Upcoming AFCON issues

[Mors]

So it looks like we're going to be without Salah and Mane at the end of the year (and for a lesser effect, Keita), which leaves us right in the shit.
I know we've joked in the past about selling one of them, but should we consider it due to this bullshit cup? We're likely to lose them both for a month, and they score the majority of our goals.
Currently, if we lost them both for this month, we'd have to play a front 3 of something like Origi, Bobby, Ox - which is bollocks.
I don't think we're in a position where we can write of scoring any goals for a whole month of the season because a couple of players have to go and play in this europa league level cup.

IF we were to bring in cover, proper cover, a player on par with them, and spend big bucks, they are not going to want to sit on the bench, so it's not really cover is it - it's a replacement. We can't go out and spend say 80mill on a player and say 'you're sitting on the bench apart from the odd 10mins here and there and until they fuck off on this cup'. Not going to work.

Wouldn't be so bad if it was a week or couple of weeks at the very very most, considering it's both. But you can guarantee they'll both get to the later stages.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51126649

 

[Peatcheo]

It just highlights the importance of bringing in either Sancho or Werner this summer.

We have to buy someone who is world class, or has the potential to be.

 

[hmmmmm1]

Or don't sign any more African player if they are going to be unavailable every 2 years in the middle of the season

 

[manwithnoname]

Or don't sign any more African player if they are going to be unavailable every 2 years in the middle of the season

I don't think anyone would have said that after we signed Mane and Salah, so it's a bit silly to say it now, because without those two, we wouldn't have won the CL and wouldn't be top of the table.

 

[hmmmmm1]

I don't think anyone would have said that after we signed Mane and Salah, so it's a bit silly to say it now, because without those two, we wouldn't have won the CL and wouldn't be top of the table.

We got lucky the last afcon was in the summer. Its back to the middle of the season now so i wouldn't want any more key players out

 

[manwithnoname]

We got lucky the last afcon was in the summer. Its back to the middle of the season now so i wouldn't want any more key players out

Neither would I, and of course it's a factor worth considering in our transfer strategy, but it's only ONE factor

 

[hmmmmm1]

Neither would I, and of course it's a factor worth considering in our transfer strategy, but it's only ONE factor

Its a pretty big factor. our 2 main forwards, core players, unavailable at a crucial time of the year

 

[manwithnoname]

Its a pretty big factor. our 2 main forwards, core players, unavailable at a crucial time of the year

I've invented a time machine, would you go back and say we shouldn't buy them?

 

[hmmmmm1]

I've invented a time machine, would you go back and say we shouldn't buy them?

2 are enough.

 

[Fabio]

Bloody africans, coming over here, helping us win champions leagues and potential premier leagues

 

[Woland]

If Afcon gave a shit about their players they'd have this off season. Teams will defo factor it into their recruitment

 

[Brizzle]

In a way it is a good thing because it means we need to add another attacker to the mix. You could also argue that they might actually play less games than most PL players during that period and come back fresher in Jan onwards. Obviously it would be ideal not to lose them at all though

 

[hmmmmm1]

Matip made the smart move retiring

 

[Hyena]

It's only detrimental if your players (a) qualify; and (b) survive the group stage; or (c) get injured.

We just have to pray the rest of Team Egypt suddenly become shit.

 

[bluebell]

Qatar like fucking things up, don't they? A country size half the size of Wales carries greater influence than Austria in every respect

 

[Modo]

I raised this worry when both Mané and Salah signed, but I don't consider it a problem anymore.
Chelsea made it without Drogba, Kalou, Obi Mikel etc.
We can do it to, just need decent backup for next season. So, sign a top class wing-forward and problem solved.

 

[binomial]

It's only detrimental if your players (a) qualify; and (b) survive the group stage; or (c) get injured.

We just have to pray the rest of Team Egypt suddenly become shit.

They lost to South Africa last summer, surely they already are shit?

 

[King Binny]

The front trio are all 28-29 this year, we ought to be looking at options over the next couple of transfer window irregardless.

 

[Mors]

I raised this worry when both Mané and Salah signed, but I don't consider it a problem anymore.
Chelsea made it without Drogba, Kalou, Obi Mikel etc.
We can do it to, just need decent backup for next season. So, sign a top class wing-forward and problem solved.

Decent cover, at the level of the first team, is not going to come and sit on the bench. Only option would be someone like Origi's level which isn't good enough to provide all the goals if the main 2 are missing for 4-6wks. How many goals do those pair score per month on average, you've got to put those goals elsewhere.

