Mohamed Salah

[The only place to be 11,313]

Ramires had been BRILLIANT for us in the firat 3months. I still remember the meltdown here before the pool match when rambo got suspended. Mikel is a different issue altogether.

Yet the criticisms always come down to the same exact point - his quality on the ball and to a lesser extent his footballing IQ.

Salah can't hide bejind the young player argument. We have EH who is 23, oscar 22, willian 25, schurrle 23. Salah is 21. Barely much difference.

Oscar has been inconsistent. Hazard has been inconsistent. Willian is four years older. Schurrle has barely featured in the last few months. I don't see these players' performances as any reason for criticising Salah. In fact I defended Hazard earlier in the season from people saying he wasn't performing well and my response was to give him time because he's still young.

[didierforever 7,349]

Yet the criticisms always come down to the same exact point - his quality on the ball and to a lesser extent his footballing IQ.

Oscar has been inconsistent. Hazard has been inconsistent. Willian is four years older. Schurrle has barely featured in the last few months. I don't see these players' performances as any reason for criticising Salah. In fact I defended Hazard earlier in the season from people saying he wasn't performing well and my response was to give him time because he's still young.

More often than not rambo makes it up with his energy, stamina, workrate and hia HEART.

Precisely my point. We are expecting to be PL winners (despite of what jose says), and we have a hopelesly yiung squad. This is the business end of the season, where salah or any1 for that matter is not goin to get any TIME. Each of the 12 PL games will be mega-important, each of the CL game would be as importabt and even thw FA cup games havr been so.

Anyways as I said before, I might have been too xritical of him before but that does not change the fact that he should not have been on rhe pitch for better subs in schurrle and torres and also that he was poor.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Maybe he'll be good, maybe he won't, Way too early to tell either way.

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

More often than not rambo makes it up with his energy, stamina, workrate and hia HEART.

Precisely my point. We are expecting to be PL winners (despite of what jose says), and we have a hopelesly yiung squad. This is the business end of the season, where salah or any1 for that matter is not goin to get any TIME. Each of the 12 PL games will be mega-important, each of the CL game would be as importabt and even thw FA cup games havr been so.

Anyways as I said before, I might have been too xritical of him before but that does not change the fact that he should not have been on rhe pitch for better subs in schurrle and torres and also that he was poor.

With all due respect to your opinion, everyone was poor including the star of the team Hazard. That is ok because it happens from time to time. In addition to this City were in a better form and forced their game on to us. If Schurrle was in or not it would have made no difference. I also think the reason Mourinho put Salah in was because he believes Salah was more ready or perhaps more useful at this time.

[didierforever 7,349]

With all due respect to your opinion, everyone was poor including the star of the team Hazard. That is ok because it happens from time to time. In addition to this City were in a better form and forced their game on to us. If Schurrle was in or not it would have made no difference. I also think the reason Mourinho put Salah in was because he believes Salah was more ready or perhaps more useful at this time.

We were 1-0 down at HT. Plus we had a hopeless first half. In such "big games", after getting spanked for 45minutes, u expect the other big team to show some character. The coach normally would give the hair dryer treatment or somethinf else, plus make a change, and that change which was supposed to be the catalyst for the sexond half was salah, but unfortunately that was a DUD.

Sexondly, read my previous post, if salah was DEEMED to be a better option than torres and schurrle ( which makes him better than our 4th choice AM and 2nd choice ST) then these "new guy" excuses shiuld not be put forth.

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

or any other player

We were 1-0 down at HT. Plus we had a hopeless first half. In such "big games", after getting spanked for 45minutes, u expect the other big team to show some character. The coach normally would give the hair dryer treatment or somethinf else, plus make a change, and that change which was supposed to be the catalyst for the sexond half was salah, but unfortunately that was a DUD.

Sexondly, read my previous post, if salah was DEEMED to be a better option than torres and schurrle ( which makes him better than our 4th choice AM and 2nd choice ST) then these "new guy" excuses shiuld not be put forth.

Torres came in but I hardly call his performance a catalystic one! I think you are misreading the game. We lost our match tactically, not because of an individual player. I doubt if Messi came in any difference would have hapened. Yaya controlled the middfield battle very well. We defended tooooo deep. Hazard had no support from the middfield, neither did Salah or Eto or any other player. You can debate tactics or team freshness but certainly not a performance of a single player or a decision on a single sub. What about the rest of the subs? Did any of those make a "catalystic" change? NOPE.

