Flanagan is back

[refugee]

Jon Flanagan is back in Liverpool training, and Steven Gerrard is close to return, too

English stars close on injury returns…

He’s been out for so long, it’s easy to forget that young Jon Flanagan played such a reliable role in our title challenge last term, but the hardworking fullback is finally back in training…
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Liverpool transfer news
Liverpool Echo journalist James Pearce tweeted the news today, and also confirmed that captain Steven Gerrard is close to full fitness as well.

James Pearce @JamesPearceEcho · 4h4 hours ago
Jordon Ibe out for 3 to 4 weeks with LCL damage. But Jon Flanagan back in full training this week and Steven Gerrard close to comeback. #LFC

The 22-year-old hasn’t featured once this season due to an injury to his left knee, and the club has been extremely careful not to rush him back into action…
Flanagan played as a left-back for the majority of his games in 2013/14, but is naturally a right-back, and in our current formation – he’d be most suited to the right wing-back role – although he could potentially do a job as a the right-sided centre-back, too.
Flanagan is a local lad, works his socks off, and is techincal abiilty and decision making is actually quite underrated. It will be great to have him back, especially with the unfortunate news that Jordon Ibe will miss the next month.
- See more at: http://www.empireofthekop.com/anfie...-to-return-too/#sthash.YfsKTprr.Rnf2JaWW.dpuf

 

[Mystic]

Ibe's out, Flannagan's back, handy.

 

[MaBigTip]

Yay!!! Love the Flanno. Whats the chance we line up with Flanno - Skrtel - Can at some point?

 

[Fallon]

Good news. Based on what I saw last year I think he could slot into a wing-back position fairly well, he should be eased back though.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Hope he's able to make the bench for the Blackburn game.

 

[dmishra]

Wing-back? Really can't see him there. Does anyone think he can play in the back three?

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Wing-back? Really can't see him there. Does anyone think he can play in the back three?

A couple of guys mentioned this possibility a few days back - can't remember who though. I thought it was a good idea and worth considering, given his mobility and ability to defend wide, as well as his familiarity with holding defensive lines as a full back. He's not too short too, and his passing is actually rather underrated.

Count me in the "could be worth a shot in due course" camp.

 

[dmishra]

Yeah, I think it's worth giving him a go at that LCB position at some point.

 

[tombrown]

I think wing back will give him more boner opportunities, which is what we all crave, after all

 

[Dirkus_Circus]

I think wing back will give him more boner opportunities, which is what we all crave, after all

 

[rurikbird]

I think it's more likely Can will compete with Markovic at right wing-back (Rodgers tested him there a few times, including this Sunday) and Flanno will be an option at RCB (but behind a few others in the pecking order) or a defensive option at LWB (when Moreno needs subbing).

I also think Rodgers will try playing Gerrard at RCB very soon (again, with Can moving to RWB). I don't think Rodgers will want to touch the CM partnership of Hendo and Allen for now and Gerrard won't win the competition with Coutinho, Sterling and Lallana at AM on merit, so get ready for Rodgers to try to find a new place for Gerrard to play. Not sure the fans on SCM will love it, but I think that's what is likely to happen.

Within a couple of weeks I think our starting back 5 will be Can-Gerrard-Skrtel-Sakho-Moreno. Don't think it will constitute an improvement on anything (hard to improve on our recent defensive form anyway), but it shouldn't be a disaster either. A bit unfair to Can to shuffle him around like this with the way he's been performing, but that sort of thing happens in your first year in a new team.

 

[mom]

Gutted that Ibe is out. He was coming along and how. I expect him to be a regular starter next season.

 

[Markeh]

I wouldn't expect much from Flanagan this season although it wouldn't surprise me if he came back like he'd never been away either.

 

[refugee]

I wouldn't expect much from Flanagan this season although it wouldn't surprise me if he came back like he'd never been away either.

If he's a bit rusty and his timing is off, he may kill someone with one of his trademark tackles.

 

[Markeh]

If he's a bit rusty and his timing is off, he may kill someone with one of his trademark tackles.

Yea he can't get any of those wrong or he will be landmine Flanagan, destroyer of legs

 

[dantes]

Good, he should walk back into the team which is the one upside of our utter stupidity in signing Lovren.

 

[nealmac]

Except Lovern is a CB and Flanno is a FB.

