Will Liverpool give Salah what he wants?

00:43:55
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_8TXaBpllM

Resumo

TLDRIn this episode of the Athletic FC podcast, host I.O. Akiner discusses Mohamed Salah's recent comments about his uncertain future at Liverpool. Salah, typically not outspoken, revealed he's "more out than in" regarding staying at the club due to a lack of offers for a contract extension. The podcast features insights from Liverpool writers and a data analyst who explore Salah's pivotal role in the team, his significant physical condition, and the complexity of his potential next contract. Fans are urged to advocate for Salah's retention, considering his impressive goal contribution and the difficulty Liverpool might face in replacing such a valuable player. Salah, despite being 32, maintains elite performance levels akin to football legends like Messi and Ronaldo, aiming for continued high-level achievements.

Conclusões

  • ⚽ Mohamed Salah expresses uncertainty about his future at Liverpool.
  • 🎙️ Salah's rare interview signals a strategic move to influence contract talks.
  • 🔍 Liverpool have not yet made a formal contract offer to Salah.
  • 🔥 Salah remains a key player with impressive performance statistics.
  • 📈 His contribution is vital, leading to discussions on his inevitable replacement.
  • 🏴 Liverpool fans strongly desire Salah's continuation with the club.
  • 💪 Salah's fitness and stamina remain at an exceptional level.
  • 📊 His creative play and assist rates have notably improved.
  • 💬 The strong bond between Salah and his representative influences decision-making.
  • 🏆 Salah aspires to continue performing at top levels, similar to Ronaldo and Messi.
  • 🇸🇦 Salah dismisses interest from Saudi Arabia, focusing on Liverpool.
  • 💰 Considering Salah's role, Liverpool's investment in extending his contract is crucial.

Linha do tempo

  • 00:00:00 - 00:05:00

    Podcast host IO Akiner introduces the episode focused on Mo Salah's potential future with Liverpool. Salah recently hinted he might leave the club, stating he's "more out than in" after a standout performance that put Liverpool 8 points clear in the Premier League. The episode features inputs from Liverpool writers James Pearce and Si Hughes, with data analysis from Mark Kry later on.

  • 00:05:00 - 00:10:00

    James Pearce discusses his rare interview with Salah after Liverpool's victory over Southampton. Salah expressed uncertainty about staying at Liverpool, mentioning no current offers to remain, despite his love for the club and its fans. Salah's comments are viewed as putting public pressure on Liverpool.

  • 00:10:00 - 00:15:00

    Si Hughes posits that Salah's interview suggests strategic pressure on Liverpool for a new contract. He notes Salah speaks rarely, highlighting moments when his input sways club narratives. Salah's engagement now implies a strong desire to stay at Liverpool if conditions meet his expectations, exemplified by past negotiations.

  • 00:15:00 - 00:20:00

    The discussion touches on Salah's importance to Liverpool fans, who are desperate for the club to retain him. His performance stats are exceptional, making him indispensable. Although Salah is 32, his physical condition and contribution to the team make a compelling case for a new contract.

  • 00:20:00 - 00:25:00

    Salah's past hurdles, like injuries, and his focus on winning are discussed. His relationship with agent Ramy Abbas, who plays a crucial role in his career decisions, is explored, displaying Salah's strategic approach to contracts and his individualized path within football.

  • 00:25:00 - 00:30:00

    The podcast delves into Salah's continuous evolution as a player, highlighting his efforts to adapt and remain highly competitive. His readiness to break records akin to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is emphasized, alongside his refusal to consider less competitive offers like those from Saudi Arabia.

  • 00:30:00 - 00:35:00

    Data analyst Mark Kry provides a quantitative look at Salah's performance, contravening typical age-related decline. His output, creativity, and physical resilience are lauded, posing arguments for Liverpool to extend his contract considering his unique capabilities set against average players of his age.

  • 00:35:00 - 00:43:55

    The episode concludes by considering Liverpool's title chances and upcoming fixtures. Salah's role as a game-changer under current manager Arnas Slot is underscored. His irreplaceability and consistent clutch performances are noted, as Liverpool remains strong in both domestic and European competitions.

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Mapa mental

Mind Map

Vídeo de perguntas e respostas

  • What did Mohamed Salah say about his future at Liverpool?

    Salah mentioned that he is "more out than in" concerning his future, indicating uncertainty about staying at Liverpool.

  • Why is Mohamed Salah's interview significant?

    Salah rarely speaks to the media, so his comments are seen as a strategic way to publicly put pressure on Liverpool regarding his contract.

  • Has Liverpool made an offer to Mohamed Salah for a contract extension?

    According to Salah, Liverpool has not presented him with a formal offer yet.

  • How is Salah performing this season?

    Salah is performing exceptionally well, with his goal involvement being at an impressive rate, contributing significantly to Liverpool's success this season.

  • Why might Salah's contract negotiation with Liverpool be challenging?

    The negotiation might be challenging due to both his and the club's expectations, and the potential difficulty in replacing such a crucial player.

  • How do Liverpool fans feel about Salah's potential departure?

    Liverpool fans are eager for the club to secure Salah, as they can hardly imagine him playing for another team.

  • What was discussed about Salah's physical fitness?

    Salah's physical fitness is highlighted as exceptional, with him maintaining a high level of performance despite being 32 years old.

  • What is Salah's relationship with his representative?

    Salah has a close relationship with his representative, Ramy Abbas, and they reportedly strategize about his public statements.

  • What are Salah's thoughts on staying at Liverpool?

    Salah is interested in staying at Liverpool and wants an offer to consider seriously.

  • How are Salah's assists contributing to his performance this season?

    Salah's assist rate has significantly increased, complementing his goal-scoring abilities, making him a well-rounded player in the team.

