I like our midfield when everyone is fully fit. Trouble is, it only takes one injury to Pogba or Fernandes to ruin it. It's Klopps kick and run tactics that he's struggling with. He'd do quite well for us.
Thiago Alc*ntara | Still exists
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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.
Unless Klopp redesigns their style of football Thiago's issues will remain. He's not going to unlock lowblock defences which is what he was bought for and as soon as Fabinho and Henderson are able to push back into their respect positions (6 and 8), it's difficult to envision how Thiago fits. Maybe he can replace Wijnaldum as the third man in that midfield and be more effective closer to the last line of attack. At the moment it looks like a very bad fit.
Bayern master transfer. Didn't want to pay him too much, let him leave for a decent fee and then resign him back on his original wages for a knock down price.Should've never left us. Come back, Thiago.
He’s in a team that’s losing. They’re not losing because he’s in the team. He’s not playing all that well at the minute, but it’s not really a good time to judge him.
He’s brilliant. I’d take him in a heartbeat.
He’s brilliant. I’d take him in a heartbeat.
Don't get me wrong he's a very talented footballer. Unfortunately football has evolved and his playing style no longer fits. Especially in the PL. For him to work and with that playing style he needs to come up to Kevin de Bruyne level and that's not going to happen. De Bruyne can apply those same skills but at the same time has the strength, power and fitness levels to apply them.
Why? You don't have to look far to find a midfielder who's better than Thiago. Let's start with the ones who... you know... actually do stuff? De Bruyne gets assists, Fernandes scores goals, Kanté can tackle. And that's just the Premier League!
Honestly, I think this is all a case of the Emperor's New Clothes. He's great at what he does, but what he does is necessarily limited and not at all what Liverpool's system actually needs. He's been worse than useless so far for them.
Thiago was the best midfielder in the world last season. I don't see any who could pull off the final he's had against PSG. Easily the most pressing resistant player in the world over the last 3-4 years. Also he joined Liverpool after a very short break between the seasons, got covid, injured himself and came into a team is in shambles collectively.
I understand he plays for Liverpool and is a bit like the personification of the 'holier than thou' attitude you guys seem to see among German posters but the criticism he receives in here is way over the top. I don't see anybody questioning Mané's or Salah' s abilities in here. Especially suggesting he can't cope with the intensity is very hard to get when he excelled againdt PSG, one of the most intensive games I've seen over the last few years. I mean, if therevs one thing he's brillant at it's retaining the ball under pressure and finding solutions to advance the play. I think Thiago will come good eventually. If not this season then definitely next. Far too much quality, not only regarding the player but also the team he plays in and the manager whonis coaching it.
If you plonked him in city’s midfield you’d see a world class player. He’s just not a fit for klopps style of team, I still don’t understand why they bought him
I guess Gündogan would tell you the opposite. At Dortmund, Klopp developed his team more into a possession team over the years. Götze and Kagawa are also examples of this, they wouldn't fit Liverpool's playing style until now either. I believe Löpüü wanted to take the same route going forward at Liverpool as well and overcome the reliance on Alexander-Arnold and Robertson in the attack. It's clearly not working out so far but I doubt Thiago is the reason for it.
It was because he only wanted to go there. Which was because he thought he'd get a few years of easy title wins in a different league playing for the new dominant force in English football....
He went full RAWK... and you should never go full RAWK.
His playing style made him one of the 2-3 key players that got Bayern the treble last season. I get that football evolves, but not this fast.
And i would still take him back in a heartbeat. Bayern would be better with Thiago.
Yes but the Bundesliga isn't the same as the EPL. EPL's much faster and more competitive.
Let me clarify; klopps current style of team. He’s like a square peg in a round hole.
That thread about swapping Thiago with VDB might have been on to something (not that it would ever happen now).
He'd look great at Utd in a double-pivot, offers the type of creativity that is sorely lacking if Fernandes has an off day and Pogba isn't playing, whilst offering control that nobody in the squad can outside of maybe Matic.
VDB meanwhile is the type of energetic, press-resistance, tidy all-action midfielder that seems to suit Liverpool.
EDIT: That would probably be the world's smallest midfield actually pairing actually with him and Fred, maybe not.
He'd look great at Utd in a double-pivot, offers the type of creativity that is sorely lacking if Fernandes has an off day and Pogba isn't playing, whilst offering control that nobody in the squad can outside of maybe Matic.
VDB meanwhile is the type of energetic, press-resistance, tidy all-action midfielder that seems to suit Liverpool.
EDIT: That would probably be the world's smallest midfield actually pairing actually with him and Fred, maybe not.
Now we've arrived at the core of the poodle. Surely that's it; he just can't do in on a rainy night at Anfield.
The Scouse version of Andreas Pereira, more or less.
He wasn't top 2-3 for Bayern last season even though last season was only world-class season
Last season Lewandoski, Gnabry, Neuer Kimmich Muller were better. Thiago will be in the same band as Davies, Alaba Goretzka
Maybe if Jota was fit it would make a bit more sense? I don't think Klopps current system suits anyone in that team much at the moment.
