Kimmich too. Now there's a player
Thiago Alc*ntara | Still exists
- Thread starter horsechoker
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Certainly didn't do much dictating in that Liverpool midfield last night against Southampton. He's going to have to spend a hell of a lot of time in the gym and on the training ground if he's going to be a success at Liverpool. That's for sure!
Aye, he's the best #9 around, of course there are top players on show. But for me, I was continually in awe of how Thiago controlled matches and made it look easy.
He has played 10 CL games (9 starts, 823 mins) for Bayern last season, with very high avg rating (7.76 whoscored rating). So, he did play a major part for Bayern winning the competitions. In comparison, Kimmich only play 1 more game than he did (10 start, 903 mins, 7.44 rating), and Muller only started 7 games (709 mins, 7.39 rating), Goretzka only made 6 starts (522 mins, 7.13 rating). So out of all the Bayern players you have mentioned, Thiago did actually play bigger part than most of them.
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Makes me feel sick everytime I see him. He’s exactly what we need.
That does not really get the situation - but we actually do not know how the situation really would have been - just question it.
Müller had the period with Kovac at the beginning of the season - that influences his match time. Since Flick is in office it is again "Müller always plays" - playing in every match but one he was booked and actually starting in every match - exception were the 2 last group matches when Bayern was already through, same this season in Madrid and a match against mighty Paderborn.
Goretzka was behind Thiago in the pecking order in the first part of the season - no question. And he was injured, too. But a lot of it changed with the Covid break. The weeks prior to he CL tournament - after the Covid break - Goretzka really established himself as a partner that very much matched to Kimmich - more than I think Thiago did as both have a lot of the same qualities.
There is no question about Flick's axis with Neuer - Alaba - Kimmich - Müller and Lewy. Flick always emphasized how important they are to him. If Pavard would not have been injured it would have been Kimmich + Müller + one of Thiago/Goretzka.
So - you have a matching combination before the tournament that functioned great the weeks before - and a player that comes back after an injury. I am pretty sure that without the injury Flick would have stayed with the team of the weeks before - but we have seen that even the other players that did not start got some match time in the final stage.
Sure but they had time to unlock them and glaringly lacked creative playmaking in the middle. And they could have won the 2018 CL final (Karius flubbed it but they were already down 2-1 and Madrid were the far better team in the 2nd half) if they'd had a player like Thiago providing some quality in the middle. Once Kroos and Modric got a hold of the game proper, the tide went to Madrid.
can you explain the reasoning behind bolding just a part of sentence and leaving behind the other, which basically answered your question.
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Lewandowski is a great player, but it is like Kane and Dembele, Kane is(was) no doubt the most important player in Spurs, but when Dembele was playing, he was class above everyone in the pitch. Bayern players themselves held Thiago on very high regards, heck Lewandowski voted for Thiago in FIFA player of the Year.
Thiago is going to finish off the countless number of chances we waste every match?
Or stop the odd goals we keep leaking?
Liverpool's midfield going into this season: Fabinho, Henderson, Keita, Milner, Ox and Wijnaldum
Liverpool's central defense going into this season: Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip
Klopp: "I only have 6 first team centre midfielders? I better sign another!"
Liverpool's central defense going into this season: Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip
Klopp: "I only have 6 first team centre midfielders? I better sign another!"
Well it does show Thiago has played a very major role in helping Bayern win CL last season. You could speculate all day on who should start in the final instead, but it doesn’t change the fact that he is the key member of Bayern winning team in CL.
No he wasn't. He wasn't within a mile of Kane. Looking flashy on the ball sometimes, is not the sign of class. He was a good footballer but you can't compare him one of the best CFs in the league and Europe. Just like Thiago may have had this one really top class year but Lewandowski has been at that level (and higher) year in year out. Looking good on the ball and being a class above are two different things.
It's fine that people rate Thiago. He's a very good footballer. But the reverence is a little exaggerated imo.