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  • 00:00:00
    welcome to the athletic FC podcast with
  • 00:00:01
    me IO akiner I'm probably more out than
  • 00:00:05
    in mosala said on his future after
  • 00:00:08
    another match winning
  • 00:00:10
    performance his goal means Liverpool are
  • 00:00:12
    now eight points clear at the top of the
  • 00:00:14
    Premier League so will Salah be offered
  • 00:00:17
    a contract that will keep him at
  • 00:00:20
    anfield joining us today we have the
  • 00:00:22
    Athletics Liverpool writers James Pierce
  • 00:00:24
    and also sa Hughes as well and later on
  • 00:00:26
    our data analyst Mark kry will be
  • 00:00:28
    dropping in to the numbers on salah's
  • 00:00:31
    Evolution but James let's start with you
  • 00:00:33
    on this one you spoke to Salah in the
  • 00:00:35
    mix Zone following Liverpool's 32 win at
  • 00:00:38
    Southampton on Sunday and and the
  • 00:00:40
    headline is that look Salah currently
  • 00:00:43
    said I'm more out than in regarding his
  • 00:00:46
    future tell us what you made of his
  • 00:00:48
    comments but also what more was
  • 00:00:51
    said yeah it was it was a remarkable few
  • 00:00:54
    minutes really because I think as
  • 00:00:56
    everyone all know mo Salah very rarely
  • 00:00:58
    speaks to the the English written media
  • 00:01:01
    um he he's played 367 games for
  • 00:01:05
    Liverpool I've been at the vast majority
  • 00:01:07
    of them I've asked him probably a few
  • 00:01:10
    hundred times at least to stop and and
  • 00:01:13
    probably had a few hundred polite nose
  • 00:01:16
    um he'd only stopped twice previously
  • 00:01:18
    yet when I asked him on Sunday he came
  • 00:01:21
    straight over and bearing in mind the
  • 00:01:24
    the mix Zone at St Mary Stadium isn't
  • 00:01:26
    the most hospitable of places it's
  • 00:01:27
    outside next to the the team coach as
  • 00:01:30
    anyone would have seen on Sunday
  • 00:01:32
    afternoon it was hardly the nicest of um
  • 00:01:34
    of environments in terms of the rain
  • 00:01:36
    lashing down and the the wind whipping
  • 00:01:39
    around the South Coast yet it became
  • 00:01:41
    abundantly clear that moalo had
  • 00:01:43
    something he wanted to get off his chest
  • 00:01:45
    and and of course when the conversation
  • 00:01:47
    turned to his future that was that was
  • 00:01:49
    when he said you know that he he he say
  • 00:01:52
    he's yet to receive any he offers to
  • 00:01:55
    stay at the club and as you said you
  • 00:01:56
    know the standout quote I'm probably
  • 00:01:58
    more out than in
  • 00:02:00
    um talked about his love for the club um
  • 00:02:03
    and his love for the fans but he said
  • 00:02:05
    you know it's it's not in my hands let's
  • 00:02:07
    just wait and see yeah um Sai you know
  • 00:02:11
    it's very rare that Salah does speak to
  • 00:02:14
    journalists as James has alluded to you
  • 00:02:16
    know I think third time in seven and a
  • 00:02:18
    half years does that suggest that he's
  • 00:02:21
    personally putting public pressure on
  • 00:02:23
    Liverpool from where you're sitting
  • 00:02:25
    absolutely yeah 100% he only ever speaks
  • 00:02:30
    when there's a reason to speak I I I
  • 00:02:33
    remember the first time when he he did
  • 00:02:35
    he did speak to the media in the mix own
  • 00:02:37
    I'm sure James was there on that
  • 00:02:39
    occasion and that was after I think
  • 00:02:41
    after he'd broken the 40 goal barrier in
  • 00:02:43
    his fair season and he needed some
  • 00:02:45
    Bournemouth yeah good mem James um and
  • 00:02:49
    he needs some persuading to to do that
  • 00:02:52
    conversation uh I think it lasted for
  • 00:02:55
    about three minutes and then he was off
  • 00:02:57
    really didn't want to talk um but we
  • 00:03:00
    sort of corraled into doing so and then
  • 00:03:01
    as Jame me James mentioned I think that
  • 00:03:04
    the second time was after they won the
  • 00:03:05
    Champions League in in 2019 when if
  • 00:03:08
    you're not going to speak them you know
  • 00:03:10
    you're never going to speak high so um
  • 00:03:12
    obviously over the last couple of months
  • 00:03:14
    he's he he has been open on occasion
  • 00:03:17
    after the Manchester United game hey ho
  • 00:03:20
    when he's had a good performance and uh
  • 00:03:22
    people suddenly starting talking about
  • 00:03:24
    his his WTH to the side again um and
  • 00:03:28
    then obviously yesterday he he plays a
  • 00:03:31
    defining role in Liverpool's Victory so
  • 00:03:33
    I can understand why I mean that's
  • 00:03:35
    perfectly entitled to to to to play it
  • 00:03:37
    the way he does and sort of he he often
  • 00:03:41
    communicates sort of in the cryptic and
  • 00:03:43
    and PE keeps people guessing with some
  • 00:03:45
    of the things that he says but ve very
  • 00:03:47
    very clear that he he to me anyway that
  • 00:03:49
    he's he's interested in staying at
  • 00:03:51
    Liverpool uh wants an offer on the table
  • 00:03:55
    so he can consider it um as he openly
  • 00:03:59
    admitted to James disappointed that that
  • 00:04:00
    offer hasn't come yet now sure Liverpool
  • 00:04:03
    Keen to stress that um that that doesn't
  • 00:04:06
    mean that the conversations haven't been
  • 00:04:07
    happening between him and his his
  • 00:04:09
    representative Ramy Abbas um but it's
  • 00:04:12
    December and Liverpool still haven't
  • 00:04:14
    still haven't got an offer in front of
  • 00:04:16
    the table on the table for him now all I
  • 00:04:19
    would say is is one thing that I've
  • 00:04:22
    learn with Salah certainly with the
  • 00:04:24
    last contract negotiation and know we
  • 00:04:26
    two years along the line it's slightly
  • 00:04:28
    more complex maybe the the sort of the
  • 00:04:30
    thinking behind people's motivations
  • 00:04:32
    about why they might stay why they might
  • 00:04:34
    why they might want to make an offer but
  • 00:04:36
    I I I know in 2022 when he signs his
  • 00:04:38
    last contract at the start of June
  • 00:04:40
    Liverpool sorry Muhammad Salah and Ramy
  • 00:04:42
    abas were talking privately about
  • 00:04:43
    leaving the club and what his options
  • 00:04:45
    were three weeks later four weeks later
  • 00:04:48
    they'd signed a new contract so things
  • 00:04:50
    can change very
  • 00:04:52
    quickly um but of course there different
  • 00:04:54
    people behind the scenes leading these
  • 00:04:56
    negotiations potentially at Liverpool
  • 00:04:58
    we're not quite sure who was the sign
  • 00:05:00
    off but certainly Richard Hughes wasn't
  • 00:05:02
    in position in 2022 so a lot of focus on
  • 00:05:05
    him um I think because to find out that
  • 00:05:08
    he hasn't had an offer is is I've got to
  • 00:05:11
    say I was quite surprised really yeah
  • 00:05:14
    yeah I I think what's interesting for me
  • 00:05:16
    is I'm I'm also fascinated from the fans
  • 00:05:18
    perspective James you know there's that
  • 00:05:20
    Banner that's going around he fires a
  • 00:05:21
    bone now give Mo his do um I mean what
  • 00:05:26
    what is the feeling from the fans in
  • 00:05:27
    that respect it sounds like fans are all
  • 00:05:30
    on side I he's their top goal scorer
  • 00:05:32
    he's in great shape the stats are are
  • 00:05:34
    really really good um you know him
  • 00:05:36
    speaking publicly do we get a sense of
  • 00:05:38
    what the fans want yeah yeah I think
  • 00:05:42
    certainly every fan I speak to is
  • 00:05:44
    absolutely desperate for Liverpool to
  • 00:05:46
    resolve this and you know the idea of
  • 00:05:49
    Muhammad Salah playing for anyone else
  • 00:05:51
    next season is incredibly unpalatable
  • 00:05:54
    because you know he you know his his
  • 00:05:57
    contribution this season has been
  • 00:05:59
    nothing short remarkable because you go
  • 00:06:01
    back to the back end of last season and
  • 00:06:03
    he had a really difficult time of it
  • 00:06:05
    having you know got injured at afcon
  • 00:06:07
    struggled to get his rhythm back he was
  • 00:06:09
    in and out of the team actually at the
  • 00:06:11
    back end of the season there was the The
  • 00:06:12
    Well publicized spat with Jurgen klopp
  • 00:06:14
    on the touch line at West Ham yet from
  • 00:06:17
    the get-go under slot he's looked
  • 00:06:19
    absolutely rejuvenated and 12 goals 10
  • 00:06:23
    assists in 18 appearances in all
  • 00:06:25
    competitions this season a goal
  • 00:06:27
    involvement every 65 minutes which is by
  • 00:06:30
    far in a way his best uh in a season
  • 00:06:34
    during his Liverpool career even in even
  • 00:06:36
    in s 2017 18 when of course you know he
  • 00:06:39
    he broke all kinds of Records when he
