How Liverpool Have Reinvented Mo Salah To Win The Premier League

Mo Salah departed Liverpool for the African Cup of Nations this week, signing off with goals and assists against Newcastle United. But with his club finally sitting top of the Premier League table and showing no signs of slowing down, just how much will his departure scupper their title hopes?
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[@gentleken7864]

Liverpool bought a competent playmaker for 70 million euros last summer in Dominic Szoboszlai, allowing Salah to go back to wing. Before that Salah would come searching for the ball further infield and was less effective. Now Liverpool have that control in midfield that they didn't have last season. Van Dijk is also making fewer mistakes. And having Diaz and Nunez buzzing around up front keeps the opposition's defenders occupied.

[@xerikl]

Hit the nail on the head, Salah sneaks in coz the other forwards are keeping the opposition defence busy. Salah is having an amazing season. We absolutely need an out n out striker this Jan to complete the attack

[@Tatoisback2811]

Van dijk is really good this season

[@NoName-pl7zm]

Nah salah was at his best as an inside forward not a touch line winger. It’s working this season though I don’t think he has the pace or sharpness anymore to play the old role as he’s older but he’s upped his game creatively a lot

[@michaelmayo2489]

That and Trent and his vision of the field is incredible which allows salah to get those perfect balls over the top or just the threat of that opens up other opportunities all because of Trent’s passing

[@villainova]

​​@@xerikl lol you don't watch any of the games do you? 😂 Why would Liverpool EVER buy a striker when we have 5(!) quality forwards and we're top of the league? We'll maybe buy a LCB but that's it. I've seen all of Klopp's seasons for the past 8 years and the club just doesn't buy in the winter window unless it's absolutely necessary.

[@JahRizza-ee8rd]

People forget it, but Mo has always been playing incredible passes with both feet (inside and outside of boot) for 6 seasons at Liverpool. He used to play dream passes to Mane back in they day when Mo Mane and Firmino would link up so well. Now he just continues to link up so well with the new line of attackers and keeps doing it. ABSOLUTE LEGEND

[@JahRizza-ee8rd]

Also always does these incredible chips passes…his passing is jusy now getting noticed but it’s always been there!

[@samkelorashuza5949]

​IKR? Mo Salah has always been a creator as well as being a goalscorer. In fact Mo Salah used to be the most complete player in the premier league because then he had speed, dribbling, playmaking and goalscoring. People say Mo Salah isn't an exciting player but Mo used to have crazy great dribbling and was one of the fastest players in the league which made you at moments get up from your seat. Mo Salah's football greatness simply isn't understood enough​@@JahRizza-ee8rd

[@amenboughanmi5819]

Exactly he's doing that playing making since his arrival he has never stopped creating chances even when he was only focusing on goalscoring alone but now it has an official role. As a Madrid fan I hope Vini Jr just see how Mo plays even though he's on the left and try incorprate the mixing of chance creating, passing whole attempting to dribble and score to confuse defenders and be more efficient instead of just dribbling or going forward for the sake of it. Now Salah is gone to Afcon the question is who can do the job he does for me the answer is no one or no an individual player but liverpool are playing fluidy on the right handside area with Trent, Elliot or zsobo it's just the goalscoring efficiency what need to be sorted and jota is the closest answer to that

[@alphabetadams1024]

This evolution of Salah will extend his peak as it centres his passing and vision more so than his pace and agility which may wain in a few years. It’s as though the other attackers are taking up some of his physical work so he can take actions from deeper and show off his technical abilities. Salah has changed his role to increase his longevity but it’s not like Ronaldo where he becomes a poacher. He still maintains his large range of useful qualities but the way the attack functions and his own decision making means that he can be more judicious when doing things which are more difficult as an older player. Between Salah and the coaching team, this decision shows so much intelligence and foresight.

[@pseudonym9215]

That Szobozlai heat map is incredible!

[@Jord97x]

The cup game against West Ham showed us how well Elliott and Szoboszlai can fill that gap. Elliott as the winger but constantly dropping in finding those half spaces will be a completely different problem for teams.

