Thiago Alcantara

[stringvest]

22 hours ago, skaro said:

 

I'll give you this, Stringy, you stand by your convictions.

I’m happy to be persuaded otherwise if there is something those two do that Thiago can’t do.  It may be that they cover more ground than him, as I’ve not seen the stats.  

[Barrington Womble]

All we need is @LF:D back now. 

[stringvest]

13 hours ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Stringy is a Hendo hater and always has been. Any chance to have a dig at Hendo is taken. Its a shame Firmino wasnt as quick off the mark!

Ah, but.  I’m full of admiration and respect for what Henderson has achieved over the last few years, dragging himself from being an absolute pussy on the ball to captaining the best team in the world, putting in performance after performance showing leadership, courage and determination.  

[aws]

1 hour ago, stringvest said:

I’m happy to be persuaded otherwise if there is something those two do that Thiago can’t do.  It may be that they cover more ground than him, as I’ve not seen the stats.  

On pure ability he's at a different level and he does work hard but my eyes tell me that Gini and Hendo put in far more of a shift which is vital in our style of play. I'd like to think we can get the best of all worlds by playing him alongside two other midfielders who can put in the hard yards. 

[Guest]

Thiago is Latin for 'Shove The Ball'. 

 

Quite a coincidence then that Alcantara is Latin for 'Up Mook's Arse'. 

[SasaS]

3 hours ago, stringvest said:

I’m happy to be persuaded otherwise if there is something those two do that Thiago can’t do.  It may be that they cover more ground than him, as I’ve not seen the stats.  

 

I think our physios cover more ground than Thiago.

[TheHowieLama]

2 hours ago, aws said:

On pure ability he's at a different level and he does work hard but my eyes tell me that Gini and Hendo put in far more of a shift which is vital in our style of play. I'd like to think we can get the best of all worlds by playing him alongside two other midfielders who can put in the hard yards. 

I think Firmino covers more ground on average than anyone in the team. Last season Milner had the highest game total and average amongst midfielders. 

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

2 hours ago, SasaS said:

 

I think our physios cover more ground than Thiago.

 
I haven’t managed to find stats from the PL, but in the CL Thiago covered 128 meters per minute played. Wijnaldum for comparison covered 123. I didnt find any stats on the physios.

[SasaS]

8 minutes ago, Joey8FrogsLegs said:

 
I haven’t managed to find stats from the PL, but in the CL Thiago covered 128 meters per minute played. Wijnaldum for comparison covered 123. I didnt find any stats on the physios.

Depends on the minute. How many games in the CL?

[Guest]

2 hours ago, TheHowieLama said:

I think Firmino covers more ground on average than anyone in the team. Last season Milner had the highest game total and average amongst midfielders. 

Spreadsheet from Code or it didn't happen.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

6 minutes ago, SasaS said:

Depends on the minute. How many games in the CL?

Only two games, and not full games. So the stats are probably not fully comparable.

 

Thiago covered «an average of nearly 7 miles per game» in the Bundesliga according bundesliga.com.

[TheHowieLama]

10 minutes ago, Joey8FrogsLegs said:

Only two games, and not full games. So the stats are probably not fully comparable.

 

Thiago covered «an average of nearly 7 miles per game» in the Bundesliga according bundesliga.com.

He and Kimmich covered a record amount of ground last season together in CL. Now, Kimmich is a machine but to say Thiago does not get around the pitch at a high rate is not true.

[SasaS]

At one point doubts were voiced about his ability to run at all, as I seem to recall. He certainly left the impression of being of the let-the-ball-do-the-running school of midfield.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

6 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

He and Kimmich covered a record amount of ground last season together in CL. Now, Kimmich is a machine but to say Thiago does not get around the pitch at a high rate is not true.

Exactly. Opinions is fine, but the amount of blatantly wrong things written about Thiago on here is unbelievable. It’s like saying Peter Crouch is too short to be a footballer.

[Mook]

I'd prefer him to not run around as much if it means less of those fucking brainless fouls he gives away within shooting distance of our goal.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

5 minutes ago, Mook said:

I'd prefer him to not run around as much if it means less of those fucking brainless fouls he gives away within shooting distance of our goal.

That’s another myth yes. How many did Fabinho give away against Leipzig?