  • 00:06:41
    scored 44 goals in all competitions I
  • 00:06:43
    think it was a goal involvement every 71
  • 00:06:45
    minutes so that that's the level he's
  • 00:06:47
    performing at and I think that's that's
  • 00:06:50
    clearly why he's decided the time was
  • 00:06:52
    right to crank up the pressure and I
  • 00:06:54
    think a lot of fans will understand why
  • 00:06:56
    he's done that um I think as Simon said
  • 00:06:59
    I think it's important in terms of I
  • 00:07:02
    think a lot of people will see you know
  • 00:07:04
    the headline of him saying he hasn't had
  • 00:07:06
    an offer and think well what on Earth
  • 00:07:08
    are Liverpool playing at now of course
  • 00:07:10
    it's Unthinkable that in the dialogue
  • 00:07:12
    that's been going back and forth between
  • 00:07:14
    Richard Hughes and Ramy abass it's
  • 00:07:16
    Unthinkable there haven't been verbal
  • 00:07:18
    conversations about expectations on both
  • 00:07:20
    sides now um you know it's it's a
  • 00:07:24
    nuances of it I guess isn't it in terms
  • 00:07:26
    of Salah saying he hasn't had a formal
  • 00:07:28
    offer terms of one that's on the table
  • 00:07:31
    Liverpool haven't confirmed or denied
  • 00:07:33
    that's the case of course the last thing
  • 00:07:34
    they want is to turn this into something
  • 00:07:37
    confrontational adversarial when
  • 00:07:40
    especially at a time when things are so
  • 00:07:41
    positive on the pitch but um but yeah
  • 00:07:45
    Liverpool fans you know they'd be
  • 00:07:47
    absolutely devastated if this is the end
  • 00:07:50
    in terms of his final season of his
  • 00:07:52
    career because you know he's still
  • 00:07:54
    Liverpool's most potent attacking weapon
  • 00:07:57
    yes he might be 33 next June but you
  • 00:07:59
    only have to look at that that torso
  • 00:08:02
    when he whipped his shirt off after
  • 00:08:03
    scoring the winning goal at St Mary's
  • 00:08:05
    he's an absolute machine I'm glad you
  • 00:08:07
    said it cuz I was going to say he looks
  • 00:08:09
    in great shape man he looks
  • 00:08:12
    insane reminds me of myself in many
  • 00:08:15
    ways what you saying so reminds you of
  • 00:08:17
    yourself as well yeah it definitely
  • 00:08:19
    reminds me of James I can
  • 00:08:21
    confir he's got he's got a body like Ned
  • 00:08:24
    Flanders don't be deceived by
  • 00:08:26
    the the video here um we I I the mere
  • 00:08:30
    active him whipping his off I mean
  • 00:08:33
    I know he has done this before you know
  • 00:08:34
    he does like getting his his kit off
  • 00:08:36
    when he scores a goal but um I don't
  • 00:08:39
    know there's always I'm always thinking
  • 00:08:41
    there's a reason why he does this and
  • 00:08:42
    it's you know it's reminding people you
  • 00:08:44
    know he's he's a special looking bloke
  • 00:08:46
    isn't he who whose body has never let
  • 00:08:49
    him down and I think this is what the
  • 00:08:52
    big decision Liverpool have to make
  • 00:08:53
    really that is he a special case is he
  • 00:08:55
    different to other 32 33 year olds the
  • 00:08:59
    evidence currently is yes I mean we
  • 00:09:03
    could go through all the games in the
  • 00:09:04
    last month that he's actually had a big
  • 00:09:06
    impact on Liverpool have played well
  • 00:09:09
    under slot but they haven't they haven't
  • 00:09:11
    they haven't been outstanding have they
  • 00:09:13
    in in most of the games they played well
  • 00:09:16
    in phases of the game but in a lot of
  • 00:09:18
    these games salah's role in the outcome
  • 00:09:21
    has been defining and he's continuing to
  • 00:09:24
    do it it's a very hard argument to say
  • 00:09:26
    there's going to be a major drop off
  • 00:09:28
    with this player I think because because
  • 00:09:30
    of the way he's he sort of redesigned
  • 00:09:32
    his game over a long period of time
  • 00:09:34
    always finds a way to have an
  • 00:09:36
    impact um I I agree with James I think
  • 00:09:39
    it would be it would be sad to to see
  • 00:09:42
    him go I just think you take Salah back
  • 00:09:45
    to the very beginning I think his mayor
  • 00:09:46
    presence in the in the Liverpool team
  • 00:09:49
    gave a lot of people around the club
  • 00:09:51
    this belief in the impossible because of
  • 00:09:52
    the sheare scale of the goals that he
  • 00:09:54
    scored in his first season okay he
  • 00:09:56
    hasn't hit those numbers again since but
  • 00:09:58
    he's been remarkably consistent over
  • 00:10:00
    such a long period of time now some of
  • 00:10:03
    the conversation will still date back to
  • 00:10:05
    um last season the hamstring injury um I
  • 00:10:09
    I I I felt a bit sorry for him towards
  • 00:10:11
    the end of last season because he was
  • 00:10:12
    coming into a team that was expected to
  • 00:10:14
    be going for the title at just the time
  • 00:10:16
    there were three or four other players
  • 00:10:18
    trying to get up to to speed with um
  • 00:10:21
    with what was going on around them and
  • 00:10:22
    he wasn't the only one who's didn't
  • 00:10:24
    perform to the levels that he's capable
  • 00:10:25
    of but he's come back and he looks
  • 00:10:27
    sharper than ever and he's having an
  • 00:10:29
    impact and it's going to be a really
  • 00:10:31
    hard argument for Liverpool to convince
  • 00:10:33
    people that they're making the right
  • 00:10:34
    decision now I mentioned this to James
  • 00:10:36
    before but I think it's a point that's
  • 00:10:37
    worth making as well from salah's
  • 00:10:39
    perspective he could go to another club
  • 00:10:41
    potentially and might not perform
  • 00:10:43
    anywhere near as well as he does for
  • 00:10:45
    Liverpool and that would that would
  • 00:10:47
    maybe in FSG or in Liverpool or Richard
  • 00:10:49
    Hughes or whoever's really responsible
  • 00:10:52
    for this this decision be the evidence
  • 00:10:55
    that they need say look we made the
  • 00:10:56
    right decision but I just think mamad
  • 00:10:58
    Muhammad Salah clearly feels a sense of
  • 00:11:01
    place at Liverpool in terms of he he's
  • 00:11:03
    he's got a belief in himself a
  • 00:11:05
    confidence he takes a confidence for
  • 00:11:06
    playing for this team and I don't think
  • 00:11:08
    that can be over overestimated really I
  • 00:11:10
    think he knows that as well I think he
  • 00:11:12
    does know that and that's one of the
  • 00:11:13
    reasons why he wants to stay so I just
  • 00:11:15
    shoot everybody as far as I'm concerned
  • 00:11:16
    to try and find a solution to this
  • 00:11:18
    because um why would you give up on I
  • 00:11:21
    think the other thing that Liverpool
  • 00:11:22
    have to consider is if he goes he will
  • 00:11:24
    need replacement there's not somebody in
  • 00:11:27
    that area the pitch I think that's ready
  • 00:11:28
    to take on mantle you can't replace
  • 00:11:31
    Muhammad Salah with a young player
  • 00:11:32
    because he's got so much experience so
  • 00:11:35
    Liverpool going to have to spend a lot
  • 00:11:36
    of money I would imagine in the transfer
  • 00:11:38
    market to recreate Muhammad Salah or use
  • 00:11:40
    a couple of players to recreate it a
  • 00:11:42
    couple of players means more money so
  • 00:11:44
    they're going to have to pay one way of
  • 00:11:45
    the other um and there's no one really
  • 00:11:49
    around well there isn't anyone around in
  • 00:11:50
    Europe who who's delivered Salah numbers
  • 00:11:52
    20 goals minimum a season seven seasons
  • 00:11:55
    on the Run that's going to be he's going
  • 00:11:56
    to be higher than that come the end of
  • 00:11:58
    the season so yeah I I think there's got
  • 00:12:01
    to be a Liverpool from this position I
  • 00:12:03
    think I've got to show a willingness to
  • 00:12:06
    to try and make it happen yeah I want to
  • 00:12:08
    dig into the numbers a little later on
  • 00:12:09
    uh jent but very quickly Simon um it's
  • 00:12:13
    interesting I'm I've always been
  • 00:12:15
    fascinated by Mo Salah the man you know
  • 00:12:18
    we talk about him rarely giving
  • 00:12:20
    interviews in general but I've always
  • 00:12:22
    been interested by what motivates him as
  • 00:12:25
    as as a human being you know uh huge
  • 00:12:28
    Egyptian star Global stara might even
  • 00:12:30
    say and I know you've definitely written
  • 00:12:32
    um a book on on Salah you've written his
  • 00:12:34
    biography which is out right now
  • 00:12:36
    actually called Chase and Salah um you
  • 00:12:38
    know you wanted to walk work out
  • 00:12:40
    basically what makes him tick and I'm
  • 00:12:42
    sure so many people are interested in
  • 00:12:43
    that um what lies behind that cool
  • 00:12:46
