The impact of AFCON

FrankDrebin said:
Think it's still too early for him.
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Don't think we have a choice. We need a semi decent level of pace to stretch defences and Amorim likes those wide forward types in that role.

The other alternative is Bruno goes there and Kobbie comes in. We'll lose so much pace in attack though.
 
Very concerning.

Nothing I have seen from Dalot or Dorgu tells me teams are worried about them in the attacking phase of the game. So losing Amad is huge. Maz might cover for him against very dangerous teams like City because he's a better defender but Maz availability is always a concern and he doesn't offer that much more than Dalot going forward.

Losing Mbeumo is even more worrying.

For me, he's even more important than Cunha because of how willingly he defends the flanks during the counter attack. To replace him with a Zirkzee or Mainoo is a significant downgrade as both these players are poor at tracking back. And not as sharp attacking or scoring either.

I guess we will have to make do with a Cunha-Dorgu on the left flank and Mount-Dalot on the right for at least 6 games.

Or hope both Cameroon and Ivory Coast gets knocked out quickly (which is unlikely to happen).
 
We will be a worse side. No doubt. But we do still have options.

Dalot - Casemiro - Bruno - Dorgu
Cunha - Mount
Sesko
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Granted we have much less quality in the wide areas with this, but it's not a terrible team.
 
Glorio said:
Don't think we have a choice. We need a semi decent level of pace to stretch defences and Amorim likes those wide forward types in that role.

The other alternative is Bruno goes there and Kobbie comes in. We'll lose so much pace in attack though.
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I don't think it's a good idea to change Bruno's position from 8 to 10 this season. Better to push Kobbie upfront and give him a chance at his preferred 10 position alongside Cunha and Mount.

The last time Kobbie started a game as the 8 was against Grimsby and that didn't go well for us.
 
PowderKeg said:
Very concerning.

Nothing I have seen from Dalot or Dorgu tells me teams are worried about them in the attacking phase of the game. So losing Amad is huge. Maz might cover for him against very dangerous teams like City because he's a better defender but Maz availability is always a concern and he doesn't offer that much more than Dalot going forward.

Losing Mbeumo is even more worrying.

For me, he's even more important than Cunha because of how willingly he defends the flanks during the counter attack. To replace him with a Zirkzee or Mainoo is a significant downgrade as both these players are poor at tracking back. And not as sharp attacking or scoring either.

I guess we will have to make do with a Cunha-Dorgu on the left flank and Mount-Dalot on the right for at least 6 games.

Or hope both Cameroon and Ivory Coast gets knocked out quickly (which is unlikely to happen).
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Won't Mazaroui be going himself?
 
This is going to be a huge problem for us. Losing Mbeumo and Amad means losing the entire right side basically.
 
Dreading this although think we can get away with it.
Cunha and Bruno in the 10 and Sesko upfront or Cunha and Zirkzee should be enough. I actually think despite Mbuemo being our best player this season we will miss Amad more. We don’t have anyone at wingback that can attack in the same way
 
Adamsk7 said:
Dreading this although think we can get away with it.
Cunha and Bruno in the 10 and Sesko upfront or Cunha and Zirkzee should be enough. I actually think despite Mbuemo being our best player this season we will miss Amad more. We don’t have anyone at wingback that can attack in the same way
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Mount. Cunha and Mount.
 
I think we need to sign an attacking player in January regardless because I can't see Sesko scoring enough goals and with Mbuemo going it's going to be a real issue
 
It will put the breaks on the season a little and make it more of a battle for 6/7th finished instead of 4/5th.

Just need to get as many points as possible while Mbeumo and Amad are firing now.
 
I think people need to calm down a little.
 
AFCON impact is overblown in my opinion. Drogba, Mikel, Essien, Mane, Salah, Mahrez, Yaya Toure are just examples of some great PL players that were part of great PL teams and I don't ever remember thinking "Oh, x, y and z would have won the title that year if the AFCON wasn't on".
 
eire-red said:
AFCON impact is overblown in my opinion. Drogba, Mikel, Essien, Mane, Salah, Mahrez, Yaya Toure are just examples of some great PL players that were part of great PL teams and I don't ever remember thinking "Oh, x, y and z would have won the title that year if the AFCON wasn't on".
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Given how important Mbeumo and Amad are for us, I think it'll make a huge difference. Cunha has to be the guy that's running in behind and stretching the defence when Mbuemo is not around and that doesn't really suit his game. Mbeumo is also a hugely underrated aerial target. You just launch it and he will make a nuisance of himself against much bigger players.
 
