Mo Salah requires a playmaker such as Philippe Coutinho to truly excel, yet the Brazilian was the ‘superior player’ and Liverpool managed fine without him.
Tuchel is gone.
Dear wanderlustsport.
Up to now, it's been terrible. England performed poorly in Thomas Tuchel’s inaugural match as manager. The only reason we won while playing like that was because we faced Albania. There won't be blame directed, but there will certainly be no abundant accolades. If we perform like that in our first group match at the real World Cup next year, Tuchel will likely face severe criticism.
Dan, Londres
Impulsive choice
Will Matt Stead betray Tuchel if he ejects Rashford to enhance England's chances of winning the next World Cup?
Salute!
Ashwin (supporter of Manchester United and England)
Struggling to keep my eyes wide open
For those doubting the Nations League, it generally results in more entertaining matches than most of the European World Cup qualifiers. Though the recent complaint focused on the strange rewards for lower-ranked teams, the concept of offering an incentive—encouragement instead of the punishment of repeated losses—to potentially enhance their performance does carry some value. This becomes clear only when the qualifiers arrive and we encounter a great deal of rubbish. Much drivel was surrounded by even greater unoriginal commentary.
Switching topics, I was taken aback when Johnny Nic mentioned Dunfermline having Ultras. It’s not that I was aware they possessed them, but rather why any team would have them. The notion that these individuals are your most devoted or top supporters appears strange, particularly considering that they seem more focused on creating problems. Or perhaps I’ve overlooked the main idea and they are merely extraordinary individuals? It might be assumed that if known ultras are kept from attending matches, a greater number of attendees would show up. Certainly, they serve as a deterrent for most rational individuals who watch football. And, I would assume, upcoming sponsors – unless they are selling steel-toed boots or knives.
In certain cases, there appears to be a genuine apprehension about them – as in players and management being cautious of potential physical assaults by ultras if they encounter them – which explains the post-match bowing we occasionally witness – begging and expressing remorse after a defeat.
Just a notion as we anticipate an uplifting England match to lift us from the monotony of yet another international break.
Paul McDevitt
Liverpool ought to progress
I concur with the email regarding Salah. Now is the ideal moment for Liverpool to sever ties with him. Salah may exit to the sunset (Saudi), allowing Liverpool to officially start a new chapter under Slot, with VVD expected to be the final survivor from Klopp’s squad. It’s an unusual scenario since Liverpool typically doesn’t retain their top players for such an extended period.
Liverpool ought to reflect on how they managed Coutinho's departure (a superior player in my opinion). Competing supporters often claim it was luck (though VVD and Alisson did play a role) However, as Klopp would later clarify, with ‘the little magician’ absent, the simpler choice of merely passing him the ball and expecting him to create something remarkable was no longer available. Instead, the players needed to seek alternative solutions, meaning they had to take responsibility on their own.
Throughout his tenure at the club, Salah has not been sidelined often mainly because of his excellent injury history (which we will miss just as much as his goals), yet he missed what is arguably Liverpool's most significant match in recent years: the 4-0 victory over Barcelona. I have often contemplated whether the result would remain unchanged if he had participated, but I doubt it would. Certainly, that game could be regarded as a mere coincidence, but I found it quite entertaining that the sole goal Liverpool netted against PSG arrived just moments after he left the pitch.
Following the loss to Newcastle in the Carabao, the media promptly highlighted Mo Salah’s goal contributions in finals, and the statistics are not favorable. Scoring only one goal from a penalty and providing an assist in several finals is insufficient. However, it isn't particularly surprising, as adversaries have long recognized that he poses our greatest danger and have devised strategies to neutralize him. The issue with Salah is that when he’s at his peak, he’s nearly impossible to defend, but when he’s not on form, he tends to be quite limited; he can come across as too predictable since he frequently cuts inside and his success rate with take-ons isn’t very high. He fought against Mendes, and I still recall when he surprisingly found himself in a 1v1 with Mata at OT and couldn't get past him.
In my opinion, Salah would have excelled even more if we had a genuine playmaker. (I feel somewhat envious of Arsenal since Saka has Odegaard.) It's no accident that Salah's top season occurred when we had Coutinho at his peak and the Ox. Coutinho was a magician with the ball, able to break through the toughest defenses, and he provided Mo with some incredible assists. The Ox had a slight variation, but when he was in full action, what a spectacle it became. Adversaries appeared to ricochet off him, unable to halt his progress. Provide him with time and space, and he could unleash a rocket, as City can confirm, but more frequently, he drew enough defenders toward him, leaving Salah unmarked. In simple terms, Salah posed a greater danger when he wasn't the sole threat. For a long time, we were missing that X factor in midfield, which is why we could never fully match City and Real, who possessed superior players in that part of the field.
I understand I may have veered off course. However, the issue is that Liverpool must begin a new chapter without Salah.
P Correa
Would you prefer?
To Dion,
“…So once more, I inquire, would Arsenal supporters exchange their past 4 years without trophies for 1 FA Cup & 1 Carling Cup?”
As a Utd supporter, I would definitely prefer to be in Arsenal's situation. Not overly difficult, yet definitely among the top 4 and realistically just a few signings away from genuinely contending for a title (but we certainly don't want that North London, indeed, you and the spuds, loser mentality).
Nonetheless, being terrible for years and still managing to boast about winning more trophies is amusing and the final bits we have to hold onto. At the rate we're heading, it looks like we might endure a dry spell in all tournaments for some time, so we'll have fun as much as possible while we still have the chance. We’ve provided all of you with entertainment for many years.
Jon, Cape town
Fast suffix
In reply to A, LFC, Montreal argues that United and City do not hold exclusive rights to the names United and City, as they are the only leading teams that genuinely require them for recognition. There exist two Manchesters, so the suffix is necessary to clarify which one you mean, or you must use the full name each time (or at least prefix with 'Man' before the suffix). You don't have to say United when mentioning Newcastle or Leeds, for instance.
Sheffield Wednesday and United would face a comparable problem if anyone truly discussed them.
French Fried (Interestingly, foreign sources used to call United simply 'Manchester', which explains Robinho’s confusion)
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