Stat Me Up Podcast: The Numbers Behind Salah’s Liverpool Brilliance | OneFootball

Mo Salah: The Genius Liverpool Still Underrate

Salah’s Unmatched Brilliance in Numbers

In the latest episode of Stat Me Up on Anfield Index, Simon Brundish and Dave Davis dived deep into Liverpool’s attacking numbers, and it quickly became evident that Mohamed Salah’s greatness continues to fly under the radar.

Brundish didn’t hesitate: “I think it’s really hard for us to quantify quite how brilliant Mo Salah is, and it’s totally understandable how everybody has taken him for granted.” That theme echoed throughout the discussion, with consistent evidence that Salah’s contribution this season goes far beyond the eye test.

In fact, Brundish compared Salah to Lionel Messi’s peak years: “Messi’s great season—his greatest season—he was always brilliant… a goal or assist every sixty-five minutes. That’s Messi at his absolute best. This season Mo Salah has a goal or assist every fifty-nine minutes. Fifty-nine minutes.” The numbers speak for themselves.

Salah in Context of Liverpool’s Legacy

For Liverpool fans, the debate around all-time greats has always had strong contenders. Brundish offered a comprehensive lineage of legends: “In my lifetime, Liverpool have had great forwards… Fernando Torres… Luis Suarez, the greatest player I’ve ever seen play for Liverpool. The greatest front three ever to represent Liverpool as a one.”

Yet, even among that elite company, Salah stands apart. “Now we’re left with Mohamed Salah carrying this team with his utter genius,” Brundish stated, leaving no room for doubt about his impact.

And yet, as Dave Davis pointed out, public perception hasn’t quite caught up: “Liverpool fans, we take for granted how brilliant he is.”

System, Support and Statistical Isolation

Despite his excellence, Salah often operates without cohesive support. Brundish highlighted a surprising stat: “Four players have fewer combined passes to Mo Salah than Mo on his own has to all four.” This isolation points to a systemic imbalance—Salah isn’t just leading Liverpool’s line; he’s doing it with minimal reciprocal interaction.

Davis raised the question of team dynamics: “And we know Mo Salah stands alone almost, but it’s important we talk about it with the team.” That segued into deeper data about how often Salah’s touches translate into danger: “Twenty-four percent of Mo’s touches end up with Liverpool having possession in the box.” It’s a staggering figure when you consider how often he’s left to conjure magic alone.

What Liverpool Still Need to Fix

Possession control was another key topic. Brundish explained its importance in the context of Liverpool’s evolving identity under Arne Slot: “Possession control is basically an individual—how many times they get the ball for Liverpool—against how many times Liverpool, after having the ball, the opposition get it.” Salah, clearly, isn’t just a finisher—he’s integral to Liverpool’s structure.

It all ties back to his broader role. Brundish summarised the issue: “It is always everybody but Mo Salah.” The Egyptian continues to deliver match-winning performances, often with insufficient support, still driving Liverpool’s title challenge.

Conclusion

There’s a lot to admire about Liverpool’s forward line this season. But as Stat Me Up made abundantly clear, one man remains the fulcrum—“Mo Salah and his supporting gang,” as Brundish wryly put it. Perhaps it’s time to stop taking him for granted.