Teja said:
Given how important Mbeumo and Amad are for us, I think it'll make a huge difference. Cunha has to be the guy that's running in behind and stretching the defence when Mbuemo is not around and that doesn't really suit his game. Mbeumo is also a hugely underrated aerial target. You just launch it and he will make a nuisance of himself against much bigger players.
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Yes but this is all part of football. Amad and Mbuemo could get injured next week. Cameroon might be knocked out early. So could Ivory Coast. Liverpool had two of their front 3 gone for each tournament.
 
eire-red said:
Yes but this is all part of football. Amad and Mbuemo could get injured next week. Cameroon might be knocked out early. So could Ivory Coast. Liverpool had two of their front 3 gone for each tournament.
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Amad has previous for injuries so its not unlikely.
 
They will miss 3 games over the xmas period and 3 games in january depending on how fr they go.

If they have to join the squads early they may miss 4.

The 3 games over xmas are Villa, Newcastle and Wolves.
After is Burnley, Leeds, Man City.
The game before the tournament starts is bournemouth.

I’m lazy to check which teams qualified
Villa lose guessand
Newcastle lose Wissa
Wolves have Munetsi, the rb and cb
Burnley have foster, meijbri

I’m tempted to say leaving early is beneficial as it takes semenyo and diaktete out of the bournemouth team. Maybe Kroupi? Not sure if he’s pledged for an african team.
 
It’s going to be a headache but the solution is playing Bruno as the right sided 10 and giving Mainoo minutes in central midfield. We should be just fine as long as Cunha and Sesko are fit.
 
I think Lacey will join the squad at this point. We don’t have like-for-like replacements for them, Mount/Bruno do not offer the same qualities of Mbeumo at all. Mazraoui will also be a big loss too.
 
Sign a midfielder in January and Bruno can fill in for Mbuemo.
 
I reckon he might stick Dorgu at RWB a couple of times to keep that quick left footed player on the right hand side. He played there in his very first game for us.

But there probably won't be one solution for all of the games as it's the Christmas break and the games come thick and fast.
 
PowderKeg said:
I don't think it's a good idea to change Bruno's position from 8 to 10 this season. Better to push Kobbie upfront and give him a chance at his preferred 10 position alongside Cunha and Mount.

The last time Kobbie started a game as the 8 was against Grimsby and that didn't go well for us.
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Grimsby didn't work well because we didn't match their intensity AND had nobody to play progressive passes. When Bruno moves into the 10 position, he could still do those passes since that we he has done no matter what his position is. Bruno is an AM that we have to play in midfield due to the lack of options and the relative strength in the AM positions. When that strength goes away, he should play in his natural position while Mainoo plays in his natural position. It won't be ideal - but it isn't ideal now so thats not a real factor. I guess when Mount is fit, he'll play next to Cunha anyways.
 
eire-red said:
AFCON impact is overblown in my opinion. Drogba, Mikel, Essien, Mane, Salah, Mahrez, Yaya Toure are just examples of some great PL players that were part of great PL teams and I don't ever remember thinking "Oh, x, y and z would have won the title that year if the AFCON wasn't on".
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No offence, but why the feck would a United fan care about any of those players being at Afcon? If anything, back then we'd be glad all of them were away and all we were only losing was Djemba-Djemba.

But this time we're losing our entire right flank. And our top goalscorer and match winner. So yeah...right now would be a good time to worry. These are critical first team players for us!

Carlsen19 said:
I think people need to calm down a little.
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You say that but if either Dorgu or Dalot are injured we're screwed at the very important wingback position.

OverratedOpinion said:
Won't Mazaroui be going himself?
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I forgot he plays for Morocco. So, another option on the right not available.

ColvaleGoa said:
I think Amorim will unleash Shea Lacey. Just wait and watch.. providing he stays fit.
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We still have Cunha, Mount, Mainoo, Bruno who can play the 10 -- so unless he can do the job of a wingback where would he slot in? Also is he really ready for the first team?

