Not if the management team think someone like Elliott is ready to step up for at least some of the games. He won’t even need to start the Arab Cup period.
I think Jota, Firmino, plus Elliott/AOC can do a decent job. Maybe one of the academy lads will grab the opportunity à la Nat/Rhys. On the other hand, a new signing can be unsettled or injured.
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The idea that 18 year old Elliott (8 apps for LFC), could seamlessly replace one of the greatest players in the world is wishful thinking.
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I didn’t say seamlessly, however. I in fact did explicitly say Mané would need to be on-form during that period. We could be playing Jota/Origi, Firmino/Minamino, and Mané across the front 3. It’s mainly the AFCON period that would be worrying, since it would almost definitely involve one of Origi/Minamino/Elliott (as it stands) playing those matches. And in that case, it’s not necessarily even the difference in quality, but also playing styles that would concern me.
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Never even heard of the Arab Cup. Are clubs obliged to release players for that or is similar to the Olympics?
The last time anyone bothered organising it was 2012 apparently. Not sure if the club are obliged or if Salah even wants to play in it. If they aren’t obliged and Salah doesn’t care, then I can easily see us keeping him for that period of time.
Not sure what Egypt’s chances realistically are for it anyway.
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Have a feeling we’re going to hear ‘official’ news of another departure today. But i’m probably wrong.
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Shaq a done deal?
Most likely. But it’s just a feeling.
I don’t know about seamlessly, but the kid should get the gametime and be allowed to fail.
If we coddle them too much, they’ll never develop.
It will be better for the long-run. Unless it is a top, top player… I would rather the games go to Elliott or another youngster.
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I think most people would have been happy to see Elliott loaned to a lower/mid premier league team last season, but now he’s not capable of playing a few games against Brentford, Palace and Leicester?
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18 isn’t that young either, particularly with the number of games he’s already played in senior football. My cousin was starting PL games for Arsenal at that age so no reason Elliott shouldn’t be trusted to do the same every now and then.
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Elliott absolutely has the quality to be a good bench option for us this season, I’d have no qualms about that. And talking about decent-length appearances as well, not the last couple of minutes’ of matches.
But the no1 reason I’d keep him at the club at this point is so that he can work everyday with Klopp, his coaches and our senior squad. Much rather that than more minutes at a club where he’ll be learning less.
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We had a very young short arse, Michael somebody. Didn’t do badly for a kid not long out of secondary school.
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And look where Arsenal are now 
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Tbf, this was late 90s when Arsenal were pretty good 
Elliott needs to be playing PL football. If we don’t sign another forward to “replace” Shaqiri or Origi it should be with us.
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He’s good enough… Like Trent… Like Jones… Age is irrelevant.
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It’s an old tournament, but has been prioritized in this cycle to help Qatar prepare for the world cup so FIFA are now treating it as an official international window.
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Lol.
how to double down on a fucking insult…
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Elliott should replace Shaqiri but that doesn’t mean we still don’t need more up top. Origi, Minamino and Ox between kind of fill one slot but still not very satisfactorily and take up 3 senior roles to do so. The right forward coming in makes those three players being in our attack (Ox still a consideration for midfield) redundant. Those three being sold, even at disappointing prices, should easily cover a Jota style priced signing. Whether that’s a CF type like Abraham or Vlahovic with Jota being used wide or a wide option like Donyell Malen would have been and Jota mainly gets used central is the only question to me. But I think we are getting our expectations managed that it might be a combination of 2 from Ox, Minamino and Origi allowing us to unconvincingly limp through to next summer when it’ll be addressed now.