gakpo and Salah both disappointed at times.
The 4-4-2 variant formation, with Salah playing closer to the goal, may be a short-term solution to help him regain his form. Not only that, this operating method also opens up the possibility of long-term combination between strikers such as Ekitike and Alexander Isak, although the positional problem between them is still not really clear.
Another notable point is Salah's frequency of appearances. He started in 13/14 recent matches since AFCON - more than his actual form.
The goal against Galatasaray is only his 5th goal in the last 20 matches. However, Slot handled the situation skillfully, especially after public criticism from Salah himself before that.
Instead of eliminating Salah, he continued to give confidence and adjust his role, and that is being effective. The performance against Galatasaray may just be a moment of explosion, but it may also be a sign that Liverpool has found a new direction.
Salah playing better in the striker role not only helps him revive, but also brings more tactical options for Slot in the decisive stage of the season.
The important question is whether Liverpool can maintain this formula, or is it just a temporary solution in a night of sublimation?
