That's my issue with a lot of other leagues. If a Prem player goes to another league and underperforms, there is barely any defence of them. Regardless of how good the player may be, it highlights a flaw in their game. It's always been this way with Bundesliga players. They'll try to convine you that Airton is as good as Van Nistelrooy. Bundesliga has a lot of good things going for it. I feel the overall experience and content of the league from the Bundesliga is above any other league. For example, they have wonderful content on youtube that analyzes the talent of their best players. The league creates an environment for fans of the league to stay enamored by the league, regardless of the actual quality on the pitch, something which the FA have proven to be terrible at. The Premier League is highly monetized which has affected the overall experience of watching games and getting as much content to create fanaticism.
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.
MY LFC- supporting brother can't stand him. Said he is incredibly lazy in tracking back (I didn't see the game today, and haven't seen much of him overall, so can't really comment.)
Saw you had replied and your post did not disappoint! Terrible as predicted.
He ducked under the ball when Bruno took his freekick. Cost them the match.
That's just classic Thiago 
He comes back from injury, plays 10 average games, then plays a couple world class games... aaand then he's injured again.
He was always overrated in my opinion. People tend to see only the good sides of players (at least from other clubs, cause you obviously can't watch every game). Our luck last season was Thiago being in his best form right at the final stages of the Champions League. Anyone remember him the first half of the season? Giving many balls away just carelessly (and conceding a couple of goals because of that). There's a reason Flick benched him in the second half of the season (until Kimmich had to replace injured Pavard on the right side).
Yes, he's world class on his good days. But those are just too rare.
He comes back from injury, plays 10 average games, then plays a couple world class games... aaand then he's injured again.
He was always overrated in my opinion. People tend to see only the good sides of players (at least from other clubs, cause you obviously can't watch every game). Our luck last season was Thiago being in his best form right at the final stages of the Champions League. Anyone remember him the first half of the season? Giving many balls away just carelessly (and conceding a couple of goals because of that). There's a reason Flick benched him in the second half of the season (until Kimmich had to replace injured Pavard on the right side).
Yes, he's world class on his good days. But those are just too rare.
Completely agree. I'm not saying its a poor league but i recall they were one of the first leagues to restart. I watched the opening few fixtures... I didn't go back
Not harsh at all really, considering he was meant to be the second coming.
Absolutely no legs whatsoever, no key passes, minimal influence.
Not the best of starts to his Liverpool career.
Yup, weak defending.
Can't believe how this coward is escaping criticism for ducking. Imagine if it was Pogba on the other end, the media would be having a field day right now.
He should be getting absolute pelters, instead he's immune because he.likes to pass the ball!!
I’m not really bothered about defending a Liverpool player I don’t like. If people wanted to believe he’s the second coming that’s their own fault, and they’d clearly not seen him play. I’ve always viewed him as a very injury prone midfielder, who hasn’t quite made it to the level of the Spanish midfielders before him. However I do think his passing from deep is quality, much like Carrick, but you won’t see that in assist stats.
Let’s not forget we sign VDB for £40 million whose not been injured, and probably played less football than Thiago. Either way, feck him, he should have been booked in the first half in both games against us.
Probably. He's a great player but he slows things down too much for Liverpool. They like to get in your face and play aggressive football and Thiago can't do it. He prefers Pep's passing carousel style.
No probably about it, he's perfect for City. Putting him is a fast tempo set up is pretty random.
2-3 weeks and he's injured again. Looks as slow as Rodri / Jorginho, maybe even slower.
So he's a wannabe hardman. Sad.
Can't believe how this coward is escaping criticism for ducking. Imagine if it was Pogba on the other end, the media would be having a field day right now.
If anything City lack pace and energy in centre-midfield. Thiago on a 4 year contract would only make things worse.
Seeing as there must be hundred+ posts on this forum slaughtering him, I wonder what it is you mean he is immune from?
Thiago clearly i struggling at Liverpool. A new player struggling in a struggling team isn’t something new. I’ve seen him play at a very high level for Bayern and Spain. His passing will stand out at any team, but he will only be efficient in a team were he fits with the rest of the midfield. Right now that’s not the situation.
Pep knew something that Klopp didn't.
He’s not won a game he’s started in, since eat out to help out was operational
He's not been great but I think it is only fair to give him some time.
His conversion to a defensive midfielder has been on for about 18 months now. He played practically all of last season as a DM and he was fantastic.
From a Liveroool pov, his snide side is a positive. I do think Klopp needs to adjust the way his midfield functions to accommodate him. I can't see him struggling for too long.
His conversion to a defensive midfielder has been on for about 18 months now. He played practically all of last season as a DM and he was fantastic.
From a Liveroool pov, his snide side is a positive. I do think Klopp needs to adjust the way his midfield functions to accommodate him. I can't see him struggling for too long.
