Fabinho

[baitman]

Do you work nights baitman?

[Shaggy]

[ame]https://twitter.com/ptgorst/status/1205877655398240257[/ame]

[Roboklopp]

FFS, just hope he’s back time to aid us to #7.

[labourRed]

A protective boot isn't so much of an issue as it helps recovery. But he's not expected back for a few months anyway. With Wijnaldum out now we look stretched a little.

I reckon we'll push for Sander Berge as said in the match thread.

[BigChief]

Our midfield is now Hendo, Keita, Lallana, Milner. Players that may be expected to play there : Shaq, Ox. Not sure we can do too much 433. Hope we're well out of sight before teams start exploiting that.

[Fredo]

A protective boot isn't so much of an issue as it helps recovery. But he's not expected back for a few months anyway. With Wijnaldum out now we look stretched a little.

I reckon we'll push for Sander Berge as said in the match thread.

Who?

I reckon we won't buy another midfielder beyond that Japanese fella who's coming in January. Milner and Keita can step in and we also have Curtis Jones.

[dom9]

Who?

I reckon we won't buy another midfielder beyond that Japanese fella who's coming in January. Milner and Keita can step in and we also have Curtis Jones.

See the social media thread

[labourRed]

Who?

I reckon we won't buy another midfielder beyond that Japanese fella who's coming in January. Milner and Keita can step in and we also have Curtis Jones.

Erm. The fella who played against us twice this season with Genk. Klopp has spoken highly of him and apparently we've had 15m rejected already. Nothing credible just yet but there's a clearly a mutual respect.

[marcus50bucks]

Fabinho's lonely December nearing end as Liverpool star takes happier steps on road to recovery

Fabinho has been absent all month with ankle ligament damage but is taking happier steps in the right direction, writes Paul Gorst

By Paul Gorst Liverpool FC correspondent
18:55, 30 DEC 2019

Amid the ongoing success at Liverpool this December, it's been lonely for one prominent first-team star.

Jurgen Klopp and his squad have recorded eight wins from as many games across the month to book qualification to the last-16 of the Champions League, pick up the Reds' first-ever Club World Cup trophy and maintain a push for the Premier League title.

Meanwhile, Fabinho has faded into the background, working behind the scenes, aiming to return to the side at the earliest possible juncture.

A little over two weeks ago, the Brazil international cut a desolate figure, slowly making his way through Anfield's mixed zone after the 2-0 win over Watford, long after each of his team-mates had passed through and spoken of their latest three points.

The £40million signing from Monaco was wearing a huge protective boot on his left foot and on crutches, hobbling away to little fanfare, the last one to leave, wearing a pained expression as he did so. The sadness was palpable.

It appeared, to onlookers at the time, like a long road to recovery for the injured Liverpool midfielder. That rough estimation of a six-to-eight-week spell on the sidelines with ankle ligament damage seemed to be wishful thinking.

His team-mates then flew to Qatar for the Club World Cup as he stayed behind, working with staff at Melwood as the Reds fought to make Liverpool history in Doha.

Physiotherapy and rehabilitation was the order of the day for Fabinho at the West Derby complex as the rest of the squad contested a tournament on a different continent.

As the Reds fought their way past Monterrey and then Flamengo in the final at the Khalifa International Stadium, Fabinho was merely a spectator, over 4000 miles away, cheering them on.

There was some brief respite during those lonely sessions, most notably when Takumi Minamino pitched up from Red Bull Salzburg to undergo the formalities of his medical ahead of a £7.25million switch from the Austrian champions.

Fabinho was the first of Minamino's new team-mates to welcome him to the club as the pair met at Melwood ahead of the Japan international's workout with the club's medical staff.

The impending transfer is not exactly a like-for-like where Fabinho is concerned, but the sight of a potential rival for a slot in Liverpool's midfield three might have added to his Melwood motivation during those quiet sessions behind the curtain.

Fabinho has been made to watch on from afar as Liverpool have swept all before them to establish a 13-point lead at the summit of the Premier League.

Klopp's players have admirably made light of the absence of a midfielder whose influence was only growing prior to that injury against Napoli towards the end of November.

A top-class defensive midfielder at the peak of his powers, Fabinho's return will only bolster this title-chasing Liverpool side when he returns to action in the New Year.

Some 15 days on from his hobble through Anfield, Fabinho, back in that same mixed zone, looked much happier. Free of the crutches and out of the boot, the 26-year-old waltzed through the stadium, laughing and joking as he made his way.

His return is edging closer, but the club won't be in any rush to speed things up with the midfield coping so well in his absence right now.

The player himself, however, will be counting down the days until he is named in a Liverpool team once more.

That day could be coming sooner than many had first feared. That lonely December is nearing an end.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...g-end-17490946

[dom9]

That's an awful lot of words to say absolutely nothing.

[Buzzo]

That's an awful lot of words to say absolutely nothing.

No closer to knowing when he’s back.

He’s out of the ski boot and smiling tho

[Shaggy]

The Echo is a joke now.

I remember when Bascombe and then Barrett were the LFC reporters there and they were genuinely breaking big news.

[Saveloy]

That's an awful lot of words to say absolutely nothing.

completely agree.

Could have been: Fabinho is now 'Free of the crutches and out of the boot'

[dom9]

Time... It happens

[Saveloy]

Time... It happens

That's a bit unfair.

Time... it happens. And for those of you not following closely, this is how much time has happened so far.