Thiago Alc*ntara | Retires

I needed a Thiago yellow card for £200 on my bet builder, so you can imagine, when he breaks up a counter attack in the 1st half, then when he deliberately handballs it on the edge of the West Ham half, you can imagine, I was quite annoyed.
 
It's great isn't it? And this ref-immune bastard is all ours. :drool:

As for his worth to us, not sure if people on here have noticed but we have rather a shit defence. Correction, we would kill for a shit defence right now. We have no defence.

So we need someone to hold the ball, in tight situations, and then make sure the next touch is not a lost pass or we'll be killed on a counter. Gini, Milner and even Jones are not as great on the ball as him. Hendo and Fab would be better but, well, you know where they are right now.

Once our defence has some semblance of normality you will see a different style from Thiago. More of the Bayern/Barca one. Until then, boy does our midfield need the composure he is bringing.

Until now 'the boy' does what is needed to cripple players and deplete the teams that are in the running for the title.
Along with Hendo, Milner, Fabinho, Taa, Mane' and a couple of others, a team that easily could have come from the dark streets.
Nice!
 
I didn't realise we were calling him the 'Butcher of Merseyside' these days. Did someone buy meat off him in Toxteth that still had the yellow security tag attached?
 
Alphonso Davies mentioned Thiago when asked who was the best player he ever played with. I also remember that Lewandowski voted him for Ballon d'or.
 
So we need someone to hold the ball, in tight situations, and then make sure the next touch is not a lost pass or we'll be killed on a counter. Gini, Milner and even Jones are not as great on the ball as him. Hendo and Fab would be better but, well, you know where they are right now.

Once our defence has some semblance of normality you will see a different style from Thiago. More of the Bayern/Barca one. Until then, boy does our midfield need the composure he is bringing.

To be fair, I don't think how he's playing now is all that different to how he usually plays. He's always been mostly about keeping the ball with short passes and grabbing the occasional goal or assist, we just haven't seen the goal and assist bit yet. I will admit I didn't realise he was such a shocking tackler though.
 
To be fair, I don't think how he's playing now is all that different to how he usually plays. He's always been mostly about keeping the ball with short passes and grabbing the occasional goal or assist, we just haven't seen the goal and assist bit yet. I will admit I didn't realise he was such a shocking tackler though.

Yep agreed, his style won't change drastically. But like you mention about his shocking tackling, none of us saw that coming. Once Fab and Hendo are next to him breaking legs, he'll go back to being the mild mannered reporter. :)

Also for people doubting his calibre/worth, he has improved our midfield composure considerably. I don't even want to imagine going through our past six week patch without him in it. Gini, Mane, Firmino, TAA and Salah's touch were getting us into so much trouble.
 
Yep agreed, his style won't change drastically. But like you mention about his shocking tackling, none of us saw that coming. Once Fab and Hendo are next to him breaking legs, he'll go back to being the mild mannered reporter. :)

Also for people doubting his calibre/worth, he has improved our midfield composure considerably. I don't even want to imagine going through our past six week patch without him in it. Gini, Mane, Firmino, TAA and Salah's touch were getting us into so much trouble.
Personally I think Thiago is the reason why you havent looked as threatening going forward in recent weeks.
The goals yesterday were what i would call typical Liverpool goals under Klopp.

You look so much more threatening when you play direct passing, Thiago doesn't have that in him to be direct, he likes to recycle the ball and move into space, very much a Pep style midfielder.

Salah, Mane and Firmino thrive on balls over the top, raking balls such as that from Shaqiri yesterday or deep crosses via the wing backs, having Thiago there has blunted that threat somewhat as you are constantly looking to play through him. I don't see this changing once Henderson moves back into the middle either. Part of the reason i think you started with Origi over Firmino yesterday, you wanted someone to run onto them slide rule balls that Thiago likes to play.
 
He's pretty shite in a Liverpool shirt, isn't he? And I'm fecking love it. Nos vemos en hell, el cuñto.
 
He can spread the ball but doesnt seem to be able to unlock a defence.
He would be fantastic in our side with a Bruno or at City but he is played like a Scholes when he seems to be a Carrick
 
I doubt too many will remember Barry Ferguson but being from Scotland I do, and that's all Thiago is at Liverpool, he makes a 3 yard sideways pass look good. Nothing player, Bayern have done another English team.
 
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I'm into my 5th season in FM. Basically he never played for Liverpool in my save, when he did he was shite, left at the end of his contact and is still a free agent. Has to be a prophecy. FM is a simulator afterall.
 
He's awful at tackling. Never gets it right. If he's going to play he should be higher up the pitch with someone else sitting behind him. I wonder if Klopp will try and change how we play in the summer to suit him more. He isn't 'high energy' enough to supplement how we're currently set up to play.

Fabinho/Henderson/Thiago would be my preferred three considering Wijnaldum is gone.
 
Christ remember the mass wanking that began after 20 minutes versus us when neville set up a completely false narrative about him 'running the show'. Seems a long time ago now
 
He's not a right fit for how Klopp football works. It's an over reaction to call him crap by some on here. Klopps midfield is supposed to be fast and mobile, quick transitions from back to front. They are basically just a medium to get the ball to the front 3. Thiago isn't that guy, he holds on to the ball, slows everything down because that's the type of player Barca wanted, Bayern wanted.

