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This season so far, Antoine Semenyo has drawn widespread praise for his performances. He is a good player, clearly, and Liverpool has been linked with a move for him for a reason.
But there is an interesting comparison to be made with Mohamed Salah, a man who has been criticized just as much in almost all quarters. The Liverpool ace has the same number of assists in all competitions, and he has scored just one goal fewer.
Semenyo has played a couple of hundred fewer minutes, sure, but he hasn't faced Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. He has also been playing in a Bournemouth attacking unit that has functioned much more smoothly.
That is not to say that Semenyo is a bad player — nor, wherever he moves when he leaves Bournemouth, that he won't go on to have an excellent career at a Champions League club — but there is context.
There is also a reason that taking Salah out of the team is not simply the answer for Arne Slot as he attempts to get his Liverpool side back on track again.
After wins against Aston Villa and Real Madrid, when Salah looked much improved in his overall performance level, he and the team toiled against Manchester City.
But an easier run of fixtures is coming up, at least on paper, and his numbers should head in the right direction. Salah, Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and co should be looking at the next run of matches and relishing the chance to see more of the ball.
Chances should be more readily available, and if Liverpool can avoid going behind every game, giving itself a more solid base to build on than has been the case at times this season, the attackers should start to show what they are really capable of.
Of course, before Christmas arrives, Salah will be heading off to AFCON. The exact number of games that he will miss is yet to be determined, but it could be as many as 10.
But before that, he has the chance to start to show some better form again, in fixtures that should be conducive to just that.
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This week, Salah will have an extra rest ahead of facing Nottingham Forest at the weekend. He won't be playing in Egypt's second game of the international break, against Cape Verde.
And when he returns, Salah will face a defining period this season. Liverpool has an easier run until he departs again to play for his country, and what happens during it will determine what happens when he comes back.
If Slot's men can string together a series of victories — something that, looking at the schedule, they should be capable of — then Salah is likely to return to form. Plugging him into a confident Liverpool team will flip the narrative.
A few wins, and Liverpool's position back behind Arsenal and Manchester City, but safely in the Champions League spots, should be confirmed. The time to worry is not now, but if the Reds are still eighth — with their star man still struggling — by the time Salah jets off to Morocco.
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