Wolves vs Liverpool: Why Chiesa's arrival will help extend Salah's Anfield shelflife
Throughout Jurgen Klopp’s reign as Liverpool manager, it was pretty much Mohamed Salah or bust for the Reds on the right flank.
Klopp tried a number of players there to help alleviate the pressure on the three-time Golden Boot winner but, safe to say, none of the experiments could be deemed as a success. Xherdan Shaqiri lacked the explosive pace so the dynamic shifted entirely when he was brought into the team in place of the No.11, likewise with Harvey Elliott. As talented as he is, he’s nothing like Salah.
The likes of Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz all had stints on the Liverpool right to varied success. Conor Bradley even had a run out as a winger.
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Liverpool always had options. They always had talent at their disposal. They just never possessed an alternative with a similar profile to the former Roma winger.
But now they do.
Late on during the summer transfer window, the Reds snapped up Italy international Federico Chiesa for a bargain £10m fee. To say it caught people off guard would be a bit of an understatement.
The 26-year-old has struggled with injuries in the past and he was reportedly on a hefty salary during his time in Turin. When analysing a potential Liverpool signing, these are two red flags.
But the injury issues were blown out of proportion and he posted his best numbers for Juventus last term. And the wage he’s pocketing at Anfield is in line with what others are earning.
On paper, Chiesa ticked a lot of boxes for the Reds. He shared a lot of traits with Salah. He’s explosively quick, he’s comfortable attacking the outside as well as the inside. The one-time Fiorentina man is a goal threat and a creator. If he replaced Salah in the starting XI, Arne Slot wouldn’t have to change his system, his style or his tactics.
Liverpool vs West Ham average player positions
This is exactly what happened in the win over West Ham United when the Italian winger made his full debut for the Reds.
Liverpool overloaded the left side and left Chiesa with a lot of space to isolate his opponent in one-on-one situations. This is their blueprint for when Salah starts. For the first time ever during the Egyptian’s time with the club, the Reds didn’t have to alter anything in the absence of the legendary forward.
As far as debuts go, Chiesa impressed at Anfield on Wednesday evening as the Reds claimed a 5-1 win over the Hammers in the Carabao Cup.
He claimed an acrobatic assist when his shot-cum-cross effort was nodded home by Diogo Jota for the equaliser. The new No.14 was substituted after 59 minutes having made two key passes. He also had two shots and was fouled on two occasions.
His performance impressed Slot.
"It was pleasing to see that he could already play 60 minutes, because he has played hardly any minutes in the last three or four months," he told reporters at Anfield.
"So it’s important for him – apart from getting more match fitness – to get playing minutes. That’s what he got today.
"He assisted, although it was a shot on target that was ‘promoted’ by Jota to a goal!
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"Worked really hard, I think it’s normal that he’s not already at the top of his ability. He has to get used to the club, he has to get used to his teammates, he has to just get used to the playing style. But very good to see how match fit he already is, so we can use him when we need him."
Salah came off of the bench to register a goal and he looked bright. Managing his minutes could extend his shelflife at the top level and that can only be a positive for everyone involved.
Chiesa’s arrival could prolong Salah’s career at Anfield. His arrival also gives Liverpool an unbelievable amount of depth in attacking areas, which will be a boost in the immediate future as the Reds take on Wolves this weekend, and over the course of the season.
