Yeah me and my friend were discussing this.
Also he’s missed two of the international breaks hasn’t he? And played in one of the two other matches.
Sort of shows.
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He could have scored 4 more goals against West ham. But the nice guy that he is , he reserves his goals to when they are the most important instead of filling in his boots against hapless opposition.
Probably showed west ham players some mercy.
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Yeah.
But overall, since pre-season, he looks really fresh.
I mean it’s nothing new with him, he’s physically and mentally a monster. But maybe this year he was even more motivated, with the whole contract situation, new head coach in, etc.
Plus, our general play is not “intensity is our identity” anymore. Still one of the key parts of our game, but we’re more economic.
I think he has also continued working individually. I’ve seen clips (also before this summer) of him working small steps, frequency of touches with the ball, little changes of direction, simple dribble moves, in tight spaces.
Before (and even now sometimes), he had some wild dribble attempts, sometimes just crushing into opponents or somehow managing to go “through” them.
Now, when he approaches his opponent(s), he manages to gain advantage more cleanly and consistently, either going past him/them himself, or playing other people through. Not totally different, but just a little detail and slight improvement.
Yeah wasn’t this summer his first off proper for a few seasons?
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I hate to say this but he looks a different man since Klopp left. It had become fairly obvious towards the end it looked like the where having a very strained relationship.
Really? Based on what?
Klopp near the end went in a “don’t care, I’m off soon, so don’t have to explain myself and keep you all happy” state of mind with his moves like Quansah starting a few over Konate and taking Mo off sooner than before.
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His hair. Maybe he’s an antithesis of Samson.
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I think less games for Egypt and a lower intensity (at times) under Slot has really helped
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This.
He’s been away for one international break and I think he played one game and came back, assume an agreement was reached then. Since he hasn’t gone on the following 2 (I believe or it might be one).
He also had a full summer’s rest, it’s not something he’s had for a long time due to the world cups and the calendar shifts for the World Cup.
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His final year at the club so he really wants to win the league this season and do something special for the city, he says. I suppose that could be it then (or the saga can go on, but I am not too hopeful regarding how it ends). We have not been able to meet his substantial contract demands then, it seems.
Sad. I do not see how we will be able to replace him for next season.
But for now he is here and we look set to win the league.
He’s been constantly saying that until he gets an offer he’ll treat it as his final year. It’s nothing new.
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Yeah agree. More of the same. He’s been very consistent this season. I still reckon we extend him and Virg for a couple of years each.
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He has had offers. But not offers he accepts. And I read more into it than you do, since time is running out. It’s not as if he doesn’t know what he says in such an exclusive interview. He is now free to negotiate contracts with different clubs, that is a big minus. But the club may raise their offer again and he may finally accept, true enough. It’s far from a done deal, but it’s looking grim in my opinion. I think it is time to lower expecations regarding him staying and then take it as a bonus if he stays.
We’ll see.
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I think what probably explains the difference between me and most other people on these forums is that I simply have no expectations.
I can’t seem to do this with anything else in life but with football, I just savour each moment as they come. Win, lose, whatever it is. I don’t have any expectations for transfer windows, for contract renewals, for how the season pans out before it even starts. I just take it as it comes. So sweet when we’re sucessful.
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There is nothing to say this stand off is about money. I think the likelihood is that it isn’t.
Put it this way, if I’m negotiating a new deal for players who are 32 and 33, literally the first thing I’m saying to them both is ‘so, you lads are going to retire from international football now, yeah?’
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Maybe, but it isn’t it sometimes true that a player and his agent discuss what they think is their market “worth”, and then that become often a matter of principle ? I.e. It costs x to get Obama to speak at an event. It costs x to get an expert to lecture on something at a university, i.e. their rate. Sometimes, they do this at cheaper than rate if it’s very important to them, but generally not.
But maybe I am thinking about this wrong, I accept that could be.
Anyway, I hope obviously that Salah stays, but I prefer to mentally lower my own expecations and assume he is not staying. It will then feel really good if he signs an extension and less bad if he leaves.
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I am similar, except I have hopes and beliefs that we make the right decisions and if it is for Mo to leave as we believe his demands are too high then so be it.
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I’ve been scarred too deeply how bad Hicks and Gillett were, so any time when we’re competitive and not rubbish, and we actually have a decent process in place, I’m happy.
Guess I’m the anti-@Nikola
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