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2021/22 Season Report Card - Thiago Alcantara

He was our best midfielder this season just gone and the only thing stopping me giving a perfect ten was the amount of games he missed. It probably isn’t that many in reality but it sure feels like it, because even two weeks without Thiago feels like a lifetime.

 

I want him on the pitch all the time and even when he’s subbed to keep him fresh I just feel a massive sense of disappointment that he’s leaving the field. Watching Thiago is an experience all of itself. There are some players who are just different. You find your eyes drawn to them more than the others. Barnes, Alonso, Molby, Suarez, Thiago etc. Just players who are mesmeric with what they do. As I say, they're just different.

 

After an up and down first season (which remember, doesn't count as it wasn't real football) Thiago was incredible this past season, particularly since the turn of the year when he put an extended run of games together and basically just blew the doors off with how good he was. He’s unreal isn’t he? He put together back to back performances against City and United that are as good as anything I’ve ever seen from a Liverpool midfielder, and we’ve been blessed with some phenomenal midfield players down the years. 

 

Thiago is probably the best of the lot just in terms of class and ability. He won’t go down as the best because he won’t have the longevity (or the durability), but honestly, there were times last season where I’ve watched Thiago and not only have I thought ‘he’s the best midfielder I’ve seen for us’, if I’m being completely honest I’ve even pondered whether he’s actually the best player.

 

He’s not, because for me it’s still Luis Suarez, but one day I might change my mind on that the way Thiago is going (Salah too). I know that's a bold claim but my reasoning is that even though Thiago is playing in a ridiculously good team surrounded by world class players, there are times when he’s clearly a level above even them. What does that say about him? Imagine being on a pitch with Van Dijk, Salah, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Mané etc and standing out above all of them. Thiago has done that at times. Not every game, but more than just the odd once or twice.

 

The goal he scored against Porto is probably the cleanest struck goal I’ve ever seen. The way that ball moved was unbelievable. He should score more actually, not necessarily as good as that one, but his shooting has been the one area of disappointment. Everything else is incredible, including his pressing and tackling, which was not something I expected from him. 

 

It hasn’t always been so and that’s something he’s added since coming here. Klopp revealed recently that he told Thiago “if I knew you were this good I’d have signed you four years ago” and Thiago responded by saying “you taught me how to run!”

 

He's phenomenal at winning headers too and with a bit more luck he'd have scored two or three when arriving late in the box and getting his head on the end of crosses. He'll get one of those next season, I can feel it.

 

I love how hungry he still is despite winning everything there is to win. When he missed the League Cup Final after getting hurt in the warm up he was completely distraught. All the trophies he's won and he's devastated about missing a League Cup. That speaks volumes about him.

 

What a player. And what a man, he's just a proper Alpha. I fucking love Thiago.

 

Previous Season Ratings: 

 

2020/21:   Season doesn’t count

 

This Season’s Rating: 9/10

 

Could easily have gone with a 10 but for the absences.

 

Best Moment: 

 

The goal against Porto was one for the ages. I could just as easily have gone with his performance at Wembley against City. 

 

Worst Moment:

 

Two of them. Getting injured in the League Cup warm up and missing the game, and getting injured in the CL Final warm up and basically missing that game too. 

 

The Future?

 

He’ll be even better this coming season.


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How many games did he play/miss this season? 

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I think he missed a lot less than it feels like he missed. As I say, even when he misses one game it feels like the end of the world.

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The only downside to Thiago is I’ll never stop wishing we’d got him sooner, he’s such a joy to watch I’d even suggest sky should bring back that player cam thing they used to do 

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Brilliant summary Dave - it has a Thiago-like quality. 

 

I can't remember the last time I felt so excited to watch a Liverpool team as I do when he's in it.  He's on a different level, and in possession he is an absolute joy to watch.  Not only that, he does the unglamorous stuff better than anyone else in the team as well.  He has an unbelievable spring, and that allied to perfect timing means he wins headers he has absolutely no right to win.  He's fantastic at pinching the ball away from the opposition, and of course he'll accept possession no matter how tightly he's being marked.  

 

He's essential to our success.  A fully fit Thiago in the CL final, and we'd be polishing number 7 right now.

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He makes such a difference to how we keep the ball and recycle possession, and is key to how we are able to wear teams down in the second half. You can see how much influence Xavi had on his early development at Barcelona because he has the same habit of looking at the overall picture without bothering to blink. He probably takes more risks than the Spaniard with his passing and also on the ball, but more often than not he has the ability to make it fruitful. He and Fab are first choices in midfield for me, and Hendo is the biggest shout for the 3rd spot because of his leadership qualities more than anything. We actually have a bloody good midfield, and Thiago has certainly enhanced the team since his arrival. Fitness permitting, I would think Thiago will continue showing the level he did last season.

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8 hours ago, stringvest said:

Brilliant summary Dave - it has a Thiago-like quality. 

 

I can't remember the last time I felt so excited to watch a Liverpool team as I do when he's in it.  He's on a different level, and in possession he is an absolute joy to watch.  Not only that, he does the unglamorous stuff better than anyone else in the team as well.  He has an unbelievable spring, and that allied to perfect timing means he wins headers he has absolutely no right to win.  He's fantastic at pinching the ball away from the opposition, and of course he'll accept possession no matter how tightly he's being marked.  

 

He's essential to our success.  A fully fit Thiago in the CL final, and we'd be polishing number 7 right now.

We’ve had midfielders who’ve been considered as elite in the recent past; Hamann, Xabi, Masch, Gerrard where would you rank him amongst those?

 

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Going to run the risk of a few negs here.

He is a fabulous player, and has all round strength to his game, he does, however, still make the occasional very poor pass which can put us really under pressure because the rest of the players don’t expect it of him and can be caught out of position.

His fitness is an annoyance because he seems to have a good run in the team then is out because of a pull or strain, I swear it’s down to him wearing his socks down, the scruff.
His tackling and pressing can be very good or very bad, and I’m sometimes scared he’ll do a rash one and get walked just when we don’t need it ( if we ever do!).
Apart from those slight misgivings, he’s brilliant.

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2 hours ago, aRdja said:

We’ve had midfielders who’ve been considered as elite in the recent past; Hamann, Xabi, Masch, Gerrard where would you rank him amongst those?

 

The problem with comparing him with all of those players is that he's arrived at Anfield at a different stage of his career to all, and of course he's unlikely to be on the books as long as most of them.  that said, in my not so humble opinion he's second only to Gerrard in that list.

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