9 games in 31 days ... a game every 3 days or so ...
December games
- Thread starter LeTallecWiz
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Great to be able to watch the team every 3 days but a killer for our title hopes.
Squad can cope with it. Injuries galore.
Squad can cope with it. Injuries galore.
They’re all shite and there’s a shite cup game in there too.
If you ignore the Milan game and Leicester in the cup where we will be heavily rotating ist actually not a bad run of fixtures. Spurs away will be tough but the others are not games you would be dreading. Certainly nobody in that list who has a deeper squad than us or in better form.
Elliott is probably targeting that Leicester cup game for his return. We should be OK without him in December, but we desperately need him back and firing in January during the AFCON.
EDIT: I say "desperately" because while Minamino, Origi, Jota can all put the ball in the net, they need creators and ball carriers around them and outside of Salah and Mane, Elliott is probably the best one we have. Our AFCON-adjusted front 4 should be:
Origi/Taki---Firmino----------Jota
-----------------------Elliott----------
I think this can work well if the central midfield stays strong and stable in the meanwhile.
EDIT: I say "desperately" because while Minamino, Origi, Jota can all put the ball in the net, they need creators and ball carriers around them and outside of Salah and Mane, Elliott is probably the best one we have. Our AFCON-adjusted front 4 should be:
Origi/Taki---Firmino----------Jota
-----------------------Elliott----------
I think this can work well if the central midfield stays strong and stable in the meanwhile.
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I'm a little bit concerned about the first 3 EPL games on this list. Obviously derby is a derby, on form we should beat them, but it won't be easy and hopefully no new injuries. Then away at Wolves who are just a good team, well coached and with quality attacking players – Klopp will have to rotate somewhat and it would be easy to lose points there if we're not quite on our game. And finally Villa at home will be the toughest of the 3, I think – you can bet Stevie will get them fired up and organized and he will do everything to prove a point in his return to Anfield as manager. 7 points out of those 3 games would be a positive result, I think, 9 would be overachieving.
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That really is thick and fast. That's a nasty turnaround to finish the run with tired legs-- home on the Sunday to Leeds and away on the Tuesday to Leicester. One recovery day.
Depending on how the injury list looks, we could field a decent side to help players get back up to speed.
We all want Elliot back available as soon as possible, but this is seriously over stating his importance. Hes 18, has no goals or assists in the PL, and he's only made a handful of starts. I hope he comes back and lives up to his potential over the coming years but to suggests he's one of the key attacking players in this squad is either massively over hyping his or seriously underestimating some of our other players.
I don't see him being back this side of New years, the Leicester game is 3 weeks away and he's hasn't even resumed full contact training. Klopp has been unequivocal that he won't be rushing Harvey back.
Great news indeed.
We desperately need those two for the Chavs game.
That's assuming they go out first round though doesn't it?
No, the final is on the 6th of Feb. Palace is on the 23rd of Jan, next league game is 9th of Feb - Leicester.
You're right that it sounds like hyperbole for someone so young who only started 3 games this season, but without Salah, Mane and Keita, he is probably the only remaining player with the skillset that can keep our attack functioning anywhere close to normally. It's not so much about scoring or assisting directly; Elliott is kind of a Lallana type, someone who helps to glue the attacking game together and also works hard without the ball. To expand on what I said, the likes of Minamino or Origi are more finishers than creators, Firmino can pass and make decoy runs, but not carry the ball and while Jota is the closest we have to the skillset of Salah and Mane, his best work is definitely inside the box.
The thing we will immediately lose without Salah and Mane is the ability to progress the ball down the flank and then lay it off to a teammate in a timely manner (instead of running into cul-de-sacs like Ox or Origi often do) and without this happening consistently, the likes of Minamino and Jota will be starved of service and chances, forced to drop deeper to try to create something themselves and the whole attack will quickly become unbalanced and ineffective. So yes, I think Elliott will have to play a key role in those games if he manages to return to form and fitness in time.
He’s going to win more balloon doors than Messi. He’s the chosen one.
I think we will lose a fair bit of ground over the next month or so with all those fixtures.
Same.
I was saying this was a good possibility whilst some were wringing their hands crying woe is nigh we're losing them for five games. Sigh
Good result if that's how it works out.
Keita will miss Everton, Newcastle, Leeds, Leicester, Man City, Man U, Chelsea etc cos he’s a fucking sick note.
Squad rotation / selection will be key, as will winning games early when we dominate. Nice timing for Milner to be returning to add some more depth. We really shouldn't be sending anyone of note to Italy for the Milan game. That could be make or break.
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