Salah’s Resurgence: A Tactical Shift Hints at a New Era for Liverpool
It’s been a mere four months since Mohamed Salah publicly lamented his role as a substitute, likening it to being “thrown under the bus.” Now, in a twist of fate, the footballer who typically craves every minute on the pitch was seen curtailing his own involvement after 73 minutes, citing a vague “feeling.” Manager Arne Slot, while acknowledging the situation, appeared unconcerned.
Even with his abbreviated appearance, Salah showcased a performance far from being on the decline, a stark contrast to some of his displays this season. His statistics for the match against Galatasaray were season highs: seven shots, with six finding the target. This level of attacking output hadn’t been seen from him in nearly a year, dating back to a fixture against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester. His precision on target was even more remarkable, with the last time he achieved such accuracy being almost four years ago, in the 2022 Champions League final against a formidable Thibaut Courtois.
Could this performance signal a potential fourth Champions League final appearance for Salah? Or was it a fleeting return to his peak form, perhaps aided by Galatasaray’s struggles? Regardless of the broader implications, Salah’s response to a missed penalty – a moment that could easily shake a player’s confidence – was commendable.
“He played a good performance in the first half but missed a penalty, unfortunately, which is part of the game, and some people might judge him differently,” commented his captain, Virgil van Dijk. “But, second half, he kept his calm, [got an] an assist and a goal.” This marked the third occasion this season that Salah had achieved both a goal and an assist in a single match. He demonstrated his unselfishness by squaring the ball to Hugo Ekitike for a crucial goal. In a moment of almost role reversal, the French forward then cut the ball back to Salah, only for the Egyptian to strike the crossbar.
A Tactical Evolution Under Slot
The combination of these two forwards, operating as a split strike force, was a noticeable departure from previous setups. While Slot downplayed the tactical significance, attributing Liverpool’s dominant display against the Turkish champions to an “high-octane” performance, his tactical approach had clearly evolved. Unlike Jurgen Klopp, who at times deployed Salah as a lone centre-forward, Slot has shown a clear reluctance to do so. Instead, Salah was partnered with Ekitike in a front two, a move that seemed to facilitate his increased number of shots on target by allowing him to play in more central areas.
This particular formation, a variant of a 4-4-2, might have been a specific game plan for this match, but it also drew inspiration from other successful tactical approaches. Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk described Liverpool’s formation as a 4-1-3-2. However, it’s possible that Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai were positioned more advanced than Alexis Mac Allister, with all three operating in pockets of space infield. This allowed the full-backs to push forward and provide width.
Slot himself has previously alluded to experimenting with two strikers, though he has been modest in attributing the team’s successes to this specific tactic. Liverpool has recorded two of their most significant results of the campaign under Slot, albeit in contrasting fashion: a resounding 5-1 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt and a narrow 1-0 victory over Inter Milan. Notably, Salah did not start either of these games, and was even absent from the trip to Italy following his outburst at Leeds.
In the San Siro encounter with Inter, Slot employed a narrow diamond formation in midfield. In Germany, the setup was more expansive, with Wirtz and Cody Gakpo operating on the flanks. Neither of these formations feels like Slot’s ideal, as he stated in January his preference for the classic Dutch 4-3-3 formation with genuine wingers.
Addressing the Winger Conundrum
Liverpool has indeed faced challenges in the winger department this season, failing to adequately replace Luis Diaz. Only Rio Ngumoha has consistently shown the ability to beat a defender one-on-one, and both Gakpo and Salah, to varying degrees, have fallen short of expectations in this regard.
Perhaps this recent adaptation of a 4-4-2 could be the catalyst for revitalising Salah’s form, offering him a more roving role closer to goal. However, the sight of him leaving the pitch prematurely might have been a reminder of Slot’s ongoing tactical adjustments necessitated by player injuries.
Alexander Isak, for instance, was forced off during the Frankfurt match. While Salah may be the immediate beneficiary of Slot’s 4-4-2 experimentation, Isak could potentially be a long-term beneficiary.
The question of how the Swedish international and Ekitike could effectively combine has, at times, seemed unanswerable, with neither player naturally inclined to operate wide on the left touchline. If both prefer to play as the left of a strike partnership, and Salah is more comfortable on the right, this tactical tweak could offer a solution. Furthermore, it could create opportunities to get Wirtz and Szoboszlai into more advanced attacking positions.
A Quietly Remarkable Turnaround
Perhaps the most understated, yet significant, aspect of Salah’s current situation is his consistent presence in the starting lineup. He has featured in 13 out of 14 games since the Africa Cup of Nations, a level of involvement that some might argue he hasn’t fully merited based on recent goalscoring form. His goal against Galatasaray was only his fifth in 20 matches, with two of those coming against Wolves.
However, Slot, who was on the receiving end of Salah’s public frustration at Elland Road, deserves credit for his understated handling of a complex situation involving a declining, yet outspoken, superstar. While it may be a fragile truce, Slot has managed to maintain a semblance of harmony.
His usual approach was to select Salah on the right wing. Yet, his most dominant performance of the campaign has now come in a two-striker system. The intrigue surrounding whether this strategy will be replicated is heightened by the possibility that it could offer insights into how Isak and Ekitike might successfully partner each other in the future.
