Thiago Alcantara | Signed for Bayern Munich

Status
Not open for further replies.
I thought he was a CM.

Would be very exciting but the cynic in me just doesn't see this happening. Seems mental they'd put in a release clause that low and allow it to be triggered. If he does leave they have totally mismanaged him.
 
He'd fit in easily alongside Carrick for 90% of our games. In the big games, we might someone more defensive.
 
I honestly can't believe the 'can he play in a midfield two' crowd sometimes. Our best ever midfield partnership was Scholes and Keane. Scholes was a striker who slowly moved back into midfield.

Thiago is an actual specialised CM. He's a CM for the club with the best midfield in the world (or wherever you want to rate Barca's midfield).

It's reaching the point now where for caftards to think you can play in central midfield you have to be Javier Mascherano.

http://www.whoscored.com/Players/74939/

He's a central midfielder.
 
Kid Cunto said:
So we could quite handily play with this next season?

Carrick Thiago​
Click to expand...

Yes we could. Would give us a top midfield as soon as he settled in. He is really the best young cm in Europe. He is not an attacking midfielder like Gotze, Isco, Oscar he plays deeper than them.
 
Kid Cunto said:
Where's FCBarca? If this lad isn't made out for a midfield two, I don't see the point.
Click to expand...

FCBarca said:
No, this is a common tactic the club uses with cantera players. They are constantly moved around the pitch to see how best to use them and have as many skilled players on the pitch at the same time. It varies but Thiago has played deeper this season than last and, frankly, looks worse there. But not as bad as Cesc which is why Cesc plays more forward.

Thiago is an attacking mid who needs to be playing further up the pitch
Click to expand...

from a few pages back.
 
Kid Cunto said:
I'm going with what Graham Hunter has said about his position to be honest. He'd have watched him a lot more than most in this thread. He said he's an attacking midfielder who has, at times, played deeper. So bringing him in would mean developing him to play in a position that isn't his natural one.
Click to expand...

Your answer is here:

JaffyJoe said:
He is a cm the fact that he is silky and skillful makes people brand him a am. But he is defensively aware, gets stuck in and plays the cm better than Fabregas in the current Barca system. He could play beside Carrick imo. He has the skill to play am but his best position is as a cm. He is the most complete young midfielder in the game for me.
Click to expand...

But he's still hands off, so you lot better drop it. I'd rather sell Cesc.
 
I think you only really have to look at Cleverley and Carrick being our best cm partnership this season to see that someone like Thiago would be very good as a partner to Carrick. Cleverley certainly isn't that great defensively and we don't need Thiago to be either.
 
United signing a top midfield prospect on the cheap... I'll believe it when I see it.
 
@Brightonian's javie Mascherano post :lol:

That's quite true. I'd say we need a box to box/creative type - which is exactly what Thiago is, though he can also fill in a midfield 3 "AM" - especially in tough aways, when SAF is tempted to use Jones next to Carrick. (Kagawa/Rooney can switch to LM).

Ideally we need both - cheaper "cover" for Carrick's position and a midfielder to partner him. Doubt we'll buy 2 though. Hopefully at least 1 :nervous:
 
Kid Cunto said:
Cheers.

FCBarca's apprehension would concern me. He'd know more than most in here.
Click to expand...

But if you read lots of his posts, he does have a bit of an agenda there. He's a big Thiago fan and doesn't rate Fabregas, whereas Vilanova seems to have decided to stick with Fabregas at Thiago's expense. In Guardiola's last season, Thiago got something like 38 starts, almost all in CM. Under Vilanova, Thiago has had much less football, and it's been about half and half, some in AM and some in CM. I've caught plenty of those games and he's looked as good as ever in CM but not impressed as much further forward. But since the alternative in AM is Fabregas, FCBarca will tend to back Thiago there.

Again, look at his average position (on that whoscored stats link). He plays in CM, and he's very good there.
 
Brightonian said:
But if you read lots of his posts, he does have a bit of an agenda there. He's a big Thiago fan and doesn't rate Fabregas, whereas Vilanova seems to have decided to stick with Fabregas at Thiago's expense. In Guardiola's last season, Thiago got something like 38 starts, almost all in CM. Under Vilanova, Thiago has had much less football, and it's been about half and half, some in AM and some in CM. I've caught plenty of those games and he's looked as good as ever in CM but not impressed as much further forward. But since the alternative in AM is Fabregas, FCBarca will tend to back Thiago there.

Again, look at his average position (on that whoscored stats link). He plays in CM, and he's very good there.
Click to expand...

Cool.