[@edwardbrown7986]

I reckon one reason for signing Szobo is his ability to drift out wide right, played RM a lot of last season. Even if like you’d at Elliott is RW on paper I think those two together are enough to cover Salah’s absence

[@charliebrackenbury6115]

@@edwardbrown7986yeah I really like the depth we have in attack now, once everyone beds in we could have a ton of different rotations across the front line. Bodes well with the amount of games played now

[@keneg4087]

I’ll add Jota into the mix as well. He did it couple seasons back

[@turdavio1517]

I think we could see his potential as a chance creator and playmaker in the 21/22 season, especially in the first half if it. He was the best player in the world at that time and he used his outside of the foot a lot for deadly passes. I remember that assist for Sadio Mane, where he passed the ball beautifully across half the pitch with his outside of the foot. Hr developed even more this season and is such a dangerous player now. Every defender has to guess wether he will try to score or slide a killer through ball to the near post for Szoboszlai or Darwin or cut it to the far post for the likes of Gakpo, Diaz and Jota. He is a phenomenon.

[@ngubod16]

Came for the Salah analysis but what I actually took away from all this is that Szoboszlai's heat map is actually ridiculous. Im not surprised hes run out of steam lately, hes been everywhere!

[@myownlilbubble]

He finally got a feel of how tough physically EPL is Just like Gakpo and Diaz and Fabio did😅 last season. Back to the gym😂

[@iso460]

Sadly, he went off with a muscle injury last game, just when we needed him the most...

[@arahman137]

I have thought that Salah's new role this season is much more suited to an Elliott + Szoboszlai pairing. The fact that Salah has absolutely smashed it is a testament to what a world class player he is.

[@jayseth]

Harvey looks goal hungry this season, and not lacking confidence to take players on, and he admits to being mentored by Salah. I see Klopp trusting him at RW with Salah gone for the month. He was brilliant there against West Ham. I prefer Szobo on box to box duty

[@hajjk8244]

Mo Salah Could Have Had About 20+ Assist So Far Considering His Teammates Especially Nunez Have Been So Clinical And Smart 😊

[@preseasonboss400]

Word. Been frustrating having a season bet on Salah winning the most assist league xD

[@sangsangi4470]

Not 20+, be realistic man

[@hahayoyo13]

Shows you dont watch much Liverpool. Salah have always done his outside the boot pass. Always. Even before Liverpool

[@abubigbro9785]

Salah's assist for Mane against Bayern 😍

[@myownlilbubble]

His AS Roma days. Salah goes diagonally to pass to Dzeko. He had Totti, Pjanic and Naingollan in midfield too But iirc....he played that way back in Basel...the manager then told him to pass diagonally because of his beautiful left foot...yes beautiful left foot😂😂😂

[@cl5612]

People hating on Szoboszlai because he’s not being as creative as he is for Hungary and was for RB Leipzig need to take a look at his heat map. No wonder he looks tired lately. He never really played the 8 role before he came to Liverpool, mainly wide right

[@myownlilbubble]

5:32 THIS!!!! Thank you!!! FINALLY someone else noticed this. He really seemed to be controlling ball to slow down the play as the other attackers get in place to avoid the offside traps..since all the NU defenders were so focused on him. I always wonder why he did not attempt to shoot or pass ..and instead move a step.backward....

[@nelayanbimbang9988]

But unfair people just talk about mbappe, ronaldo, messi, haaland etc..mo salah look like underrated player, so unfair.

[@Standard____]

The fact that he is still the top scorer in the league (and has the top assists) despite his more creative wide roll is all the proof you need that he is the best winger, and arguably the best player, in the world. He can have a game where he is looking like he’s having an off day and he’s not at his best but he still somehow manages to score, assist or both!

[@bionicgeekgrrl]

Having an off day probably makes him more dangerous as opposition might not keep track of him as they should. He is a player who on his worst day can punish mistakes clinically.

[@thetopfootycoach]

He's just world class, one of the best Premier League players ever, still get criminally underrated. I think Elliot will fill that role in terms of creativity, the rest of attackers will have to cover that goalscoring though

[@daviniribeiro204]

``he is the pokemon red to Salahs pokemon blue``.. beautiful

[@kd5973]

Another great vid. And pointing out what szoboszlai is good at off the ball. A lot of fans don’t see it and say he’s been poor the last few weeks. But his off the ball work is immense and vital. Hopefully his injury was just a small tweak

[@LaShoju]

Liverpool have been working on these positional rotations for a few years, but the midfield didn’t have the energy to rotate forward and still be able to get back in transition.

