Thiago Alcantara

[danperkins]

In theory yes, but as we saw against Brighton those two simply did not bring the workrate or any effectiveness in terms of doing the bread and butter stuff so Thiago then had to go and do that.

So we had a situation where the workhorses did not effectively do what they were to do, and the finesse player ended up doing the job of the workhorses and as such having to be the only effectove workhorse on the night.

What we needed when Thiago was having to do the DM role was for Wijnaldum to start doing the role he does for the Dutch national team and making the sort of forward runs he does for the Oranje.


So we can say that Thiago needs to be providing the creative spark all we like, but if the more defensive midfielders around him are not performing their role as well as they have in the past forcing Thiago to do that role, and the forwards are being quite static and we have little by way of runners from deep, I really do not see how Thiago should provide a creative spark.


What I see in Thiago is an experienced pro who is sacrificing his natural game to try and help plug holes that are being left in front of the CBs and in front of the fullbacks. He is very much not the issue in games like the one against Brighton, but rather that issue lies at the feet of the two other men in the middle.

At times we are playing like three separate units as we have very little cohesion being provided by our midfield as it sits between our attacking unit and our defensive unit and is like a buffer at times for any transitions.


A fully fit Henderson in there instead of say Milner would make a big difference as suddenly Thiago has someone else in midfield that will share some of the donkey work when we need to grind out play or are on the back foot. Now drop Fabinho in there as well and you get a situation where both Thiago and Henderson have world class cover sitting behind them that allows both to go and play their own game and both will come back and cover when we are pressed.

It is why I said in a few other threads that I would be gambling on putting the new CBs in as a pairing as soon as we can once we have both Fab and Henderson available and fit. That way Henderson and Fab go back to the middle with Thiago, we get two CBs behind them that are settling but that are natiral CBs. And in every position we have players in their natural slots rather than trying to fit world class midfielders into CB slots and trying to put back up midfielders into where the world class midfielders had been, and all these changes happening at the same time.

Put the two new CBs into the CB slots and we then end up with 9 players used to our set up and all in their best positions and we get two CBs still settling but who are a natural Right and left sided CB sitting in the CB roles.

For my money that would help bring some confidence back into the team. Players would go back to having the regular level of quality in front of them or beside them. Familar runs and patterns would be taking place, and there would be less drops offs in quality all over the pitch because we have more first team level guys in their proper positions.

completely agree about pairing up the CB's, it's something nobody expects and it would mean we'd be whole in the midfield & might kick the forward line into gear.

Thing is we pretty much have to beat City so it should be very interesting to see what Klopp does or who we actually have available.

[S-RED]

i think if we have a negative result Sunday, you will see a switch from Hendo/Fab being the CB's to CM's

[Big-Red-Ed]

Definitely it will have to be a 3 of Henderson Fabinho and Thiago to see the best of him. Unfortunately with the Cb injuries I just can't see both Fabinho and Henderson back in midfield. Klopp won't risk 2 new ones. But even with just Jordan back in Thiago will improve.

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[Assassin]

Another muppet. Goes out of way to get booked as early as possible in games. Totally inaffective for the rest of the game

[~LFCHistory~]

Let's see how he does alongside some real CB's and with Jota back before writing Thiago off.

[labourRed]

I've no issues with Thiago. We're lucky to have him. Just came into a horribly disjointed team.

[Rich]

I worry that physically he won’t make it with us. He’s slow and prone to lunging in. Even if we had our full strength team to pick from I’m not convinced he’s gonna work in the PL.

[labourRed]

Nah. He's doing work that isn't normally his forte and it shows. He'd be a different player with Hendo and Fabinho doing the heavy lifting beside him.

[Buzzo]

He does keep the ball well. We definitely got worse after he and Curtis went off. Felt like we’d just clawed our way back into it and then you bring on Milner and Shaq...

[labourRed]

Yeah that was a bizarre sub. We'd have probably lost anyway though.

[fabinho]

Square peg, round hole. Fantastic player, but not for us. He'll be gone within two years I think, failing to reach the levels we expected.

[dizzycat]

I worry that physically he won’t make it with us. He’s slow and prone to lunging in. Even if we had our full strength team to pick from I’m not convinced he’s gonna work in the PL.

He should put a few pounds on, then he could be the new Jan Molby.

[McDermotX]

Loves a sideways pass, Gini loves a backward pass......who wouldn't though ? ...... with that static final third and only your fullbacks showing as available. Sometimes anyway.

[danperkins]

It's the most static I have seen our midfield in years. Yes we know he's a world class baller, yes he will probably function a hell of alot better with Fab and Hendo in there but also yes he has been pretty **** so far.

[Tribute]

Thiago Alcantara

Have a look at his numbers again today, I bet he’s done far more than both Gini and Curtis put together.. he’s being thrown into Hendo/Fab’s role and again, being played out of position like the makeshift CBs.

I get all this is due to the sheer amount of injuries but Klopp doesn’t help himself with his stubborn selections and choice of substitutions...