Similarly Pogba would be terrible if he played for Liverpool too. He would do the exact same thing and ruin their system
 
Genuinely couldn't believe he lasted the full 90. He was really poor
 
He can spread the ball but doesnt seem to be able to unlock a defence.
He would be fantastic in our side with a Bruno or at City but he is played like a Scholes when he seems to be a Carrick

Other Bayern fans were often mad at me for saying it but I kept saying that Thiago was not as important for us as often suggested and that he wasn't the player that made things "click". That's why I argued that someone like Kimmich was just so much more important for our success, someone with a punch and leadership qualities on the pitch (I'd say even Goretzka added a dimension to our midfield that Thiago simply doesn't have).
Don't get me wrong, Thiago is obviously still a quality CM but imo there is just that little something missing and the reason why he hasn't become a truely great player of his generation (despite having the tools for it).
So yeah, Thiago works his magic if things around him are in place but don't expect him to be the guy to lead.
 
Other Bayern fans were often mad at me for saying it but I kept saying that Thiago was not as important for us as often suggested and that he wasn't the player that made things "click". That's why I argued that someone like Kimmich was just so much more important for our success, someone with a punch and leadership qualities on the pitch (I'd say even Goretzka added a dimension to our midfield that Thiago simply doesn't have).
Don't get me wrong, Thiago is obviously still a quality CM but imo there is just that little something missing and the reason why he hasn't become a truely great player of his generation (despite having the tools for it).
So yeah, Thiago works his magic if things around him are in place but don't expect him to be the guy to lead.
I got absolutely lambasted on this thread when Thiago signed for stating that Thiago was both overrated and actually not a world class player.
I also got torn apart for stating that Kimmich and Goretzka are in fact the lynchpins of Bayern's midfield and are better players.
Not gonna lie, it feels good to be right :lol:
 
He's awful at tackling. Never gets it right. If he's going to play he should be higher up the pitch with someone else sitting behind him. I wonder if Klopp will try and change how we play in the summer to suit him more. He isn't 'high energy' enough to supplement how we're currently set up to play.

Fabinho/Henderson/Thiago would be my preferred three considering Wijnaldum is gone.

I salut you being on a United forum right now.

I agree in that when you've got everyone fit, he should work a treat with Fabinho and Henderson in the middle. But that's not until next season and this team is losing its spark and confidence, whilst that attack is ageing. But Thiago is a classy player.
 
I salut you being on a United forum right now.

I agree in that when you've got everyone fit, he should work a treat with Fabinho and Henderson in the middle. But that's not until next season and this team is losing its spark and confidence, whilst that attack is ageing. But Thiago is a classy player.
I expect Kabak and Fabinho to start in defense against City allowing Henderson to rejoin the midfield. We are lacking spark though I agree.

This place keeps me honest and is better for debate than any Liverpool forum would be. I do post more often than I should though. My post count in the Klopp thread is embarrassing.
 
He's not a right fit for how Klopp football works. It's an over reaction to call him crap by some on here. Klopps midfield is supposed to be fast and mobile, quick transitions from back to front. They are basically just a medium to get the ball to the front 3. Thiago isn't that guy, he holds on to the ball, slows everything down because that's the type of player Barca wanted, Bayern wanted.

Similarly Pogba would be terrible if he played for Liverpool too. He would do the exact same thing and ruin their system

Totally agree. He hasn’t turned into a bad player overnight. He’s played in the wrong system. Klopp wanted a play B but has tried to make him work with the plan A. It just hasn’t worked out.
 
I expect Kabak and Fabinho to start in defense against City allowing Henderson to rejoin the midfield. We are lacking spark though I agree.

This place keeps me honest and is better for debate than any Liverpool forum would be. I do post more often than I should though. My post count in the Klopp thread is embarrassing.

Yeah, that's class.

Reg. Kabak - I assumed he'd have to quarantine, if not, why wasn't he involved tonight?
 
Yeah, that's class.

Reg. Kabak - I assumed he'd have to quarantine, if not, why wasn't he involved tonight?
I don't know but he was sitting on the bench tonight. Hasn't trained yet either I think. Footballers live in different worlds to us normies. Probably been tested loads as well.
 
I don't know but he was sitting on the bench tonight. Hasn't trained yet either I think. Footballers live in different worlds to us normies. Probably been tested loads as well.

I don't see him on that bench.

Given how the market talk was last summer, it seems post-covid financials have hit home now that plenty of clubs are adopting use-before-you-buy policy, and with low buy-options too. Can't imagine he'd have gone for what, 20m, last summer. Will be interesting to track his progress, know Adnan is a fan.
 
I don't see him on that bench.

Given how the market talk was last summer, it seems post-covid financials have hit home now that plenty of clubs are adopting use-before-you-buy policy, and with low buy-options too. Can't imagine he'd have gone for what, 20m, last summer. Will be interesting to track his progress, know Adnan is a fan.
He wasn't a sub but was seen sitting amongst the players on the bench tonight. Hope he turns out to be good. He's only a loan currently.
 
He thought that joining Liverpool was basically guaranteed medals. Be delighted if he wins feck all over the next few years.
 
Utterly pointless again tonight. I felt zero emotion when he was on the ball as I was confident he'd do nothing with it.
He seems to want to look good caressing the ball and playing stylish looking passes that don't have much effect on the game.
 
his movement without the ball and work rate looks absolutely bad, he is the lastfootballer that suits klopp's teams, i would be suprised if he will last more than 1 season