I don’t get it. I just don’t freakin’ get it. I understand why footballers take what they can get in terms of career advancement, and I understand that a footballer only has so many good years in his legs, but, for the life of me, I just cannot understand why a slightly underrated winger would ever choose to move to Chelsea Football Club in this day and age. Mohamed Salah. What have you done to yourself?
Chelsea became aware of Salah’s dynamism thanks to more than one loss at the hands of the Egyptian’s former team, FC Basel. Chelsea managers have had plenty of time to watch the winger flying up and down the flanks, tearing apart the Blues’ suspect defense. What’s a caretaker to do? Well, if you’re working at Stamford Bridge, you stick by that tried and true adage: If you can’t play your way to success, pay your way to success. In this case, they’re just paying for talent they don’t need.
Chelsea is in danger of becoming Real Madrid, minus Los Merengues’ history and prestige. They’re a team who spends big on a number of promising players, and then let’s them rot on the bench until their best years are far, far behind. Only a few players signed become mainstays in a team that values its old guard. No matter how much drama or intrigue Jose Mourinho brings with him to the bench, the team’s identity still largely relies on euro signs, and wasting young talent.
Salah joins a list of underutilized wing talent that includes names such as Thorgan Hazard, Christian Atsu, Lucas Piazon, Gael Kakuta, Victor Moses, and Andre Schurrle. All have been loaned out or riding the bench since their arrivals in London. First choice wingers Willian, Eden Hazard, and (until recently) Mata nailed down spots in the starting XI. In a team that doesn’t possess a great deal of character to begin with, and whose cast comes and goes, the opportunity for career advancement for a relatively unproven player like Salah is slim.
Much has been made about him replacing Juan Mata, whose move to Manchester United was recently confirmed. Both players possess pace and trickery and can be excellent creative outlets for their new clubs, but there’s one large difference: Manchester United actually is in desperate need of Mata, an excellent attacking midfielder. As the list above demonstrates… Chelsea doesn’t need another winger.
Salah would’ve been much better off at a club like Liverpool, who could’ve used a player with his skillset. Their best wingers consist of the young Raheem Sterling (who could use some rest) and the aforementioned Victor Moses (on loan from the Blues themselves). Salah would’ve been paid, he would’ve been appreciated, and he might’ve had a shot at rising up even further in the footballing world. Alas, he’s headed down a road that goes nowhere. Chelsea probably pays better than Liverpool, but it’s looking like this is a dead end.
