Thiago Alcantara | Pool bound

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Seven Seas Sardines

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I don't think I am at all. Thiago Pogba Bruno will be excellent when we have the ball but will be a shambles when we don't. Goretzka is a far better defensive minded player than Pogba is too.

But I don't think Thiago is coming anyway like I said. I think we pressed on with Donny because we knew he wanted to join Liverpool. Very much doubt we'll sign 2 CM's considering it's already our strongest area in squad now.
Göretzka is an attacking midfielder too..

I think Pogba/Bruno have better defensive work rate than Göretzka/Muller. We should be able to field our fifa midfield in 90% of games.
 

Highfather_24

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Carrick, Busquets and Xabi Alonso had hard working and usually defensive players along side them. In fact they often struggled without someone next to them to help or focus on the defensive work.
Not really. Carrick was usually partnered with Scholes/Anderson and later Giggs who were not known for their defensive ability. Fletcher and Carrick also played together but mostly in big games, and it was usually a very conservative midfield. Busquets also plays that role and has played that role of a DM for his whole career, along with players like Xavi, Iniesta, Rakitic, Fabregas, Arthur etc none of whom are known for their defensive ability.


Don't do it to yourself because I made that same mistake in 2013 with him
Same man, even I did in 2013. De Gea lead us on as well :(
 

Siddharth

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Against week opposition, we can play :

Pogba - Thiago - Bruno.

Against Strong Teams we can play :

Pogba - Thiago - Matic.

Even thinking about it makes me giddy.
This transfer will remain a dream for me in all probability.
 

croadyman

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Not really. Carrick was usually partnered with Scholes/Anderson and later Giggs who were not known for their defensive ability. Fletcher and Carrick also played together but mostly in big games, and it was usually a very conservative midfield. Busquets also plays that role and has played that role of a DM for his whole career, along with players like Xavi, Iniesta, Rakitic, Fabregas, Arthur etc none of whom are known for their defensive ability.




Same man, even I did in 2013. De Gea lead us on as well :(
Dave definitely had chats with him & Sergio on that international duty
 

croadyman

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Against week opposition, we can play :

Pogba - Thiago - Bruno.

Against Strong Teams we can play :

Pogba - Thiago - Matic.

Even thinking about it makes me giddy.
This transfer will remain a dream for me in all probability.
Yeah certainly feels like the scousers are just toying with us and will sign him late in the window
 

reddevilz007

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Against week opposition, we can play :

Pogba - Thiago - Bruno.

Against Strong Teams we can play :

Pogba - Thiago - Matic.

Even thinking about it makes me giddy.
This transfer will remain a dream for me in all probability.
Quite surprised how everyone is putting Pogba as an automatic starter. Out of Bruno, VDB and Pogba, Pogba is probably the less consistent one and the most likely to make a mistake. He is a frustrating player to watch as you never what side of him you will be getting.
 

Godfather

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Quite surprised how everyone is putting Pogba as an automatic starter. Out of Bruno, VDB and Pogba, Pogba is probably the less consistent one and the most likely to make a mistake. He is a frustrating player to watch as you never what side of him you will be getting.
You sure saw a lot of VdB's games to come to such a bold prediction.
 

PedroMendez

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Flick basically uses him as a holding midfielder, doesn't he? I guess you would also want to have a more physically impressive holding midfielder on your squad in addition to him, but given proper organization I think he could be terrific against most opponents.
In the standard 4231 he usually played as the more advanced role of the midfield two.

Thats mostly true, but not only because Thiago is too weak in defense. He can play the 6, the 8 and the 10.
Over the years we had players like Alonso (6), Martinez (6), Kroos (6,8), Vidal (6,8), Lahm (RB or 6) in our squad who were clearly more defensive minded (or more limited in attack if you see it the other way around) so Thiago mostly played at the 8.

