Topic: Welcome to Liverpool Thiago Alcantara

[Jookie]

You can’t blame the player. Probably worked really hard to get fit for this to happen. Being injured and the road back to fitness isn’t a rest. Far from it. Probably harder than training and playing games.

In saying all that I don’t think Thiago as a calculated risk signing has worked. Probably cost us 60-70M. His impact hasn’t been worth that when you consider the impact his injuries have had.

Whilst I thought it was unrealistic to sell Thiago this summer, I could t get onboard with the thought process of having this season was a no-brainer. In a world where P&S rules impact all clubs, spending 10M  and get nothing back is a risk and ultimately a waste of valuable resources..


No-one’s fault though. Defo not players. Upside for getting Thiago was huge. Reality has been as much downside as upside.

[Sheer Magnetism]

As has been pointed out endlessly he paid for himself by being the best player (with Salah ) in the run that dragged us into the CL a couple of seasons back … and then the pretty much the best player in a tilt at the quadruple

Not sure why people have quite so much bitterness over such a good players career potentially ending on our watch - it sucks and is a blow for the squad

What's bitter? He was very good in some games, a liability in others and our midfield has been better without him. I hope he does well somewhere else.

[thaddeus]

You can’t blame the player. Probably worked really hard to get fit for this to happen. Being injured and the road back to fitness isn’t a rest. Far from it. Probably harder than training and playing games.

In saying all that I don’t think Thiago as a calculated risk signing has worked. Probably cost us 60-70M. His impact hasn’t been worth that when you consider the impact his injuries have had.

Whilst I thought it was unrealistic to sell Thiago this summer, I could t get onboard with the thought process of having this season was a no-brainer. In a world where P&S rules impact all clubs, spending 10M  and get nothing back is a risk and ultimately a waste of valuable resources..


No-one’s fault though. Defo not players. Upside for getting Thiago was huge. Reality has been as much downside as upside.

I don't really see FSG as being the type of owners that would ever be bumping up against P&S limits.  They're far more likely to be celebrating that other teams are now constrained by those limits.

That said, £10m is a decent chunk of money to have saved.  It's half a series of an Amazon fly-on-the-wall documentary!

I'm sure we all sadly expected Thiago to get injured again but I didn't think it would be this quickly.  He'd have been a really useful addition to the squad for the run-in.  I imagine he must be gutted.

[Kashinoda]

Pivotal in us getting 3rd in the COVID season and then pushing for the quad the following season. He played in 65% of our league games.

There's a bit of revisionism over his general availability because he's now had a chain of injuries that never end over the last year where he's only played 31% of our league games. Absolute shame.

[JackWard33]

What's bitter? He was very good in some games, a liability in others and our midfield has been better without him. I hope he does well somewhere else.

Nah our midfield has been better without a shot Fabinho and a shot Henderson
Bitter is bringing up the fee we paid and the wages we pay him when a players injured who wanted to stay and play after he’s made great contributions to the team

[Hedley Lamarr]

Thiago is, or was, a generational talent.  Wonderful player to watch and he seemed to have a genuine affinity with the club and us lot.  But it's done, sooner he's off the books the better.

Man if he would of stayed fit though...

[Zizou]

It would be infinitely less sickening if he wasn't so bloody good. Stupid sexy Thiago.

[Crosby Nick]

Sorry, tons of posts and only just catching up on this now. Do we know what the injury is?

Shit for him, must be soul destroying to not be able to get fit/stay fit. In theory it’s less of an issue for the rest of us because surely Klopp and team hadn’t been counting on him making too many appearances this season now.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Sorry, tons of posts and only just catching up on this now. Do we know what the injury is?

Shit for him, must be soul destroying to not be able to get fit/stay fit. In theory it’s less of an issue for the rest of us because surely Klopp and team hadn’t been counting on him making too many appearances this season now.

The old 'Muscle Injury'.

[lionel_messias]

Hopefully muscle injury means it’s just a couple of weeks.

A real shame as there’s nothing he can do about it. Must be difficult to take for him.

You have to be fucking kidding me.

2 weeks yeah right.

[paulrazor]

Theres only 34 games in the Bundesliga so thats a good return, your point stands. However hes had several years with 40 plus appearances overall, but thats a thing of the past, his body is breaking down more and more

to be fair bayern were never short of midfielders so getting that sort of game time is excellent

but any other year never over 27

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/thiago/verletzungen/spieler/60444

Here are his absences

[Solomon Grundy]

I doubt we'll see him play for Liverpool again.

