Liverpool legend thinks Salah, Mane and Firmino are complacent
By David Gate
Liverpool attacking trio Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are relying on the defense this season to bail them out says one Anfield legend.
It is unusual to hear much criticism of Liverpool attacking threesome Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. Much less to hear that from a Liverpool fan. Even more surprising is to hear it from an Anfield legend; yet Phil Thompson has some tough words for the trio.
Speaking on Sky Sports the ex-Liverpool captain was emphasizing the Reds’ could defensive start to the season and particularly the form and influence of Virgil van Dijk. He notes the improvement in the back four contrasting it with the tempered start from the Liverpool front three.
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“The defense has been excellent. So maybe the front three are thinking ‘we don’t have to score three or four in this first-half. We can actually rely on this back four and this goalkeeper to bail us out sometimes.”
It is a strange comment to make. The Reds have scored 9 goals in their first four games (not a bad total) with 7 going to the dynamic forward trio. Last season they managed 7 of Liverpool’s 8 goals in the opening fixtures. So there has been no decline whatsoever.
The implication that the forwards are easing off due to an improvement in the defense is silly. The defense can only be put in a position to defend the lead if the forwards have already done the hard work of scoring.
Perhaps this is a product of facing three particularly defensive teams in a row. West Ham rolled over on the opening day but Crystal Palace, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leicester City all sat back and made it hard for the Reds.
Next. 5 Reasons Liverpool Will Hammer Spurs On Saturday. dark
Jurgen Klopp’s men found a way to open the scoring in all those games anyway. There won’t be any complacency this weekend as Liverpool head to Wembley to take on Tottenham Hotspur in a must win Premier League game.