Mo Salah

[harms]

Do you really think Giggs underachieved because of predictions people had of him when he was a teen? How is that? He achieved everything possible. If someone said he would achieve all this when he was a teen we would not have believed it.

Some of the most decorated and celebrated players of all-time underachieved relative to their talent, it's not a contradiction. Although usually it's their lifestyle (Best, Maradona, L. Ronaldo etc.) or injuries (L. Ronaldo, van Basten etc.) but still. Giggs was world-class for a good few seasons and he was a crucial part of multiple different title-winning teams at United over two decades... yet he was never the man. Cantona, Keane, Beckham, Cristiano, Rooney... there always was someone better and/or more important there, usually a few people. And when he was just coming through, that untouchable electric left-footed reincarnation of George Best, it felt like sky was the limit for him and he'd be the best and the most important player at United & Great Britain... at least.

The closest he came to that status were those late 1990's big European games when he was often our most potent attacking threat but still. I don't think that it's the perfect way to access individual level of footballers but Ballon d'Or long-lists are quite damning in that regard. He barely ever broke through top-20 (joint 9th in 1993 and 14th in 2009) — while other wingers and attacking midfielders regularly got high placements (Beckham) or even wins (Figo, Nedved).

 

[Salt Bailly]

Barnes, Alonso? Crouch to at extent although I don't really see him as a Liverpool player.

Personally I don't see anything likeable about Salah. Nothing too bad, of course, but his personality or playing style don't quite transcend my tribalist worldview. He also dives from time to time — not too much overall but enough to justify disliking a Liverpool player.

Barnes was a bit before my time! Alonso is a good shout though. Likeable isn't the right word, I just don't detest him. Which is rare for a Liverpool player.

 

[stevoc]

Some of the most decorated and celebrated players of all-time underachieved relative to their talent, it's not a contradiction. Although usually it's their lifestyle (Best, Maradona, L. Ronaldo etc.) or injuries (L. Ronaldo, van Basten etc.) but still. Giggs was world-class for a good few seasons and he was a crucial part of multiple different title-winning teams at United over two decades... yet he was never the man. Cantona, Keane, Beckham, Cristiano, Rooney... there always was someone better and/or more important there, usually a few people. And when he was just coming through, that untouchable electric left-footed reincarnation of George Best, it felt like sky was the limit for him and he'd be the best and the most important player at United & Great Britain... at least.

The closest he came to that status were those late 1990's big European games when he was often our most potent attacking threat but still. I don't think that it's the perfect way to access individual level of footballers but Ballon d'Or long-lists are quite damning in that regard. He barely ever broke through top-20 (joint 9th in 1993 and 14th in 2009) — while other wingers and attacking midfielders regularly got high placements (Beckham) or even wins (Figo, Nedved).

Giggs was the best Winger or Left Winger in the world for quite a few seasons. He was talented enough to do anything but I think he never became the main man the team was built around in no small part because he to an extent sacrificed himself for the good of the team. He and Beckham in that 442 did a lot of defensive work, had he played more centally he would have been a much bigger attacking threat and influence on the team.

As you say in some of those big European nights he was given more licence to attack and less defensive responsibility. In those games even Europes top teams had to put 2 players on him to stop him at times.

 

[Fobal]

In their style of play. Both left footed playmakers playing on the right and similar dribbling style.

Obviously Messi vastly superior in most aspects (free kicks especially)

I don't see Salah similar to Messi.

In fact Messi had an aspect due to his extraordinary talent that was very diff from Salah and it's one of the best traits of the Egiptian: running into channels, into open spaces, that's one of the best characteristics from Salah that Messi rarely used and shows quite a different style and approach to the game.

If I think of players actually similar to Messi, or better said HIM similar to prior ones, I'll think of Zico primarly (he could have been his uncle, even physically regarding their looks), even Best, some Diego in him and to a less extent Johan.

 

[PhenomenalFooty101]

Closest player to Messi who isn’t Messi

A brilliant player but nowhere near Messi. His close control and technical ability cannot match Messi

 

[Brazilian_Ronaldo_9]

A brilliant player but nowhere near Messi. His close control and technical ability cannot match Messi

I don’t think he means he’s near the level of Messi. He means similar style of play and motions of dribbling. He was called the Egyptian Messi when coming through the ranks at youth level.