Mohamed Salah's Work Ethic Under Fire: Is Liverpool's Egyptian King Losing His Crown?

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is having a tough time finding his top form this season

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah faces criticism over his defensive contribution. Is the Egyptian King's crown at risk?

“It feels like Mohamed Salah's lack of defensive work has become a little problem for Liverpool...”

Mohamed Salah's struggles continued as Liverpool suffered a 2-1 defeat at Chelsea, with the Egyptian forward failing to make an impact. Salah wasted several chances and didn't help out in defense, sparking criticism over his work ethic.

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney questioned Salah's work rate, saying, “I think over the last week, I'd question his work ethic. We know he doesn't always get back and defend as much, but in the Chelsea game, his full-back is getting torn apart and he's watching.” Rooney suggested that senior players like Virgil van Dijk should encourage Salah to help out more.

Salah's recent performances have been disappointing, with the forward scoring just three goals and providing three assists in nine appearances this season. He's gone without a goal in five of Liverpool's seven Premier League games, and the team's form has suffered as a result.

Mohamed Salah has struggled to find the scoresheet in five of Liverpool's seven Premier League games this season, and the team has suffered as a result. The champions' inconsistent form continued with a loss at Stamford Bridge, their third defeat in eight days, allowing Arsenal to leapfrog them to the top of the table.

Salah has scored just three goals and provided three assists in nine appearances in all competitions this season.

Even more alarming than Salah's statistics, mediocre by his stellar standards, was the sight of the 33-year-old taking little interest when Liverpool were under seige against Chelsea.

Without any protection from the forward, Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley was hauled off at half-time after earning a booking as he struggled to keep Chelsea at bay.

Mohamed Salah's recent performances have been a far cry from his usual standards. After scoring 29 goals in 38 league matches to win the Premier League Golden Boot and help Liverpool secure a record-equalling 20th English title, Salah's form has dipped significantly. Since his two-goal display in a 3-1 win against Southampton in March, and the only goal of the season against 2-1 over Everton his influence on the team has waned, and he's been struggling to make an impact.

Salah's lethargic display was in keeping with a major dip in form since the closing stages of last season. He scored 29 goals in 38 league matches, earning the Premier League Golden Boot as Liverpool powered to a record-equalling 20th English title. But after scoring twice in a 3-1 win against Southampton in March, Salah's influence has waned.

Mohamed Salah's recent form has raised concerns, with the Egyptian star netting just twice in his last 11 games in all competitions. This dip in form coincides with Liverpool's struggles, including their crash-out of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain.

Salah had previously boasted about convincing Reds boss Arne Slot to let him focus more on scoring and creating, rather than defending. “I told him as long as you rest me defensively, I will provide offensively, I will show you the numbers,” Salah said after Liverpool clinched the Premier League title. “So I'm glad that I did.” This approach has sparked debate about Salah's work rate and its impact on the team's overall performance.

Liverpool's manager, Arne Slot, has defended Salah, attributing his struggles to the team's new tactical setup and the adaptation to new teammates. Slot believes that Salah will regain his form once the team gels better.

Criticism of Mohamed Salah's Work Rate

Former Manchester United and England star Wayne Rooney has expressed concerns about Mohamed Salah's work rate, suggesting the Egyptian forward hasn't been helping out enough on defense. Rooney pointed out that Salah's lack of defensive contribution was particularly evident in Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, where his full-back, Conor Bradley, was getting torn apart.

Rooney believes that Liverpool manager Arne Slot could consider adjusting Salah's role to maximize his effectiveness. He suggested moving Salah inside and allowing Florian Wirtz to play on the wing, which would still provide a strong work ethic and Salah's brilliance in scoring goals. Rooney drew parallels with his experience at Manchester United, where Sir Alex Ferguson adjusted Cristiano Ronaldo's position to get the best out of him.

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Salah's recent performances have been a far cry from his usual standards, with the forward scoring just three goals and providing three assists in nine appearances this season. His lack of goals has put scrutiny on other aspects of his game, and Rooney believes that when Salah isn't scoring or assisting, his work rate becomes a concern.

“We know he doesn't always get back and defend as much. But in the Chelsea game, his full-back is getting torn apart and he's watching,” he said on the BBC's Wayne Rooney Show.

“When it's going well and you are scoring goals, the team will put up with that. But over the last week, I'd question his work ethic.

“Those leaders in that dressing room should be telling him, 'You need to help out'. He's looked a little bit lost over the last week.”

Danny Murphy, former Liverpool midfielder, agrees with Wayne Rooney's assessment of Mohamed Salah's work rate. Murphy believes that Liverpool's tactical changes, particularly playing with two midfielders instead of three, have affected the team's balance and Salah's influence. In Liverpool's defeat to Chelsea, Murphy noted that the right side of their defense was exposed, with Conor Bradley struggling to contain Chelsea's attack while Salah didn't provide sufficient defensive support.

“It feels like Mohamed Salah's lack of defensive work has become a little problem for Liverpool, especially against the better teams,” he said.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot left Mohamed Salah on the bench for the first hour of the Champions League defeat at Galatasaray last week, a decision he admits might have contributed to Salah's lack of sharpness against Chelsea. Slot opted to start Jeremie Frimpong on the right wing, with Dominik Szoboszlai taking up the right-back role, in a tactical move that shocked fans and media alike. The Dutch manager explained that the decision was part of a rotation strategy, aiming to utilize the entire squad given the congested fixture schedule.

Slot's Explanation

Rotation Strategy: Slot emphasized the need to rotate players to manage the team's demanding schedule, stating, “We have many games to play in the coming days, and we have to utilize our squad.”

Previous Instances: He also referenced Salah's past impact as a substitute, mentioning his hat-trick against Rangers in 2022, saying, "The last time he came off the bench, he scored three goals. That was against Rangers when Giovanni van Bronckhorst was their coach, and now he is our assistant here at Liverpool.”

“That's interesting. Did he create so much because he didn't play during the week or did he miss the chances because he missed a bit of sharpness that he could have had if he would played against Galatasaray? We will never know,” the Dutchman said.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot is urging patience as he works to get Mohamed Salah back on track. Despite criticism over Salah's recent form, Slot defended his star player, emphasizing that he's still confident in Salah's abilities. Slot noted that Salah is “only human” and can't be expected to score every time he gets a chance.

“It's not like every chance he gets is always a goal,” Slot said. “We feel sometimes it is, because of what he has done so many times. But yeah he is a human being.”

Slot's Perspective:

Humanizing Salah: Slot wants fans to understand that Salah isn't a goal-scoring machine, but a player who can have off days.

Tactical Challenges: Slot pointed to Liverpool's new tactical setup and the team's struggle to score from open play as contributing factors to Salah's dip in form.

Patience and Adaptation: Slot believes that with time, the team will adapt to the new system and Salah will regain his scoring touch.

Recent Performance:

• Salah has scored just three goals in nine appearances this season.

• He has gone scoreless in his last four matches, sparking concerns about his form.

Slot's Support:

• Despite the criticism, Slot has expressed unwavering support for Salah, emphasizing his importance to the team.

• Slot believes that Salah's experience and talent will ultimately shine through, and he's willing to give him the time he needs to get back to form.