Mohamed Salah came under criticism once more after Liverpool’s dramatic win at Nottingham Forest, but the bigger story isn’t just his form. Liverpool’s forwards are suffering from poor service, and the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold has left a creative void that Arne Slot still hasn’t filled, even as February comes to a close.
Poor Service and Isolated Forwards
For large parts of the match, Salah and Cody Gakpo were starved of quality chances. The Reds’ build-up play relied too heavily on sideways and backward passes, preventing the attackers from getting into dangerous positions.
Without Trent’s precise balls from deep — the kind that created so many goals in previous seasons — Salah often found himself isolated, frustrated, and forced to generate chances on his own.
Ngumoha Shows the Difference
It took just 13 minutes for Rio Ngumoha to inject energy, directness, and urgency into Liverpool’s attack. His movement and willingness to run at defenders immediately highlighted what’s missing for the starters: service and support.
What This Means for Slot
Arne Slot now faces a dilemma:
Stick with the struggling forwards and hope they rediscover form Adjust his system to create better supply lines in the final third
One thing is clear: Liverpool can’t rely on late drama every week. We’re into the end of February, and the creative void left by Trent is still painfully evident. Their attacking department needs more than luck — it needs structure, creativity, and a plan.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
The Kopite View 
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