 

Edit: He did a few of those to be fair, especially a few weeks ago. But it’s been strongly exaggerated, and I’m sure you’ll find that Fabinho gives away just as many.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Mook said:

I'd prefer him to not run around as much if it means less of those fucking brainless fouls he gives away within shooting distance of our goal.

I think that's where the flipping burgers thinking comes from.

[Mook]

Just now, Joey8FrogsLegs said:

That’s another myth yes. How many did Fabinho give away against Leipzig?

I don't know, stats aren't really my thing. I do know that Thiago's fouls have cost us goals this season. Maybe they stick longer in the memory for that reason.

 

I think he's been fucking crap to be honest but there was an improvement on Wednesday night & I look forward to seeing more of that from him heading towards the end of the season.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

Just now, Mook said:

I don't know, stats aren't really my thing. I do know that Thiago's fouls have cost us goals this season. Maybe they stick longer in the memory for that reason.

 

I think he's been fucking crap to be honest but there was an improvement on Wednesday night & I look forward to seeing more of that from him heading towards the end of the season.

Fair enough, and I edited my post to point out that I partly agree with the point about the fouling. 
 

Opinions is all good, and we totally disagree on his performances so far, apart from the Leipzig one. 
 

 

[3 Stacks]

His fouling is legit criticism. Everything else though, it feels like people have formed this idea of who he is having never watched him before he came here and then judging him based on games where we're a complete collective shambles and almost no one in the team is good. 

 

 

[m0e]

The foul that led to a goal was that absolute joke decision versus Leicester.

 

The header that led to the Everton opener was shite but so was the defensive line.

 

What else did he do that led to a goal?

[Guest]

1 hour ago, m0e said:

The foul that led to a goal was that absolute joke decision versus Leicester.

 

The header that led to the Everton opener was shite but so was the defensive line.

 

What else did he do that led to a goal?

There have definitely been tackles he has committed that have led directly to goals from the freekick. Remembering specifics is more difficult. When Southampton scored through Ings seems to bring back memories. Was one of the Man Utd goals also from a freekick, although I know one of them was a foul by Fabinho. Though it was a questionable foul, as most Man Utd fouls are.

 

There have been at least two, possibly three goals as a result of Thiago. But he's being forced out of his comfort zone, as is Fabinho so it's unfair to criticise them for not being able to deliver on their role. Imagine Karius in midfield or defence.

[m0e]

14 minutes ago, Shooter in the Motor said:

There have definitely been tackles he has committed that have led directly to goals from the freekick. Remembering specifics is more difficult. When Southampton scored through Ings seems to bring back memories. Was one of the Man Utd goals also from a freekick, although I know one of them was a foul by Fabinho. Though it was a questionable foul, as most Man Utd fouls are.

 

There have been at least two, possibly three goals as a result of Thiago. But he's being forced out of his comfort zone, as is Fabinho so it's unfair to criticise them for not being able to deliver on their role. Imagine Karius in midfield or defence.

He ducked out the way of the Fernandes' free kick, so you can add that.

 

But to say he's given away goals without being specific kind of defeats the purpose of the argument.

 

He's created a fuck load of opportunities that haven't been taken by the front 3 as well because of a shite first touch, or a shite referee (foul not given etc).

 

The Ings goal, even if it was him, is not something I'd count,  personally. We give away enough free kicks around that area without Thiago. That's just part of the game and we usually deal deal them very well, when we have proper defenders on the field.

[VladimirIlyich]

12 hours ago, stringvest said:

Ah, but.  I’m full of admiration and respect for what Henderson has achieved over the last few years, dragging himself from being an absolute pussy on the ball to captaining the best team in the world, putting in performance after performance showing leadership, courage and determination.  

You should have been a tennis player with backhanded compliments like that. And its also a crock of shit.

[s(k)aturation]

13 hours ago, stringvest said:

I’m happy to be persuaded otherwise if there is something those two do that Thiago can’t do.  It may be that they cover more ground than him, as I’ve not seen the stats.  

 

You rated Lallana above Henderson, and you don't really rate Henderson from what I've read over the years.  Perhaps neither did I.

I think you have a certain aesthetics criteria when you judge players.

I'm not saying that's a bad thing - I'm a big agreer with you oft times, Stringy - I was just commenting on what I perceive to be your standpoint.