Mo Salah: How might Liverpool line up with out the Egypt ahead throughout AFCON?

Mohamed Salah has left Liverpool to steer Egypt on the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the place he could possibly be absent for as many as eight video games if the Pharaohs attain the ultimate in Morocco on January 18. So how might Arne Slot reshape his facet with out the star ahead?

Liverpool’s Saturday Evening Soccer journey to Tottenham Hotspur, nonetheless, isn’t the primary time this season Slot has picked a group with out Salah within the beginning lineup, with the 33-year-old having been benched for the champions’ final 5 video games in a row.

In complete, Salah has now been a substitute in seven matches up to now this marketing campaign, firstly when he was rested for the membership’s Champions League journeys to Galatasaray and Eintracht Frankfurt in September and October respectively.

After which when the participant was disregarded for tactical causes for latest Premier League video games with West Ham United, Sunderland, Leeds United and Brighton & Hove Albion, in addition to his absence from the Reds matchday squad altogether for the Champions League conflict at Inter Milan earlier this month after he claimed he has been “thrown under the bus” by the membership.

In these matches, Slot used completely different personnel on the right-hand facet of the assault, in addition to tweaking his formation, giving a clue as to how he could now go about setting his group up with out Salah.

Frimpong as a pacy wing-back

Galatasaray (a)

Formation
4-2-3-1

Who changed Salah on the fitting?
Jeremie Frimpong

How did Slot clarify the modifications
“Jeremie played a lot of times as right winger for Leverkusen, he played there for us in pre-season.

“He is one of many gamers who can exchange Mo in that place. I do not see many others who can play in that place which is their favorite to them, it is certainly one of his favorite positions, he performs there for the nationwide group at all times.

“Normally, normally, normally they [Galatasaray] play with the left winger inverted and the full-back really high, then the left winger goes inverted, he plays in the midfield, so Dom [Szoboszlai] is in the midfield and Jeremie plays as some kind of a wing-back.

“Mo has performed a variety of minutes already, so we determined to do it as we speak like this and I believe within the first half I used to be fairly proud of the best way we performed truly.”

How properly did it work?
This was the primary time this season Slot opted to attempt Frimpong in his extra favoured function on the fitting facet of Liverpool’s assault, versus full-back the place he had begun the marketing campaign.

Frimpong’s tempo ought to make him a harmful opponent in that function, particularly if you will get the ball to him in house on the counter-attack. Nonetheless, after just a few early forays into Galatasaray’s space, the place his last ball let him down, the Dutchman’s affect waned and he was hooked simply previous the hour mark because the Reds went right down to defeat in Istanbul.

A recurring hamstring subject has meant Slot has been unable to revisit this tactic, however with the participant now again in coaching and accessible, might the Dutchman give it a go once more in Salah’s absence?

Szoboszlai tucked in as a part of a 4-4-2

Frankfurt & Leeds (a)

Formation
4-4-2

Who changed Salah on the fitting?
Dominik Szoboszlai

How did Slot clarify the modifications
“We are hoping and expecting Frimpong to create something for these two from the right side and Cody Gakpo trying to do the same off the left, with Florian Wirtz’s creativity in and around our two No 9s,” mentioned the Reds boss forward of the Frankfurt sport.

“Against Leeds, a 5-3-2, I played a 4-4-2 diamond, Szoboszlai off the right, Gakpo off the left, Wirtz in between, I could have played Mo off the right.”

How properly did it work?
The group scored eight objectives on the street, together with two by Salah’s substitute, Szoboszlai, who additionally contributed an help in Germany, so from that viewpoint it labored fairly properly.

Slot went with completely different proper backs on this newly tried 4-4-2 formation [although Frimpong went off injured after only 19 minutes in Frankfurt] and so they have been pushed ahead to permit Szoboszlai to play extra infield in a slim midfield.

Nonetheless, the distinction between the 2 lineups was the Reds went with two out-and-out No 9s on the Commerzbank-Area in October, whereas it was Wirtz enjoying simply off Hugo Ekitike as a No 10 at Elland Street, each with restricted success.

Szoboszlai without any consideration winger

West Ham (a), Sunderland (h) & Brighton (h)

Formation
4-2-3-1

Who changed Salah on the fitting?
Dominik Szoboszlai

How did Slot clarify the modifications
“I think as a team we struggled. More and more with the game plans against us, I’m not speaking only about the long ball, teams do that against us a lot, I’ve tried to find solutions, that’s my job.

“I do many issues, we appeared susceptible in opposition to [Nottingham] Forest and PSV [Eindhoven], so I attempted to play with an additional midfielder, in opposition to West Ham.”

How properly did it work?
Liverpool actually appeared probably the most balanced on this formation, with Slot sacrificing an attacker to be able to play two No 6s in entrance of a again 4 that had shipped a exceptional seven objectives of their earlier two video games at Anfield.

It was Szoboszlai once more tasked with filling in for Salah on the fitting, though enjoying much less infield than within the above 4-4-2 and linking up extra together with his proper again.

There is no such thing as a doubt the champions have been far tougher to penetrate, with Slot usually referencing how few possibilities his facet gave up in these three video games [they also only conceded once], however that appeared to stymie their attacking menace.

Szoboszlai as a complicated proper midfielder

Inter (a)

Formation
4-1-2-1-2

Who changed Salah on the fitting?
Dominik Szoboszlai

How did Slot clarify the modifications
“The thinking behind the lineup is there are not so many available, and in my opinion, if you don’t have wingers available, it’s I think the most logical thing to do to play with two No 9s.

“It isn’t the primary time that we have performed this method, perhaps in opposition to Leeds we did one thing much like what we do tonight. However for them [Alexander Isak and Ekitike], it is, after the Frankfurt sport, the primary time they play collectively.”

How well did it work?
Perhaps the best so far, with Szoboszlai not only linking up well with the front two, but also forming a strong partnership down the right with his full back as Liverpool restricted Inter to just two shots on target all game.

And also you surprise if Slot could revert to this setup for Saturday’s conflict in north London – the place Szoboszlai is anticipated to be match for – particularly if he needs to play each Isak and Ekitike up entrance, whereas additionally attempting to maintain it tight on the again as his facet managed so properly at San Siro.

How might Semenyo’s January arrival have an effect on issues?

Formation
4-3-3

Who changed Salah on the fitting?
Antoine Semenyo

How properly might it work?
There’s, in fact, the likelihood Bournemouth ahead Semenyo has already joined Liverpool by the point Salah returns from the AFCONs.

The Reds have lengthy been eager on the thrilling Ghana worldwide, who has a £65m launch clause in his contract which turns into lively on January 1, with sporting director Richard Hughes having introduced the 25-year-old to the Vitality Stadium from Bristol Metropolis in 2023.

Semenyo has since scored 29 objectives in over 100 appearances for the Cherries and is completely able to working on both flank, together with his minutes having been shared virtually equally between the left and the fitting wing this season.

That is without doubt one of the most important causes the participant isn’t solely at present attracting Liverpool, but in addition the likes of Tottenham and each Manchester golf equipment.

Nonetheless, have been the Reds in a position to persuade Semenyo his future could be finest served at Anfield, then Slot would have a readymade substitute for Salah on the fitting who might seamlessly match into his favoured 4-3-3 formation that took Liverpool to final season’s title.

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