This Weekend’s Other Games 27/11/21

[reddownunder]

WHICH GAMES WILL LIVERPOOL STARS MISS?

Liverpool fans would have already been studying when the AFCON gets underway in early 2022, with the opening game of the competition taking place on January 9th. The final is set for February 6th, which could mean that Mane and Salah could be absent until at least the following week if they reach the final with their respective nations. Both stars are also likely to head to the competition in Cameroon early in the new year, which means that they could be missing from New Year’s Day onwards.

The last game that Liverpool’s African contingent could play may come at the King Power Stadium against Leicester City on December 28th. They will almost certainly miss the Chelsea fixture at Stamford Bridge on January 2nd, and will definitely be absent for a run of games for the Reds in the league against Brentford, Crystal Palace and Leicester City.

It’s unlikely that they would be rushed back into the team for the game against Burnley at Turf Moor on February 12th, as it comes just six days after the AFCON final. The stars will also miss the third round of the FA Cup, and potentially the fourth round at the end of January depending on whether their national sides are still in contention.

https://anfieldindex.com/50449/how-will-liverpool-cope-with-the-upcoming-afcon.html

Oh right thanks for the clarification. That's a real kick in the balls for the Chelsea game which could be title deciding come the end of the season

[Insidious]

Oh right thanks for the clarification. That's a real kick in the balls for the Chelsea game which could be title deciding come the end of the season

I'd honestly very much like to hope that games against Chelsea and Man City aren't title deciders and am cautiously optimistic about them.

We've played both already and drawn each game. So for each respective team we can "only" take 3 points away of the available 72 points that are now left up for grabs for each side that's played 14 matches already - which applies to us, Chelsea and Man City.

It goes without saying that wins/draws are preferable in those "six-pointers" but we really should just aim to be better than them in the 66/72 points available against the non-rival sides over anything else. 3 points is 3 points is 3 points - Chelsea could falter against West Ham or Man City could falter against Watford - just make damn sure we beat Wolves, then go again.

[CCTV]

Those running African Football are not doing it’s players any favours that’s a fact.

It's a joke the whole calendar now. World Cup running from Novemeber.

They'll have to find some means of fixing it. Might upset the traditions but I think it would work best to host the gorupstages and knockout stages as different events.

Four 3 week periods to play 3-4 internstional games a window. 12 games max a year for international sides.
October, January, April, July.

You have groupstages of euros in April break, acon in October. Then their knockout stages in July and January respectively.

If the world Cup is scheduled along Euros or Acon Calendar, run the world Cup the same.
For European club based players this would mean an Acon finals or Qatar wc ending and players getting straight back into the club calendar.
Same thing might happen to Southern hemisphere scheduled leagues when the WC is in the Northern hemisphere.

Knock off 12 weeks for international, a game a mo to for the year. Knock off another 4 for holidays and you have 36 weeks remaining. Smart scheduling and you can find another week off somewhere in the calendar, maybe after the January break.

Going forward the new CL format will see sides guaranteed 10 games in groups and upto 19 games in total to win the CL.
The esl format would have seen more guaranteed games, sounder financing. And less knockout stages games, less inequality.
18 games guaranteed and upto 25 to win the CL.
More often than not the CL winners you'd expect not be playing the extra knockout stages so you'd be looking at 17 games to win the New CL format. Whereas 23 for the ESL.
The ESL would generate a lot more money.

You'd have the season based around quarters of the season, with 3 international breaks splitting it up and the 4th occurring when the club season is done.

[CCTV]

The domestic cups could run during international windows and get revamped to reduce the number of games CL&EL sides have to play. Leave the non-european pl football sides in as it stands.