Now that's a creative interpretation
what does looking class above classify as a footballer? Certain players look better than everyone else during the course of the match , because of the way they play. And if a person finds either Thaigo or Dembele or anyone else, class above others, why are you, bringing up things like goals scored and stuff in the mix. What you are doing is, mixing the notion that the notion of the "best player in the club at what thier job is" to players who look effortless in whatever they do. If somebody said, they find a Thiago, David Silva, Dembele, Santi Cazorla and so on, class above when they saw them in a match day, doesn't mean it is about who has been the best player over the course of their career or season. But the display during the match itself. You are arguing for something which the original posted, whom you quoted, didn't even meant. Just because Lewa, is one of the deadliest striker with amazing stats, doesn't mean he would look the best player in the pitch when somebody watches a game. Overall obviously Lewandowski will go down as one of the greatest striker of Bundesliga and Bayern Munich, while Thaigo will go on to be a hipster favorite. But if during the course of a match if somebody finds Thaigo superior than anyone else, you can't tell that person, "hey you can't find him class above anyone, because there is already the greatest Bayern Munich player since Beckenbauer/Muller era on the pitch ".
Plus neither is Lewandowski, Messi like player, that we can say, no he looks class above a Thiago or Ribery or Robben. He may be more productive, but he isn't better than either three in terms of quality.
No, he plays for Liverpool.
What does that have to do with being supposedly the exact player we need?
Maybe I've seen too little of the player to pass any form of judgement on what he can or can't do. You seem to have seen more of him than me and obviously you rate the player highly as you describe him as a midfield dictator. I react to that term as I believe the midfield dictator being a thing of the past. Do you know of a midfield dictator (or general as we used to say) in today's game? One player springs to my mind when using that description. I'd have to go back to the 70's and that player would be Gunter Netzer. There were others as well of course. However to play that role in todays game and especially the PL I would judge as being very difficult. De Bruyne at a pinch. Whatever, you'd be deluded to believe Thiago would come up to that standard.
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Thiago is never going to be that De Bruyne, because both are vastly different player.
What I meant by midfield dictator is Thiago is someone who at best dictates the game, being in the centre of everything, but that doesn't mean he isn't good in other roles where he everything doesn't run through him, he whether playing playing deep or further up the pitch. He was played in number of roles by different coaches in Barca and Bayern, he excelled every role, although he is Spanish Whilshere when it comes to being injured.
He gets away with so many tactical fouls. It’s a joke that he wasn’t booked today.
Such a fecking nasty twat, can’t stand him.
Massively overrated on the caf. Don't get the hype.
Thought he was booked today for the foul on the counter? Madness if he didn't
Are referees ever going to properly penalise him for all the cnide, cynical fouls he makes?
Could have been off once again for the sheer quantity of them he made.
Could have been off once again for the sheer quantity of them he made.
The way Sky were going on about him in the first half was cringeworthy. He was anonymous in the second half.
World class my arse
The New Fernandinho!
People here pretend he's been the dominant CM for a good while like Modric and he hasn't.
We would have beaten them if he wasn't on the pitch.
Good 20mins start and then nothing really.....
What do you mean? Fernandinho has been class for years for City.
Yeah, he could’ve fouled all night long and not got booked somehow. Didn’t see what was so good about him today. Mostly safe passes under no pressure.
Presume it means that he can get away with 5000 fouls before being booked
He doesn’t get booked for constant fouling like Fernandinho.
Ah I see.
His way of avoiding a yellow card for repeated fouling. Not his play. Fernandinho has been a class player for City.
He means the getting away with tactical fouls.
Unbookable.
Looks like he has been polishing his head too.
Looks like he has been polishing his head too.
Disappeared after 20 minutes. Fred was the standout midfielder on the pitch
I'm amazed Pep didnt buy him given his immunity to yellow cards. The ref allowed him to cynically kill plenty of counters.