    demeanor uh what did you learn quite a
  • 00:12:49
    lot of things it depends where you want
  • 00:12:51
    to start really but I think I think what
  • 00:12:53
    is most relevant to this moment in terms
  • 00:12:55
    of you know what's actually going to
  • 00:12:58
    happen from here is obviously his
  • 00:13:00
    relationships he's got I was really
  • 00:13:03
    interested to find out about his
  • 00:13:04
    relationships within the club but also
  • 00:13:07
    outside the club and the the person in
  • 00:13:09
    life that he is closest to is Ramy abas
  • 00:13:12
    who's his representative now I think
  • 00:13:15
    there's a perception you know about Ramy
  • 00:13:17
    abas as being this like really hard
  • 00:13:19
    negotiator which I think he is but him
  • 00:13:24
    and Salah see each other as a business
  • 00:13:26
    you know I am Absolut I'd be very
  • 00:13:28
    surprised I don't know know this for
  • 00:13:29
    certain but I would be very surprised if
  • 00:13:32
    if Muhammad Salah decided to speak to
  • 00:13:35
    James yesterday and it was a spontaneous
  • 00:13:37
    decision I think they they will have
  • 00:13:40
    spoken about the strategy of who we
  • 00:13:41
    speak to why we speak to them and when
  • 00:13:43
    when this information comes out I'd be
  • 00:13:45
    amazed if that that conversation hasn't
  • 00:13:47
    happened and they work together very
  • 00:13:49
    closely like Salah and abass are as
  • 00:13:52
    close as family really now and that's a
  • 00:13:55
    relationship that's works for both of
  • 00:13:56
    them now I think that the there's a
  • 00:13:59
    perception that cly the last round of
  • 00:14:01
    negotiations when he signs his last
  • 00:14:03
    contract that it was Muhammad Salah and
  • 00:14:06
    Ramy abass had set their stall out and
  • 00:14:09
    it was up to Liverpool to meet those
  • 00:14:11
    expectations very clear to me in my you
  • 00:14:14
    know investigations that there was a big
  • 00:14:16
    there was a willingness to compromise
  • 00:14:18
    you know right throughout that process
  • 00:14:21
    there was a feeling towards the end well
  • 00:14:23
    certainly at the end from the Salah side
  • 00:14:25
    when when they actually got the
  • 00:14:27
    contracts in front of them there was
  • 00:14:29
    even a
  • 00:14:30
    feeling that again it was a feeling
  • 00:14:33
    rather than being definitive but a
  • 00:14:35
    feeling of did Liverpool really want us
  • 00:14:37
    to sign this do they they were actually
  • 00:14:39
    feeling they actually hope that we might
  • 00:14:41
    not sign this because it's such a big
  • 00:14:43
    commitment so that's Liverpool had to
  • 00:14:45
    move some distance as well you know that
  • 00:14:48
    they they they're just as tough as Salah
  • 00:14:51
    and and and abas is in this
  • 00:14:53
    negotiation and that being said I think
  • 00:14:57
    the evidences again repeat myself but
  • 00:14:59
    the things moved very quickly when they
  • 00:15:02
    realized that they had to I'm hopeful
  • 00:15:04
    that in you know that this I think the
  • 00:15:07
    comments from from Salah uh should be a
  • 00:15:09
    trigger point really for Liverpool
  • 00:15:12
    certainly ownership level to start
  • 00:15:14
    talking about what can we do because you
  • 00:15:16
    don't want it to be become a distraction
  • 00:15:18
    going into a really important part of
  • 00:15:20
    the Season which it could do because
  • 00:15:21
    it's going to dominate the
  • 00:15:23
    conversations um but as as an individual
  • 00:15:26
    as somebody who's like sort of he sees
  • 00:15:28
    himself very much as individual and he's
  • 00:15:29
    not afraid to to ride up against you
  • 00:15:32
    know the big institutions that that he's
  • 00:15:35
    working for and with you know you look
  • 00:15:36
    at his relationship with the Egyptian fa
  • 00:15:39
    over a long period of time he sees
  • 00:15:41
    himself very much as an individual now
  • 00:15:43
    that might be unappealing to a lot of
  • 00:15:45
    people you know people like to see see
  • 00:15:48
    footballers who like to sort of work
  • 00:15:49
    hard with with with the with the
  • 00:15:51
    teammates which salot is one of those
  • 00:15:53
    but he is ferociously
  • 00:15:55
    independent um is able to speak his own
  • 00:15:58
    mind and of when he does it leads to
  • 00:16:00
    quite a reaction you know you only need
  • 00:16:03
    to look at his his his interactions with
  • 00:16:05
    the Egyptian fa over a long period of
  • 00:16:06
    time he's provoked them at certain
  • 00:16:08
    points of opportunity and often often
  • 00:16:11
    won those little battles so it's going
  • 00:16:13
    to be really interesting to see how
  • 00:16:14
    Liverpool react to this because um he's
  • 00:16:17
    not afraid of the politics despite a
  • 00:16:20
    perception that sometimes he is because
  • 00:16:22
    he he doesn't actually say that much on
  • 00:16:24
    the records but when he does it's often
  • 00:16:27
    very pointed and often for a good reason
  • 00:16:30
    and quite often it's led to the reaction
  • 00:16:32
    that he's he's wanted yeah James I just
  • 00:16:35
    want to talk to you about this whole
  • 00:16:37
    business between the contracts in in
  • 00:16:39
    just a second but just very quickly
  • 00:16:40
    Simon just from that biography from the
  • 00:16:43
    outside looking at Salah you see we I
  • 00:16:45
    mean I didn't expect the conversation to
  • 00:16:46
    go that way we've talked about his body
  • 00:16:48
    and how great he looks but also you you
  • 00:16:50
    get a sense of a sheer determination
  • 00:16:53
    here to constantly be good you know you
  • 00:16:54
    get a sense that he in his heart sees
  • 00:16:58
    himself as an anfield Legend do you know
  • 00:17:00
    what I mean like do you get did you get
  • 00:17:01
    that sense from him in terms of how he
  • 00:17:03
    wants to be as a footballer and how
  • 00:17:06
    great he wants to be okay well there's a
  • 00:17:08
    couple of things here so Salah over the
  • 00:17:11
    last four seasons at Liverpool has been
  • 00:17:13
    really frustrated by the lack of success
  • 00:17:15
    you know in terms of the amount of
  • 00:17:17
    trophies that they've won since they won
  • 00:17:19
    the Premier League you know the first
  • 00:17:20
    four years the first three years there
  • 00:17:22
    was a a buildup where where they won
  • 00:17:25
    everything there was to win they've sort
  • 00:17:26
    of missed out they got close enough out
  • 00:17:29
    then actually falling out the champions
  • 00:17:31
    league and I remember when they they
  • 00:17:33
    didn't qualify for the Champions League
  • 00:17:34
    Salah went onto social media only player
  • 00:17:37
    to do so this is not good enough he's
  • 00:17:39
    not doing that just to appeal to the
  • 00:17:40
    crowd it's because he thinks this is not
  • 00:17:43
    this is not where I want to be and
  • 00:17:45
    certainly not where I want Liverpool to
  • 00:17:46
    be so he is desperate to win and I think
  • 00:17:49
    that mentality it goes back a long way I
  • 00:17:52
    mean there are various points that you
  • 00:17:54
    can you can you can look at but I do
  • 00:17:56
    think you know as a as a young person
  • 00:17:58
    making that Journey that he used to make
  • 00:18:00
    from nagri to Cairo every day alone by
  • 00:18:03
    himself you know you can only sort of
  • 00:18:06
    imagine what that must do to a person's
  • 00:18:08
    mentality you know he's sacrificing well
  • 00:18:11
    a lot of home life he's he's putting
  • 00:18:13
    himself in isolation to go and Achieve
  • 00:18:16
    things and all the way through his
  • 00:18:18
    career he's learned from the setbacks
  • 00:18:20
    that he's received or experienced so
  • 00:18:23
    Chelsea he was at Chelsea looking around
  • 00:18:25
    the dressing room why am I not playing
  • 00:18:26
    he's wearing this big baggy Chelsea
  • 00:18:28
    shirt he's looking at Eden Hazard who's
  • 00:18:30
    ahead of him much stadia not a massive
  • 00:18:33
    gym goer but bigger salah's like how do
  • 00:18:35
    I get to that point you know how do I so
  • 00:18:38
    I've got to hit the gym harder I've got
  • 00:18:39
    to work harder and become bigger and
  • 00:18:41
    more physical and that's exactly what
  • 00:18:43
    he's done so you know somebody put it to
  • 00:18:46
    me he's more of a jovic than a Federate
  • 00:18:48
    you know in terms of the way his
  • 00:18:50
    mentality is it's like I've got to be a
  • 00:18:52
    machine basically and he is and I know I
  • 00:18:56
    can understand the concern does this
  • 00:18:57
    machine break down that'll be what
  • 00:18:58
    Liverpool are thinking how long does
  • 00:19:00
