Think he’s 1 goal worse off than at this stage 2 years ago in all comps. In the league he’s matched the 4 goals and is 1 assist better off.
For the league, he’s currently 1 goal and 1 assists better off than this stage last season.
But the comparison and claims of “where’s Salah from 2 years ago” still get thrown around.
Seems he tends to start the season a little slower than you would expect and than his goal tally’s so far would suggest but then he really hits the ground running.
I’m sure not having a proper pre season for a few years isn’t helping matters.
I agree with you and I think that he is a world-class player regardless. Yet I still feel like he looks slower, less sharp than usual and I feel like this has been going on for some time now.
Today, for example, he started the game looking very sharp, very quick, found his teammates whenever he passed the ball and the usual extra defensive attention that he gets didn't seem to matter that much, but then he gradually became sluggish. By sluggish, I am mainly referring to his sharpness. He was slower to react, started giving the ball away more and more. He went one on one with the keeper and (even tho it was offside) he was very hesitant and took so much time before shooting. Granted it was a tight angle but when he is on his A-game the shot would've come much earlier and with much less hesitation.
Idk what is causing this lack of consistency in his game. Is it purely him not being as good as he can be or is it slight changes in the way we play as a team that maybe don't necessarily benefit him as much as it did in his first season?
One game he'll be wreaking havoc on that right flank and making a significant impact goal or no goal, assist or no assist and the next game he'll be barely recognizable and noticeable and almost every ball leaving his foot will be a miss pass or a desperate attempt at goal from a bad position.
I think this is part of the reason Sadio snapped last time. It's okay to be selfish and hungry for goals, but you can't be having a stinker of a game where almost nothing that comes off your foot is of quality and then try to snap out of it by basically taking on 2-3 defenders and shooting from improbable angles and positions.
I hope he's alright and he can come back to his best version as soon as possible.
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