AuthorJeffEyesRimmer The African Cup of Nations starts up today in Gabon and with it there has been the inevitable departure of players from the EPL. The African Cup of Nations does have a reputation of being able to influence leagues around the world with players being called up half way through a campaign. Plenty of Premier League clubs have felt their form suffer with the loss of key players to AFCON overs the years. So which EPL teams will potentially suffer the greatest over the coming few weeks? AFC Bournemouth
The only player called up from the Cherries is Max Gradel for the Ivory Coast. Although he has not featured much this season due to injury he has proven to be quite a bright player for them. Coming back from injury it could be good for him to get some game time but hopefully he comes back from the tournament fit and ready to fire for Bournemouth. Arsenal Arsenals also only have one player leaving for the Gabon hosted tournament. Mohamed Elneny has been called up to the Egyptian team. Elneny has mainly been used as a squad player this season, albeit a good one but Arsenal will likely find cover for him. An issue arises though when the inevitable Arsenal injury crisis occurs. With title rivals not losing any players some investment to cover might be needed, especially when Egypt is likely to challenge for the title this year. Burnley Well Burnley only has British players so no worries at all. Carry on. Chelsea Chelsea have famously suffered league dips in form due to this competition in the past (Drogba) but not this season. No players will be leaving for the tournament after Nigeria failed to qualify. Who would have thought at the beginning of the season that Victor Moses not going to the African Cup of Nations would have been a great result for Chelsea? It’s looking ominous for the rest of the EPL really and with Conte likely to strengthen can they be stopped? Chelsea for the title is looking more and more likely. Crystal Palace We think we have come to the first team that are going to be hit hard by the African Cup of Nations. Palace new manager Sam Allardyce is about to lose his two main wingers in Wilfried Zaha and Bakary Sako. Zaha was once in the frame for England but has since switched his allegiance to the Ivory Coast. Sako will be with the hosts of the tournament, Gabon. Both will be keenly missed by Palace over the coming few weeks and with them flirting with the relegation spots this potentially could make or break their season. We expect Big Sam to invest in some players this window. Everton Everton will lose one player for the competition but it’s a big player. Idrissa Gueye, who has been phenomenal this season for them, has been called up for Senegal. Thankfully for Ronald Koeman his bosses took on board his criticism in failing to secure transfer targets and have promptly agreed the transfer for Morgan Schneiderlin, that’s a pretty good stand in we think but he will have to hit the ground running. Hull City Two players have been called up from Hull and with all their injury troubles this season they could have done without the African Cup of Nations taking them. Ahmed Elmohamady has been called up by Egypt and will be keenly felt. Elmohamady has been a key player for Hull and only missed 150 minutes of the season so far for them. The other player leaving is Dieumerci Mbokani who’s been called up by DR Congo. With so few strikers at the club losing Mbokani will also be an issue. Hull will likely need to dip into the transfer market this month to try to cope with losing these players, especially when they are deep in the relegation mire. Leicester City Of all the teams that are losing players to the African Cup of Nations we think the Foxes are the ones that will suffer the most. African player of the year Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani will be joining up with Algeria and Daniel Amartey has been called up by Ghana. All three are key players for Leicester and with the Champions League campaign to come as well it could make or break their season. The current champions could be hit really hard, could they fall further into the relegation battle? We worry that they will. Liverpool Happy days Liverpool fans, due to the ongoing dispute with Cameroon, Joel Matip will not be going to the tournament. Unhappy days Liverpool fans, due to Sadio Mane being awesome he will be leaving and joining up with Senegal. Although losing Mane will be difficult we think that Liverpool can provide cover in his position. Keeping Matip though was important, Liverpool has not been blessed with the best of defence this season and Matip has been the star. Losing him would have been worse we feel. Manchester City Manchester City is another one of the big boys that will not be affected by the African Cup of Nations. Pep will be pleased that there won’t be any disruption to the squad. Manchester United Unfortunately for Untied fans and Mourinho their best defender is off to the tournament with Ivory Coast. Eric Bailly has been a rock in the defence that has been needed for some time and when he has not played United has looked vulnerable at the back. Jose may look to add a defender in the transfer window to cope with losing Bailly. They may need to if they want to catch the teams above them. Middlesbrough Another team that won’t lose any players and this should really help with keeping their heads above water and out of the relegation dogfight. With other teams around them losing players it is a perfect time for them to try to push on and cement a position in mid table. The signing of Rudy Gestede will certainly help matters. Southampton The saints will lose one player, Morocco’s Sofiane Boufal. Although Boufal has not played a lot this season so far he has looked a good player when given the chance. With the Saints looking to improve in the League and make the final of the EFL cup losing a player of Boufals quality could be an issue. Stoke City Stoke are losing three players with Wilfried Bony, Mame Biram Diouf and Ramadan Sobhi all leaving. All three have been decent for Stoke without really excelling and it might provide opportunities for others to improve Stokes season. At least they won’t be losing Joe Allen. Sunderland Sunderland’s squad is thread bare and there’s no money to bring in players in the window. So losing another three players to the African Cup of Nations is another nail in the coffin. Lamine Kone is off with Senegal, Wahbi Khazri joins Tunisia and Didier Ndong joins up with his teammates from Gabon. Kone and Ndong have been important players for Sunderland and losing key players when you are in a relegation battle (again) is never a good thing. We are going to come out and say it – this could really sink Sunderland. At least they won’t be losing Papy Djilobodji. Swansea City Swansea doesn’t lose Modou Barrow as Gambia failed to qualify, which is a good thing for Swans fans. Barrow has been a bright spark, if somewhat erratic, for Swansea in what has so far been a dismal season. Swansea will be hoping the loss of players from relegation rivals will help them get out of the dogfight. If ever there was an opportunity then it’s now. Tottenham Hotspur With Kenya failing to qualify Spurs won’t be losing Victor Wanyama. With other title rivals not losing players either its vital that Spurs had few disruptions to the squad, thankfully for Spurs fans that’s the case. Watford Watford has a massive squad so we doubt that even 10 players leaving would make a difference but they do lose two players to the tournament. Nordin Amrabat and Adlene Guedioura have been called up and it is the departure of Amrabat that might cause a few headaches. Amrabat has been a good attacking outlet for Watford from wing back this season and so a replacement will need to be found. I’m sure Watford will be able to find a few players down the back of the sofa though and should be fine. West Bromwich Albion The final team that has no departures from the squad, Tony Pulis keeps his 10 centre backs! Joy! Joking aside, with other teams around them losing players this could really be great for West Brom to push on for a Europa League place. West Brom have been good this season and kept under the radar a bit, a few smart signings in the transfer window and West Brom fans can be hopeful. West Ham United West Ham is very much on the ropes and need some good news. Unfortunately, Cheikou Kouyate has been called up by Senegal, while record signing Andre Ayew joins up with Ghana. With Payet also not wanting to play for them it’s turning into a bit of a nightmare new year. However, with other teams around them losing key players and with them having the financial muscle to bring in a few players in the window West Ham should be ok. With Spurs, Manchester City and Chelsea not losing any players they look the greatest to profit from potential weakening of other title rivals. While at the other end of the table, Swansea looks more likely to enjoy an upsurge in form with Hull, Sunderland and Palace all losing key players. Spare a thought for Ligue 1 though, although the EPL will provide 23 players to the tournament, the French top division will provide 38 in total. Agree with our thoughts? Who do you think will win the African Cup of Nations? |
AuthorsJust Some Fans Writing About Football. Archives
June 2018
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