    this run on for but his commitment to
  • 00:19:04
    himself and those around him I think is
  • 00:19:06
    unusual in in football now I think he
  • 00:19:08
    he's obsessed absolutely obsessed by
  • 00:19:11
    maintaining his own levels to the point
  • 00:19:14
    of it being um is his entire life really
  • 00:19:18
    so his commitment to himself indicates
  • 00:19:21
    to me that he un let unless it's bad
  • 00:19:23
    look or he gets a really bad injury I
  • 00:19:26
    can't see a massive drop off in him yet
  • 00:19:29
    I I just can't um because of the way
  • 00:19:31
    he's redefined himself he joined
  • 00:19:32
    Liverpool as one player as a very very
  • 00:19:34
    fast player who nobody could deal with
  • 00:19:36
    even when he leaves he will leave as
  • 00:19:38
    another player you know a totally
  • 00:19:40
    different player who uses his space well
  • 00:19:42
    uses his body well out witht people his
  • 00:19:45
    finishing is the one thing that probably
  • 00:19:48
    maybe hasn't improved is probably is his
  • 00:19:49
    finish you know you missed a couple of
  • 00:19:51
    chances yesterday that you'd expect him
  • 00:19:52
    to score but nevertheless he still puts
  • 00:19:54
    himself in a position to to score more
  • 00:19:57
    goals he could have had a hatrick
  • 00:19:58
    yesterday up with two um so yeah I mean
  • 00:20:02
    I think he's a special character not
  • 00:20:03
    many people from sort of footballers
  • 00:20:06
    from Egypt have that mentality that he
  • 00:20:08
    has and um he's difficult he's difficult
  • 00:20:12
    to keep down put it that way and I think
  • 00:20:14
    that's what a lot of Liverpool fans can
  • 00:20:15
    relate to in some ways you know he's the
  • 00:20:17
    sort of person who won't take no for an
  • 00:20:18
    answer you know it struck me as quite a
  • 00:20:20
    Liverpool thing to do yesterday
  • 00:20:23
    certainly local people were like you
  • 00:20:25
    know why should I keep quiet I want to
  • 00:20:27
    find out what's going on almost um and
  • 00:20:30
    put a bit of pressure on the authorities
  • 00:20:32
    so you know I don't think Liverpool fans
  • 00:20:34
    are like saying oh this should be kept
  • 00:20:35
    in house you know certainly as a
  • 00:20:37
    reporter I'm very pleased that James did
  • 00:20:39
    his job and um and got closer to the
  • 00:20:42
    truth yeah yeah James he's not slowing
  • 00:20:44
    down anytime soon but you know in terms
  • 00:20:46
    of his sheer determination to be the
  • 00:20:48
    best um what have you noticed from from
  • 00:20:50
    your times with
  • 00:20:52
    Salah yeah yeah just I think just that
  • 00:20:56
    that fire inside him just fiercely
  • 00:20:59
    ambitious um and yeah just he is a
  • 00:21:03
    winner isn't he and I think I think that
  • 00:21:05
    the the biggest thing I took away from
  • 00:21:08
    the conversation with him uh uh on the
  • 00:21:11
    south coast on Sunday evening was he is
  • 00:21:13
    desperate to stay at Liverpool he
  • 00:21:15
    doesn't want to go anywhere else that
  • 00:21:17
    the this wasn't someone kicking up a
  • 00:21:19
    fuss or you know agitating in any way
  • 00:21:21
    it's like it's actually the the absolute
  • 00:21:24
    opposite he he is like you know I want
  • 00:21:26
    to stay I want to be part of this new
  • 00:21:28
    era he said he said you know everything
  • 00:21:30
    has has worked so well with the new
  • 00:21:31
    manager I believe we can compete and
  • 00:21:34
    potentially win the Premier League and
  • 00:21:36
    the Champions League this season um I
  • 00:21:39
    thought it was really telling actually I
  • 00:21:40
    asked him about the ongoing interest
  • 00:21:42
    from Saudi Arabia because you know we
  • 00:21:45
    know that Liverpool rejected that big
  • 00:21:47
    money offer back in the summer of 23 and
  • 00:21:50
    and he quickly shut it down and much
  • 00:21:52
    soon as I'd asked him it he said I I
  • 00:21:53
    don't want to speak about that I'm
  • 00:21:55
    focused on this team and then he was a
  • 00:21:57
    lot more open when I asked him about the
  • 00:21:59
    prospect of emulating you know liono
  • 00:22:01
    Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo by you know
  • 00:22:04
    going on and and achieving and breaking
  • 00:22:06
    records at the top level into his
  • 00:22:08
    mid-30s and Beyond and and I thought
  • 00:22:12
    that was telling in itself you know he
  • 00:22:14
    he isn't he isn't ready to take a step
  • 00:22:16
    back he he sees himself keeping on doing
  • 00:22:20
    this for years and years to come and it
  • 00:22:24
    you know and it's down to Liverpool to
  • 00:22:26
    ensure that happens in a red shirt and
  • 00:22:28
    and not for someone else because um yeah
  • 00:22:31
    this this this was very much Salah you
  • 00:22:34
    know making a a kind of a calculated
  • 00:22:37
    assessment that the time was right to
  • 00:22:40
    speak publicly because he's desperately
  • 00:22:42
    trying to get the deal that he thinks
  • 00:22:44
    recognizes his enduring status in the
  • 00:22:47
    world game well look it's time to bring
  • 00:22:48
    in our senior data analyst Mark kry for
  • 00:22:51
    some insight into salah's evolution of
  • 00:22:54
    Liverpool and we've spoken about a lot
  • 00:22:56
    of his highlights and what he is
  • 00:22:57
    offering this team Mark but um you know
  • 00:23:00
    many expected Salah to slow down at the
  • 00:23:02
    age of 32 but if anything his body's
  • 00:23:05
    looking better he's getting better with
  • 00:23:07
    age like a fine wine yeah I was
  • 00:23:09
    disappointed not to to join more of the
  • 00:23:11
    physique chat I could have done with the
  • 00:23:13
    weighing in on that and that's not even
  • 00:23:14
    to mention his new hairline as well he
  • 00:23:16
    looks younger than ever as well when you
  • 00:23:18
    track it back to some of the seasons
  • 00:23:20
    gone by but uh no I totally I mean I
  • 00:23:22
    Echo everything that the guy said and
  • 00:23:23
    there's not too much to to add really I
  • 00:23:26
    think that we know that he's an outp put
  • 00:23:28
    Monster he has been since since he
  • 00:23:31
    arrived at Liverpool so I think that's
  • 00:23:33
    always been the case I think that that
  • 00:23:35
    the thing that I mean so I mentioned it
  • 00:23:37
    as well that he didn't even play that
  • 00:23:39
    well at the weekend he doesn't need
  • 00:23:40
    necessarily need to to play well in his
  • 00:23:43
    overall performance to go and get a goal
  • 00:23:45
    or even a hattick at times so I think
  • 00:23:48
    that's always been the case for Salah so
  • 00:23:49
    everything that he's doing this season
  • 00:23:51
    is not hugely a surprise given the
  • 00:23:53
    context of everything the guys have
  • 00:23:55
    covered and that we've seen of him in a
  • 00:23:56
    Liverpool shirt but of course my job is
  • 00:23:59
    to look at the numbers and looking at it
  • 00:24:01
    in terms of uh yeah domestic competition
  • 00:24:03
    only across Europe uh he's got 1.3 goals
  • 00:24:06
    or assists we call that goal
  • 00:24:07
    involvements and that's currently the
  • 00:24:09
    the fourth best across Europe's top five
  • 00:24:11
    leagues among those among players with
  • 00:24:13
    900 minutes or more and that's behind
  • 00:24:16
    Robert levandowski Omar mamush irra
  • 00:24:19
    Frankfurt is's having a fantastic season
  • 00:24:21
    also an Egypt International and Harry
  • 00:24:24
    Kane but other than maybe mamush you
  • 00:24:26
    you'd argue that Salah is probably most
  • 00:24:28
    balanced of those four in terms of the
  • 00:24:31
    the rate of goals and assists and his
  • 00:24:33
    creative output which has been widely
  • 00:24:34
    spoken about is super impressive this
  • 00:24:37
    season and you know a lot of the
  • 00:24:39
    conversation's been about Balon doors in
  • 00:24:41
    recent weeks and how he wasn't close to
  • 00:24:43
    that in the conversation when really
  • 00:24:45
    maybe should have been granted he didn't
  • 00:24:46
    have a ridiculously good season for his
  • 00:24:49
    own standards last year but the rate
  • 00:24:51
    that he's out at the moment and granted
  • 00:24:52
    it is still early on the season you know
  • 00:24:54
    I always have to have my caveats and
  • 00:24:55
    every time I come on to this podcast but
  • 00:24:58
    it that is still ahead of Baya Saka
  • 00:25:00
    lamin M and venicius Jr when looking at
  • 00:25:03
    this rate of goals and assists so it's
  • 00:25:06
    hugely impressive yes it's still early
  • 00:25:08
    on but he's to the guy's point he's
  • 00:25:09
    performing incredibly well and that rate
  • 00:25:12
    of 1.3 goals or assists per night
  • 00:25:14
    minutes is currently on par with his