 

[manwithnoname]

Decent cover, at the level of the first team, is not going to come and sit on the bench. Only option would be someone like Origi's level which isn't good enough to provide all the goals if the main 2 are missing for 4-6wks. How many goals do those pair score per month on average, you've got to put those goals elsewhere.

No, we buy players good enough to TAKE the place of current first team players. That's the whole point.

 

[Modo]

Decent cover, at the level of the first team, is not going to come and sit on the bench. Only option would be someone like Origi's level which isn't good enough to provide all the goals if the main 2 are missing for 4-6wks. How many goals do those pair score per month on average, you've got to put those goals elsewhere.

So Mahrez and Sane aren't on City's bench?

 

[Mors]

So Mahrez and Sane aren't on City's bench?

Sane wants out as he's not happy getting 10mins because of how good he is. As for Mahrez, I wouldn't class him as cover, he played about 40 odd games last year and plenty this season.

 

[Modo]

Sane wants out as he's not happy getting 10mins because of how good he is. As for Mahrez, I wouldn't class him as cover, he played about 40 odd games last year and plenty this season.

OK, call it whatever you want, I want a Mahrez type player on our bench, savvy?

 

[Mors]

No, we buy players good enough to TAKE the place of current first team players. That's the whole point.

That's great in theory isn't it, but it's not going to happen in reality. The club aren't go out and buy players at the level of Salah and Mane only for them to be on the bench. Players around the level of those 2 are going to cost stupid money, and aren't going to come unless they think they're going to be playing.

We're in a bit of a pickle. The easiest one to buy a replacement for is Bobby I think, although he's a grafter, his market value is the lowest of all 3, and the one we'd accept most being benched. I just can't see us being able to buy players to replace those 2 when they fuck off to afcon for a month, with players that can play at near the level of those 2, straight off, after being on the bench all season.

 

[Mors]

OK, call it whatever you want, I want a Mahrez type player on our bench, savvy?

You should propose to the club we buy Mbappe or something and whack him on the bench, he'd be a suitable replacement for Salah and Mane, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Or maybe Kane when he's back fit, get him for the bench.

 

[manwithnoname]

That's great in theory isn't it, but it's not going to happen in reality. The club aren't go out and buy players at the level of Salah and Mane only for them to be on the bench. Players around the level of those 2 are going to cost stupid money, and aren't going to come unless they think they're going to be playing.

We're in a bit of a pickle. The easiest one to buy a replacement for is Bobby I think, although he's a grafter, his market value is the lowest of all 3, and the one we'd accept most being benched. I just can't see us being able to buy players to replace those 2 when they fuck off to afcon for a month, with players that can play at near the level of those 2, straight off, after being on the bench all season.

We paid £38m for Salah and £32m for Mane.

Are you saying it's impossible that we can find players good enough without spending £150m on them?
Or that we shouldn't ever try and refresh our team and improve the squad?
Or that no player would ever bother joining us because they don't think they're good enough to play and would demand to start?

 

[Modo]

You should propose to the club we buy Mbappe or something and whack him on the bench, he'd be a suitable replacement for Salah and Mane, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Or maybe Kane when he's back fit, get him for the bench.

Thing is Mane and Salah weren't fucking world beaters when we bought them. Like for like players isn't what I'm talking about.

 

[manwithnoname]

Thing is Mane and Salah weren't fucking world beaters when we bought them. Like for like players isn't what I'm talking about.

It's Mors. Type more slowly.

 

[Mors]

I'm honestly not sure who would bring in that could cover for them, at their level, for a month, after sitting on their arses all season. Who is there? That's not stupid money, that's at their level, that can just waltz into a team after being on the bench?

I know it's not what we would want to do, but does the afcon force our hand into selling one of them, and then bringing in a very expensive replacement who will play every week, that wont be fucking off to go play in this stupid cup?

 

[Mors]

Fuck me, Brendon now teaming up with Modo, but Modo being his lead and Brendon just clinging to his nuts as he knows fuck all about any players outside of our team.

Brendon, you are not grasping how difficult it is to replace those 2.

@Modo I know what you're saying about those pair not being world beaters when they came in, BUT, they pretty much went straight into being full time members of the first team and that makes a massive difference. Shaq, Ox, Lallana, Origi etc have not had a run in the first team, and do not look like holding it up if we lose them 2.
Any players that we need to prop the team up when they go for 2 months, aren't going to be able to do it after playing 10mins a week.

Klopp has repeatedly talked about players having to 'find their rhythm', and you just can't get the rhythm of an elite footballer after spending all your time on the bench.