Thiago Alcantara

[rudedog]

Both TAA and Klopp have said they see his long term future in midfield but what do they know.

Here is Klopps take on the subject (from a few months back):

"Why make the best right-back in the world a midfielder?

I don’t understand that really. As if the right-back position is not that as important as the others.

If people say that, I struggle to really understand how you could think that.

Some people think that because he plays 10 yards further up on the pitch he would be more influential.

Being more influential than Trent Alexander-Arnold in the last how long he has played for me is really tricky and you need to have a proper look to find somebody"

https://www.thisisanfield.com/2021/09/why-make-the-best-right-back-in-the-world-a-midfielder-klopp-on-trents-position/amp/

[Doc_Piptorious]

Both TAA and Klopp have said they see his long term future in midfield but what do they know.

Ok move TAA to a midfield role, whilst hoping he does adapt to it to the same level that he is at now at RB, so who can we realistically get that would give us at least 80% of what he currently does at RB?

If we move him to midfield we straight away take a huge part away from what makes our team work with how we use the RB slot, plus we plonk a player into a role that he might excel at, so we are potentially weakening two parts of the team by moving one player.

Think at present it is a lot easier to find midfielders of a high standard to replace some of those we currently have in our squad for the centre than it would be to find a good enough replacement for TAA at RB.

If TAA leaves the RB slot in the future I suspect it might be for a RM role rather than a CM one and I suspect it will not happen until after Klopp has left.

[kev776]

hasn't taa himself said he's always seen himself as a midfielder? could be the source of that thinking....

Both TAA and Klopp have said they see his long term future in midfield but what do they know.

[little dave hedgehog]

hasn't taa himself said he's always seen himself as a midfielder? could be the source of that thinking....

[kev776]

Have them both holding out right hand side, long term Hendo replacement

[Doc_Piptorious]

If he is as good as Robbo, TAA could move into midfield

TAA is fine where he is imho. When you have one of the best RBs in the world, you play him at RB. Mazraoui would be a very capable back up though.


Very few players could give an on form TAA a run for his money at RB. Hakimi (ironically the guy that keeps the aforementioned Mazraoui out of the national team) at PSG would be the one guy that might come close to doing so when on form himself (and he would be more of an all rounder position wise than TAA)

[Irishnev]

If he is as good as Robbo, TAA could move into midfield

I really don’t get this desire to move Trent to midfield. He is the best RB in the world and we have designed a system to get the very best from him……. leave him at RB where he will only get better, buy better midfielders and hope to find a back up to Trent who can do 70% of what Trent does…… anyone who can do the same as Trent is called………. There is no one

[kev776]

Because Tchouameni is not an out and out DM and he is as good as a box to box midfielder as he is a DM plus he can play in a midfield two or a midfield three without a drop off in his quality.

He is probably better with a good dm beside or behind him and we sort of have one of those in Fabinho.

Agree on Mazraoui. He was in the list of last six months left on their contract players I was on about a week or two ago on here. At the very least he would be a very solid back up to TAA, and at best he would be competition if TAA's form dropped a little.

[kev776]

Because Tchouameni is not an out and out DM and he is as good as a box to box midfielder as he is a DM plus he can play in a midfield two or a midfield three without a drop off in his quality.

He is probably better with a good dm beside or behind him and we sort of have one of those in Fabinho.

Agree on Mazraoui. He was in the list of last six months left on their contract players I was on about a week or two ago on here. At the very least he would be a very solid back up to TAA, and at best he would be competition if TAA's form dropped a little.

If he is as good as Robbo, TAA could move into midfield

[Doc_Piptorious]

Our best midfielder plays DMF, why would we strengthen possibly the only position we are strong in. We need x2 attacking MFs and another number 9. Milly, Ox and Mina or Origi moved on.

I would also bring in a proper RB (Mazraoui) to challenge TAA like we have at LB, either of those could be first choice, not so with Williams.

Because Tchouameni is not an out and out DM and he is as good as a box to box midfielder as he is a DM plus he can play in a midfield two or a midfield three without a drop off in his quality.

He is probably better with a good dm beside or behind him and we sort of have one of those in Fabinho.

Agree on Mazraoui. He was in the list of last six months left on their contract players I was on about a week or two ago on here. At the very least he would be a very solid back up to TAA, and at best he would be competition if TAA's form dropped a little.

[kev776]

I hope he is more than just on our radar and "being monitored"


Guy looks an amazing talent, only just turned 21 this month and already looks first team ready for a club better than Monaco. Plays equally well in a CM role, a CDM role or as a box to box midfielder.

Already loks like he is cementing a starting berth for the French national team too.

Our best midfielder plays DMF, why would we strengthen possibly the only position we are strong in. We need x2 attacking MFs and another number 9. Milly, Ox and Mina or Origi moved on.

I would also bring in a proper RB (Mazraoui) to challenge TAA like we have at LB, either of those could be first choice, not so with Williams.

[baitman]

Get the van warmed up and I will meet you at Dun Laoghaire. Quick hop across to Holyhead then down south to nip across to the mainland via the tunnel.

We will scamper across France and Germany and the first two out of Tchouameni, Zakaria and Nkunku that we can find goes into the van and comes back with us. Might mosey into Italy for some pizza and Barella whilst we are at it though might be rude to go to Italy and not bring Martinez back as well.

Ffp is hamstringing us, but maybe fsg need to consider your diy pressganging option.
A few rolls of gaffer tape and some chloroform, a tank of fuel, some petty cash for maccys en route, go for it lads

[Doc_Piptorious]

Much like Keita we just cannot rely on Thiago to be available. So frustrating but that's the way it is and we need to be looking a more permanent options. I really hope we can do something in this window as imo we need another 2 bodies in that midfield.. creative and defensive.

Get the van warmed up and I will meet you at Dun Laoghaire. Quick hop across to Holyhead then down south to nip across to the mainland via the tunnel.

We will scamper across France and Germany and the first two out of Tchouameni, Zakaria and Nkunku that we can find goes into the van and comes back with us. Might mosey into Italy for some pizza and Barella whilst we are at it though might be rude to go to Italy and not bring Martinez back as well.

[danperkins]

Much like Keita we just cannot rely on Thiago to be available. So frustrating but that's the way it is and we need to be looking a more permanent options. I really hope we can do something in this window as imo we need another 2 bodies in that midfield.. creative and defensive.

[Irishnev]

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