AFCON being moved back to January

[coolhandfox]

13 minutes ago, urban.spaceman said:

We'd lose Wilf, Nacho, Amartey and Mendy. Sowah too if he's called up. 

 

Zambia didn't qualify luckily. 

Liverpool lose Salah and Mane that's going to hit them hard. 

 

 

[StanSP]

4 minutes ago, urban.spaceman said:

We'd lose Wilf, Nacho, Amartey and Mendy. Sowah too if he's called up. 

Yep. 

 

Will miss games against Burnley and Brighton in the league. Potential Liverpool in league on 9th Feb too depending who gets to the final. 

 

And any FA Cup ties, as well as League Cup ties should we qualify that far. 

 

Liverpool - Salah, Mane, Keita

Man City lose Mahrez

West Ham - Benrahma

Watford - Sarr

Villa - Trezeguet

Man Utd - Bailly 

Wolves - Boly, Traore

Arsenal - Aubameyang, Elneny, Partey, 

Chelsea - Ziyech, Mendy

Brighton - Bissouma

Everton - Doucoure

Spurs - Aurier

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Yep. 

 

Will miss games against Burnley and Brighton in the league. Potential Liverpool in league on 9th Feb too depending who gets to the final. 

 

And any FA Cup ties, as well as League Cup ties should we qualify that far. 

 

Liverpool - Salah, Mane, Keita

Man City lose Mahrez

West Ham - Benrahma

Watford - Sarr

Villa - Trezeguet

Man Utd - Bailly 

Wolves - Boly, Traore

Arsenal - Aubameyang, Elneny, Partey, 

Chelsea - Ziyech, Mendy

Brighton - Bissouma

Everton - Doucoure

Spurs - Aurier

Traore plays for Spain these days doesn't he? Aside from that, some big misses for a few teams.

[Neutral]

34 minutes ago, UniFox21 said:

Never fully understood why they'd schedule this during the European season when their top players are all at big European clubs. 

It has been every two years at this time since the 60's, well before African players were a consideration for European clubs, and tbf the change was made recently to a tournament in the European summer, 2019 was held in June/July like a the WC/Euros. So, accommodations are being made, but the climate is an issue, really. June/July is the hottest time of year in the desert countries of Northern Africa; it was incredibly hot in Egypt 2019, which lowered the quality of play, imo, and was a big reason for some of the empty stadiums. It is the rainy/flood season through large swaths of sub-Saharan Africa; Cameroon 2021 was moved to winter because CAF does not believe that the tournament can successfully be hosted through the rains, especially with the poor facilities in that country. It is even quite cold in parts of South Africa at that time, as anyone who went to 2010 World Cup would know. CIV 2023 is meant to be in June/July again. 

 

The issue is complicated. CAF is incompetent and greedy, which is reflected in a lot of their decisions, but there are legitimate issues to be had on both the side of African federations and European clubs, with players who want to perform for their clubs and represent their country sort of pulled in between.

 

Should be a good tournament though. I'm optimistic for Nigeria (We've made the semi finals in 15 of last 17 tournaments we've participated in and crashed out of the group stage once in that time to give context for those hoping for an early return for your boys), but Mahrez and Algeria are probably favourites until shown otherwise.

Edited 17 August 2021 by Neutral

[StanSP]

16 minutes ago, Guest said:

Traore plays for Spain these days doesn't he? Aside from that, some big misses for a few teams.

Is he?! I wasn't sure that had gone through and thought he was still eligible for either. 

[Filbert_Ross]

3 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Is he?! I wasn't sure that had gone through and thought he was still eligible for either. 

He's played for Spain in a Nations League game. 

[Guest Electric Yetis]

Just now, Filbert_Ross said:

He's played for Spain in a Nations League game. 

Also made an appearance in the Euro's

[Dan]

Are they still doing that thing with our fixtures in winter where one weekend is split, so we don't actually know who plays when?

 

That could lead to an argument or two based on this.

[KrefelderFox666]

3 minutes ago, Dan LCFC said:

Are they still doing that thing with our fixtures in winter where one weekend is split, so we don't actually know who plays when?

 

That could lead to an argument or two based on this.

You mean the "winter break". I think that has gone after one outing.

[Spudulike]

54 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Liverpool lose Salah and Mane that's going to hit them hard. 

 

 

And they'll be making absolutely sure that we all know about how hard it is for them. It means more. 

[Dan]

4 minutes ago, KrefelderFox666 said:

You mean the "winter break". I think that has gone after one outing.

Yeah, was a weird format, seemed a bit pointless in all honesty while they still cram a load of games in over Christmas.

[oxford blue]

2 hours ago, StanSP said:

Yep. 