  • 00:25:16
    first season at Liverpool when he blew
  • 00:25:18
    everyone away and was Breaking All the
  • 00:25:20
    records but as I say it's now more
  • 00:25:21
    balanced towards equally from a goal
  • 00:25:24
    scoring and a creative perspective so of
  • 00:25:27
    course if you could manage that across
  • 00:25:28
    the the whole season then it will be an
  • 00:25:30
    incredible rate no matter how old he is
  • 00:25:32
    that'll be incredible for for any player
  • 00:25:34
    and again I guess the guys have already
  • 00:25:36
    covered it but in terms of just how
  • 00:25:37
    robust he is physically I've got the the
  • 00:25:40
    numbers of just the the share of minutes
  • 00:25:42
    that he's played from the potential
  • 00:25:44
    they're available across domestic
  • 00:25:46
    Seasons at least and last season it was
  • 00:25:48
    he played 74% of the available minutes
  • 00:25:51
    um that that Liverpool had in the
  • 00:25:52
    Premier League and that was comfortably
  • 00:25:54
    the lowest of his his Liverpool career
  • 00:25:56
    and you can include the fact that he was
  • 00:25:58
    at the African Cup of Nations and yes he
  • 00:26:00
    had some some hamstring injuries as well
  • 00:26:01
    but you know there's there's multiple
  • 00:26:03
    factors within that other than that
  • 00:26:05
    season he hasn't fallen below 80% in
  • 00:26:08
    terms of his available minutes so you
  • 00:26:10
    think about trying to to project I know
  • 00:26:12
    that James has mentioned this in in one
  • 00:26:14
    of his pieces that you look at providing
  • 00:26:17
    a contract for a player because of what
  • 00:26:18
    you project they're going to do in the
  • 00:26:21
    future not necessarily what they've done
  • 00:26:22
    in the past but you can still look at
  • 00:26:23
    Trends as to what the player is likely
  • 00:26:26
    to do and even show up and be make sure
  • 00:26:28
    that they're on the pitch now this is a
  • 00:26:30
    player who is available nearly always
  • 00:26:32
    and the the old cliche of the best
  • 00:26:34
    availability or the best ability sorry
  • 00:26:36
    is availability that's definitely the
  • 00:26:38
    case for sell and will probably continue
  • 00:26:40
    to be the case and it's something that I
  • 00:26:43
    looked at in terms of what we call an
  • 00:26:45
    age curve so typically an inverted U
  • 00:26:48
    shape that you progressively get reach
  • 00:26:50
    your Peak at a certain age and then
  • 00:26:52
    decline a natural rate as well I looked
  • 00:26:55
    at some numbers on this and he seems to
  • 00:26:57
    be kind of delaying that age curve so I
  • 00:26:59
    guess we can't judge him and his
  • 00:27:01
    standards by the typical forward the
  • 00:27:04
    typical wide player the typical
  • 00:27:05
    32-year-old so you know all of those
  • 00:27:08
    numbers kind of go into the Melting Pot
  • 00:27:10
    and add further weight and strength for
  • 00:27:12
    him in the contract negotiation to say
  • 00:27:14
    Don't Judge Me by other people's
  • 00:27:16
    standards because I've already shown
  • 00:27:17
    that I set my own standard yeah um s
  • 00:27:21
    something really interesting I was
  • 00:27:22
    looking at cuz Michael Cox did a a piece
  • 00:27:25
    on Salah and you know what he's gained
  • 00:27:27
    and what he's lost and he he's not
  • 00:27:29
    dribbling as much as he used to but
  • 00:27:30
    honestly like assisting and
  • 00:27:34
    scoring is is insane this season alone I
  • 00:27:37
    think he's assisted 10 uh across all
  • 00:27:39
    competitions and his creativity I think
  • 00:27:42
    personally is kind of underrated isn't
  • 00:27:45
    it uh s don't you think well I think you
  • 00:27:48
    know sitting in the early years of Salah
  • 00:27:50
    he was he was judged on his goal scoring
  • 00:27:53
    and maybe
  • 00:27:55
    sometimes described as a slightly self
  • 00:27:58
    player um and maybe there was some truth
  • 00:28:02
    in that you know I think some of his one
  • 00:28:03
    thing I did learn you know like writing
  • 00:28:05
    the book there was some of his teammates
  • 00:28:07
    sort of felt that about him but I think
  • 00:28:10
    this is where his his intelligence comes
  • 00:28:13
    in that every smart footballer realizes
  • 00:28:17
    if I'm going to stay relevant I have to
  • 00:28:19
    I have to be useful in some way you know
  • 00:28:21
    so just being judged on your goals might
  • 00:28:24
    not be enough and I would argue is
  • 00:28:28
    understanding of the role I mean he's a
  • 00:28:30
    that position now you know a left footed
  • 00:28:32
    player off the right knowing which
  • 00:28:36
    positions to pick up so he can get
  • 00:28:38
    involved in those moments whether it's a
  • 00:28:40
    pass or a shot it he just does it every
  • 00:28:43
    single game really he might not be
  • 00:28:45
    having an outstanding game but he'll
  • 00:28:48
    still by and large find a way to impact
  • 00:28:51
    the game he's just a very clever
  • 00:28:53
    footballer now for me um I mean we've
  • 00:28:55
    seen this season some of his passing at
  • 00:28:57
    certain moments
  • 00:28:58
    think I think I think back to the man
  • 00:29:00
    Manchester United game at Old Trafford
  • 00:29:01
    you know it was almost Messi esque you
  • 00:29:03
    know if if lonel Messi been threading
  • 00:29:06
    through some of those passes we we'd
  • 00:29:09
    just be like pairing with agreements
  • 00:29:11
    really um so I mean I don't want to
  • 00:29:14
    overplay like how how good a player he
  • 00:29:17
    is but he is a very very intelligent
  • 00:29:20
    footballer who's worked at his game
  • 00:29:23
    relentlessly and seems to me just to
  • 00:29:26
    have a lot more to give uh um whether
  • 00:29:29
    it's Liverpool or somewhere else but I I
  • 00:29:31
    do think that he's got the sweet spot at
  • 00:29:33
    Liverpool there and I think that's where
  • 00:29:35
    the humility comes in as well I mean
  • 00:29:37
    people talk about you know s the the
  • 00:29:39
    feeling around Liverpool and the you
  • 00:29:41
    know the the love that he gets from the
  • 00:29:43
    crowd and you know I think a lot of
  • 00:29:45
    people now quite cynical about how
  • 00:29:48
    footballers feel about the clubs that
  • 00:29:49
    they play for and the fans that they
  • 00:29:51
    represents but you only need to look at
  • 00:29:53
    Salah when he scores a goal in front of
  • 00:29:55
    the in front of the cup particularly
  • 00:29:57
    he's taking it all in he's he's I think
  • 00:29:59
    he gets a lot of energy from the crowd
  • 00:30:01
    and belief in himself I think it's a a
  • 00:30:04
    very useful relationship for him and he
  • 00:30:06
    knows that um he knows by his own
  • 00:30:09
    experience that by going somewhere else
  • 00:30:11
    might not be thought of in quite the
  • 00:30:13
    same way um so he has a lot he would be
  • 00:30:18
    given up a lot as well if he did move on
  • 00:30:19
    and he didn't find a way to make this
  • 00:30:22
    happen um now where I would defend the
  • 00:30:26
    club it's coming back to to show to some
  • 00:30:28
    of the points that James made earlier is
  • 00:30:30
    that okay and those maybe the club isn't
  • 00:30:33
    quite ready to make an offer yet because
  • 00:30:35
    the they're too far apart with the the
  • 00:30:37
    the their expectations um I think that
  • 00:30:41
    the club should be seriously thinking
  • 00:30:43
    about keeping him because just purely
  • 00:30:46
    because I I do
  • 00:30:48
    think you might be able to replace
  • 00:30:50
    numbers but those numbers might do
  • 00:30:52
    different things in a different setting
  • 00:30:54
    you know what I mean in a different
  • 00:30:56
    environment you're still hoping for the
  • 00:30:58
    best by the replacement aren't you
  • 00:30:59
    there's still a risk in in going
  • 00:31:02
    elsewhere and thinking you might be able
  • 00:31:03
    to do to recreate or or do better than
  • 00:31:06
    what you've got there um so yeah it's
  • 00:31:10
    it's a really curious situation to have
  • 00:31:13
    Liverpool never been in this position at
  • 00:31:15
    the stage of a season where the top of
  • 00:31:17
    the league the top of the Champions
  • 00:31:19
    League the three the three arguably the
  • 00:31:22
    key players are potentially going to
  • 00:31:25
    leave at the end of the season there's
  • 00:31:26
    even question marks over the go
  • 00:31:27
    goalkeeper future I would say given you
  • 00:31:30
    know that he already signs his
  • 00:31:31
    replacement potentially and he's not
  • 00:31:33
    getting in the team at the moment
  • 00:31:34
    because he's injured potential a lot of
  • 00:31:36
    change around at Liverpool and it's
