Thiago Alcantara

[BigChief]

It's like watching a new Liverpool whenever he's on the pitch. Villa, who were often leaving Gini and Hendo free to receive the ball, were immediately putting the goal scorer Barry on him. Even when Thiago moved just outside the penalty box, Barry stayed with him.

Shows how teams have worked us out and where they know the midfielders offer squat when Mane/Salah are having bad days. Bring Thiago on and suddenly all plans are in the toilet.

[Assassin]

A special player with infinite skills, which can only be limited by his team mates lack of awareness. He is on a completely different level, Xabi on steroids

Bit of a dead rubber game, no. In my opinion it was a great strategy to play him and other senior players. A competitive match against unknown opposition. All of our offensive players were given a chance to gain valuable match playing experience alongside him

[Fredo]

He’s a better player than Xabi at his peak. Much better technically, like a couple of levels ahead. What they both have in common is their great reading of the game.

[Pablo]

Did anyone spot that pass he did back to Fabinho which he flicked over his own head? That was outrageous too and the commentators didn't even mention it

[labourRed]

Did anyone spot that pass he did back to Fabinho which he flicked over his own head? That was outrageous too and the commentators didn't even mention it

If you missed it, he did it again for good measure.

[BigChief]

It says something when Thiago's appearance on the pitch makes PL and CL winning key players like Hendo and Gini look like cart horses. The perception filters all get jumbled up. Really looking forward to watching him against Utd's midfield donkeys.

[Tribute]

It says something when Thiago's appearance on the pitch makes PL and CL winning key players like Hendo and Gini look like cart horses. The perception filters all get jumbled up. Really looking forward to watching him against Utd's midfield donkeys.

I'd be less worried about their potential goal threat or breakaways if we have Thiago dictating midfield and putting Mane and Salah through on goal every five minutes or into Bobby to lay off either side... we'd smash them. Palace was unexpected, but Utd games I always feel like we owe them a thrashing.. like the 1-4 at OT. We seem to prefer to play the fixture not the team in front of us... and scrape a win or draw. Would love to smash them and destroy any confidence they've built up over the last 7 games...

[BobTheCharmer]

In an ideal world would he be better further forward with Fabinho behind him? Or has he always been at the base, picking up balls off the defenders?

[Mr Pink]

It says something when Thiago's appearance on the pitch makes PL and CL winning key players like Hendo and Gini look like cart horses. The perception filters all get jumbled up. Really looking forward to watching him against Utd's midfield donkeys.

tbf our midfield has always been regarded as the weakest part of the team, during our recent success... don’t get me wrong, the midfield has been very effective, but we’ve won the CL and PL by having world class strikers, defenders and keeper, and having solid, hard workers in midfield.

[wiw]

He’s a better player than Xabi at his peak. Much better technically, like a couple of levels ahead. What they both have in common is their great reading of the game.

It says something when Thiago's appearance on the pitch makes PL and CL winning key players like Hendo and Gini look like cart horses. The perception filters all get jumbled up. Really looking forward to watching him against Utd's midfield donkeys.

The best part is he knows it as well He knows it and everyone else knows it. Serious BDE going on with him (google it ).

[greenturnip]

Our midfield workers are key to the press though - and without the press we ain't that much better than some of the other teams. One problem with this season is that the schedule makes our frantic but intelligent pressing more difficult to sustain - hence some of the sluggish performances and results recently. Gini and Hendo have been central to our success over the last 2 years because of their pressing and ball retention under the press over 90 mins - I'm not sure 2 Grealishes or 2 <insert flavour of month midfielder> would have had the same outcome.

[Irishnev]

In an ideal world would he be better further forward with Fabinho behind him? Or has he always been at the base, picking up balls off the defenders?

In the last years he played as a double pivot with Goreztka or Kimmich with a genuine 10 in front of him. He would have been the deeper of the two with the other being more box to box

I think he lacks the physicality/height of Fab to play as the 6 for us but he is better in the air than I thought + he is good at interceptions and tackling. I think he was bought to play as one of our 8s and even with Klopp considering a 4-2-3-1 as this is where both Naby and Fab excelled also.

I think he can do either but I’d love to see him, Fab and Hendo/Naby/Gini play regularly together

[Irishnev]

[ame="https://twitter.com/andrew_heaton/status/1349071101721247748"]https://twitter.com/andrew_heaton/status/1349071101721247748[/ame]

[rodo]

Doesn't make us better according to that gob****e Hamman

[Tribute]

Doesn't make us better according to that gob****e Hamman

...think he must have been referring to himself when he mentioned slowing the play down. Haha. Thiago picks out a pass with ease and threads stuff forwards without going to the wings all the time... his vision is amazing. Which is more than can be said for Didi's... the clown.