Topic: Welcome to Liverpool Thiago Alcantara

[amir87]

Repeating the same pathetic behaviour every few days, bumping the thread to say the same shit in different words.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[Crosby Nick]

Litmanen for me, shame Houllier did not fit him in, I saw him mostly in reserve games where he was way too good for the people around him (that included some decent 1st team players as well)




The day Finland legend Jari Litmanen walked Wales ragged


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68501111




"Technically, he was exceptional. I remember going into the game, 23 years old and thinking, 'Well, I can run all over him' but it's hard to run all over someone when they've moved the ball away from you with their first touch because they know you're coming." (he was 38)

I feel like Houllier gets a slightly unfair rap for that. We signed him in January 2001. He made an instant impact off the bench in his debut away at Palace in the League Cup and then was fairly instrumental for the next couple of months. He got injured I think possibly in that England v Finland game at Anfield around March and missed the rest of the season so it wasn’t like he wasn’t used, just wasn’t available for the run in.

01/02 he was used less frequently. We also sold Robbie at that time so felt like we had a very clear front two of Owen and Heskey. That was a shame for Litmanen, did coincide with Houllier’s illness but he obviously still had a say in picking the side. Still had his moments later in that season like Fulham away, Leverkusen goal etc but suppose it is fair to say he wasn’t trusted to start all that regularly. Seemed to feature more in the European games I think.

Just a shame we didn’t sign him from Ajax when he went to Barca. A couple more years of him then, when both Fowler and Owen were in and out with injuries a lot would have been amazing.

[paulrazor]

I didn't say anything about extending his deal. I was just saying that the amount is significant.

I get you

11m a year in wages and he has played about 5 minutes

Awful return for one of our highest paid

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

I get you

11m a year in wages and he has played about 5 minutes

Awful return for one of our highest paid

Does it really matter? It's not like he's deliberately got himself injured. It was a gamble worth taking and it's not all been bad (e.g., 21/22).

Every club will have players earning much more than they contribute, you just have to hope it's balanced out my players contributing much more than they're getting paid. With the likes of Quansah, Bradley and Kelleher I think it's fair to say we're getting a good shake of things at the moment. Even players like Konate and Endo will be getting well underpaid compared to others and what they are contributing.

[paulrazor]

yes, ill leave it there as others have said this thread is just going in circles

[jambutty]

the bitter jambutty was bemoaning (yet again) that the club are seemingly aiding him in recovering from injury

For his next team.

Those that remember Shanks accurately, know that he'd've been sent Spain to recover on his own once there was no chance of him playing for us ever again.

[Yorkykopite]

Those that remember Shanks accurately, know that he'd've been sent Spain to recover on his own once there was no chance of him playing for us ever again.

Did Shanks ever do anything like that?

[SinceSixtyFive]

To be honest - never wanted us to sign him in the first place.

Felt like he didn't fit the profile of the sort of player we needed at the time i.e. young and on the cusp of greatness.

Spent a loooong time saying "We're NOT signing Thiago". And a much longer time eating my own words when we did.

But... once a Red always a Red, Love him to bits, not his fault we signed him, not his fault he got injured etc etc etc etc etc.

 

[Garlic Red]

For his next team.

Those that remember Shanks accurately, know that he'd've been sent Spain to recover on his own once there was no chance of him playing for us ever again.

One of the most bizarre takes I’ve seen on the internet, this.

[jambutty]

Read our history mate.

His hero was Lombardi.

For me, the 4 Liverpool players that had the worst injury luck were, Rob Jones, Jamie Redknapp, Jari, and Thiago.

Only 3 of them played hurt and were constantly begging to be sent back in.

[Garlic Red]

Read our history mate.

His hero was Lombardi.

I’m not arsed. Shankly is a legend, but don’t use his name to pedal your shite. The very idea that the club wouldn’t help any player rehab an injury gained whilst playing for the club is just ridiculous.

[jambutty]

I’m not arsed. Shankly is a legend, but don’t use his name to pedal your shite. The very idea that the club wouldn’t help any player rehab an injury gained whilst playing for the club is just ridiculous.

The Club is paying, no one is suggesting otherwise.

[farawayred]

Read our history mate.

His hero was Lombardi.

For me, the 4 Liverpool players that had the worst injury luck were, Rob Jones, Jamie Redknapp, Jari, and Thiago.

Only 3 of them played hurt and were constantly begging to be sent back in.

C'mon, no Kewell on that list? He was ahead of Redknapp and Jari for me.

[amir87]

He definitely shagged Jambutty’s  favourite Xmas socks.

[Eeyore]

I think the turning point was when Thiago went all Padddington bear and said he preferred marmalade sandwiches.

[Garlic Red]

Read our history mate.

His hero was Lombardi.

For me, the 4 Liverpool players that had the worst injury luck were, Rob Jones, Jamie Redknapp, Jari, and Thiago.

