Just had a wee gander at the AFCON and how it'll affect Mane. Not looking forward to losing him at all.
Seems he's definitely missing the two league cup semis against Southampton, and away to Utd and home to Swansea in the league. maybe the newport/plymouth fa cup game.
Senegal are in a tough group with 3 of the top 5 ranked African teams (interesting factoid....no african team is ranked higher than Northern ireland in the world, GAWA ). So its Sengal, Tunisia, Algeria, Zimbabwe.
If Senegal are top 2, they go through for a match on the 28th, so that'll see him miss Chelsea too. Also, inbetween Southampton and Chelsea is the FA cup 4th round.
If they do get into the knockout phase, they will be up against a team from group A which, on paper looks quite weak.
Fifa rankings for those teams are:
Burkino Faso - 50
Cameroon - 65
Gunnea-Bisseau - 68
Gabon - 111
So getting out of the group looks tougher than the actual first knock out round. It seems reasonable that if Mane makes it through to the KO round, he could progress to the Semis.
That then brings us to February 1 and 2 and would ultimately rule him out of the Hull game on the 4th.
get to the final (senegal are 2nd favorites with the bookies) and that brings us to February 5th. A week away from Spurs.
Ugh.
Definitely missing
FA Cup
Southampton
Manu
Swansea
Southampton
Possoibly missing
Fa Cup 4th Rd
Chelsea
Hull.
Bugger.
Mane at the AFCON
posted on 22/12/16
Have to put Studge out there in Mane's position and hope his fast twitch muscles are in top condition.
posted on 22/12/16
comment by Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 7 minutes ago
Have to put Studge out there in Mane's position and hope his fast twitch muscles are in top condition.
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This seems the logical move but Sturridge isn't happy playing this role when he played for Chelsea. He prefers to to play down the middle and I'm not sure he would be willing to try it.
I appreciate that under Klopp the front three are fluid but if he plays there he would have to provide some defensive cover too, which I don't think he will do effectively enough.
Hopefully Klopp could get through to him if he thinks he can play there because it's a position he could be suited to in Mane's absence.
posted on 22/12/16
Would love to see Zaha play for Liverpool. It'd either be hilarious (with my United fan hat on) or really good (with my England hat on).
Agree with Neo about what Mane brings to Liverpool in the way of width and space for players in the middle. He's not an amazing player but you look better when he's in the team from what I've seen.
That said, Klopp has you scoring goals regardless so only time will tell how important he is.
posted on 22/12/16
It could also be hell if he were to succeed with us
Not gonna happen though.
posted on 22/12/16
comment by Pâî§Lë¥'š _P䆆ê®ÑëÐ_ÐrÊåm§ (U1541)
posted 4 hours, 53 minutes ago
comment by Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 7 minutes ago
Have to put Studge out there in Mane's position and hope his fast twitch muscles are in top condition.
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This seems the logical move but Sturridge isn't happy playing this role when he played for Chelsea. He prefers to to play down the middle and I'm not sure he would be willing to try it.
I appreciate that under Klopp the front three are fluid but if he plays there he would have to provide some defensive cover too, which I don't think he will do effectively enough.
Hopefully Klopp could get through to him if he thinks he can play there because it's a position he could be suited to in Mane's absence.
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Pretty much disagree with all of this. Of course he will be 'willing to try it'. The idea that a player under Klopp has any influence on where he plays is pretty preposterous. I'm sure he'll just be happy to start games. Whilst he may not be as effective as others in a defensive sense, I've seem enough previously to suggest that he's more than capable of playing this role, at least for a short amount of time.
Imo, this whole 'stroppy Sturridge' label is way overused. From what I've seen, I think he may well have accepted his reduced role. He looked genuinely happy at the end of the game on Monday, and obviously he'll be well aware that he's hardly in a position to be demanding playing time, with his injury time. That's the kind of thing that Klopp can impress on a player and get them to accept it.
posted on 22/12/16
Who would you sign to play up front for us while Mané is away realistically?
I'm trying to think who would be available and also fit into the attack when Mané is back.
posted on 22/12/16
Do we really need to sign someone 'to replace Mane' for a month though?
posted on 22/12/16
“Of course it is more difficult for me to play wide. I’m a centre-forward,” said Sturridge, who claimed that the thinking behind using him on the right at Burnley was not explained to him. “In the modern day game you have to try and be flexible but everyone knows my best position.
“Everyone knows where I enjoy playing the most. I’m a player who plays on instinct, and in the middle I have clarity on movements and things that I have been doing for years. I am on autopilot there. You just do things because you are used to doing it. But when you are out wide, you have got to worry about different things. It’s just a different way. The way you move, the way you play – it is all different. You can’t play the same as you do as a centre-forward.”
Asked whether he was happy playing out wide, Sturridge replied: “Well, I have to do a job for the team. That’s not saying I am happy to do it. That’s saying I have got to do a job for the team. It’s a team game. If I am put in that position, I have to play there.”
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This is what Sturridge said when Klopp played him from the right in the defeat to Burnley.
I'm a fan of Sturridge and disagree with those who want him pushed out the door. However, it's pretty obvious he hates playing as a wing forward. He cited it as one of the main reasons he left Chelsea.
posted on 22/12/16
I find Sturridges obsession with being centre forward a bit out of touch with the modern game.
Wide forwards are so flexible these days, Mane finds himself in the middle constantly.
Sturridges quotes there just sound like he can't really be bothered to learn the movements required for the position. He's basically learned how to be a striker at 15 and only wants to do that.
He's a funny facker.
posted on 22/12/16
comment by selbstgerechtein (U7048)
posted 2 hours, 46 minutes ago
I find Sturridges obsession with being centre forward a bit out of touch with the modern game.
Wide forwards are so flexible these days, Mane finds himself in the middle constantly.
Sturridges quotes there just sound like he can't really be bothered to learn the movements required for the position. He's basically learned how to be a striker at 15 and only wants to do that.
He's a funny facker.
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What annoys me is when he played for Chelsea from the right, initially he proved he did have the movement to play the position . I remember a period when people were raving about his out to in movement, pulling fullbacks out of position and finding space.
It's pretty clear he doesn't fancy it though, which is a mentality I find strange.
He's the obvious replacement for Mane's position, but given his thoughts, I wouldn't be too surprised if we splash out on another wide forward in January.