I haven't seen much of him, I've watched Barcelona about fifteen to twenty times this season and I think he only came on a handful of times. I'd certainly love to sign him, he's undoubtedly one of Europe's top young talents.
 
People arguing about if he's a natural center mid or attacking mid is ridiculous when you consider what we've been doing the past 5 years. Scholes started out as a center forward and moved back into one of the best midfielders we've ever had, Giggs went from the wing to center mid for us, and still continues to play there occasionally. Then we have Anderson and Cleverley, who both started off as attacking midfielders but we molded them into more central midfielders. Thiago is more of a midfielder then all of them probably were at the start, and would be a better midfielder then any of our other options apart from Carrick. People would start arguing that Xavi can't play in a midfield 2 just because he's played in a midfield 3 for most of his career ffs.

If the reported price is true, he'd be a brilliant signing for us, and would instantly massively improve our midfield. In the difficult away games against the big teams, if we don't want such an attacking team we can always put Jones next to Carrick, move Thiago up and push Kagawa on the wing.
 
bosnian_red said:
People arguing about if he's a natural center mid or attacking mid is ridiculous when you consider what we've been doing the past 5 years. Scholes started out as a center forward and moved back into one of the best midfielders we've ever had, Giggs went from the wing to center mid for us, and still continues to play there occasionally. Then we have Anderson and Cleverley, who both started off as attacking midfielders but we molded them into more central midfielders. Thiago is more of a midfielder then all of them probably were at the start, and would be a better midfielder then any of our other options apart from Carrick. People would start arguing that Xavi can't play in a midfield 2 just because he's played in a midfield 3 for most of his career ffs.

If the reported price is true, he'd be a brilliant signing for us, and would instantly massively improve our midfield. In the difficult away games against the big teams, if we don't want such an attacking team we can always put Jones next to Carrick, move Thiago up and push Kagawa on the wing.
Click to expand...

Scholes was not cut to lead the line in the first place. He was moved in CM out of necessity same as Pirlo. Giggs was moved in cm after more then a decade playing week in week out with some of the finest CM ever. Jury is still out on clev, while i wouldnt want thiago to follow andos path.

If you need a CM and your spending money to get him then you get a cm
 
Barca obviously rate someone else higher...whether that be Isco or Neymar so I guess they are trying to raise funds for the likes of those two
 
Ringo 07 said:
Barca obviously rate someone else higher...whether that be Isco or Neymar so I guess they are trying to raise funds for the likes of those two
Click to expand...

I doubt it's Isco. Likely to be for positions that actually need strengthening, namely CB and a Villa replacement forward to ease the goalscoring pressure on Messi. Neymar would certainly fulfil the latter requirement.
 
He's a top talent..got the Brasilian rhythm when he moves with the ball. If he turns out to be any good over here, he'll end up wanting a move back to Barca.
 
bosnian_red said:
People arguing about if he's a natural center mid or attacking mid is ridiculous when you consider what we've been doing the past 5 years. Scholes started out as a center forward and moved back into one of the best midfielders we've ever had, Giggs went from the wing to center mid for us, and still continues to play there occasionally. Then we have Anderson and Cleverley, who both started off as attacking midfielders but we molded them into more central midfielders. Thiago is more of a midfielder then all of them probably were at the start, and would be a better midfielder then any of our other options apart from Carrick. People would start arguing that Xavi can't play in a midfield 2 just because he's played in a midfield 3 for most of his career ffs.

If the reported price is true, he'd be a brilliant signing for us, and would instantly massively improve our midfield. In the difficult away games against the big teams, if we don't want such an attacking team we can always put Jones next to Carrick, move Thiago up and push Kagawa on the wing.
Click to expand...

Only difference is SAF is nolonger manager so assuming how he would play under Moyes is total different. However after seeing what Moyes done to Fernandes when he was at Everton he should b in good hands.
 
TheHorse'sMouth said:
He's a top talent..got the Brasilian rhythm when he moves with the ball. If he turns out to be any good over here, he'll end up wanting a move back to Barca.
Click to expand...

Even if he did end up going back there I wouldn't mind if he gave us 5 or 6 great years like Fabregas did with you lot. I wouldn't expect him to come here and then stay for the next 15 years.
 
I wouldn't lump Thiago in with Cesc who is actually Catalan....If Thiago leaves not sure he'd return
 
Kid Cunto said:
Where's FCBarca? If this lad isn't made out for a midfield two, I don't see the point.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's the issue. Barca don't play with a midfield two and dominate the game so much that making assumptions based on his games there is pretty pointless IMO. Playing in a midfield two with just Carrick next to him would be completely different to his role at Barca.

Definitely not the sure thing a few are suggesting it is IMO.
 
Kid Cunto said:
Cheers.

