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FC Schalke: 3 players who must step up in Weston McKennie’s absence

By Josh Sippie

15 December 2019, North Rhine-Westphalia, Gelsenkirchen: Soccer: Bundesliga, FC Schalke 04 - Eintracht Frankfurt, 15th matchday in the Veltins Arena. Schalkes Weston McKennie lies on the grass after a duel with Frankfurt's Dost. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the requirements of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga or the DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund, it is prohibited to use or have used photographs taken in the stadium and/or the match in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo sequences. (Photo by Rolf Vennenbernd/picture alliance via Getty Images)
15 December 2019, North Rhine-Westphalia, Gelsenkirchen: Soccer: Bundesliga, FC Schalke 04 - Eintracht Frankfurt, 15th matchday in the Veltins Arena. Schalkes Weston McKennie lies on the grass after a duel with Frankfurt's Dost. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the requirements of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga or the DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund, it is prohibited to use or have used photographs taken in the stadium and/or the match in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo sequences. (Photo by Rolf Vennenbernd/picture alliance via Getty Images) /
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FC Schalke will be without Weston McKennie for some time after he suffered a dislocated shoulder. Here are three guys who must step up in his absence.

FC Schalke, Weston McKennie (Photo by Rolf Vennenbernd/picture alliance via Getty Images)
FC Schalke, Weston McKennie (Photo by Rolf Vennenbernd/picture alliance via Getty Images) /

It’s always hard to see a player go down with a potentially long-term injury, but for FC Schalke losing Weston McKennie, it takes on an added somberness for a couple of reasons. For starters, everyone likes Weston McKennie. Literally everyone. Even Dortmund fans like him (trust me).

Secondly, this club is already in a world of hurt on the injury spectrum. With Salif Sane and Benjamin Stambouli out long-term, Nabil Bentaleb still out, and Matija Nastasic never able to stay healthy, the versatility of Weston McKennie wasn’t just a pleasantry—it was a necessity.

But just like how the club has survived the defensive crisis with the help of Ozan Kabak, they will also survive this midfield crisis, with the help of three key guys who we should have all the faith in the world in. And that’s a good feeling.

Related Story. 5 Things Learned Against Frankfurt. light

And so, without further ado, here are the three guys that need to step up in Weston McKennie’s absence. Hopefully you’ll be as confident in the outcome as I am.

We start with No. 3.

3. Omar Mascarell

Kind of an obvious one, but needed to be said nonetheless. All season long, Omar Mascarell has been a dynamite presence in the midfield. He’s been everything we’ve needed him to be, no matter how he ends up being used.

It’s always easier to do your job when someone near you is doing their own job so well, and Mascarell was, for awhile there, blessed to have Weston McKennie in next to him, just as present and rampant as the Spaniard. But that is coming to an end for the time being.

Thankfully, we have proof that Mascarell can adapt, because McKennie has been moved around so much that Mascarell hasn’t always had him as a partner. So rest easy knowing that as long as Mascarell is in this midfield, Schalke will be just fine. Maybe there will be a few missing smiles, and a little bit less enthusiasm, but we will survive.

On to No. 2.