 

[dantes]

What is Emre Can? Or Sterling? Or Markovic? Or Ibe? The upside of our manager is he coaches players on how to play, rather than rely on the player having grown up playing a position since childhood and sending them out with a couple of dumb cliches written on a whiteboard.

 

[StevieM]

I think it's more likely Can will compete with Markovic at right wing-back (Rodgers tested him there a few times, including this Sunday) and Flanno will be an option at RCB (but behind a few others in the pecking order) or a defensive option at LWB (when Moreno needs subbing).

I also think Rodgers will try playing Gerrard at RCB very soon (again, with Can moving to RWB). I don't think Rodgers will want to touch the CM partnership of Hendo and Allen for now and Gerrard won't win the competition with Coutinho, Sterling and Lallana at AM on merit, so get ready for Rodgers to try to find a new place for Gerrard to play. Not sure the fans on SCM will love it, but I think that's what is likely to happen.

Within a couple of weeks I think our starting back 5 will be Can-Gerrard-Skrtel-Sakho-Moreno. Don't think it will constitute an improvement on anything (hard to improve on our recent defensive form anyway), but it shouldn't be a disaster either. A bit unfair to Can to shuffle him around like this with the way he's been performing, but that sort of thing happens in your first year in a new team.

I disagree - I don't think we'll see Gerrard in the back line.

He'll slot in beside Henderson.

 

[MaBigTip]

I disagree - I don't think we'll see Gerrard in the back line.

He'll slot in beside Henderson.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Cannot see Flanno as a wing back at all.

More likely he will play on the left or right of a back 3.

 

[Frogfish]

Ibe's out, Flannagan's back, handy.

Why ? They don't play in the same position, Ibe is never a full back and Flanno never an attacking WB.

GlenJo / Flanno / Manquillo or Can / Toure when needs must, are the RBs.

 

[Frogfish]

Yay!!! Love the Flanno. Whats the chance we line up with Flanno - Skrtel - Can at some point?

Zero. he's not a CB and Can is only in there because Lovren has having such a torrid time. In some ways Flanno is in the same boat as Manquillo - they are not CBs and not WBs. Though I can see Flanno getting occasional time at either RWB or LWB when we need to be more defensive (e.g. like the Moreno for Toure switch at the weekend).

 

[Frogfish]

Yeah, I think it's worth giving him a go at that LCB position at some point.

Flanno is never going to take LCB from Sakho.

The problem for all our traditional FBs is the same; they are not WBs in any shape or form and will affect our attacking play if used as such. We've seen that exemplified by Manquillo who I thought started well at LFC but in actuality there is no longer a real place for him in the team.

 

[Frogfish]

What is Emre Can? Or Sterling? Or Markovic? Or Ibe? The upside of our manager is he coaches players on how to play, rather than rely on the player having grown up playing a position since childhood and sending them out with a couple of dumb cliches written on a whiteboard.

He's not going to coach them how to play in an unnatural position for the final 10-13 games of this season when we already have a set formation and the players to fill it. I imagine Flanno will get some bench time between now and the season's end and maybe an occasional 20 mins here or there.

The bigger Q is what happens in the Summer ?

Glenjo / Manquillo / Toure / Flanno are all either traditional FBs or out of contract. TBH if we are going to stick with this formation, and we should, then we should be looking at mobile CBs (bring back Ilori ?) rather than out and out FBs. Glenjo can go, keep Toure on another 1 yr deal, release Manquillo from his loan, keep Flanno for those times when we need more defensive solidity than attacking prowess. If we don't bring back Ilori then we'll need another mobile CB brought in.

 

[StevieM]

While I agree he's not primarily a WB - I think it's a bit premature to write off Manquillo - it's about whether he can improve the attacking side of his play.

He's 19, got pace and seems technically competent - theres nothing to suggest he isn't an option for when playing a someone like Markovic or Ibe isn't the best option.

I fancy those two aren't built for WB either.

 

[StevieM]

Also - don't forget - Wisdom will be back and us an option at right CB - which i think probably suits him.

 

[Mystic]

Why ? They don't play in the same position, Ibe is never a full back and Flanno never an attacking WB.

GlenJo / Flanno / Manquillo or Can / Toure when needs must, are the RBs.

Flannel could play there no problem in my book.

 

[Frogfish]

Flannel could play there no problem in my book.

Going forward has always been his weakness and he lacks pace - he is never a wingback !

 

[juniormember]

Also - don't forget - Wisdom will be back and us an option at right CB - which i think probably suits him.

Completely forgot about him.
Has he been playing well?