[Draex]

We broke him asking him to do the midfield job of 3 last season.

[Dave McCoy]

Not going to be a long highlight reel for him this season I guess. Oh well.....

[Fruity]

As has been pointed out endlessly he paid for himself by being the best player (with Salah ) in the run that dragged us into the CL a couple of seasons back … and then the pretty much the best player in a tilt at the quadruple
 

Woah there. I'm going with Nat Phillips and Joel Matip respectively.

[CHOPPER]

Der kid, Thiago Knievel.



Colour him lucky.

[Scottymuser]

Thiago is, or was, a generational talent.  Wonderful player to watch and he seemed to have a genuine affinity with the club and us lot.  But it's done, sooner he's off the books the better.

Man if he would of stayed fit though...

No he wasn't.  He was a very good, but nowhere near WC, midfielder - especially considering his injury history both for us and Bayern.  At bayern, he was their third best midfielrder (Goretzka and Kimmich were/are clearly better), and at Barcelona he left as he was 5th choice (Xavi/Iniesta/Busquets/Cesc were all miles better) as a youngster.  There is a reason why he'd only played 46 times for his country, averaged 57 mins per appearnce (and of those 46, 17 were from the bench) - with the majority in friendlies (17) and qualifying games (16).  When push came to shove, and not just because of his injuries, he just was never first choice for his country, so you can't really say he was a "generational talent".  In total, between Thiago's debut and last game, Spain had played 129 games - of these, as you see he played in 46, he was selected for the bench but never brought on in 18, in 22 matches he was not injured but not picked for the squad/bench, in 9 he was with the U21 squad (when he was 21/22) - which leaves only 34 times  (about a third) where he was actually injured (or had covid).

[FlashGordon]

There's loads of reasons why players don't pick up caps for their respective country. Thiago is an absolutely elite/top-tier level CM.

[Crosby Nick]

There's loads of reasons why players don't pick up caps for their respective country. Thiago is an absolutely elite/top-tier level CM.

See Alan Hansen and his measly 26 caps for Scotland.

[Scottymuser]

'kin hell and you thought Artur Melo was crooked

He has been tearing it up in Serie A, on form a top 3-4 midfielders in the league this season.  Melo was never injury prone until the season he came here basically - at Barcelona missed 24 games in 3 full seasons, and 23 in 2 seasons at Juve (largely through a bad injury after a bad tackle, and then surgery in the summer).  It was only that one season with us where he missed 26 full games (he missed 2 games in 4 days in Dec, and then 1 game last week but will be back fit for this week).

The issue he had at Barcelona was temperament more than anything - he was said to be lazy, or not train as hard as required, so fell out with the management.  But that is an attitude problem which can be fixed - and if this season is to go by, it might be.

[Scottymuser]

There's loads of reasons why players don't pick up caps for their respective country. Thiago is an absolutely elite/top-tier level CM.

I strongly disagree - I think at his best, he was very good - but there were never fewer than 5-10 better CMs in the world even at his peak; and that the reason he picked up fewer caps for Spain was that at least 2 of them were Spanish.  For me, "generational talent" is someone who is top 3-5 in his position minimum, maybe top 3-5 in the world in any position.

[Eeyore]

We broke him asking him to do the midfield job of 3 last season.

If anyone broke him it was Ped at Barca and then Bayern.


Muller-Wohlfahrt again touched on the clash with Guardiola which led to his departure in the aftermath of a Champions League quarterfinal defeat at Porto in 2015.

"I had been at Bayern for 38 years without any problems," the 75-year-old said.

"And suddenly a 44-year-old coach joins, someone who has not walked this earth for much longer than I had been Bayern team doc, someone who knows everything, who suddenly puts pressure on and accuses me that an injury layoff after a severe ligament injury takes six to seven weeks rather than four weeks like in Spain."

Asked whether that meant there were doctors with other treatments in Spain, Muller-Wohlfahrt said: "I don't have any insight into their work.

"Thiago [Alcantara] once returned from Spain after four weeks, seemingly fit. But when I examined him, I said: 'Stop! The injury has not healed completely, even though you are pain-free.'

"Guardiola still allowed him to train. Thiago got injured again and went on to miss a full year."

[kop306]

shame he always get injured

[DiggerJohn]

I feel for him, its very sad seems a decent guy who the other players get on well with. I'm sure he would love to be playing.

[Cafe De Paris]

Such a shame for him. But weve seen this play out in the past with Keita and Ox. Never fit. We kept them both a year too long. So it’s time for him to move on.