  • 00:31:37
    obviously really working for them at the
  • 00:31:39
    moment so it's going to take a really
  • 00:31:41
    bold person to sort of see this through
  • 00:31:45
    um and despite all the noise I suspect
  • 00:31:49
    that the noise coming from State Side
  • 00:31:52
    certainly from Michael Edwards to
  • 00:31:53
    Richard Hughes we've got to keep our
  • 00:31:55
    nerve a little bit here and um and if
  • 00:32:00
    they have made a decision for him to go
  • 00:32:02
    it would be unusual for them to be
  • 00:32:04
    having conversations with a bass about
  • 00:32:07
    the potential of him staying why why
  • 00:32:09
    waste why waste the time I don't know um
  • 00:32:13
    I mean maybe it's a degree of Keeping Up
  • 00:32:14
    Appearances and being speculative here
  • 00:32:17
    but um very very interesting few weeks
  • 00:32:20
    ahead I think I mean yeah I agree with s
  • 00:32:23
    in terms of the the overall role that
  • 00:32:25
    cah has and it being so key in his
  • 00:32:27
    import to the dynamic of the whole team
  • 00:32:29
    and it works both ways that the team
  • 00:32:31
    bring out the best in him and he brings
  • 00:32:32
    out the best in the team and it's
  • 00:32:34
    something we did an episode on fairly
  • 00:32:36
    recently for the athletic tactics
  • 00:32:37
    podcast as well and in terms of his
  • 00:32:39
    creativity when you were talking about
  • 00:32:41
    that is that I'm pretty sure in saying
  • 00:32:43
    this that he has 75 assists in the
  • 00:32:45
    Premier League which again in the modern
  • 00:32:47
    era I feel like you know you have the
  • 00:32:49
    the greats and they're sort of
  • 00:32:50
    solidified in their stature but you look
  • 00:32:53
    at those 75 assists that's just five shy
  • 00:32:55
    of David Beckham who yeah we associate
  • 00:32:57
    is one of the best providers in the
  • 00:32:59
    Premier League era and someone who took
  • 00:33:01
    a lot of corners and a lot of free kicks
  • 00:33:03
    you know set pieces were key to his
  • 00:33:05
    creativity and Salah doesn't necessarily
  • 00:33:06
    do that so I think that's super
  • 00:33:08
    interesting from from the GetGo but
  • 00:33:11
    again of course looking at his
  • 00:33:12
    underlying numbers I really like to do
  • 00:33:14
    that and his his expected assists as
  • 00:33:16
    well which looks at the the quality of
  • 00:33:18
    the shot that is assisted now
  • 00:33:20
    essentially he was averaging 0.42
  • 00:33:22
    expected assists per 90 last season this
  • 00:33:25
    is where I think his creativity has
  • 00:33:27
    improved a lot starting last season more
  • 00:33:29
    so than necessarily this season or
  • 00:33:31
    people started to notice more so that
  • 00:33:34
    rate of expected assist is basically
  • 00:33:35
    saying that he was creating chances
  • 00:33:37
    worthy of an assist once every two and a
  • 00:33:39
    half games should we say now in the
  • 00:33:42
    seasons before that it was averaging
  • 00:33:43
    about once every four games so it's
  • 00:33:46
    nearly doubled in terms of just how
  • 00:33:48
    creative he has been with those um those
  • 00:33:50
    actions and I think that there's
  • 00:33:52
    tactical reasons as to why that was I
  • 00:33:54
    think that you know the likes of Roberto
  • 00:33:56
    firmino and S man you know long gone
  • 00:33:59
    from the club and he had to start to
  • 00:34:00
    take on more of a responsibility from a
  • 00:34:03
    creative threat from wide rather than it
  • 00:34:05
    necessarily being Roberto firmino
  • 00:34:07
    dropping in and pulling the strings a
  • 00:34:09
    little bit and obviously a lot of the
  • 00:34:10
    creative threat coming from from the
  • 00:34:11
    fullbacks he's basically crafted and
  • 00:34:14
    regenerated into a player who is even
  • 00:34:16
    more of a dual threat from a from a goal
  • 00:34:19
    scoring and a an assist standpoint and
  • 00:34:22
    it's actually quite interesting his
  • 00:34:23
    underlying numbers are actually slightly
  • 00:34:25
    below last season even though his assist
  • 00:34:27
    rate you know is super high I think
  • 00:34:29
    there's you know a couple of reasons to
  • 00:34:30
    why that is but I think one thing that
  • 00:34:33
    we we speak about a lot in our data
  • 00:34:35
    tactics team is is looking at those or
  • 00:34:37
    noticing those Ark Balls to the to the
  • 00:34:39
    back post which we've seen for quite a
  • 00:34:41
    few goals this season for various
  • 00:34:43
    different uh reasons and different
  • 00:34:44
    patterns so you think about the the
  • 00:34:46
    Chelsea goal for for Curtis Jones uh
  • 00:34:48
    bologna I think it was a back post
  • 00:34:50
    passed to Alexis Maller although there
  • 00:34:52
    was quite a few lined up to to finish
  • 00:34:54
    that one and there was a couple against
  • 00:34:56
    by lusen as well and even against
  • 00:34:59
    Southampton it was it led to the to the
  • 00:35:01
    Penalty with the the hand Ball but it
  • 00:35:02
    was from his back post cross that that
  • 00:35:05
    led to it so I think maybe because of
  • 00:35:07
    his physical capacity even though it is
  • 00:35:09
    super strong he's kind of coming inside
  • 00:35:11
    more and rather than necessarily driving
  • 00:35:13
    potentially wasting energy to to run
  • 00:35:15
    into a congested area he's making those
  • 00:35:17
    crosses for players to to get on the end
  • 00:35:19
    of and that might be partly him and his
  • 00:35:21
    attributes it probably is also an an a
  • 00:35:24
    slot tactical method as well but I think
  • 00:35:26
    that's super interesting and
  • 00:35:28
    the way that players have allowed him to
  • 00:35:30
    do that as well it's something I wrote
  • 00:35:31
    about recently in terms of underlapping
  • 00:35:33
    runs so whether it's from Trent
  • 00:35:35
    Alexander Arnold Connor Bradley more
  • 00:35:36
    recently Dominic soide did it really
  • 00:35:38
    well for the Chelsea goal they're
  • 00:35:40
    dragging players away and helping to
  • 00:35:42
    double up with Salah move the the
  • 00:35:45
    opponent away allow him to drive into
  • 00:35:47
    some space inside and then play those
  • 00:35:49
    balls as well so goes back to the point
  • 00:35:51
    that I said at the very start of this
  • 00:35:53
    which is you know the his attribute to
  • 00:35:55
    helping the team Dynamic but the team
  • 00:35:57
    Dynamic are Al bringing out the best in
  • 00:35:58
    him I mean it's going to be a tough
  • 00:36:01
    tough ask for Liverpool to see what they
  • 00:36:03
    do next with this contract anyway mark
  • 00:36:05
    thank you very much for your time I
  • 00:36:06
    really appreciate you joining us cheers
  • 00:36:08
    guys yeah I mean James we've make we've
  • 00:36:11
    made a compelling case really in any
  • 00:36:13
    respects for Salah uh being the game
  • 00:36:16
    changer for Liverpool what he offers the
  • 00:36:17
    team and you know even on a slot what
  • 00:36:19
    did he say after the Southampton game
  • 00:36:22
    you know we always know we can trust him
  • 00:36:24
    if things are difficult for us I mean we
  • 00:36:27
    talk about whether he stays on or not I
  • 00:36:29
    mean who on Earth do you replace who can
  • 00:36:31
    offer this team and get him out of
  • 00:36:33
    trouble when they're not playing so well
  • 00:36:36
    yeah I I think you'd be trying to
  • 00:36:37
    replace the Irreplaceable um I think you
  • 00:36:40
    only have to look at the summer just
  • 00:36:42
    gone when you know Liverpool brought in
  • 00:36:44
    Federico kazer at the back end of the
  • 00:36:46
    window because it was like you know we
  • 00:36:48
    need we need a backup in that area we
  • 00:36:51
    need someone to maybe help ease the
  • 00:36:53
    burden at times yet you know Kaza hasn't
  • 00:36:56
    been fit um he played like 75 minutes of
  • 00:37:00
    football so far this season um you know
  • 00:37:03
    Harvey Elliot can play out out there at
  • 00:37:05
    he has done previously but again you're
  • 00:37:07
    talking about you're talking about one
  • 00:37:09
    of the greatest players in World
  • 00:37:10
    football and it's and and as Mark talked
  • 00:37:13
    about then it's not just that quality
  • 00:37:15
    it's that it's that durability as well
  • 00:37:18
    the fact he is so often out there and so
  • 00:37:21
    often delivering in big moments that's
  • 00:37:23
    the thing you look at even the current
  • 00:37:24
    run he's on he scored in five successive
  • 00:37:27
    Premier League matches but he's not he
  • 00:37:30
    he doesn't provide you know the icing on
  • 00:37:32
    the cake in three or four nil wins he he
  • 00:37:35
    is the go-to man when when Liverpool
  • 00:37:38
