Thiago Alcantara

[Jaco_Pastorious]

Originally Posted by Tribute

...thought he ran his socks off last night. Still puts the boot in and mis-times a few but he's having to do a role he's not 100% suited to. He does make us much better in possession and his vision and range of passing is subtle and clever for the mostpart. He plays the ball that our midfielders have been reluctant to... he's the one who will make us tick when Hendo and Fab and around him.

People keep saying Fernandes changed Utd and he's just one player, but Thiago hasn't done that with us... Well, Fernandes was given a free rein, not a specific role and he just wandered all over the place when Utd where playing shite and fairly static - hence he stood out head and shoulders above everyone else. Thiago is a playing a disciplined role and is putting in a shift each game which will help his fitness. He'll be a superstar next season in a stronger first team...

Totally agree.

And again last night he was good playing under the radar. Did an awful lot of the donkey work and did it in a very quick unassuming way.

Worst culprit for wasting his passes again last night was Firmino. He must have miscontrolled at least 4 passes from Thiago that if he has controlled them he was in a little pocket of space.

Thiago more than passed the eye test for me last night but just took a look at some of his stats for his 72 mins last night.

72 mins played
92.5% pass accuracy
40 passes made
2 tackles won
2 clearances
1 interception
I block
2 aerial duels won
0 dispossessions (as in the ball taken from him)


Eye test and stats both show a very efficient defensive display


and for context, Wijnaldum and Jones.

Wijnaldum

90 mins played
86% pass accuracy
36 passes made
2 tackles won
1 clearance
1 interceptions
0 blocks
0 aerial duels won
2 dispossessions



Jones

90 mins played
79% pass accuracy
43 passes made including one key pass
1 tackle won
3 clearances
1 interception
0 blocks
1 aerial duel won
0 dispossessions


Jones pass accuracy reflecting him playing in the more advanced role any time we were on the ball and having to attempt more higher risk passes.

For me the stats just back up what I thought I was seeing, and that Thiago and Jones were the better of the midfield starting trio.

Jones' stats are impressive imo considering his age and the fact he was shuttling up the pitch to try and link with the attack as well as coming back to do his share of the defensive work against a team tha did press well and that did not give him a lot of time on the ball.