[Jookie]

As has been pointed out endlessly he paid for himself by being the best player (with Salah ) in the run that dragged us into the CL a couple of seasons back … and then the pretty much the best player in a tilt at the quadruple

Not sure why people have quite so much bitterness over such a good players career potentially ending on our watch - it sucks and is a blow for the squad

I don’t think people are bitter towards Thiago and his contribution. I just think there’s a difference of opinion in terms of his impact. Mainly driven by unavailability but also by contribution when fit. I thought he was very good last 10 games of 20/21. He was a pivotal figure amongst a number of key figures in that run of wins.

 I thought he had a good season in 21/22 but best player that season? He played 45% of the available minutes in the PL. whilst no  outfield player generally plays 100% of the minutes, you’d have to be sensational in only 45% of the minutes to be most important or best player in a title challenge. Pretty much head and shoulders above every player on the pitch almost  every league game he played. I’m not sure that describes Thiago in 21/22 though he was very good. Sensational is how I’d describe Salah pre-AFCON that season.

Over that season Thiago was very important in CL and latter stages of FA Cup (semi and final). Didn’t play a minute in the League Cup in any round.

I don’t say the above the denigrate Thiago’s contributions in either season. Far from it. He was good when he played. Personally I think dragging us to CL qualification and being the best player in 21/22 is stretching the impact of his contribution considerably.  That’s just probably somewhere at the other end of the spectrum for viewing Thiago’s contribution rather than any bitterness.

Ultimately, we’ve been denied seeing a great player play regularly. His injuries have almost certainly hindered us on occasions. Additionally, before this season Klopp has counted on Thiago’s availability (and others). That lack of availability has hurt us in terms of other players being stretched and playing too many minutes. It’s not a Thiago specific problem but one magnified by having Thiago and Keita in the same squad. None of this is the players fault but needs to be considered when you view his transfer and contribution.


I don’t blame the club for taking a calculated gamble with the transfer. I don’t blame the player at all. Think he was good to very good for most of the time he was available. But can’t see his transfer as anything other than disappointing when all things considered. These things happen though.

[darragh85]

Another fuckin injury.

We must be the most injury prone club in world football.

[Jookie]

Another fuckin injury.

We must be the most injury prone club in world football.

There’s been a lot of clubs with a lot of injuries this season.

It may be related to knock in effects of last seasons truncated pre-season and congested  schedule due to a winter World Cup. It might just be coincidence as well

[lionel_messias]

There’s been a lot of clubs with a lot of injuries this season.

It may be related to knock in effects of last seasons truncated pre-season and congested  schedule due to a winter World Cup. It might just be coincidence as well

Or their players are made of Boudoir Biscuits.

[jepovic]

Of course fans get bitter. Hes a great player who is always injured. The definition of frustration.

[Jookie]

Or their players are made of Boudoir Biscuits.

Had to look up what a boudoir biscuit was!

I like the specific nature of your description.

What type of biscuit would describe a robust player? A Biscoff?

[MonsLibpool]

Of course fans get bitter. Hes a great player who is always injured. The definition of frustration.

It's not bitterness, it's business. £10m for a player that misses so many games isn't worth it.

We've paid him almost £7m(before bonuses) for 10 minutes of football.

[Cruiser]

Was great seeing him back for us, but then this horrible chain of back luck strikes again. Too many Aurelio vibes here. Not sure if we'll even see him again in our colours.

[Dougle]

Pity.

[Red-Soldier]

That's that, then.

[thejbs]

Had to look up what a boudoir biscuit was!

I like the specific nature of your description.

What type of biscuit would describe a robust player? A Biscoff?

Ginger snaps.

[kesey]

See Alan Hansen and his measly 26 caps for Scotland.

Tommy Smith got one and Callaghan got four for England . Let that one seep in . It's off it's cake.

[GreatEx]

We've paid him almost £7m(before bonuses) 

If he gets any bonuses I will eat my own sack

[mullyred94]

If he gets any bonuses I will eat my own sack

Signing on fee's are paid in bonuses over the course of his contract so I'm almost certain he would have bonuses above his salary

[nerdster4]

Two things

1. Along with Sturridge and Keita , I am shocked at our propensity to have players with such fragile muscle injuries that their farewell seasons with us became Total non events

2. An underwhelming signing . Looked like a bargain after his performance in the CL final and illustrious club career . However even when fit his tackling was atrocious and gave away horrible set pieces . Did have good periods for us and let down by lack of legs around him last season but overall underwhelming