    really need them you you think the late
  • 00:37:39
    equalizer down at arsenal we got the
  • 00:37:41
    winner against Brighton the killer
  • 00:37:43
    second goal against Villa you know on
  • 00:37:45
    Sunday 2-1 down with 25 minutes to go on
  • 00:37:48
    a dreadful afternoon at St Mary's you
  • 00:37:51
    think you know Liverpool's Rivals are
  • 00:37:53
    licking their lips is this the moment
  • 00:37:55
    when things start to unravel for slot's
  • 00:37:57
    team who who comes up and delivers it's
  • 00:37:59
    Mo Salah so so yeah that know and I I
  • 00:38:03
    understand all the arguments about you
  • 00:38:05
    know you can't reward him for what he's
  • 00:38:07
    done you've got to almost have a crystal
  • 00:38:09
    ball and you're trying to work out what
  • 00:38:12
    will he still be doing when he's 35 or
  • 00:38:14
    36 but I I just don't see him I just
  • 00:38:18
    don't see that changing at the minute
  • 00:38:20
    because you know you can only judge
  • 00:38:22
    someone on what we're seeing and and
  • 00:38:24
    what you know the body of work they've
  • 00:38:26
    got and you think
  • 00:38:28
    I I just think you know yes it's a
  • 00:38:30
    massive investment and at some point
  • 00:38:33
    Liverpool are going to have to replace
  • 00:38:34
    moal we know that but I I don't think
  • 00:38:38
    that should be for at least two another
  • 00:38:40
    two seasons after this one because you
  • 00:38:43
    know what 400 Grand a week I think it's
  • 00:38:45
    about 20 million pound a year it's like
  • 00:38:48
    40 million in wages for an extra two
  • 00:38:50
    years you know if you were to try and
  • 00:38:52
    spend that on replacing him you wen't
  • 00:38:55
    getting much for 40 million and you're
  • 00:38:56
    certainly not getting yourself another
  • 00:38:58
    moal yeah for sure um I guess before we
  • 00:39:01
    wrap this up S I just want to just talk
  • 00:39:03
    about the season so far because it
  • 00:39:05
    really has been an amazing start for um
  • 00:39:07
    ARA slot firstly but also for Liverpool
  • 00:39:10
    in general you know 10 wins in 12
  • 00:39:11
    Premier League games this season already
  • 00:39:13
    eight points ahead of Manchester City
  • 00:39:16
    but let's start looking ahead let's
  • 00:39:18
    start looking at some really interesting
  • 00:39:20
    fixures coming up right now Real Madrid
  • 00:39:22
    at anfield for the champions league and
  • 00:39:23
    then huge League games Manchester City
  • 00:39:26
    at home Newcastle away than a big meride
  • 00:39:29
    Derby I mean this is going to be a
  • 00:39:31
    massive massive test but I guess also
  • 00:39:33
    we've sort of been saying this so far
  • 00:39:35
    Liverpool are going to get tested and
  • 00:39:37
    they seem to get it over the line yeah
  • 00:39:39
    well I don't sense any feeling of
  • 00:39:41
    trepidation you know around the city or
  • 00:39:44
    speaking to other fans everybody's just
  • 00:39:46
    really excited for this challenge based
  • 00:39:49
    on the the fact that Muhammad Salah
  • 00:39:51
    keeps scoring goals against in moments
  • 00:39:54
    where uh where Liverpool needs him so
  • 00:39:57
    I mean I think the city game of of the
  • 00:40:01
    three games is the biggest of those
  • 00:40:02
    games really because if Liverpool win
  • 00:40:04
    that game you know the the gap between
  • 00:40:06
    Liverpool City be 11 points and I was
  • 00:40:09
    looking earlier this morning at some of
  • 00:40:12
    the season when Liverpool won the league
  • 00:40:14
    in in 20 201920 Liverpool went I think
  • 00:40:17
    eight points above City by beating them
  • 00:40:20
    in early
  • 00:40:21
    November um I can't remember the exact
  • 00:40:24
    uh correlation between the number of
  • 00:40:26
    games that they play but Cy logically
  • 00:40:28
    going into um into December potentially
  • 00:40:30
    11 points above Man City it's that is a
  • 00:40:34
    that is a big thing for Liverpool if
  • 00:40:36
    they were to win and at this moment in
  • 00:40:39
    time you would have to say that
  • 00:40:40
    Liverpool are the favorites to win that
  • 00:40:41
    game you know based on their form based
  • 00:40:43
    on the fact that Liverpool's
  • 00:40:44
    performances against City at home at
  • 00:40:47
    anfield have been good over a long
  • 00:40:48
    period of time even under Pep
  • 00:40:51
    Guardiola um so that that is the biggest
  • 00:40:54
    game of the three really obviously
  • 00:40:55
    Liverpool have uh built built up quite a
  • 00:40:58
    a decent position in the Champions
  • 00:41:00
    League where the Real Madrid game it's a
  • 00:41:02
    big game a game that they want to win a
  • 00:41:03
    game that I think have given them a lot
  • 00:41:04
    of confidence if they win potentially
  • 00:41:07
    later on in the competition When You're
  • 00:41:08
    Expecting Real Madrid to really come
  • 00:41:10
    into their own it will be very useful
  • 00:41:12
    for Liverpool to win that game because
  • 00:41:14
    the record against Real Madrid over a
  • 00:41:16
    long period of time hasn't been good
  • 00:41:18
    obviously they've edged them out in in a
  • 00:41:19
    couple of finals as well um so it is a
  • 00:41:22
    big game but City for me is is is the
  • 00:41:24
    big one and if Liverpool beats City you
  • 00:41:27
    obviously then going into the mide Derby
  • 00:41:29
    full of confidence against an Everton
  • 00:41:30
    team that just can't score goals at the
  • 00:41:32
    moment so um yeah I mean I think
  • 00:41:35
    Liverpool have been excellent this
  • 00:41:36
    season I must say that I think that Arna
  • 00:41:39
    slot doing as well as he has done you
  • 00:41:41
    know that they playing with a lot more
  • 00:41:45
    restraint at certain times but backing
  • 00:41:47
    themselves to get back into games
  • 00:41:49
    because they've got that experience in
  • 00:41:51
    certain areas of the pitch I I do think
  • 00:41:53
    that the the the transition between
  • 00:41:55
    klopp and Slot has almost almost masked
  • 00:41:57
    over some of these problems I mean let's
  • 00:41:59
    face it if slot wasn't doing quite as
  • 00:42:00
    well and the three players who are out
  • 00:42:02
    of contract and still out of contract
  • 00:42:04
    were in this position I I think that
  • 00:42:07
    Liverpool the atmosphere would not be
  • 00:42:09
    good at this moment in time it's fair to
  • 00:42:11
    say but we they are where they are he's
  • 00:42:14
    done fantastically to to um to deliver
  • 00:42:18
    the results that he has delivered and I
  • 00:42:19
    just think bit by bit game by game you
  • 00:42:22
    know people are growing in confidence in
  • 00:42:24
    slot um the Southampton game was always
  • 00:42:27
    a game that I thought thought Liverpool
  • 00:42:28
    might slip up in because it's after the
  • 00:42:30
    international break but I think the
  • 00:42:31
    really impressive thing about slots was
  • 00:42:34
    the way he used Alexis mallister and LS
  • 00:42:36
    Diaz bringing them both off the bench
  • 00:42:38
    having a really big impact on the
  • 00:42:40
    outcome of the game they both really
  • 00:42:42
    were on it when they came on uh having
  • 00:42:44
    obviously been traveling some distances
  • 00:42:46
    and I think that decision earlier on in
  • 00:42:48
    the season cost Liverpool against
  • 00:42:49
    Nottingham Forest and he seems to have
  • 00:42:51
    landed with the difficult difficult
  • 00:42:53
    moments so um so yeah it's it's as you
  • 00:42:56
    said
  • 00:42:57
    I I mean they've had we've said a few
  • 00:43:00
    times well we're going to see the real
  • 00:43:01
    Liverpool soon I mean I think we've
  • 00:43:03
    already seen the real Liverpool of I'm
  • 00:43:04
    being honest it's just uh whether they
  • 00:43:06
    can really put the the foot on the
  • 00:43:08
    throat of Man City you know and and take
  • 00:43:10
    advantage of their their poor form yeah
  • 00:43:13
    get over these two weeks uh James surely
  • 00:43:15
    even you have to start thinking
  • 00:43:17
    Liverpool are title contenders come on
  • 00:43:20
    man yeah I'll give you that now yeah
  • 00:43:23
    yeah definitely in the mix go on that's
  • 00:43:27
    all I'm getting from you all right let's
  • 00:43:28
    leave it there jet uh James Sor thanks
  • 00:43:31
    for your time and also Mark as well at
  • 00:43:32
    earlier we'll be back tomorrow thanks
  • 00:43:34
    for listening if you want to watch more
  • 00:43:36
    episodes of the show please subscribe to
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    the channel we'll be joined by the likes
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    of David orstein Matt Slater Adam
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