Nah you need to write 4 articles a day on Man Utd even during international break.
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And then, if someone points this out in the BBC comments theyāre told they shouldnāt click on these articles because itās seen as showing an interest, and there should be even moreā¦ 
Which kind of misses the point.
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I just go along now to have a laugh at how many heās been able to churn out that day.
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Iād imagine heād be close to the top most years he played for us
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What I will say is that some of the names on those lists are quite surprising.
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I think Trent was close to the top more often as he attempted Hollywood passes almost every time he got the ball.
His move to cut inside has become so predictable that the defenders seem to get the best of him on a regular basis.
Itās not so much only cutting inside (Gakpo is more predictable when he forces too much coming inside to take shots), he does try and go on the outside as well. He went easily past Neco Williams a few times. There were āsigns of lifeā.
Nobodyās perfect, but even at his best, he could sometimes frustratingly just crash into opponents without a technically well prepared dribble move. Heās of course capable of actions like the goals against City and Watford, but sometimes Iād like him to simplify it.
One of his biggest strengths is having the mentality and physical attributes to keep trying, so he will always make mistakes, but has the self-confidence to just keep going.
But as his form dips sometimes, then that crashing into opponents, losing duels or possession (that in itself isnāt worrying to me, Salah should be first on our list in that, but everything has itās healthy limit) increases.
In our build up from deep struggles, weāve also used him even more than before as a get away through long balls. I wonder if thatās one of the reasons why we might go for Semenyo. Although we already have a few tall players in advanced positions, but like I said in the Gakpo thread, doesnāt necessarily make them strong.
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Messi and De Bruyne used to top these possession lost lists.
Itās more an indication of style than quality.
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Yes for a dribbler in attacking situations 1/3 i.e 30% Iād consider good going particularly for the type of dribbles Salah attempts. Iām quite surprised heās quite near that this season.
Sure he needs to improve in aspects, like end product, that could come.
I thought so too initially but 30% is actually a terrible percentage. There are only 2 players under 30% this season - Outtara who has a quite shocking 16% and Salah on 25%. So 3 out of every 4 take ons are unsuccessful atm. The players in 3rd to 10th position for lowest take on percentage range from 32% - 40%.
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I agree as this season heās loosing simple one on ones. If he was getting past 3-4 defenders like he used to then itās another story.
What we see counts as well, stats donāt tell the whole story. He isnāt putting the same pressure on the opposition as what we have become accustomed to.
Really need other seasons stats for comparison. Measured in the same way.
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Iām of the opinion that he needs to be played up top closer to goal, like a poacher. Not a winger hugging the touchline trying to do what he physically canāt do anymore, run at defenders. But then it beds the question of what the hell we do with Isak and Ekitike and who would play on the right.
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And how you would press from the front and defend, connect the attackā¦ itās not going to happen.
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He doesnāt press anyway, at least one side of the pitch wouldnāt be getting constantly overloaded. Plus he wouldnāt have to track the CB back up the pitch. And our strikers canāt get a touch because everyoneās always looking for Salah anyway. At least if theyāre looking for him up top our striker would finally touch the ball lol
He cannot not do anything (and itās not even the case, but yeah so far heās been off form), so in cases with players who are not pure strikers and not classic wingers, you have to find an in between role.
Itās not really a Ronaldo at United type of situation, but has similarities. If you play these players up top, you cannot press. Salah doesnāt like that role, because he knows very well what that means - needing to defend from the front and also receive back to goal in a lot of situations. Weāre not Leicester with Vardy up top.
He doesnāt have to track back a CB, weāre not a man marking team, but whoever plays up top for us has to put pressure on defenders.
But he has to track a LB up the pitch currently which he doesnāt do. Which leaves our right back 2 on 1 most times. If heās not going to defend put him up top not out wide where he just gives the opposition LB free reign to attack. Isak doesnāt press anyway so it canāt be much worse. Szobo in the 10 and Chiesa on the right could lead the press which leaves less space for Salah to have to close down.
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Weāre not a man marking team where people track their players wherever they go. There is a certain minimum which all players should do. Our centre needs to do a better job and then we can defend the sides easier, thatās how you get the best out of Salah. But itās a question for the decision makers, we have him a contract, brought Wirtz, Ekitike and Isak. Isak used to press in a high pressing Newcastle team, but needs to get himself fit. Sticking Salah up top opens up new problems or increases the current ones.
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You donāt need to be a man marking team to know the winger should track the opposition full back. Itās a basic non negotiable of football. If youāre a LW and the opposition RB is attacking you should track back. Simple. I agree with you that moving him up top would open up other problems itās just his current position is also causing problems and I think heās not the explosive winger he was so just looking for alternatives. It wonāt happen anyway weāve spent too much on strikers to rip up the blue print and put Salah there. Maybe he just needs a spell on the sideline and a good rocket up the backside to get him going again?!
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