Thiago Alcantara | Pool bound

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Revan

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Not for Liverpool system. Otherwise, when did Thiago Alcántara become peak Kroos or Modric to walk into the best team in Europe?.
Injuries aside, he ain't much worse than them. Also, Liverpool have hardly top midfielders.

Agree that they need to change their system though. Their midfield right now is mostly to defend. Thiago is a playmaker, not a workhouse.
 

passing-wind

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Only system I see him in for us is a 4-3-3. I'm really not a fan of the 4-2-3-1 with the large gaps it leaves in occupying the midfield. We should occupy a 4-3-3 in building up the play then when in opposition half transition the formation. I like Thiago however he has the football intelligence to keep possession, uses his body well and is rarely dispossessed. Pogba / Bruno certainly are some of the best midfielders in the league but they are very wasteful at times losing possession.
 

E-mal

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There could be a few alternatives actually that might make sense.

1) Play him as a defensive midfielder. He has played there for Pep. Considering that teams like to press us, he would totally take the piss out of majority EPL teams who press, considering that he is one of the most press resistant players right there. Under any circumstance, I think that he would be better than Matic.

2) Play diamond if we miss Sancho, with him and Pogba playing in the center, Matic as a defensive midfielder, and Bruno at the top of the diamond.

3) Do what we liked most for the last 10 year, and play attacking midfielders as wingers/inside forwards, essentially play Bruno where Mason plays, and Thiago with Pogba and Matic in midfield.

4) Make him compete with Pogba and Matic.

So in any case, I think that he would add a lot to us, considering that he is better at dictating the game than any of our players, passes better than any of our players, and is as press resistant (if not more) than Pogba.

I think he'll go to Liverpool though, and be their best midfielder (at least until he get injured).
He can play as 10 or even play as an 8 and push Pogba a bit forward
There are slot of options with him.
 

FrankDrebin

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I expect Liverpool and Bayern to come to some sort of arrangement.
Abit of a shame,granted, as he's a fantastic player. The type of player,much in the same vain as Scholes or a Modric, that can pass rings round you.
Technically nifty too with his feet 1v1.
 

Paxi

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Come to United and give us a different dimension where a player has absolutely no problem keeping the ball whilst surrounded by 3-4 other players. We might actually create more chances with him being able to do that instead of having the only option of using speed. Sometimes precision and timing is just as important. I love Bruno but he’s just turned up to 100 at all times.
 

Lee565

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Wouldn't mind signing this guy for 30 million and moving pogba on for 80 million, we would be getting a more than capable replacement in thiago and being also left with cash to sign another midfielder or defender.
 

Hugh Jass

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Wouldn't mind signing this guy for 30 million and moving pogba on for 80 million, we would be getting a more than capable replacement in thiago and being also left with cash to sign another midfielder or defender.
Agreed.
 

Houdini

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Wouldn't mind signing this guy for 30 million and moving pogba on for 80 million, we would be getting a more than capable replacement in thiago and being also left with cash to sign another midfielder or defender.
Why would you want to sell Pogba in the first place???
 

Suvvernmanc

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Why would you want to sell Pogba in the first place???
Because he could fetch good money. I agree with the poster. And in my opinion, we would benefit from having Thiago, plus the cash raised from selling pogba going on another top midfielder/CB.

Pogba isnt a hard working/pressing CM. We could really do with one!
 

Houdini

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Because he could fetch good money. I agree with the poster. And in my opinion, we would benefit from having Thiago, plus the cash raised from selling pogba going on another top midfielder/CB.

Pogba isnt a hard working/pressing CM. We could really do with one!
I can see the point but Alcantara is injury prone. We can easily end up with Fred or McT as no.1
 

ghagua

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Come to United and give us a different dimension where a player has absolutely no problem keeping the ball whilst surrounded by 3-4 other players. We might actually create more chances with him being able to do that instead of having the only option of using speed. Sometimes precision and timing is just as important. I love Bruno but he’s just turned up to 100 at all times.


Just mentioned this, Bruno needs to play smart and try the killer pass when he has a chance, not lose the ball every time he gains possession.
 

EwanI Ted

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Would be a decent buy if we could get him, but I’m not convinced he’s a priority for us.
 

Acrobat7

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Paul Pogba may be the most under appreciated player we've ever had a this club. People actually suggesting we sell him to raise a few quid? And for a few quid we would spend on 29 year old, injury prone, Bayern cast-off Thiago? Why the feck not.
He is not a „Bayern cast-off“. Repeating this nonsense doesn’t make it the truth. Bayern offered him a new contract and he declined to sign it (after his demands were met).
 

Jibbs

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He is everything what I thought Mata will eventually become here.
Great player but I think we would be better off singing VdB if we want a technically gifted midfielder who knows how to retain possession. VdB is younger and fitter.
 

