Arne Slot is confronted with one of his toughest challenges as the head coach of Liverpool. He faces the difficult choice of either sidelining Mohamed Salah, his most celebrated player, or Alexander Isak, the club’s record summer signing for £125 million, who joined just last month.
Both Salah and Isak are esteemed forwards with a history of consistent performances, yet neither is currently contributing enough to warrant their positions on the team.
The duo’s underwhelming form stems largely from their individual performances. However, the significant turnover in the squad over the summer, which saw seven new players join for approximately £450 million while seven departed (including Darwin Núñez and Luis Díaz), alongside the heartbreaking passing of Diogo Jota in a road accident in July, has caused considerable disruption, impacting the overall dynamics of the team.
Additionally, Slot must tackle other pressing issues, such as maximizing the potential of attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, who has yet to score or provide an assist in eight matches since his £100 million transfer from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
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The left-back position is also proving problematic for Slot, as £40 million signing Milos Kerkez struggles to live up to expectations as a long-term replacement for Andy Robertson. The inconsistent performances of center-backs Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté during the recent 2-1 loss to Manchester United underscored the need for Liverpool to have acted faster to secure a deal for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi, especially after a late £35 million transfer attempt fell through.
While Slot is grappling with numerous issues, the most pressing concern revolves around Salah and Isak. When two players with seemingly unshakeable spots in the lineup fail to justify their selection, it reflects a coach who struggles to make decisions that could significantly impact the squad’s dynamics.
This Wednesday, Liverpool’s Champions League match against Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany provides an opportunity for Slot to make a tactical shift. By sitting out Salah and Isak, he can emphasize the need for squad rotation. The current tournament format allows Liverpool some leeway; a loss against the Bundesliga side wouldn’t bear serious long-term repercussions — though a fifth consecutive defeat would mark the first occurrence of such a streak since September 1953.
Slot might also reintroduce Hugo Ekitike to the starting eleven, allowing him to face his former team just three months after his £69 million move to Liverpool. However, resting players for a Champions League match merely postpones the inevitable decision he must confront.
The real test of Slot’s willingness to make tough decisions regarding his star players will come during high-stakes matches, like the upcoming Champions League tie against Real Madrid next month or the Premier League encounter with Manchester City five days later.
Ekitike, 23, has been Liverpool’s most effective forward this season, scoring five goals and providing one assist in 11 appearances. However, he has not started in any of the last three league matches, all of which ended in losses. Ekitike missed the first of those games due to a one-match suspension but has since been overlooked for Isak and Salah.
Isak has appeared in seven matches since his transfer from Newcastle, but he has struggled to equal Ekitike’s contributions, managing only one goal and one assist.
Meanwhile, Salah has recorded just three goals and three assists in 11 matches, including two goals and two assists in the Premier League. His insufficient defensive work on the right flank has also led to issues for Liverpool’s right-back.
Historically, Salah has not been known for his defensive diligence; his game-changing ability has been his primary asset, often offsetting his lack of tracking back thanks to the high work rates of Núñez, Díaz, and Jota.
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Laurens: Isak has been disappointing for Liverpool
Julien Laurens believes Alexander Isak has been “disappointing” since his transfer to Liverpool from Newcastle.
Núñez, despite his inconsistent finishing, brought tremendous work ethic to Liverpool, leading to his move to Al Hilal. Díaz, currently at Bayern Munich, was also a relentless runner, while Jota’s contributions in pressing provided key advantages for Liverpool.
Without these influential players, only Cody Gakpo is matching the forward line’s previous work rate, making Salah and Isak’s lack of commitment a growing concern alongside their goal drought.
If both players had scored at the expected rate this season, their lack of effort in pressing wouldn’t be such a pressing issue. However, the combination of poor performance and minimal work ethic means they have become significant concerns for Slot.
Perhaps Slot is trying to play both players back into form, but whatever his reasoning, their ongoing presence in the lineup is detrimental to the team — especially when it leaves productive player Ekitike on the bench.
Recently, Slot attempted to redirect attention from his team selection by criticizing United’s “low block and long balls,” but the issue surrounding Isak and Salah persists. Addressing it is not merely a matter of substituting them and hoping for better results, as Slot must also enhance the overall team dynamics.
Ultimately, neither Isak nor Salah is performing well enough to retain their starting roles at Liverpool. The decision to drop one or both could provide the spark the entire team needs.