[didierforever 7,349]

Torres came in but I hardly call his performance a catalystic one! I think you are misreading the game. We lost our match tactically, not because of an individual player. I doubt if Messi came in any difference would have hapened. Yaya controlled the middfield battle very well. We defended tooooo deep. Hazard had no support from the middfield, neither did Salah or Eto or any other player. You can debate tactics or team freshness but certainly not a performance of a single player or a decision on a single sub. What about the rest of the subs? Did any of those make a "catalystic" change? NOPE.

No but cos by then the match had already been lost. Look at oscar, he actually has a good 20 minutes.infact,I dont think I am misreading the game at all. We wrre better in the first half than in the second half. The fact tjat jose made a sub at HT goes on to show that I am readong the game right. While salah is not the only one to blame, their is mo denying that his sub was a pivotal point in the game. And instead of making the game, it led more towards breaking it. We lost our pressing from the top, we lost etoo's hold up pkay, we lost any semblance of a comeback.

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

No but cos by then the match had already been lost. Look at oscar, he actually has a good 20 minutes.infact,I dont think I am misreading the game at all. We wrre better in the first half than in the second half. The fact tjat jose made a sub at HT goes on to show that I am readong the game right. While salah is not the only one to blame, their is mo denying that his sub was a pivotal point in the game. And instead of making the game, it led more towards breaking it. We lost our pressing from the top, we lost etoo's hold up pkay, we lost any semblance of a comeback.

Given that Oscar and Torres are no strangers to big games and understand the Cheslea system well, they still failed to pose any threat what so ever on City. I don't blame them, they hardly got a touch on the ball. Same as Salah he hardly got a touch on the ball. It is quiet simple and clear that we had no saying what so ever in the middfield area. No passes or control from Ramirez or Mikel. The forwards we isolated completely. City overwhelmed the midfield area and hence the control of the match. Schurrle's position is the same as Salah's. He would have still been isolated. Torres's is the same as Eto, still would have been isolated. The only way this would have changed or atleast helped us to creat more chances was the midfield. That was why Hazard was dropping back to get the ball to try to break this isolation.

[didierforever 7,349]

Given that Oscar and Torres are no strangers to big games and understand the Cheslea system well, they still failed to pose any threat what so ever on City. I don't blame them, they hardly got a touch on the ball. Same as Salah he hardly got a touch on the ball. It is quiet simple and clear that we had no saying what so ever in the middfield area. No passes or control from Ramirez or Mikel. The forwards we isolated completely. City overwhelmed the midfield area and hence the control of the match. Schurrle's position is the same as Salah's. He would have still been isolated. Torres's is the same as Eto, still would have been isolated. The only way this would have changed or atleast helped us to creat more chances was the midfield. That was why Hazard was dropping back to get the ball to try to break this isolation.

etoo was isolated too yet he managed to carve out a couple of decent passes to hazard and willian. U r over exagerating the "isolation". We had 44% of possession compared to 33% 2 weeks ago. We had the ball but it was the inability and infact a hapless performance of our frontline in not carving out a singke chance. Our midfield can be blamed for the goals conceded but not for the attack. There simply was no cohesion and link up play. And again, we had better options than salah to rectify that.

By the time oscar came, the match was done and dusted. Players were barely going thru the motions. As for torres, he was subbed along with nasri who had a much bigger and instantaneous impact on the natch.

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

etoo was isolated too yet he managed to carve out a couple of decent passes to hazard and willian. U r over exagerating the "isolation". We had 44% of possession compared to 33% 2 weeks ago. We had the ball but it was the inability and infact a hapless performance of our frontline in not carving out a singke chance. Our midfield can be blamed for the goals conceded but not for the attack. There simply was no cohesion and link up play. And again, we had better options than salah to rectify that.

The fact that in an entire match we had ONLY 2 SHOTS OFF TARGET and 0 ON TARGET does not exaggurate the isolation at all. And with all due respect but the middfield is directly related with an attach build up. Maybe not as much in a counter attack playe but DEFINETLY in an attack build up. Otherwise they will not be called middfielders they would be simply extra defenders. I am quiet sure that you know a lot of midfielders in the EPL and La liga and the rest of the big European leagues who resposible for attacking buil up not only defence.

