StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

NO MO SALAH, NO PROBLEM: SLOT EXPLAINS BENCH DECISION AFTER 2-0 VICTORY

Arne Slot successfully benched Mo Salah for tactical rotation in a 2-0 win over West Ham. Slot defended the move, as Florian Wirtz had his best game yet.

No Mo Salah, No Problem: Slot Explains Bench Decision After 2-0 Victory
Slot Defends Bench-Warming Salah After West Ham Win

Liverpool's star player, Mo Salah, who had faced criticism during a tough stretch where they lost nine out of 12 games, didn't play at all in their important 2-0 win against West Ham. He joined Giorgi Mamardashvili, Curtis Jones, and Hugo Ekitike on the bench. Florian Wirtz and Alisson Becker were back after being out with injuries and illness, respectively, along with Alexander Isak and Joe Gomez.

It was a risky move by Slot, who's been under pressure, but it worked out. Wirtz, the £116 million signing, had what Jamie Carragher called his best game in English football so far. Isak also scored his first league goal since his £125m transfer from Newcastle last summer.

Before the West Ham game, Slot said Salah's absence was simply to rotate the team because of the busy schedule. He said the same thing after the game, also explaining the tactics behind his choice.

“I get this question a lot,” he said. “It's the same every time we play a game, and Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, or Mo Salah don’t play.

“It’s normal to get these questions because they’re all great players. Mo has had an amazing career here and will continue to be great because he’s special.

“With four games in 10 days and only 14 or 15 outfield players available, you have to decide on a lineup and pick the best one for each game.

“Against West Ham, with their setup of a very high full-back and a winger cutting inside, I thought this lineup would help the team. Mo has been important for this club and will continue to be.”

Wirtz played against West Ham after missing the losses to Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven due to an injury. However, Liverpool was still missing right-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley, as well as Giovani Leoni.

Kerkez should be fine, even though he was replaced by Andy Robertson late in the game.

“It was just a cramp,” Slot said about Kerkez. “Bowen's only chance came when Kerkez was out, but it wasn't because of the replacement.

“That was their only chance, and it was because of that. He had a good defensive game.

“He was also a threat to attack a few times in the first half, and one of his crosses could have led to a goal if we were in better form.

“It shows that some players need time to get used to the League and playing three games a week.

“So, it's not surprising that Milos had a cramp. He’s not completely used to this schedule, and he always gives it his all.”

ANALYTICAL: WHY £400M-SPENDING LIVERPOOL STILL DESPERATELY NEEDS ARDA GüLER

Liverpool joins rivals Manchester United and Arsenal in the race to sign highly-rated Real Madrid attacking midfielder Arda Güler, following their UCL win.

top-news
Arne Slot Targets Creative Midfielder Arda Güler from Madrid

Liverpool, the reigning Premier League champs, are set to host Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield this Saturday afternoon.

Arne Slot's team hasn't been doing great lately, with only two wins in their last ten Premier League games. They recently tied 3-3 with Leeds United, who are also having a tough time.

But the Reds did get a win in the Champions League on Tuesday, beating Inter Milan 1-0. This gets them closer to qualifying for the next stage.

Now, after that big win in Milan, word is Liverpool wants to sign one of La Liga's biggest stars.

CaughtOffside says that Liverpool and Manchester United are both interested in Real Madrid's Arda Güler.

The report also says that Arsenal, who are leading the Premier League right now, also want the Turkish player, who's been playing really well this season.

Guler, who's 20, moved to Real from Fenerbahce in 2023. He's played in over 80 games for the Spanish team in all competitions.

He's scored 15 goals and assisted 18 times during that time. His play for Xabi Alonso's team has caught the attention of quite a few English teams.

The report says that all three Premier League teams are seriously interested in Güler, who mainly plays as an attacking midfielder but can also play on the wing.

Güler's contract with Real Madrid lasts until the end of the 2028/29 season, but it sounds like clubs might try to get him to leave Madrid next year.

Liverpool's manager, Slot, reportedly wants to add more creative players to his team, even after spending over £400 million on new players this summer. He thinks Güler is the right guy for the job.

VIRGIL VAN DIJK DENIES RIFT: MO SALAH'S RANT IS "BLOWN UP" BY MEDIA; I WANT HIM TO STAY

Virgil van Dijk claimed Mohamed Salah's "thrown under the bus" comments haven't affected the team, stating the internal atmosphere and training remain "normal."

top-news
VVD: Salah Outburst Not Harming Team Vibe

Virgil van Dijk claims Mohamed Salah's recent outburst hasn't messed with the Liverpool team's vibe. He said training felt normal.

After Liverpool's 3-3 draw with Leeds, where Salah sat on the bench, he said he felt thrown under the bus by the club, blamed for their bad season, and hinted he might leave in January.

This rant got him in trouble. He didn't travel with the team to Milan for their Champions League game against Inter, which they won 1-0 thanks to a late penalty by Dominik Szoboszlai.

Van Dijk told Sky Sports that even after Salah's comments, things were fine within the team.

It wasn't that hard to deal with. "It's just how he felt after the game," Van Dijk said. When we came in on Sunday, the team felt the same as always.

We know what's up, but the media is blowing it up. We just need to deal with the fact that we had a big game and another one coming up this weekend. We'll see what happens.

When asked if he'd spoken to Salah and what they talked about, Van Dijk said, Of course I spoke to him. But that's private.

Salah's time at Liverpool seems uncertain, but Van Dijk wants him to stay: I've been with Mo for a long time. He's helped me a lot here, and I've helped him. We've done it together.

Salah mentioned issues with the club, feeling benched without reason, and a strained relationship with the manager, suggesting someone at the club doesn't want him there. He also spoke about his contract, saying he thought he'd retire at Liverpool, but now things are uncertain.

He's leaving for the African Cup of Nations soon. I hope he does great. "I don't know what will happen next," Van Dijk added.

I hope he comes back to Liverpool, but it's up to the club and Mo. We're friends no matter what, and we've been through a lot together. We'll see what happens.

Arne Slot's team was short some players in Milan, including Cody Gakpo and Federico Chiesa.

When asked if Salah had let the team down, Van Dijk responded, I won't say if someone let someone down. He didn't travel because of what he said after the game. He trained normally yesterday. We'll see what happens on Friday when we train again. I'm focused on the team. Mo is still part of the team for now, so we'll see.

Andy Robertson, who has played with Salah for years, hopes he doesn't leave on bad terms.

It's tough. "We're talking about one of the best players ever to play here," Robertson said. I joined at the same time as him. Whatever happened, we're all in this together.

About Salah's future, he said, That's not up to me. I love playing with Mo, and I hope we keep playing together.

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News