FCBarca's apprehension would concern me. He'd know more than most in here.
Click to expand...

He says that Thiago is better than Fabregas in CM, that's why Fabregas always plays further forward.

Considering how good Fabregas was for Arsenal in CM, I think that's a resounding endorsement for Thiago and the fact that he can play in a midfield two alongside Carrick in the PL.

Also, if Rooney leaves I don't think we'll be playing much with a midfield two anyway.
 
Fergus' son said:
He says he that Thiago is better than Fabregas in CM, that's why Fabregas always plays further forward.

Considering how good Fabregas was for Arsenal in CM, I think that's a resounding endorsement for Thiago and the fact that he can play in a midfield two alongside Carrick in the PL.

Also, if Rooney leaves I don't think we'll be playing much with a midfield two anyway.
Click to expand...

He also said this though - "Thiago is an attacking mid who needs to be playing further up the pitch"

But anyway.. You're comparing different things here. The fact that Thiago might be better than Fabregas playing deeper in Barca's system, doesn't mean the same is true for Arsenal's or United's. Barcelona play such a specific, unique brand of football that making these assumptions isn't accurate.

It's fair to say Fabregas could partner Carrick in a two man midfield, but it's debateable whether Thiago could. He has never played a similar role.
 
We can't compare the styles of United, Barcelona, and Arsenal much at all. None of them play all that similarly.

So I suppose it's up to United's staff to judge could the club utilise Thiago successfully.
 
Theon said:
He also said this though - "Thiago is an attacking mid who needs to be playing further up the pitch"

But anyway.. You're comparing different things here. The fact that Thiago might be better than Fabregas playing deeper in Barca's system, doesn't mean the same is true for Arsenal's or United's. Barcelona play such a specific, unique brand of football that making these assumptions isn't accurate.

It's fair to say Fabregas could partner Carrick in a two man midfield, but it's debateable whether Thiago could. He has never played a similar role.
Click to expand...

That's why I think we should just discard his opinion altogether quite frankly, aside from the attacking midfielder part. Even then, I'v seen Thiago on many occasions and I certainly think he can partner Carrick as a proper CM. Perhaps theres a possibility that he may be too attacking in certain games but generally I think it could work.

Also, as he is still young I'm sure we can develop him into the player we need, he has the talent IMO which is the main thing. I'm not sure we are in the best position to be too picky about potential midfield signings too, particularly one with as much obvious quality as Thiago!
 
He's 20 isn't he? If we do sign him, that means we need not register him as a player over 21 in the 25 man squad limit? This signing makes sense if we do it, but i'm not really sure he will prosper here, or rather we need such a player in the squad now
 
SATA said:
He's 20 isn't he? If we do sign him, that means we need not register him as a player over 21 in the 25 man squad limit? This signing makes sense if we do it, but i'm not really sure he will prosper here, or rather we need such a player in the squad now
Click to expand...

Why won't he prosper?
 
Fergus' son said:
That's why I think we should just discard his opinion altogether quite frankly, aside from the attacking midfielder part. Even then, I'v seen Thiago on many occasions and I certainly think he can partner Carrick as a proper CM. Perhaps theres a possibility that he may be too attacking in certain games but generally I think it could work.

Also, as he is still young I'm sure we can develop him into the player we need, he has the talent IMO which is the main thing. I'm not sure we are in the best position to be too picky about potential midfield signings too, particularly one with as much obvious quality as Thiago!
Click to expand...

Nah I agree with that part man, it's the certainty that he could play with just Carrick I disagree with. I would love him here though - all the talent in the world like you say.

But it would still leave us open through the centre, defensively he isn't going to solve any issues. When he's played for Barca in that midfield there isn't the same defensive requirements, not even close. Especially with how deep we drop and the fact that we don't have a high press.

I think this would work fine though

-----Carrick-----
--Fellaini--Thiago--

Very good possession wise with Thiago, Carrick and Kagawa on the left, plus Fellaini is no joke with the ball either, yet it still would be tough defensively and hard to play through. With Carrick screening it would allow the other two to press further up the pitch.

The only downside to that three is that Kagawa, or Rooney if he stays, remain stuck on the left which is a bit of a waste.
 
Thiago can play much deeper. If he comes here and we don't sign the afro-man I can see us lining next season:

Back 5

Carrick Thiago

Valencia Kagawa Winger

Jan Venegor Robin Van Persie of Hesselink

Wouldn't complain about this.
 
A priority for next season should be allowing for Kagawa to play in his natural and best position to see the best of him.

So, Thiago will have to play in a deep role should we, by some miracle, actually sign him. In fact, United may not be the best move for the player.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.