NZT-One said:
Grimsby didn't work well because we didn't match their intensity AND had nobody to play progressive passes. When Bruno moves into the 10 position, he could still do those passes since that we he has done no matter what his position is. Bruno is an AM that we have to play in midfield due to the lack of options and the relative strength in the AM positions. When that strength goes away, he should play in his natural position while Mainoo plays in his natural position. It won't be ideal - but it isn't ideal now so thats not a real factor. I guess when Mount is fit, he'll play next to Cunha anyways.
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Grimsby didn't work for many reasons. But that doesn't change my point that since Bruno has now played the 8 position for most of the season, we should keep him there. He's got a good partnership with Casemiro -- we should let it continue to develop. Mainoo is a better 10 than a 8 anyway.
 
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PowderKeg said:
Grimsby didn't work for many reasons. But that doesn't change my point that since Bruno has now played the 8 position for most of the season, we should keep him there. He's got a good partnership with Casemiro -- we should let it continue to develop.
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Yeah lets develop the 31 and the 33 year old instead of at least giving the 20 year old midfield talent time when two starters could be gone. Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that.
PowderKeg said:
Mainoo is a better 10 than a 8 anyway.
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Think thats a very exclusive opinion.
 
The nightmare scenario would be us challenging for the title when the time comes.

It's unlikely but you'll never know.
 
NZT-One said:
Yeah lets develop the 31 and the 33 year old instead of at least giving the 20 year old midfield talent time when two starters could be gone. Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that.
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Good! I'm quite comfortable having a diametrically opposing view from you when it comes to anything related to United football.

NZT-One said:
Think thats a very exclusive opinion.
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How do you know? You polled everyone about it?
 
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PowderKeg said:
No offence, but why the feck would a United fan care about any of those players being at Afcon? If anything, back then we'd be glad all of them were away and all we were only losing was Djemba-Djemba.

But this time we're losing our entire right flank. And our top goalscorer and match winner. So yeah...right now would be a good time to worry. These are critical first team players for us!
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I don't know whether we will have a good season or not, but I can guarantee it's not going to hinge on the 4 weeks we have some players gone to Afcon. Same goes for the long term with this team. That's the point I was making...

I'd rather Mbuemo and Amad weren't going to Afcon, and I'll miss watching the flair and energy they bring to the team, but that's part of football and people are talking like this is going to derail our season.
 
eire-red said:
I don't know whether we will have a good season or not, but I can guarantee it's not going to hinge on the 4 weeks we have some players gone to Afcon. Same goes for the long term with this team. That's the point I was making...

I'd rather Mbuemo and Amad weren't going to Afcon, and I'll miss watching the flair and energy they bring to the team, but that's part of football and people are talking like this is going to derail our season.
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I take your point. But 12 to 15 points is a lot. It could make the difference in deciding who plays in Europe next season...

And by their very definition -- football fan(atics) are typically irrational creatures who tend to worry about every little thing that can potentially hurt their teams' prospects.

They worry so much, many find themselves seeking communal spaces where they share their fears with others in a desperate attempt to find some solace.
 
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Giggsy13 said:
It’s going to be a headache but the solution is playing Bruno as the right sided 10 and giving Mainoo minutes in central midfield. We should be just fine as long as Cunha and Sesko are fit.
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And signing a CM and a RWB in January.
 
DeGea said:
This is going to be a huge problem for us. Losing Mbeumo and Amad means losing the entire right side basically.
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Yeah wish we could sign some cheap cover, there is no doubt momentum will take a hit without those two
 
DomesticTadpole said:
Which other teams are impacted and which players of theirs will be away?
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Some select teams from a BBC article:

Arsenal: No African players in current first-team squad
Chelsea: No African players in current first-team squad

Manchester City: Omar Marmoush (Egypt), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Algeria)
Liverpool: Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Newcastle: Yoane Wissa (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Tottenham: Yves Bissouma (Mali), Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal)

Crystal Palace: Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), Christantus Uche (Nigeria), Cheick Doucoure (Mali), Chadi Riad (Morocco)

Bournemouth: Amine Adli (Morocco)

Brighton: Carlos Baleba (Cameroon)

Everton: Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal), Idrissa Gueye (Senegal)

African players whose countries have not qualified for Afcon:
Antoine Semenyo (Ghana and Bournemouth),
Minteh (Gambia and Brighton),
Beto (Guinea-Bissau and Everton),
Mohammed Kudus (Ghana and Tottenham)

Manchester United: Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Bryan Mbuemo (Cameroon), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco),

Looking at the current top 10, we are clearly the most impacted. No impact for Arsenal and Chelsea. Virtually no impact to Spurs. Liverpool no Salah, although he has been shite. Only Nouri is a regular starter in Pep roulette. Sarr a big miss for Palace.

Everton are screwed too.
 
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