When Mohamed Salah left for the African Cup of Nations over five weeks ago, many speculated how one of Liverpool’s all-time greats would fit into Arne Slott’s evolving team. Even with uncertainties surrounding Alexander Isak’s potential transfer to the Saudi Professional League, doubts lingered about Salah’s ability to adjust to the shifts occurring at Anfield during his absence.
Liverpool’s record was underwhelming before Salah departed, yet following a 3-0 victory in Marseille, they now sit 13th, with Slott adapting the team further to his vision. Although he expresses a desire for a more aggressive approach, the team’s overall strategy has leaned towards a cautious style, maintaining possession effectively while demonstrating discipline.
Initially, Salah’s role didn’t seem aligned with Slott’s tactics, especially after he reached a previous agreement regarding his defensive duties in exchange for contributing to the team’s goal tally. However, at Anfield, known for its electric atmosphere in Champions League matches, the squad managed to incorporate Salah while remaining organized and disciplined.
Slott implemented a familiar strategy, encouraging Hugo Ekitike to move wide from his central position, creating space for players like Dominik Szoboszlai or Florian Wirtz. This adjustment often transformed Liverpool’s formation into a 4-2-4 during gameplay.
Despite Liverpool not exhibiting a particularly bold attacking style, the controlled play allowed them to dominate the match against Marseille. Even with Marseille controlling nearly 60% of possession, Liverpool had more touches in the final third, making them more effective in counter-attacking scenarios.
Salah integrated seamlessly into this structure, finding space in familiar zones. While he missed an opportunity to score, it felt less as if the team was solely dependent on its historic goal-scorer to ignite their performance, as Szoboszlai ultimately converted a low free kick to secure the victory.
There were still aspects of the 4-2-4 formation that could have been better utilized, particularly as Marseille effectively countered in the beginning. Liverpool managed to avoid vulnerabilities through the center that had previously troubled them.
Salah’s return to the starting lineup showcased improvement, but it doesn’t address several ongoing challenges for Liverpool. This formation allows for flexibility, especially if Isak returns from injury, though questions remain about how to balance their attack against teams that could disrupt this setup.
For now, Slott’s strategy has bought him time, with Liverpool earning the longest unbeaten streak among the top five leagues in Europe. Salah’s return is promising, showing hints that the season could still yield a silver lining, which is noteworthy given the earlier uncertainty surrounding his place in the team.
Fan Take: Salah’s resurgence is crucial for Liverpool, suggesting that the team can still compete at a high level despite recent struggles. For soccer fans, this development holds importance as it may signal a potential turnaround for one of the sport’s marquee clubs during a challenging season.
