Topic: The Indomitable Ibou

[LallanaInPyjamas]

His confidence is shot, playing one week, getting dropped, injured, not playing well, injured again, back in team, dropped again and then brought back.

While he has to take some responsibility for that, so does the manager. His usage of Konate/Quansah all season has been weird and I think it's clearly had a negative impact on a) our second best defender when he is fit and firing and b) the defensive unit as a collective.

[Fromola]

Problem is he'll be in the team and playing great and then get injured. Then comes back and takes a while to get his level back, gets it back and then is injured again, rinse and repeat.

We can't carry all the injuries when he's so rusty when returning.

[MonsLibpool]

Problem is he'll be in the team and playing great and then get injured. Then comes back and takes a while to get his level back, gets it back and then is injured again, rinse and repeat.

We can't carry all the injuries when he's so rusty when returning.

He should be a rotation option at best next season.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Problem is he'll be in the team and playing great and then get injured. Then comes back and takes a while to get his level back, gets it back and then is injured again, rinse and repeat.

We can't carry all the injuries when he's so rusty when returning.

He got injured against Sparta Prague, maybe don't use injury-prone players in games like that when there's a title on the line.

[William Regal]

Hes looked a shadow of himself since the injury, can only think hes carrying something, Quansah is ahead of him on merit on current form.

[Paul JH]

While he has to take some responsibility for that, so does the manager. His usage of Konate/Quansah all season has been weird and I think it's clearly had a negative impact on a) our second best defender when he is fit and firing and b) the defensive unit as a collective.

Weird or is it that Konate just can't play two games a week because he's got some kind of injury issue?

[Kopenhagen]

He's had a season to forget. Best play Quansah for the remaining games and give Ibou a rest. Start again next season.

He shouldn't get into the France team on current form.

[Jookie]

I like Konate and he has real potential.

Can or would we build a defence around him long term though? Durability is big question. Can he be relied upon to put together consecutive season where he plays 3500+ minutes per season?

The other question I have is ability. He’s a talented player. Could easily be one of the very best centre backs about. Currently he’s not that level for me. I do not think he’s a Top 5 centre back in the league at this stage. I don’t think he’d be 1st choice at City or Arsenal. I don’t think he’d currently be 1st choice at Liverpool if everyone is fit.

Be interesting to see what we do with Konate and centre back in general this summer.