Mohamed Salah has left Liverpool to lead Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where he could be absent for as many as eight games if the Pharaohs reach the final in Morocco on January 18. So how could Arne Slot reshape his side without the star forward?
Liverpool’s Saturday Night Football trip to Tottenham Hotspur, however, is not the first time this season Slot has picked a team without Salah in the starting lineup, with the 33-year-old having been benched for the champions’ last five games in a row.
In total, Salah has now been a substitute in seven matches so far this campaign, firstly when he was rested for the club’s Champions League trips to Galatasaray and Eintracht Frankfurt in September and October respectively.
And then when the player was left out for tactical reasons for recent Premier League games with West Ham United, Sunderland, Leeds United, and Brighton & Hove Albion, as well as his absence from the Reds matchday squad altogether for the Champions League clash at Inter Milan earlier this month after he claimed he has been “thrown under the bus” by the club.
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In these matches, Slot used different personnel on the right-hand side of the attack, as well as tweaking his formation, giving a clue as to how he may now go about setting his team up without Salah.
Frimpong as a pacy wing-back
Galatasaray (a)
Formation
4-2-3-1
Who replaced Salah on the right?
Jeremie Frimpong
How did Slot explain the changes
“Jeremie played a lot of times as right winger for Leverkusen, he played there for us in pre-season. He’s one of the players who can replace Mo in that position. I don’t see many others who can play in that position which is their favourite, it’s one of his favourite positions; he plays there for the national team always.”
“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 played a lot of minutes already, so we decided to do it today like this, and I think in the first half I was quite happy with the way we played actually.”
How well did it work?
Slot opted to try Frimpong in his more favoured role on the right side of Liverpool’s attack, as opposed to full-back where he had begun the campaign. Frimpong’s pace made him a dangerous opponent in that role, especially on the counter-attack. However, after a few early forays into Galatasaray’s area, where his final ball let him down, his influence waned and he was substituted shortly after the hour mark as the Reds faced defeat in Istanbul.
A recurring hamstring issue meant Slot was unable to revisit this tactic, but with the player now back in training and available, could the Dutchman give it another go in Salah’s absence?
Szoboszlai tucked in as part of a 4-4-2
Frankfurt & Leeds (a)
Formation
4-4-2
Who replaced Salah on the right?
Dominik Szoboszlai
How did Slot explain the changes
“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,” said the Reds boss ahead of the Frankfurt game.
“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 well did it work?
The team scored eight goals on the road, including two from Salah’s replacement, Szoboszlai, who also contributed an assist in Germany.
Slot went with different right backs in this newly tried 4-4-2 formation, and they were pushed forward to allow Szoboszlai to play more infield in a narrow midfield.
Szoboszlai as a right winger
West Ham (a), Sunderland (h) & Brighton (h)
Formation
4-2-3-1
Who replaced Salah on the right?
Dominik Szoboszlai
How did Slot explain the changes
“I think as a team we struggled. More and more with the game plans against us. I’ve tried to find solutions; that’s my job.”
“I looked vulnerable against [Nottingham] Forest and PSV [Eindhoven], so I tried to play with an extra midfielder against West Ham.”
How well did it work?
Liverpool looked the most balanced in this formation, with Slot sacrificing an attacker to play two No 6s in front of a back four that had conceded seven goals in their previous two games at Anfield.
Szoboszlai as an advanced right midfielder
Inter (a)
Formation
4-1-2-1-2
Who replaced Salah on the right?
Dominik Szoboszlai
How did Slot explain the changes
“The thinking behind the lineup is that there are not so many available, and in my opinion, if you don’t have wingers available, it’s logical to play with two No 9s.”
How well did it work?
Perhaps the best so far, with Szoboszlai linking well and forming a strong partnership down the right, as Liverpool limited Inter to just two shots on target.
How could Semenyo’s January arrival affect things?
Formation
4-3-3
Who replaced Salah on the right?
Antoine Semenyo
How well could it work?
There is a possibility Bournemouth forward Semenyo has already joined Liverpool by the time Salah returns from AFCON. The Reds have long been keen on the exciting Ghana international, who has a £65m release clause in his contract, active on January 1.
Semenyo has scored 29 goals in over 100 appearances for the Cherries and is capable of operating on either flank. If the Reds can convince him to join, Slot would have a ready-made replacement for Salah in his favoured 4-3-3 formation that propelled Liverpool to last season’s title.
FAQ
- How many games could Salah miss during AFCON?
- Salah could be absent for as many as eight games if Egypt reaches the final.
- Who replaced Salah against Galatasaray?
- Jeremie Frimpong replaced Salah on the right.
- How did Slot adapt his formations without Salah?
- Slot implemented different formations, including a 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1, utilizing players like Szoboszlai and Frimpong in various roles.
- How effective was Szoboszlai as a replacement?
- Szoboszlai contributed significantly, scoring goals and providing assists in multiple matches.
- What is the significance of Semenyo’s potential arrival?
- Semenyo could serve as a direct replacement for Salah, fitting seamlessly into Slot’s preferred formation.
- When is the next Liverpool match?
- The next match is against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, with kickoff at 5:30pm.