But as far as I remember he also played on the 6 for every coach since he's here.
His tacklings and interceptions weren't as good, when he came here. He really developed his defensive skills. Its not uncommon for a midfielder to play more central and more defensive minded when they get older, just look at Scholes or Schweinsteiger.


Thiago-Goretzka-Müller obviously worked very well. Pogba and Goretzka are imo quite comparable in the way they play (obviously Pogba is the fancier player) and Bruno is also quite okay at tracking back and fighting, from all I've seen. So I don't see how Thiago-Pogba-Bruno couldn't work. Judging the players only by Youtube videos I agree with you, that it looks like a "FIFA formation", but Thiago and also Pogba are better in defense than their technical abilities and fancy tricks and passes might suggest.
I just wanted to highlight, that the last three CL matches don't represent how and where he played most of the time for Bayern. At his current level, he could imo play in any system/team as #8/central midfielder and could adapt to what the team needs. I am far less certain, that the same is true for him playing as DM. We'll have to wait and see.
 

Hammondo

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Not really. Carrick was usually partnered with Scholes/Anderson and later Giggs who were not known for their defensive ability. Fletcher and Carrick also played together but mostly in big games, and it was usually a very conservative midfield. Busquets also plays that role and has played that role of a DM for his whole career, along with players like Xavi, Iniesta, Rakitic, Fabregas, Arthur etc none of whom are known for their defensive ability.




Same man, even I did in 2013. De Gea lead us on as well :(
Carrick firstly played with Hargreaves and we won the CL. Then he had Fletcher, and for a while Anderson (who worked very hard next to him). When we played him with Giggs our midfield was very weak against teams who attacked us.

Busquets was the main DM, and his teammates were not defensive but they worked hard. Later after Pep Barce faded, and have been weak in midfield defensively. They have never been close to good enough since his teammates stopped working hard. Pretty light generally in midfield.

Of course Alonso had a DM next to him at Liverpool and Gerrard was a hard worker.
 

Hammondo

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Carrick had scholes playing next to him.

Busquets had xavi and iniesta.

So Scholes, xavi and iniesta. Hard working? yes! Defensive? I wouldn't think so.
Carrick had Hargreaves and Fletcher at different times. But yes, hard work is what I am focusing on. Anderson worked hard for example. We don't have that here, he would be exposed.
 

0le

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Carrick had Hargreaves and Fletcher at different times. But yes, hard work is what I am focusing on. Anderson worked hard for example. We don't have that here, he would be exposed.
Fred and McT...
 

Hammondo

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Fred and McT...
Of course, but I mean if we play pogba bruno with him.

I 100% agree with one of those 2 we balance much better.

Btw I get 5 posts a day because I'm a "noob" or w/e they call it. I'm running out for today.
 

Highfather_24

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Carrick firstly played with Hargreaves and we won the CL. Then he had Fletcher, and for a while Anderson (who worked very hard next to him). When we played him with Giggs our midfield was very weak against teams who attacked us.
Anderson might have covered a lot of ground, but he was not at all good defensively. Whenever we played Fletcher and Carrick together we struggled for creativity. Hargreaves in the 08/09 season played for us as a right midfielder, with Scholes and Carrick in the middle.

Carrick always had the ability to play as a sole defensive mid, and played that role for us for MANY years. Its undisputable.
 

NotQuiteManc

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I know that this might just negotiation tactics by both Bayern and Liverpool, but he would add a lot of qualities to United's midfield. Just few years ago, United had almost nonexistent (quality) midfield. The idea of adding Thiago is just one of those too good to be true idea, but I won't oppose it if it is true.
 

Highfather_24

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Of course, but I mean if we play pogba bruno with him.

I 100% agree with one of those 2 we balance much better.

Btw I get 5 posts a day because I'm a "noob" or w/e they call it. I'm running out for today.
That is a fair point, that someone like Thiago needs a more mobile partner. Yet we have Matic who covers for Pogba and Bruno, and look at him. Thiago is plenty agile, and I think he can easily play the Matic role in our midfield. Against tougher oppositions, McTominay can come in for one of Pogba/Bruno.
 

sincher

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I would not have thought of Thiago as a particularly good fit for the Matic role, great player though he is.
 