Nicoseth

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He is not a „Bayern cast-off“. Repeating this nonsense doesn’t make it the truth. Bayern offered him a new contract and he declined to sign it (after his demands were met).
I know that they offered him a contract, but were not willing to offer him what he can get at other clubs, clearly. If he was important to them, they would be providing a contract he couldn't refuse - it's not like Bayern are one of the poorer teams in Europe. In not offering him a good enough contract they are essentially shipping him out.
 

Acrobat7

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I know that they offered him a contract, but were not willing to offer him what he can get at other clubs, clearly. If he was important to them, they would be providing a contract he couldn't refuse - it's not like Bayern are one of the poorer teams in Europe. In not offering him a good enough contract they are essentially shipping him out.
Again: this is incorrect. They offered Thiago what he wanted and after initially agreeing he decided to not sign it. Not due to his demands not being met (they were), but due to him looking „for a new challenge“.
This is not a Kroos-situation.
 

Fahad Jawaid

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We are totally stupid if we let him join Liverpool for 30 odd million. He is like a perfect player who we can play as a cover for Pogba and also Bruno plus for tough fixtures we can pack the middle with Matic, Thiago, Pogba and Bruno it would be like a Pep fantasy.

Thiago and Sancho and we would actually really upgraded our squad as both of these can play multiple positions and render the likes of Mata, Lingard, Sanchez and Perriera useless.
 
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Garethw

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If he’s so fecking amazing why are Bayern (one the best teams in the world) willing to let him go?
 

Fingeredmouse

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We are totally stupid if we let him join Liverpool for 30 odd million. He is like a perfect player who we can play as a cover for Pogba and also Bruno plus for tough fixtures we can pack the middle with Matic, Thiago, Pogba and Bruno it would be like a Pep fantasy.

Thiago and Sancho and we would actually really upgraded our squad as both of these can play multiple positions and render the likes of Mata, Lingard, Sanchez and Perriera useless.
How precisely could we stop him from joining Liverpool?
 

Darth Revan

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If he’s so fecking amazing why are Bayern (one the best teams in the world) willing to let him go?
Here you go (btw couple of posts above yours)

Again: this is incorrect. They offered Thiago what he wanted and after initially agreeing he decided to not sign it. Not due to his demands not being met (they were), but due to him looking „for a new challenge“.
This is not a Kroos-situation.
 

Cheech Wizard

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If he’s so fecking amazing why are Bayern (one the best teams in the world) willing to let him go?
They don't want to they want him to extend a year but he's told Bayern and his agent after 7 years there he's wants a different challenge.
 

Acrobat7

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They don't want to they want him to extend a year but he's told Bayern and his agent after 7 years there he's wants a different challenge.
Actually more than a year. They offered 3+1 and he was asking for 4 years. Bayern agreed and then he walked away from the table.
 

InfiniteBoredom

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It seems like he has his eyes set on Liverpool because not only will he walk in and become their best midfielder, he most likely feels like they offer him the best chance at a CL trophy. At his age, we are just not an attractive option.

Btw how skint are Liverpool? They got to CL final two years in a row and then won the league, and yet are haggling over £30m for Thiago?
 

Bondi77

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Pretty sure that we are after young players so that would rule him out.
If Liverpool are the club for him then good luck to him but I think Keita and Fabinho were starting to find their form as the season ends and Hendo has just had his best season so maybe he is a bench option.
 

SambaBoy

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Paul Pogba may be the most under appreciated player we've ever had a this club. People actually suggesting we sell him to raise a few quid? And for a few quid we would spend on 29 year old, injury prone, Bayern cast-off Thiago? Why the feck not.
The Pogba part is spot on. Everyone just wants a shiny new toy.
 

croadyman

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Pretty sure that we are after young players so that would rule him out.
If Liverpool are the club for him then good luck to him but I think Keita and Fabinho were starting to find their form as the season ends and Hendo has just had his best season so maybe he is a bench option.
Yeah that is my thoughts as well and think it is the right strategy
 

Rolaholic

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For that price he'd represent better value than Grealish but I'm starting to get suspicious over Bayern's reported willingness to let him go.

Surely related to his injury history but I'm still always weary of players they let go without a fight...
 

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

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For that price he'd represent better value than Grealish but I'm starting to get suspicious over Bayern's reported willingness to let him go.

Surely related to his injury history but I'm still always weary of players they let go without a fight...
They are willing to let him go because he wants to leave & wont sign a contract.

Thiago is the better footballer by far, but Grealish is much more versatile & could cover on the wing too.
 

IAmAWinner

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30mill for a top5 CM in the world? We should be all over this. None of that Grealish bullshit.
 

harms

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Thiago is the better footballer by far, but Grealish is much more versatile & could cover on the wing too.
Not sure about versatility – Thiago can play in every role in midfield, including holding midfielder (he played there even against the big guys in CL). Grealish can play as an attacking midfielder and on the wings. I’d say that it’s pretty even, and we actually need Thiago’s set of roles more.
 
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