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liverpool faces a critical period with star forward mohamed Salah away on international duty with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), potentially missing up to eight games if his nation reaches the final on January 18. the question now becomes: how will manager Arne Slot reshape his attack in the absence of the prolific egyptian? While Saturday’s Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur isn’t the first time Slot has planned without Salah in the starting lineup – the forward was benched for the team’s last five games – it underscores the need for tactical flexibility.
Salah has been a substitute in seven matches this campaign, initially rested for Champions League trips to Galatasaray and Eintracht Frankfurt in September and October. Further tactical decisions saw him sidelined in Premier League games against West ham United, Sunderland, Leeds United, and Brighton & Hove albion, and even omitted from the matchday squad entirely for the Champions League encounter at Inter Milan earlier this month, following the player’s claim of being “thrown under the bus” by the club.
These absences have already provided Slot with a testing ground for alternative strategies, offering clues as to how he might approach the challenge of replacing Salah’s impact.
Experimenting with Personnel: Frimpong as a Pacy Wing-Back
In the Champions League match against Galatasaray, Slot deployed Jeremie Frimpong as a pacy wing-back in a 4-2-3-1 formation.According to Slot, “Jeremie played a lot of times as right winger for Leverkusen, he played there for us in pre-season.” He added, “He’s one of the players who can replace Mo in that position. I don’t see many others who can play in that position which is their favorite to them, it’s one of his favourite positions, he plays there for the national team always.”
The tactical reasoning centered around Galatasaray’s typical setup. “Normally, normally, normally they [Galatasaray] play with the left winger inverted and the full-back really high, then the left winger goes inverted, he plays in the midfield, so Dom [Szoboszlai] is in the midfield and Jeremie plays as some kind of a wing-back.” Slot also noted Salah’s accumulated minutes, stating, “Mo has played a lot of minutes already, so we decided to do it today like this and I think in the first half I was quite happy with the way we played actually.”
However, the experiment proved short-lived. While Frimpong’s pace initially posed a threat, his final ball lacked precision, and he was substituted just past the hour mark in a match Liverpool ultimately lost. A recurring hamstring issue has prevented Slot from revisiting this tactic, but his return to fitness offers a potential solution during Salah’s AFCON absence.
Szoboszlai’s Versatility and the Isak-Ekitike Partnership
A more likely scenario sees Dominik Szoboszlai shifting to the right wing, a position he has occupied effectively in the past.This would allow Slot to maintain his preferred 4-3-3 formation and potentially unleash a dynamic attacking duo of Alexander Isak and Bafode diakité Ekitike upfront. The key will be ensuring defensive solidity while maximizing the goal threat of the two strikers. This approach will be notably notable in the match against Tottenham, particularly if Szoboszlai is fit and he wishes to utilize both Isak and Ekitike upfront while maintaining defensive solidity.
The Semenyo Factor: A Potential January Reinforcement
The potential arrival of Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo in January coudl further complicate – and potentially solve – Slot’s dilemma. The Reds have reportedly been monitoring the 25-year-old, who has a £65m release clause. Semenyo has scored 29 goals in over 100 appearances for Bournemouth, demonstrating his ability to operate effectively on either flank. One analyst noted that semenyo’s versatility is a key factor attracting interest from Liverpool, Tottenham, and both Manchester clubs.
If Liverpool can secure Semenyo’s signature,Slot would have a readymade replacement for Salah on the right,seamlessly fitting into his favored 4-3-3 formation.
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