Federico Chiesa’s Fastest Player Claim Says More About Liverpool’s Evolution Than Decline
Liverpool have long been defined by speed. It has been their calling card in Europe, their shock weapon in domestic football, the force that turned pressing into punishment. When Federico Chiesa calmly suggested that four of his team-mates are quicker than Mohamed Salah, it sounded at first like provocation. In truth, it felt more like a quiet admission of change.
Speaking to the Premier League YouTube channel, Chiesa was asked a simple question about pace at Liverpool. His response, delivered without hesitation, cut through years of assumption.
“Jeremie for sure,” Chiesa said. “But from the data I’ve seen, Szoboszlai, Konate and Joe. I think Joe is like 36 km/h. The data doesn’t lie, you know.”
There was no attempt to dress it up. No caveat. Just numbers, facts, and a reminder that football’s most persistent myths tend to age badly.
Chiesa and Liverpool’s Changing Speed Profile
For much of the past decade, Salah has been Liverpool’s great accelerator. The winger built a career on the ability to stretch defences, to win races defenders never believed they were entering. Even now, his movement remains sharp, his threat unmistakable. But pace, particularly raw sprint speed, is unforgiving with time.
Chiesa’s comments are not a criticism. They are observational. Data, after all, is now central to how elite squads measure themselves. Training ground GPS tracking strips reputation away and leaves only output. In that environment, perceptions quickly shift.
Jeremie Frimpong being first to mind was hardly surprising. The right-back’s explosive recovery runs and aggressive positioning demand exceptional speed. Dominik Szoboszlai’s inclusion speaks to Liverpool’s evolving midfield profile: power blended with athleticism. Ibrahima Konate, built for covering space at pace, fits naturally into that bracket.
Joe Gomez, though, was the eyebrow-raiser. Injuries have shaped how he is viewed. He is rarely spoken of as a speed-merchant. Yet Chiesa’s quote lands hardest there, precisely because it challenges assumption.
“I think Joe is like 36 km/h,” he added. “The data doesn’t lie.”
Fastest Player Debate Highlights Tactical Shift
This is not simply a discussion about who is the fastest player at Liverpool. It is a reflection of how the team now spreads its physical advantages across the pitch.
Under Arne Slot, structure matters. Speed is no longer isolated on the wings. It is embedded through defensive recovery, midfield transition, and pressing triggers. Liverpool are quicker in more places, even if they appear less direct.
That creates a curious contradiction. Matches can feel controlled, even predictable, while the underlying athletic profile suggests otherwise. The numbers Chiesa references hint at untapped potential rather than decline.
When Salah was beaten to through balls during international duty, it became a talking point. Age was mentioned. Legacy debated. But football rarely offers simple explanations. Speed fades gradually; intelligence compensates. Liverpool are managing that transition by redistributing pace rather than replacing it outright.
What Chiesa’s Comments Reveal About Squad Balance
Chiesa’s role in this conversation matters. He is not an external pundit. He is part of the data ecosystem he references. His awareness of training metrics reflects how modern players engage with performance analysis.
His comments also point towards a wider truth: Liverpool’s challenge is not the absence of speed, but how often it is weaponised. The squad contains quick players across every line. The issue is translating that athleticism into unpredictability.
That is where balance comes in. Pace without movement is meaningless. Speed without intention is wasted. Chiesa’s insight suggests Liverpool have the tools; the next step is integration.
The fastest player debate will rage on, fuelled by clips and numbers. But the more important takeaway is this: Liverpool are not slowing down. They are redistributing their velocity, reshaping how and where it appears.
And as Chiesa reminded everyone, with refreshing simplicity, the data doesn’t lie.
