Slot Faces Call For Tactical Shift After Salah Critique
Early Season Concerns
Liverpool’s stuttering start has placed several key figures under increased scrutiny, and Mohamed Salah is firmly in the spotlight. The Egyptian has just four league goals so far and, as talkSPORT reported, many have suggested he looks like a shadow of his former self. The broader issue, however, is rooted in a collective downturn. Performances across the pitch have lacked sharpness and rhythm, particularly in decisive midfield moments.
Danny Murphy’s comments have reignited an important debate about Salah’s role. Speaking on talkSPORT, he said, “Giving Salah the license to not defend against a left-back who loves going forward and isn’t even a left-back in O’Reilly, who has been brilliant recently…I couldn’t believe what I was watching, to be honest.”
Murphy’s broader point, that Arne Slot may need to recalibrate Salah’s responsibilities, carries weight. Liverpool evolved creatively under Slot last season due to a more liberated front line, but early signs this campaign indicate that too much freedom is exposing the right side.
Tactical Balance Under Pressure
Slot’s instruction last year for Salah to stay high was designed to maximise his threat. It worked spectacularly in Liverpool’s title-winning campaign, although this time the dynamics look different. Liverpool are being outnumbered in transitional phases and, as Murphy notes, action may now be required.
He added, “I don’t know how he [Slot] can keep watching the same thing and not change it, and it’s not like Salah can’t do the running, he hasn’t asked him to see if he can.” Murphy also referenced Salah’s admission that he enjoyed defending less under Klopp, which again highlights how different the structural load is today.
An additional opinion voiced during discussions suggests that the issue is not about punishing Salah, but restoring equilibrium across a side that has lost its usual compactness. One analyst put it succinctly, “Salah is not the problem, the imbalance around him is.”
Midfield Strain And Structural Gaps
Liverpool’s shift towards using an out and out number ten has altered their defensive make up. With only two natural midfield defenders rather than three, players like Ryan Gravenberch are being forced into double duty. Where he once covered the right flank while still shielding the centre, that capacity is reduced.
The absence of Luis Diaz’s relentless defensive work has also been felt. His pressing allowed Alexis Mac Allister to stay central, but without that support the midfield spacing is exposed far more quickly.
Restoring Identity
The conclusion is clear. Liverpool have not collapsed, but the balance that defined Slot’s early success has been compromised. Reintroducing some defensive responsibility for Salah may be part of the solution, yet it is not a criticism of his attitude or fitness. Murphy summarised it well, saying, “I don’t think he needs to be dropped because he’s such a threat, but I think you’ve got to tell him to defend.”
Our View – Anfield Index Analysis
From a Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this situation leaves a mixture of frustration and concern. Fans know Salah’s quality is still there. His numbers last season under Slot were exceptional and his influence in big moments has never really faded. However, the sight of him struggling to impact games in the same way naturally raises questions.
There is also growing unease about how stretched the midfield looks, especially when Gravenberch and Mac Allister are forced to plug several gaps at once. Supporters have seen this film before. When the middle of the pitch loses its structure, Liverpool’s entire identity becomes shaky. The fear is not that Salah is declining, but that he is becoming isolated as a byproduct of tactical choices that are not currently working.
Many fans would still back Slot to sort it out. Winning the title in his first season earned trust and credit, but this campaign feels more delicate. The hope is that reinstating stronger defensive habits, even from attacking players, will restore cohesion without diminishing Salah’s threat. Liverpool fans know that when the team functions properly, their star forward thrives.