 

Will miss games against Burnley and Brighton in the league. Potential Liverpool in league on 9th Feb too depending who gets to the final. 

 

And any FA Cup ties, as well as League Cup ties should we qualify that far. 

 

Liverpool - Salah, Mane, Keita

Man City lose Mahrez

West Ham - Benrahma

Watford - Sarr

Villa - Trezeguet

Man Utd - Bailly 

Wolves - Boly, Traore

Arsenal - Aubameyang, Elneny, Partey, 

Chelsea - Ziyech, Mendy

Brighton - Bissouma

Everton - Doucoure

Spurs - Aurier

Watford could lose up to 7 players from their squad; their absence may be difference between survival & relegation. Does not seem to be best recruitment policy...

[adejo92]

Last thing we need is another key player like Soyunchu picking up an injury in this!

[Filbert_Ross]

13 minutes ago, adejo92 said:

Last thing we need is another key player like Soyunchu picking up an injury in this!

🤔

[when_you're_smiling]

1 hour ago, adejo92 said:

Last thing we need is another key player like Soyunchu picking up an injury in this!

Nigeria haven’t qualified….or something along those lines. Whatever, he’ll be ok.

Edited 17 August 2021 by when_you're_smiling

[LaCiudad]

4 hours ago, adejo92 said:

Last thing we need is another key player like Soyunchu picking up an injury in this!

Eh?

[The whole world smiles]

5 hours ago, adejo92 said:

Last thing we need is another key player like Soyunchu picking up an injury in this!

 

[NaijaFox]

8 hours ago, peach0000 said:

I imagine it has a lot to do with heat especially in North Africa. Obviously less of an issue if held towards the equator or make problems worse when held in Southern Africa. I do think though it’s wrong to criticise other continents for not conforming to the European schedule. 

Towards the equator and most of sub-Saharan Africa, you face issues of monsoon-type tropical rainstorms and lightening strikes, as our summer months is the rainy season there.

[StanSP]

Nigeria and Egypt drawn in the same group. 

 

Algeria and Ivory Coast. 

 

 

[st albans fox]

7 hours ago, The whole world smiles said:

 

It could have been an attempt at an AFCON joke ……… we do that more than we should on FT

[CosbehFox]

15 hours ago, Dan LCFC said:

Are they still doing that thing with our fixtures in winter where one weekend is split, so we don't actually know who plays when?

 

That could lead to an argument or two based on this.

No instead they are having a week off with no one playing, like a traditional international break 

[majaco]

17 hours ago, StanSP said:

Yep. 

 

Will miss games against Burnley and Brighton in the league. Potential Liverpool in league on 9th Feb too depending who gets to the final. 

 

And any FA Cup ties, as well as League Cup ties should we qualify that far. 

 

Liverpool - Salah, Mane, Keita

Man City lose Mahrez

West Ham - Benrahma

Watford - Sarr

Villa - Trezeguet

Man Utd - Bailly 

Wolves - Boly, Traore

Arsenal - Aubameyang, Elneny, Partey, 

Chelsea - Ziyech, Mendy

Brighton - Bissouma

Everton - Doucoure

Spurs - Aurier

Spain didn't qualify

[peach0000]

2 hours ago, st albans fox said:

It could have been an attempt at an AFCON joke ……… we do that more than we should on FT

I think it was just worded badly. Soyuncu got injured on international duty last season so I think they were saying in a really clumsy way they hope that doesn’t happen to one of the AFCON lot.

[StanSP]

3 hours ago, majaco said:

Spain didn't qualify

Why not? Qatar have played in the Copa America and Gold Cup! 

[adejo92]

2 hours ago, peach0000 said:

I think it was just worded badly. Soyuncu got injured on international duty last season so I think they were saying in a really clumsy way they hope that doesn’t happen to one of the AFCON lot.

 

5 hours ago, st albans fox said:

It could have been an attempt at an AFCON joke ……… we do that more than we should on FT

 

13 hours ago, The whole world smiles said:

 

 

17 hours ago, when_you're_smiling said:

Nigeria haven’t qualified….or something along those lines. Whatever, he’ll be ok.

My humor might be that poor, but my geography isn't!

 

Probably wasn't worded the best but yes, it was in reference to Soyuncu picking up an injury on international duty that subsequently caused him to miss a number of games during an important period for us. I don't mind the tournament itself, but why play it during the domestic club season where a single injury can have a massive effect on a clubs whole season?

 

If some one like Ndidi was to get a similar injury, and is ruled out for 3 or so months like Soyuncu, again it is a massive disadvantage for us at an important time of the season.

 

I know we aren't the only team with this issue, but still.