[didierforever 7,349]

The fact that in an entire match we had ONLY 2 SHOTS OFF TARGET and 0 ON TARGET does not exaggurate the isolation at all. And with all due respect but the middfield is directly related with an attach build up. Maybe not as much in a counter attack playe but DEFINETLY in an attack build up. Otherwise they will not be called middfielders they would be simply extra defenders. I am quiet sure that you know a lot of midfielders in the EPL and La liga and the rest of the big European leagues who resposible for attacking buil up not only defence.

no it does not. Hazard was not tracking zabaleta back in the 2nd half, rambo was not tracking clichy back, willian was not hassling toure. We were more of a benitez 4-2-4 than a mourinho 4-2-3-1/4-5-1 compact unit and hence I am calling them as forwards. We were pathwtic withiut the ball which was expexted given the tactics being used and thw opposition but it was with the ball that was really horrendous. And the onus of that has to go on our forwards.

[Polo7 3,496]

Not shooting him down. I believe he should stay and try to show what he can do but from what I have seen, I am not sure the Preimer League is the right stage for him. He should play in La Liga, would suit him better and also, Willian right now is at his best 25 almost 26 and I don't see him as a world-class player.

You contradict yourself a lot. I believe Salah could be as good as Willian given 3-4 years of regular football. He has pace, passing is ok but that can be worked on and his finishing isnt too bad. Like I said 3-4 years he could also work on strengthening the body.

[haranr 485]

You contradict yourself a lot. I believe Salah could be as good as Willian given 3-4 years of regular football. He has pace, passing is ok but that can be worked on and his finishing isnt too bad. Like I said 3-4 years he could also work on strengthening the body.

First of all it's not just strengthening the body. It's to know how to use your qualities on such aggressive game. How did I contradict myself.

Listen, All I said was that the Preimer League may not be the best place for Salah. I hope you agree with the fact that he is more suitable to a league like the Spanish.

[Polo7 3,496]

First of all it's not just strengthening the body. It's to know how to use your qualities on such aggressive game. How did I contradict myself.

Listen, All I said was that the Preimer League may not be the best place for Salah. I hope you agree with the fact that he is more suitable to a league like the Spanish.

How can you make that assumption? Based on less than 90minutes of football. If Sterling can do well in this league, Im sure Salah can aswell.

[Nash Azzab 29]

an interview with mourinho about mohamed salah ( French ) - Le Matin 17/2/2014

translation " not 100% accurate " :

"You know, it's not the same to play at Stamford Bridge and at FC Basel . With Basel there is no stress because you play to enjoy the time and you have nothing to lose. While with the blue shirt on the shoulders , 40'000 want to win , all the time. "

" So I think Mohamed needs six months to adapt our game and the demands of the Premier League. So I 'm calm and i'm telling him he has time because we have confidence in him. I think the season of Mohamed Salah will be the next. "

http://www.lematin.ch/sports/football/mourinho-saison-salah-prochaine/story/20609947

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

an interview with mourinho about mohamed salah ( French ) - Le Matin 17/2/2014

translation " not 100% accurate " :

"You know, it's not the same to play at Stamford Bridge and at FC Basel . With Basel there is no stress because you play to enjoy the time and you have nothing to lose. While with the blue shirt on the shoulders , 40'000 want to win , all the time. "

" So I think Mohamed needs six months to adapt our game and the demands of the Premier League. So I 'm calm and i'm telling him he has time because we have confidence in him. I think the season of Mohamed Salah will be the next. "

http://www.lematin.ch/sports/football/mourinho-saison-salah-prochaine/story/20609947

I read that a couple of hours ago. Mourinho is a guy who know what he is doing. He also thinks that next season will be great for Chelsea. I think he will modify his offensive tactics a lot making us more aggressive

[1chelsea 864]

This too much overreaction. Talk about willian too many didn't like the signing but who's complaining now. Oh let sing the song the bought his flight ticket bla bla bla, bla bla bla. I hope this kid prove right that he got it

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

This too much overreaction. Talk about willian too many didn't like the signing but who's complaining now. Oh let sing the song the bought his flight ticket bla bla bla, bla bla bla. I hope this kid prove right that he got it

Willian cost 30 or 32M pounds and has 2 goals in 28 appearances. He's a useful player,has incredible energy and a great work-rate but isn't worth near what we paid for him. For that price for a midfielder, you should be getting one of the best players in the world, not a work-rate effort kind of guy. (We got Hazard for the same price and Hazard is better and younger). Salah's transfer fee is much more reasonable so he doesn't have the same expectations.