[@paulie-g]

Also didn't have the quality to threaten when rotated. Hendo has the occasional amazing throughball pass in him, but when he rotated with Mo he never put in incisive passes from that position.

[@timreddoch3803]

Great analysis this, love it. Mo has lost a yard or two of his electric pace, so trying to cut inside on the 45 and shoot his rapier top left corner post-stsmp bullets won’t happen as much, so he uses Dom and Darwin as the runners to create space in front, behind and just inside right channel, so he can be provider or finisher. Having Jota back in that mix is critical, he can do the firmino work forward of centre. I love how we’ve moulded Mo’s game, Jurgen and his assistants, you are brilliant. Go reds!

[@pocaq]

Szobo and Elliott pair gonna be insanely effective.

[@AfterEightShave]

I‘d switch Szobo and Elliott simply because of Szobos defensive contribution and work off the ball. In possession they’re gonna rotate either way constantly, but while Elliott is definitely a hard worker off the ball as well, szobo just has that physical advantage. I‘m personally like weirdly excited to see us play without Salah (even though I love Salah, he’s the best player in the league), because it’s a little teaser for what this team will play like in the future, it has a bit of a breath of fresh air vibe to it

[@guesswork8332]

My daily dose of FourFourTwo.

[@windjammer97]

That ball from macallister to jota for the 4th was outstanding

[@the-arkk]

Salah's injury record is also very impressive.

[@FeelX87]

Salah is the best player in the world right now

[@Abdolikesyourmom]

You earned a sub! Great analysis!

[@zahedmiah]

442 - need to do their homework as well like Newcastle. Mo Salah been doing the trivela assists for years.

[@ziedkefi146]

Regrettably, numerous Liverpool supporters fail to recognize the player's evolution and overlook the man's consistent performance. Strangely, fans from other clubs acknowledge Salah as a true legend for Liverpool, consistently posing a threat. Some Liverpool fans seem to eagerly await his first misstep to criticize him - a disappointing mindset.

[@harryclark7404]

Interesting take - I've not seen that. The only criticism you can throw at Salah is that he is selfish at times, especially when he's approaching goal records.

[@user-moja_crew]

He just not a goal scorer top assists..mo salah smart playmaker smart passing..he made it look so easy ..what a player..

[@masonsnakes4721]

very rarely comment with something so boring, but the red border on the thumbnail made me think I'd already watched this one...

[@steviemac2681]

Great explanation. I don't tend to think a tonne about tactics and systems but this totally chimes with what I've seen from Liverpool this season.

[@Zombieturtles]

You’d lose too much from the midfield if Szbo played higher up, especially with Endo gone.

[@Eishikigami]

Mac at 6, Elliot on Szobo's wing, and Szobo taking the Salah role

[@bionicgeekgrrl]

Endo missing I think is a bigger problem than salah, we have plenty of creative players, but few players who can truly do what endo does.

[@dzavva1984]

Liverpool has Jota, Gakpo and Nunes to play attacking trinity. One of them will play right forward. All three are super fast - very important on that position. I think Szoboszlai is Liverpool's №8 for years, his is great as a midfielder. He is not a Salah replacement

[@DannyHodge95]

I don't like any of them on that wing, I've always preferred Elliott playing there when Salah is absent

[@ErenDenizMert]

​@nunez fits more for the left wingDannyHodge95

[@daveUK1066]

Jota is slow as fuck

[@fatoomgierdien110]

You have a most interesting observation. 🎉❤ Thanks

[@terrymacdad8742]

Liverpool have never lost when mo been absent, 9 games 6 wins 3 draws 😮

[@saz7555]

great analysis

[@cMaslow]

Great analysis.

[@blirt1653]

Wait what, first time watching FourFourTwo and was not expecting to see the wrestling guy presenting haha

[@B_razzer]

After seeing this it has to be Szobo on the right, Elliott right side 8. And then they can rotate in game, while Mo’s gone.

[@fatoomgierdien110]

Mo Salah is a genius. !!!

[@oiulti6900]

How can Salah be so good this season? More like, how can Mohammad Salah be so good… every season?

[@dzavva1984]

I think it will be Jota on the right. It is interesting to see а very right-footed Diaz on the right)) By the way the only left-footed attacking guy in Liverpool except Salah is Harvey Elliot

[@rastkoDev]

Sadly, Endo is also leaving...

