Thiago Alcantara | Pool bound
- Thread starter Sean_RedDevil
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some people don't half post some odd things.Of course not.
What is Ole's system?
Yeah it would be absolutely epic if we could do to the scousers what Bayern did to us 7 years ago,know it won't be happening but nice little dream anyway
A midfield 3 of Pogba, Thiago and Bruno? There isn't a system where that works apart from games you expect to dominate.
I understand that but that's more of a general issue if you ask me. Players like Thiago shine when they have like minded players besides them. He likes to play many passes, lots of them quite simple. Circulate much, be patient and wait for the lanes to open up in order to then play forward. But if he plays with impatient, vertical players that like to search the forward option immediately, like Pogba and Bruno, he ends up playing easy balls and that's it. Think it's more of a question if you want to integrate a higher focus on possession into your playing style in principle. If so, Pogba and Bruno have to change a bit and then Thiago will fit in well. But as it is, I really don't see him playing at the same level he displayed for Bayern. It's a little bit as if you took Iniesta or Xavi out of that Barcelona side. Sure, they'd still be great players but they wouldn't have been able to utilize their strengths to the same extents.
Liverpool currently would be the better fit if you ask me. They've got very consistent passers with Wijnaldum, Fabinho etc. but they lack someone who can also play opening passes and initiate attacks through the center. They're sort of overreliant on their full backs. Thiago would solve exactly that.
Thiago is arguably the best player in the world at ball retention. With that his passes are very positive too.
For what Pogba, Bruno, Matic and Fred bring to the table they are not great at keeping possession which makes it hard for us to dominate teams in more than a series of one spell (Sevilla). Whether that be Pogba or Matic trying to play their way out of trouble and being caught out, or poor execution of passing from Bruno or Fred, there will always be at least one major chance for the opposition each game. That simply doesn’t happen with Thiago in the side, his decision making is always at the highest level no matter what press is thrown at him.
Sorry but it’s Thiago that can play in any system in the world, not Bruno or Pogba.
We don't play pool, city, chelsea, barca, rm, juve et al every week.
Why not? Thiago is the perfect number 6. Pogba plays more advanced.
So 80% of the time?
Being completely honest if we sign Thiago he would bench Pogba. At the very least it might give Pogba a kick up the ass to actually put in maximum effort.
Very good post, and I agree completely. We seem to want to try to play more possession based against worse teams, but we struggled badly towards the end when almost every single team we faced managed to press us to death. A Thiago there to pick up the ball instead of Pogba, Fred or even Matic could in theory work wonders. We’d have to wait and see.
That Bayer fan on a Pogba crusade again? Imagine my surprise. Paul Pogba with his *checks notes* “damn verticals... and err... his 0.02 xG shooting opportunities!” There’s no way in hell he can play with Thiago!
No, no. We must play an absolute defensive midfielder in every game to go along with our defence-first fullbacks. Then we can complain about how we can’t break teams down.
We aren't exactly coached by Pep here... Thiago is a player who won't go to a team where he plays most of the time and gets rotated out sometimes in big games. Bruno isn't, and Pogba isn't either. Who sits out? The 3 of them can't play together in big games as we'd be really vulnerable through the middle, same reason Ole hasn't really used Fred behind Pogba (and even then, Fred does a good amount of grunt work). Don't see it being true unless we're replacing Pogba, in which case he'd be an amazing signing, but nah he's definitely going to Liverpool as he walks into their starting 11 and fights for every trophy there, while at United we're unproven and would just not balance our midfield out given what we have.
At first I thought Thiago/Bruno/Pogba couldn’t work, but it really could against the majority of teams we play.
He’s obviously off to Liverpool though, so he’s shit anyway.
He’s obviously off to Liverpool though, so he’s shit anyway.
I don’t think for a second we’re actually going to buy Thiago, no. I do think he will sign for Liverpool.
Wouldn't phrase it like that but yeah, that's pretty much it.
The writing was on the ball!!
So... Maybe de Gea had it right all along?
He's not coming but I'm not sure what people think Matic/Fred do so much of that Thiago couldn't while being far better in possession?
