In modern football, the star player operates under a spotlight so intense it can either illuminate unparalleled genius or scorch the individual under the heat of failure. At Liverpool, where the recent silverware cabinet has collected dust rather than trophies, that spotlight is aimed squarely at Mohamed Salah.
The narrative is familiar: when a giant team falters, blame often funnels to the highest-paid, most visible talent. But is this scrutiny fair? Does the data support the notion that one player—even a legend like Salah—is the root cause of systemic club issues? And how does his experience compare to a player like Florian Wirtz, whose brilliance is currently swimming in the tide of team success at Bayer Leverkusen?
This isn’t just about Liverpool; it’s about the fundamental human desire to simplify complex problems. As your trusted guide, we dive deep into the statistics to separate reality from rumour.
The Relentless Focus on the ‘Egyptian King’
Liverpool’s recent downturns—periods marked by unexpected league losses, early cup exits, or a general lack of cohesion—have invariably led to post-match debates centered on Salah. Critics point to several perceived deficiencies: a slight dip in electric pace, an uncharacteristic hesitancy in front of goal, or a generalized frustration that he doesn’t seem to “track back” with the same intensity as others.
The argument for blaming Salah often hinges on his status. He is the icon, the highest scorer, and the man who, when he first arrived, seemed to bend the laws of physics and football to his will. When the team looks flat, fans and pundits instinctively ask, “Why isn’t Mo magic today?” This sentiment ignores the fact that football is an ecosystem. A striker’s lack of goals can be traced back to a midfield that isn’t supplying line-breaking passes, or full-backs who aren’t creating space. Yet, the camera always focuses on the missed tap-in, not the ill-timed pass five seconds earlier.
The media, always hungry for a headline, finds the easiest causality: the star failed. It’s a compelling, digestible story, but the statistics tell a far more nuanced tale.
Salah’s Statistical Defense: When the System Breaks
To truly assess Salah’s individual performance, we must look beyond raw goals and consider underlying metrics like Expected Goals (xG) and Chances Created. These statistics measure the quality of opportunities presented to him and his ability to create them for others, regardless of whether the ball ultimately hits the net.
For all the talk of a dip, the numbers reveal a player who has consistently performed at an elite level, often masking deeper flaws elsewhere. Across Liverpool’s recent challenging campaigns, Salah’s expected goals per 90 minutes (xG/90) has remained stubbornly high, demonstrating he is still getting into the right positions. If he is missing chances, it often points to a statistical regression to the mean—a normal fluctuation—rather than a catastrophic failure of form.
Crucially, his Expected Assists (xA) metric, which measures the likelihood that a key pass turns into an assist, has also stayed strong. This shows he is still a premium creator. The real issue is often twofold:
- Systemic Supply Chain Failure: The quality of the passes into the final third, which create the transition to scoring chances, has deteriorated. Salah, therefore, receives the ball in less threatening positions more often, or with more defenders around him.
- Defensive Instability: When Liverpool’s defense is leaking goals, the pressure on the attack is multiplied. A single goal from Salah might not matter if the team concedes three. Blaming the forward line for a defensive collapse is the definition of misplaced blame.
In essence, Salah has often been the firefighter, using his individual brilliance to rescue points, but he is now being blamed because he can’t also be the architect who fixes the structural integrity of the entire building.
The Wirtz Counterpoint: Success by System
Now, let’s pivot to Florian Wirtz, the dazzling young German midfielder who has been instrumental in Bayer Leverkusen’s recent, stunning success. Wirtz is a phenomenal talent—a pure creator with an eye for goal—but his narrative is fundamentally different from Salah’s. Wirtz is lauded as the catalyst of success, not the reason for failure.
Why the difference? The surrounding ecosystem.
Wirtz operates in a Bayer Leverkusen side where every component functions optimally under their manager’s philosophy. The midfield provides relentless pressure and perfect passing lanes, the defense is rock-solid, and the transition play is seamless.
Wirtz’s statistics are exceptional—high goal contributions and incredible creative numbers (key passes, progressive carries)—but they are a function of a well-oiled machine. He is the brilliant cog, but the machine is flawless.
Imagine placing a slightly struggling Salah into that Leverkusen system. Would he find space, receive high-quality passes, and thrive? Almost certainly. Conversely, imagine Wirtz being dropped into a Liverpool team grappling with a transitional midfield and an inconsistent backline. While his talent would shine, his overall output would likely suffer, and the media, following the same template, would eventually begin to ask: “What happened to Wirtz?”
The comparison highlights a universal truth: A star player’s statistics and perceived success are amplified by a functioning team and muted by a struggling one.
The Verdict: Collective Responsibility Over Individual Scapegoat
Football is the ultimate team sport. The quest to find a single point of failure in a struggling collective—be it a manager, a goalkeeper, or an attacking talisman—is a psychological comfort, but it rarely reflects reality.
Mohamed Salah remains one of the most effective and statistically consistent attacking players in the world. His contributions, even in periods of supposed “struggle,” often outpace those of his positional rivals across Europe. The media’s intense focus on him is a byproduct of his own greatness; we hold him to a superhuman standard that few players in the history of the game could sustain year after year.
Liverpool’s issues have been rooted in structural imbalances: aging midfield core, transitional defensive form, and the necessity of evolving their signature high-intensity tactical system. These are problems that require time, tactical overhauls, and significant recruitment—not simply a change in the form of one phenomenal forward.
To blame Salah is to willfully ignore the bigger picture. He is the symptom, not the cause. The spotlight on him might be the brightest, but the responsibility for success and failure must always be shared equally across the entire squad. Let’s appreciate the consistent brilliance he continues to offer while the system around him finds its feet once more.