[@canonogic]

Why is AFCON still taking place in Jan ffs. Just play the tourney during the summer, like every other international tourney

[@mylesm_media]

After Elliot and Jones won Youth WC, they are like new players on a whole other level and I love it.

[@trainablecuraro9320]

I think Gakpo would be the RW this time and Szobo keeps his place if fit

[@ericthekop9624]

King MO. 😍😍

[@shabs6214]

Thanks

[@matthewprice2626]

Well described. Szobo and Harvey will be more than okay down that side without Mo for a while. The ox always used to step up in afcon years and Liverpool weren't affected at all.

[@miralmiral]

can you do Endo?

[@fatoomgierdien110]

Mo Salah is the best player for x7yrs🎉❤

[@steviemac2681]

At this point, I don't give a shit about the cup games he's gonna miss. I just want him back for the league.

[@fatoomgierdien110]

I love your drama🎉❤

[@iCoKe09]

I think gako could play that mo spot with dom being out now a couple games.

[@SmashPhysical]

Well, to *lead* the Premier League. The season isn't over yet. Great player nonetheless.

[@timmy5876]

defenders being so scared for salah to get in behind whilst them not being too scared of darwin getting in behind creates some beautiful opportunities. Like for that salah goal assisted by nunez, salah makes that inverted run so ofcourse dan burn follows him and he sees nunez go the other way and he’ll be thinking salah has a much higher chance of scoring than nunez so he’ll follow salah instead of passing salah onto the other defender

[@m.y1152]

Hey I remember you from WhatCultre. I think you're one of the twenty five Adams over there.

[@17rdw]

i’d do elliott and szoboszlai the other way around but agree in a sense due to the positional rotations, just think elliott more naturally offers wide creativity in a similar way as a left footer from that side and szoboszlai looks best when he can underlap the winger imo

[@sirius1807]

you forgetting Jota and Gakpo, they can play Szobo's position

[@kinkajou23]

I hope Nunez bags some goals in Salah's absence.

[@hendrixinfinity3992]

442. Stick Gakpo and Nunez up top with Diaz on the left, TAA on the right, Gomez at right back staying put and Robertson going forward on the left so Diaz can cut in. Still get that front five and Trent still has a free role, only sacrifice is not having doubled 8s, you'd have to tell gravenberch or Endo to stay back while Mac or Szobo goes forward, and Jones and Elliott filling in where necessary.

[@guif04]

This is a very good shout

[@ngubod16]

I dont think Klopp will change the whole system just because Salah is away. It will most likely just be the same system but with one of the other attackers in Salahs place.

[@myownlilbubble]

Trent only have a free role.....with relation to Salah and Szobo's position. It is the rotational.triangle that used to be Hendo-Trent-Mo.

[@hendrixinfinity3992]

@@ngubod16 Salah's leaving at the end of the season.

[@myownlilbubble]

5:50...in the Old Liverpool...defenders are aware of the equal amount of danger from Bobby and Mane.. In current Liverpool 2.0....the other attackers are not seemed as dangerous by the defenders.....which is great for creating space😅

[@shattered2137]

I think there is a chance that Jota will fill for Salah considering that he used to play his posistion during Salah's absence

[@DeepakKumar-lv4te]

Crazy thing is both nunez and diaz are on for 15 / 16 goals this season. And that's when it's not really working for them yet.

[@rejectwokeness1314]

I think Elliot will take Salahs role when he's away as he can cut in and put in the passes too. Dom should play his usual position.

[@ShaunLevett]

Jota can play on the right. That's the simplest solution. Keeps the team playing the exact same way.

[@mintesnotnegash6671]

This channel is like a drug for me 😂😂😂

[@liverpool4lyfe106]

first comment :) great video!

[@pongnakalohan887]

In 2-3 years salah will have to be replaced as well. Hope we find the replacement soon enough

[@angkhoapham8209]

He functions more like a traditional winger now

[@gingerandbroke1402]

"How Liverpool have reinvented Mo Salah to WIN THE PREMIER LEAGUE!!!" Is how my brain read the title.

[@leongyet9896]

I want to see Klopp letting Diaz played on the right side when Salah goes away.

[@anthonyburn1010]

To think that some of our reactionary fans were demanding Liverpool sell Salah to the Saudi league at the end of the summer. We definitely would not be top of the league without him.