To me he was at least your second best player almost every time I watched him in the last seasons. I really don't see how Gnabry, Kimmich and Müller could have been better than him in anyone's view. Comparing Thiago with Goretzka is almost an insult. What Goretzka can do with a football, Thiago can do with an orange. Neuer is a different matter, I always find it hard to compare goalkeepers with the rest of the positions since they're playing a different sport to anyone else on the pitch.
Thing is, in 90% of the games in the Bundesliga you don't need Thiago anyway since you're so much ahead of anybody else that you dominate the games no matter what. But in the games in which the opponent actually pressures you, Thiago was more valuable to you than anybody else on the pitch. Those are the games Goretzka likes finishing between 70-80% passing accuracy because the spaces were to tight for his capabilities on the ball.
I finally get to use this meme format
He is a brilliant player but he's also a part of the reason they're losing.
Just not the type of midfielder they need in their system.
They need a Khedira, but he's a Modric.
I'd take him in a heartbeat too, in Milan.
This is where some football fans get it wrong, Its not what you do with the ball in practice or when juggling, its what you do on the field when in a real-life situation, I have seen Thiago juggle the ball pre-game and everyone was wowed, but how many of these skills do you get to use on a football field? I know guys who can do tricks with a coin that will make Ronaldo break his ankle, but they cannot translate these to a real-life situation on the field
I believe Shaqiri can do more with an orange than most Liverpool players can do with 2 balls, yet he doesn't get to play. Quaresma too probably can do things that will make KdB envoius
What is the point of 100% passing accuracy sending to Neuer, to Boateng, To Alaba to Kimmich and rotating these balls in non-threatening areas of the field, then spin in the air with your heels and earlobes when no opponent is near or pressing you and more importantly does not add to your team's ability to win games
2019/20
Thiago 2975mins 3 goals 2 assists
Goretzka 2474 mins 8 goals 11 assists
The drive Goretzka gives to Bayern in the middle is more important than the sterile possession of Thiago
Gnabry All competition 23 goals 14 assists 9 of those goals in the CL games
Muller All competition 14 goals 26 assists, broke Buli assists record
Kimmich was the leader of the midfield
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Muller, Kimmich and Gnabry were all immense last season. A bit silly to make it seem like they were worlds apart. Over the season Kimmich and Muller imo (those 2 for sure) were better than Thiago. Dont’t forget Thiago would’ve probably lost his place to Kimmich if Pavard didn’t get injured.
And Thiago is very press resistant yeah, but more so at his own half. Were the press is less intense and there is more space than further up the field. When he gets further up the field his struggles become more obvious, almost like a lets say Goretzka.
The best midfielder in the world? After his first standout season, already the best? And with 0 assists in the league and 2 in the Champions league. Playing for an uber dominant Bayern team. Kimmich playing his position this season has 13 assists already (a couple of them from right back). And I know stats aren’t measuring stick for his position, but it does confirm the type of game that you see from him. Very risk averse, but thats were the disappointment comes from this season I think. At Liverpool people expect from him, that he is this source of creativity and that he is not! Never has been. Hence the mistakes, misplaced passes and bad dribbling. He tries to force it, but he has made name in recent years with keeping it simple.
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What's the point of that comparison?
Play Kante in Thiago's role and your build up is gone.
Play KdB in Thiago's role and your defensive balance is gone.
It's almost like different players have different profiles and different roles need different players.
There are players who can do exactly what Thiago does and also score goals.What's the point of that comparison?
Play Kante in Thiago's role and your build up is gone.
Play KdB in Thiago's role and your defensive balance is gone.
It's almost like different players have different profiles and different roles need different players.
There are players who can do exactly what Thiago does and also get assists.
There are players who can do exactly what Thiago does and also effectively shield the defence.
Thiago is really great at what he does. In fact I'd probably say that, in the absence of a peak Xavi or Iniesta, he's the best in the world at what he does. But it doesn't excuse the fact that that's the only thing he does. And considering that he's one of the most talented midfielders in the world, he should be doing more.
That's an incredible stretch.
Even if we don't look past Bayern, and believe me I could, Muller was absolutely world class last season. No matter how pretty his passes look, Thiago couldn't hold a candle to the level of genius Muller managed.
Carrick was better.
Even that is to much credit. If you mean being the best at press resistant. Guys like Modric and Busquets are still better at it.
Yeah, but what's Muller got to do in a midfield comparison?
If there are players like that out there you can count them on one hand.
If you actually take a closer look at the player you see that he also excels in (PAdj) tackling and interception stats.
McTominay can do all of that, yet is chastised repeatedly as a work a day player.
Thiago has been poor at Liverpool, there's no way of masking that. Anyone who tries is lying to themselves!!
Theres always at least one adjusted stat that can be used to back up any claim, which doesn't account the multitude of other poor stats that player accumulates.
Goretzka is so much better than Thiago, yet because he isn't as flashy he gets barely any of the plaudits.
Can someone explain the fingerer meme?
I get it, but he's more of a thumberer
You’re missing out if you’ve never used the thumb!I get it, but he's more of a thumberer
I think the original tweet was more aimed at him pointing everywhere instead of the thumbs up, memory not the best though.I get it, but he's more of a thumberer
The thumbs up friend from Merseyside
had a trial at Westham, etc.
had a trial at Westham, etc.