I mean from a media level, even Bruno gets pelters on here
He's not influenced any game he's played, he's been a passenger bar twenty minutes of the first half against United.
Yesterday he was anonymous, yet I didn't hear a single word mentioned about that from BBC,
What’s new there?Genuinely amazed he managed to avoid a yellow for hacking down Rashford after he megged him - what does this guy have to do to get carded?
He could have been sent off about 5 times in 2 matches against us so far. Crazy!
For as good as he is on the ball, it really does show that in England you have to be at your physical peak. You can't get away with just being good on the ball in this league.
He could have been sent off about 5 times in 2 matches against us so far. Crazy!
For as good as he is on the ball, it really does show that in England you have to be at your physical peak. You can't get away with just being good on the ball in this league.
This is a good point. Players need to be at their best physically to showcase their technique.
Did he? I thought he played playmaker, I think it's not the same as DM. He had a lot of support too.
I don't know if that's him out of fitness or what, but he certainly looks too slow to play as last midfielder. IMO the problem with Liverpool is they play very risky football, so the last midfielder (DM or whatever you call it) has to cover a lot of ground quickly. City play safer and that's why I think he could be more useful there.
Amazing how Pogba would have been criticised like no tomorrow if he put in the performance that Thiago did yesterday. Unnecessary fouls, ducking for the free kick, getting tackled by Scott, and being the reason why Pool have changed their attacking focus.
Clearly, they are moving the ball into him much more than they ever did in the past. Balls which would ping from one full back to another now go into Thiago. He slows down the game and their attackers don't have the same space to run into (like they had before).
No coincidence that their form has taken a nose dive since he has recovered from his injury.
Clearly, they are moving the ball into him much more than they ever did in the past. Balls which would ping from one full back to another now go into Thiago. He slows down the game and their attackers don't have the same space to run into (like they had before).
No coincidence that their form has taken a nose dive since he has recovered from his injury.
He also had an absolute dynamo in Kimmich alongside him. Bayern play a 4-2-3-1 which gives him a bit more protection, but the 4-3-3 Liverpool play leaves him more isolated and he's much easier to bypass in that situation.
I noticed liverpool played a 4-2-3-1 against us in the home league match to try and help him and IMO it worked better for them defensively - but they'll be changing their whole style just to fit him in safer.
Dictates the tempo though, so there's that....
I actually think out of all the teams he would fit Utd best. We need a player who can control a game like he can. We also have runners who can cover him better than the other top sides.
Not sure about that personally, people complained about the way runners went passed Pogba in a 4-2-3-1 but Thiago is even worse right now in that aspect, at least they've got the high press to hide it a bit.
In our defence they'd just be running straight for our backwards peddling defence.
We need a Thiago style player that can handle himself defensively too (not many of those about though)
He's an obvious weak link when the opposition have possession and will continued to be targeted in the coming months.
I don’t think he’s been the issue defensively when we have played them. He’s played with quite attacking partners. I suspect that in time he will come good once he’s partnered alongside either Henderson or Fabinho or both! We also need to remember that he’s new to the pace of this league which I think catches midfielders out more than most. The question is whether at his age he can adapt and stay injury free long enough to really flourish. He’s definitely got the quality.
Yeah once he can be alongside Fabinho and Henderson, and have VVD and a fit Matip/Gomez behind things might look different for him.
He's obviously one of the best technically gifted midfielders of his generation but in England if you can't run you struggle too.
Does Thiago ducking for a late free kick to make it 3-2 remind anyone else strongly of Nasri waving a leg at a late RVP free kick to make it 3-2?
Nasri had a severed leg in his hand?
At the risk of getting struck down by the Bundesliga Defence League — in Germany, at Bayern Munich, yeah. Big difference to playing as Liverpool’s holding midfielder in England.
He was also sat beside probably the best midfielder in the world in Joshua Kimmich.
I like Thiago but there's a reason he was allowed to leave Barcelona and then Bayern.
I feel the same about Verratti for what it's worth and see them as similar players. Nobody has ever seriously tried to lure him away from PSG.
Hope he stays at pool for a long time !
Think that about sums up his performance.
Think that about sums up his performance.
Bit of a fair wheather player. Can do some great thing when the sun is shining and the rest of his team or doing well, but feck me is he a sissy cnut when things go south a bit.
Poor man's Van der Vaart.
Poor man's Van der Vaart.
Look at the points records. After 19 matches you're first with 40 points and City can still get at 41. 19/20 those were 55 points, 18/19 51, 17/18 55. Barca and Madrid being distant second and third by double digits is also not usual. We don't even need to talk about Serie A. The only table that looks somewhat similar is the Bundesliga one and even there one of the two top dogs fell out of the top 4.
Happy for you. I certainly didn't predict yours, way too absurd for that.