We used to play with Scholes as the deepest midfielder.
We used to play with Scholes as the deepest midfielder.
Diamond. Change the system since all our wingers are basically strikers
Oh my god. Please don’t suck me in. Please
Diamonds only work with some really good attacking full backs. Not quite Shaw and Wan Bissaka!
Not allowing myself to believe this. It hurt enough him going to Bayern. If I allow myself to believe we’re in for him and then he goes to Liverpool, it’ll be unbearable.
Fully expect him to be at Liverpool within the next month
Fully expect him to be at Liverpool within the next month
I have to say Thiago to United would be a lot more palatable than Thiago joining Klopp's Liverpool.
Exactly. Bayern make it work with Muller in the AM position and two very attacking fullbacks. We played Carrick and Scholes in a two with Evra effectively playing as a third striker he was so high up! With our fullbacks you could definitely make it work by pressing high. To do that we’d need a fast CB with Maguire though.
I definitively believe.
Man Utd scouting hasn´t been at its best and I can absolutely see the management sitting together at lunch and discussing why a Thiago move was not on their radar.
After some fantasizing over Sancho they come to the realization, that it would just make too much sense, so when they read through the media, hear the deal with Liverpool has stalled for some time, they reach out.
Don´t you think getting Thiago for 30m € and laughing into Liverpools face is exactly what the management needs? Fans would be happy, Coach is happy and not getting Sancho this year would be much easier to take.
If Thiago isn´t saying no very firm ( would be stupid of him), there could be definitively some truth in this!
Man Utd scouting hasn´t been at its best and I can absolutely see the management sitting together at lunch and discussing why a Thiago move was not on their radar.
After some fantasizing over Sancho they come to the realization, that it would just make too much sense, so when they read through the media, hear the deal with Liverpool has stalled for some time, they reach out.
Don´t you think getting Thiago for 30m € and laughing into Liverpools face is exactly what the management needs? Fans would be happy, Coach is happy and not getting Sancho this year would be much easier to take.
If Thiago isn´t saying no very firm ( would be stupid of him), there could be definitively some truth in this!
No difference to me, i don't want either club to have him.
I mean Bayern have played him with goretzka and muller. Both of who get forward as much as pogba and bruno
If it were up to me I would let his contract run out. I don't see the benefit of selling him for such a low fee when the Lewandowski, Müller, Neuer & Co. core has a very finite number of chances to win another Champions League title.
But Rummenigge & Co. seem intent on selling him so I'd rather take a United transfer than one to Liverpool.
Thiago, VDB and Sancho would be a good window.
rammed in CM? One or two injuries and the likes of Pereira, McTominay and Mata come in to our midfield. Suitable back-up/competition for Bruno and Pogba aswell as a player who can rotate/take the position of Matic is a huge gap in our squad.
Such a good point
In midfield
I don't know about the many, but I'd rather have Thiago and Van De Beek than Pereira and Fred or even McTominay as the next best option.
Mediocrity has settled in somewhat.
Mediocrity has settled in somewhat.
This guy would play Pogba out of the starting 11 with ease.
That said he is going to Liverpool anyways so no point in getting excited.
Will walk into Liverpool starting XI too.
That said he is going to Liverpool anyways so no point in getting excited.
Will walk into Liverpool starting XI too.
Goretzka is a lot more disciplined than Pogba imo, and you can't have both Thiago and Pogba due to the roles they play. They play the same role of dominating possession and being the creator from deep. Goretzka was someone to compliment Thiago, while Pogba and thiago are basically the same in terms of the role they play.
I dunno, I'd be delighted to be proven wrong as I've always loved Thiago and wanted him for ages and we were so close to getting him until Moyes fecked it up. I don't think there's a chance we get him over Liverpool nor do I think the interest is actually real. Like I said, I'd take him over Pogba and he's the best deeper playmaking midfielder in the world for me (De Bruyne the best attacking mid), but Pogba isn't going anywhere which means I can't see us going for Thiago in any serious way.
Good? It would be one of the best windows ever.
Agrees with everything.
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