‘Unfortunately…’ – ESPN pundit was tormented by what he saw from Liverpool ‘genius’ last night
One Liverpool player has been branded a ‘genius’ who can also be ‘really frustrating’ to watch.
Those appraisals were directed at Mo Salah by former Reds defender Steve Nicol after the Merseysiders had to settle for a 1-1 draw away to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, with the Egyptian kept scoreless for only the second time in his last 13 Premier League games.
Incredibly, it was the 32-year-old first top-flight match since the win at Crystal Palace in early October that he didn’t register a goal contribution, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s team also shutting him out when they triumphed at Anfield the previous month.
Nicol slams ‘frustrating’ Salah
Speaking on ESPN FC shortly after the game last night, Nicol was critical of Liverpool’s number 11 following a performance which left the pundit scratching his head.
The 63-year-old said: “Salah’s really frustrating. I mean, he really is. It’s kind of feast or famine with him – he either stands on it, miscontrols it, gives it away; and then the next minute, he sticks it in the top corner. That’s generally what he does.
“Unfortunately today, the couple of attempts he had weren’t quite in the corner, and for one in particular Sels made a great save. As great as he is, as a genius as he is, he can be so frustrating.”
Salah has been immense for Liverpool
By Salah’s exceptional standards, one match without a goal or assist might represent a famine, but it’d be harsh to describe his performance last night as ‘frustrating’.
Admittedly it was one of his poorer displays of the season, but we’ve come to expect such world-class brilliance from him that even a decent outing is viewed so negatively. He mightn’t have scored but he still ended the night with six shots, one of which – as Nicol mentioned – needed Sels to be at his best to keep it out.
He’s human, after all, so therefore he’ll have the occasional match where he’s not at his best; and if there’s one Liverpool player who could be excused an off-day, it’s him. Here’s a gentle reminder of his output for the season so far: 21 goals and 17 assists in 29 games.
The likelihood is that Salah will shake this one off and either find the net or lay on a goal for a teammate (quite possibly both) when we face Brentford on Saturday, a must-win fixture after a run of four draws in our last seven Premier League outings.
We doubt that the Egyptian will be kept off the scoresheet for too long!
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