Thiago Alcantara

[Doc_Piptorious]

Ornstein said he was very much on our radar - he broke the Konate news

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.

[frank the tank]

As I said in the midfield thread, on paper we have alot of players in there, the reality of it is that between them Thiago, Keita and Ox can probably just about fill one position in our midfield. The three of them cost over £100m in transfer fees and are probably on ~£400k a week between them and they are filling one position in the team, it doesn't feel like a good use of our limited resources, as good a player as they might be if you can only get them on the pitch half of the time what's the point? I feel we might just have to be ruthless with some of these guys in the summer and bring in players we can rely on. Thiago as the last in and most regular starter probably is the safest of the 3, but the midfield needs an overhaul

[frank the tank]

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.

[Irishnev]

[ame="https://twitter.com/ptgorst/status/1480215483408392197"]https://twitter.com/ptgorst/status/1480215483408392197[/ame]

[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.

[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.

[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

[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.

[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]

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

[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.

[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

[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)

[kev776]

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

[little dave hedgehog]

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