Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool Drama: When Your Best Player Becomes Your Biggest Problem

Well, well, well. Here we are again, folks, watching another chapter unfold in the soap opera that is Mohamed Salah’s relationship with Liverpool. After being unceremoniously benched against Eintracht Frankfurt, our Egyptian king decided to grace us with his presence against Brentford – and wouldn’t you know it, he actually scored. Shocking, I know.

But before we start planning the parade, let’s pump the brakes a little. Because if there’s one thing Arne Slot has made crystal clear, it’s that one goal doesn’t magically fix everything that’s wrong with this Liverpool side. And boy, is there a lot wrong right now.

Salah’s Return to Form: Too Little, Too Late?

Let’s give credit where it’s due – Salah’s strike against Brentford was absolutely sublime. After going six games without finding the back of the net (yes, you read that right, SIX games), the man finally remembered how to do what he’s paid millions to do. The goal came in the latter stages of what turned out to be yet another disappointing 3-2 loss, because apparently Liverpool‘s defense has collectively decided that clean sheets are overrated.

But here’s the kicker – despite scoring that beautiful goal, Salah looked about as confident as a deer in headlights for most of the match. He was getting bullied off the ball at the Gtech Community Stadium like he was playing against a bunch of Sunday league defenders having the game of their lives. It’s honestly painful to watch a player of his caliber looking so… ordinary.

Slot tried deploying Salah in a more central role, similar to what they did against Frankfurt. “Florian [Wirtz] played in the first half also a lot on the inside, but Mo played a little bit more central as well, like we did this week against Frankfurt,” Slot explained, probably wondering if tactical tweaks can fix what appears to be a confidence crisis.

The Manager’s Dilemma: When Your Star Can’t Save You

Now, Arne Slot isn’t exactly throwing a party over Salah’s return to scoring form. In fact, he’s being refreshingly honest about the situation – something that might actually give Liverpool fans a glimmer of hope that someone at the club understands what’s going on.

“If Mo is going to go on a scoring run, then that is definitely going to be important for the team,” Slot said. But then came the reality check that every Liverpool fan needs to hear: “Football is about scoring goals, but football is also about not conceding goals, and for so many games now we have scored one, two, three goals and almost every time in the first five minutes.”

Translation? Liverpool’s problems run much deeper than whether or not their star winger can find his shooting boots. When you’re conceding goals like they’re going out of style, it doesn’t matter if Salah suddenly turns into prime Messi – you’re still going to struggle.

Liverpool’s Defensive Nightmare Continues

Here’s where things get really frustrating for Liverpool supporters. The team can score goals – they’ve proven that repeatedly. But they’re leaking goals at the other end like a sieve with trust issues. Slot’s comment about conceding “almost every time in the first five minutes” isn’t hyperbole; it’s become a genuine pattern that’s turning Anfield into a house of horrors.

“It would help the team if we have players that score goals, but that only helps if, as a team, we can keep a clean sheet, and that is not only what the last line does but what we as a team need to do better,” Slot continued, sounding like a man who’s figured out that you can’t outscore your problems indefinitely.

The manager’s assessment of the Brentford match was equally sobering: “But it wasn’t as if the second half was completely ours, that was definitely not the situation, they were in the game a lot. Although we scored the 3-2 and had a few moments to score the 3-2, they definitely had their moments to also score the 4-1.”

Social Media Drama and Benching Controversy

Let’s not forget the elephant in the room – Salah’s recent benching against Frankfurt and his subsequent social media antics. After being dropped to the bench and only brought on in the 74th minute (in a match Liverpool won 5-1, no less), Salah decided to change his profile picture to one with his daughters. Cue the internet meltdown and endless speculation about his future at the club.

Pat Nevin summed it up perfectly on BBC Radio 5 Live: “If you’ve lost four games in a row and then win without Salah, would it be a shock if he’s not starting next time? I’m afraid not.” Harsh but fair – results speak louder than reputation, even when that reputation involves 34 goals and 23 assists last season.

The Bigger Picture: Liverpool’s Systemic Issues

The real question isn’t whether Salah can rediscover his scoring touch – we know he can, and he’s already started to prove it. The question is whether Liverpool can sort out their defensive shambles and create a system where individual brilliance actually translates to team success.

Right now, watching Liverpool feels like watching a Formula 1 car with a flat tire – all the expensive parts are there, but something fundamental isn’t working. Salah scoring goals is great, but it’s just putting a band-aid on a much bigger problem.

Slot’s challenge now is to build on Salah’s breakthrough while addressing the systemic issues that have turned Liverpool from title contenders into a team that can’t defend a lead to save their lives. Because let’s be honest – if they can’t figure this out soon, even prime Mohamed Salah won’t be enough to prevent this slide from becoming a full-blown collapse.