Agree that our forwards, Mane especially, protected our midfield to an extent we’re only fully recognising now. But Fab had plenty of good games last season too, and we were all freaking out that he wouldn’t be fit for CL final
He has been unplayable since the start of the season. And I wouldn’t describe him as a great athlete even when he was at his best.
What’s his family situation?
Birth of his son which may have had an impact on his form.
I can only speak for myself.
I thought his midfield play last year was poor in too many games but was somewhat masked by goals. Not revisionism from me, I said plenty at the time.
I’m a bit shocked at just how bad he’s been but I’m not surprised he’s declined, the signs were there.
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Why?
For some people the birth of a child can have a major impact on their work and family life,we don’t know unless Fab posts on here or replies to the incessant Tweets asking him WTF is happening.
I think his form has dropped massively due to the fatigue many in the squad are suffering after last season.
His form dropped well before the baby did.
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When his wife went full right wing Tory on twitter tbh…
I don’t think it goes much further than we’ve run him into the ground. Similar to Jordan.
Which is why I don’t think we can sell him. I don’t understand why we can see his legs have gone as clear as day, and we think no-one else can see this.
Paisley’s maxim of let their legs go on someone else’s pitch was possible in the seventies and eighties. Analytics and data were non-existent. Bob could look at a player, see him starting to decline and get shut, knowing that a scout wouldn’t only have an eye test off a handful of games to make that assessment.
Today there is no aspect of a player’s performance is not known to even lesser clubs. Even fans can get hold of a wealth of data.
The only players in the squad I think we could sell now, knowing they are probably past their peak and could command a fee, are Virgil Van Dijk, Alisson Becker, and Mo Salah. We would have to sell them knowing they would probably give a team a couple of years of good performances. All the other older lads - Hendo, Matip, Fab, Firmino, Thiago - are now too old to move on for a fee that can be reinvested.
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He’s been poorer longer than the start of this, in fact I’d say his last excellent spell was when he was moved back to CM during that run that got us CL. He excelled at a tough period for us and though has been ok since he has struggled at times.
Problem is that all those older lads are taking up places in the squad. Love Hendo but he’s been woeful and the wrong age to expect any significant improvement. Fab’s only 29! Has time to turn it around.
Re Mo and Virg, would be gutted but I see your point in cashing in. Alisson, no fucking way should we be selling our best player!
Everyone is allowed a period of bad form. However, the longer it goes on, the more it can be asked if that is the new level of the player.
Fabinho is in that territory for me.
Is he going to get back to his best? Or is this his level now?
If we were to sell him it would be for a modest fee. I would do it if we have some investment coming into the team. If not, I would hold on to him, in the hope that better is to come.
It frustrates me to watch rival teams act decisively, when we appear to be dithering over fixing the glaring issues in our midfield.
bingo. These are people with real problems off the pitch, and not matter how good they are as footballers it doesn’t make you any more able to deal with REAL problems. Sleep deprivation is a thing, and it’s not so easy to say to your wife “you deal with the baby” when it’s got Colic (hopefully not worse than that)
timing isn’t good, but that’s not in anyone’s control.
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I’ve just remembered one very important thing about Fabinho - he lost his father at the beginning of the last season. It’s quite possible that it had a lot to do with the downturn in his performances.
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It looks like Firmino is getting a new contract. Why? He has rarely been fit over the last 18 months.
With Hendo, I can see why the club would want to keep him around. He is a cultural leader and set the tone for the club. But I think we are at the point where there is not room for him and Milly.
With Fabinho, I just don’t see how we sell him. He is on a long contract, at about £150k a week. For a player who looks finished as a midfielder. With this in mind I think I’d not play him much for the rest of this season, and hope that a good rest can get some energy back in his legs. After that I think he could possibly do a job as part of the Centre Back pool, replacing Matip. Obviously if we can get around £20m, then take it.
This might be the issue, it’s a lot longer than the 4-5 months of this.
It wrecked Kuyt for a period and took him the best of a season to shake himself out of it.
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so both Fab and Allison lost their fathers in last two seasons? Yikes, that’s tough. so young.
I genuinely forgot this - now that you’ve mentioned it, I remembered but I had to check, it was the season in which he scored just three league goals, two of them at Everton.
Yes, both of them lost their fathers at a very young age. Alisson seems to have recovered, at least when it comes to the part of his life we see, which is football, while Fabinho’s performances are getting worse by the week. It might or might not be the reason behind it but I somehow managed to forget it.