[@ingolf82]

It doesn't look so bad with the Premier League implementing a winter break this season. this might sound like Blasphemy, but I don't really care that much about the cup games, Salah would be on the bench for those anyway, so he only misses Bournemouth, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Burnley, and no offense to these teams, but only Arsenal are a threat and only a minor threat because they have their own problems to deal with. Salah scored a screamer last time we played Arsenal. Szobioslai is in fact injured and might be out as long as Salah is away, so I could see Nunez playing on the right or Eliott comes in and does a job there. I would like Bowen to be Salah's long term replacement thank you. Nunez is not a number 9. playing him up front is criminal by Klopp and a massive misuse of Nunez's talents as a winger. he is best on the left wing, but I'm sure he can play Right wing just fine too, but he needs to run at the goal, not have his back to it like a number 9 does up front.

[@archiebullock1983]

8:57 😳😳

[@muhammadashiqmohd.rosley5234]

Yep. Elliot. Kinda makes sense he's not playing starters these days eh?

[@hp1998]

Szobo is injured 😢

[@ahmedk2405]

I would still rather try to force him wide to the right as a defender than to allow him to cut in.

[@myownlilbubble]

Salah can pass back to either Trent or Szobo...or pass across to Trent or Szobo if they bomb forward...or to any forwards waiting in front of goal......

[@REC789]

Only league game(s) is important, nothing else

[@leebp9106]

is this Total Football 2.0 ?

[@bubbastard]

It is January

[@mathewstevens6281]

Did it last time no problem t 1 player

[@marcsylla]

Surely now go onto win it 😢😂

[@jsmarty1]

The answer has to be Harvey Elliott. He can fill in in midfield as well as the wing, making him the versatile player Salah has been lately. He’s more of a chance creator anyway, so this new role would suit him

[@josephodighibor2456]

Spot on bro.

[@TheLastSongbird124]

That's not working too well then is it?

[@user-wk8vl9hg4t]

Why you use that big football field😭😭

[@sarimansari1]

salah learning from messi ;)

[@top11advancedtactics34]

Liverpool's finishing has been dreadful. Nunez and the others have blasted by now at least a 100 shots wide. Not on target. The only one who is really efficient is Mo. And he will be gone. Who is going assist and score? Hope for a Nunez miracle? Also liverpool kept attacking and received 2 goals easy and fast. Why are you attacking when its 3-2. Your team is tired!

[@geordiedog1749]

Painful as it was Mo Salah was unplayable. Mind you we’re also losing to Luton you ….perspective.

[@etiennebunbury1285]

Why expose our game

[@Habesahmad786]

Best livapol mohamad sala ✅🥰

[@SummerNutria298]

So basically he isn’t the greedy bastard he was which made mane leave

[@user-hu8yy6xo5g]

lol 😍😍😍

[@veratikon7882]

How dare you say liverpool are gonna win the league. Do you have any idea how much wood ive had to hit today?

[@qwerty_9922]

Salah is currently the best player ITW

[@Zombieturtles]

‘Do math’ ?! Didn’t know you were American

[@1flinns]

Mo is the best but. Playing in front of Trent must help his numbers. No one has said this yet.

[@tdyerwestfield]

Ask most Liverpool fans and we'll tell you that Salah has actually been really below his usual standards this season, often detrimental to the team at times. He finally sparks into form against Newcastle and is immediately off to AFCON. Endo has been key for us recently and he's off to the Asian Cup too. Elliott & Szoboszlai can both play Salah's role.

[@top11advancedtactics34]

I think he has failed many dribbles and his shot became average. There was a time Mo was close to Messi when it cam to dribbling in speed. No more... or yes, he looks more like Messi now. He is never used in a counter attack in the mid. They let Nunez screw up a simple counter. There is tactically so much wrong at Liverpool. Klopp is not a details guy... He just motivates mainly. His attack efficiency is the worst in the league, and in conference he praises his attack.. go figure

[@tyneskipper]

jesus Adam. all he had to do was run at a lumbering, slow, unfit Dan Burn (and his turning circle of a cow on ice) all game for people to think he's the reincarnation of Pele. ffs man

[@myownlilbubble]

You sound like a salty geordie ...🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 up yours mate...up yours🫡