Pexbo

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I would not have thought of Thiago as a particularly good fit for the Matic role, great player though he is.
Why not? He’d be an excellent fit for it.
 

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

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We’ve briefed the MEN that we’re not interested.


That is a fair point, that someone like Thiago needs a more mobile partner. Yet we have Matic who covers for Pogba and Bruno, and look at him. Thiago is plenty agile, and I think he can easily play the Matic role in our midfield. Against tougher oppositions, McTominay can come in for one of Pogba/Bruno.
McTominay isn’t very good though. If you want to beat tough oppositions, you need your best players playing.
 

sincher

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Why not? He’d be an excellent fit for it.
Just doesn't strike me as a player that tracks runners, takes up defensive positions, and covers a lot of ground. He, Pogba and Fernandes are all potential runners of the game. I mean it might work but not sure about it.
 

bond19821982

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Why not? He’d be an excellent fit for it.
Because Thiago has Goretzka to play by his side( who has been brilliant defensively).

Unless we change it to diamond , I dont see the point- shame !
 

croadyman

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If its a briefing its everywhere, we're not going to the manchester evening news to give them a little scoop.
Yeah after the Sancho news time to make a statement and snatch him from under the scousers noses.

We can now meet those wage demands too seeing as we aren't getting another high earner this summer now.
 

Hammondo

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That is a fair point, that someone like Thiago needs a more mobile partner. Yet we have Matic who covers for Pogba and Bruno, and look at him. Thiago is plenty agile, and I think he can easily play the Matic role in our midfield. Against tougher oppositions, McTominay can come in for one of Pogba/Bruno.
We have lost or drawn plenty of games because of our lack of midfield control/the opponents running through us.
 

giggs-beckham

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Would Thiago improve us in the short term at least more than Sancho? Bearing in mind we do have Mason.
I'd be more excited by him over Sancho as he's the type of player I prefer.
 

Brwned

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Carrick firstly played with Hargreaves and we won the CL. Then he had Fletcher, and for a while Anderson (who worked very hard next to him). When we played him with Giggs our midfield was very weak against teams who attacked us.

Busquets was the main DM, and his teammates were not defensive but they worked hard. Later after Pep Barce faded, and have been weak in midfield defensively. They have never been close to good enough since his teammates stopped working hard. Pretty light generally in midfield.

Of course Alonso had a DM next to him at Liverpool and Gerrard was a hard worker.
Carrick played alongside Scholes when we won the CL. This is our team in the last league game, which is about as close as you got to our first choice lineup. The season before that Carrick started alongside Scholes in something like 34 of the 38 PL games. Playing with two playmaking CMs was one of the most visible parts of our team then having gone from playing the likes of Smith, O'Shea, Miller and co. in there just before, and it led to some of our best ever football.
 

Highfather_24

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We have lost or drawn plenty of games because of our lack of midfield control/the opponents running through us.
Having Thiago in midfield will help us control the tempo of the game. Our big struggles are often

- Keeping the ball after we take a lead
- Keeping the ball when we are pressed high
- Control the game when we are behind

Thiago will help will all of that. That is his specialty. He sets the tempo of the game.
 

AgentSquirrel

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Yes but I meant it could be a briefing as more than one outlet reported it.
If it comes from James Cooper or Simon Stone it'll be a brief I think. Simon Stone especially doesn't really deal in anything but absolute fact (which is why some people get frustrated with him during the transfer window, even though its not his job to comment on transfer rumours) and stuff directly from the club.
 

croadyman

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If it comes from James Cooper or Simon Stone it'll be a brief I think. Simon Stone especially doesn't really deal in anything but absolute fact (which is why some people get frustrated with him during the transfer window, even though its not his job to comment on transfer rumours) and stuff directly from the club.
Yeah Ducker, Robson & Peach too
 
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