Only 3 of them played hurt and were constantly begging to be sent back in.

Are you suggesting Thiago hasn’t played with an injury or tried to?

He’s had hip surgery, have a read about the effects of that on some athletes and realise how bizarre you sound. He played through the injury last season and it was decided surgery would help him become available this season. It obviously hasn’t happened. We owe it to the player to aid him in his recovery because he’s got the injury playing for this club and we aren’t being run by Mike Ashley.

[In the Name of Klopp]

Read our history mate.

His hero was Lombardi.

For me, the 4 Liverpool players that had the worst injury luck were, Rob Jones, Jamie Redknapp, Jari, and Thiago.

Only 3 of them played hurt and were constantly begging to be sent back in.

What was the name of the Swiss fella we signed under Hodgson, got injured after 20 minutes, and never saw him again? I think he was with us for 2 seasons.

[jambutty]

https://www.lfchistory.net/Articles/Article/2305

Thompson was a regular in Shankly's side from 1963 to 1971 until injuries cut his Anfield career short. "Shankly didn't have any time for injured players: d been fairly lucky with injuries throughout my time at Anfield but in the early 70s I began to suffer problems with my cartilage. I think it was all the twisting and turning I used to do. I’d already had one cartilage removed and when they took the second one out, I was told I wouldn’t be able to play anymore. I was really upset and cried.

I don’t want to criticize Bill Shankly because I have nothing but the greatest admiration for him, but when I returned to Anfield he didn’t want to know. He wouldn’t even speak to me and I was left to train with the kids. In time my knee became stronger, but he still wasn’t interested, ‘You’ve had your day’, he used to tell me. He was being a bit naughty, but I’d seen it happen before with players who weren’t in the team. After treating me like a son for nine years, some of the things he said to me really hurt. But once I moved he was in the press almost every other week saying how great a player I’d been."

[eddiedingle]

What was the name of the Swiss fella we signed under Hodgson, got injured after 20 minutes, and never saw him again? I think he was with us for 2 seasons.

Degen? Or was he a Rafa signing?

[jambutty]

I’m not arsed. Shankly is a legend, but don’t use his name to pedal your shite.

It would appear you're the one "pedaling" shite here.

On yer bike.

[jambutty]

C'mon, no Kewell on that list? He was ahead of Redknapp and Jari for me.

I don't put Kewell in their class, mate.

[jambutty]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2009/jan/12/bill-shankly-liverpool

Yeats told the story of the defender Gerry Byrne, who had to be careful not to take throw-ins after he appeared in the second half of a cup final with a broken collarbone (you tell the youngsters that these days, they'll crash their Ferraris), and all three guests agreed that Shankly's attitude to injuries was what you might call a touch old-school.

He feared any player carrying an injury might infect the others, so his solution was to banish him to the far corner of the training field adjacent, apparently, to a pigsty. If Shanks saw a player on the treatment table — even one of his trusted lieutenants — he would shun him.

This might explain why Lawler missed only three games in seven seasons. When Shankly once saw Lawler wearing a crepe bandage on the advice of a physiotherapist, the manager barked: "What's wrong with the malingerer?"


So much for the "Shanks Light" believers.

[Garlic Red]

It would appear you're the one "pedaling" shite here.

On yer bike.

I’m not arsed about or disputing what Shankly said.You sound like those bacons on Twitter that bemoan anyone in the world having anything because they had it harder in their day.

Shankly might have been ruthless, he might have swerved injured players and offered them no support. Shankly isn’t here in 2024 running a multi billion club. If he was, I doubt very much he’d tell Thiago to piss off to Spain and get yourself fixed there. He’d expect the club to fulfil their duty of care to the players, help them rehabilitate from surgery and thank them for their efforts on the way out.

What is your issue with Thiago being injured? Do you think he doesn’t want to play or something? Like are you suggesting he’s a bit soft or he’s just a money grabber? Struggling to see what point you’re trying to make aside from looking bitter and angry at someone who hasn’t done anything wrong.

[GreatEx]

Jambutty can fight his own battles, but wasn't there an article earlier in this thread or the injury one that was essentially saying Thiago could be fit to play again this season but everyone had decided to wrap him in cotton wool and/or get him ready for his next club instead? That was the bit that stuck in my craw.

[jambutty]

My opinion is that he's an ultra talented shithouse.

[JP!]

Shithouse is mega, mega, mega harsh. I don't think he's ever let us down in terms of effort or desire or application, unlike some.

One thing I would say is largely in agreement with another poster above, I always thought it was an odd 'against type' signing, being older, having had injury trouble and playing in a totally different league - while his talent's definitely not in doubt I would say that he's probably also proved why we don't sign many players of his ilk.

[Garlic Red]

My opinion is that he's an ultra talented shithouse.

Can you delve on why he’s a shithouse?

[farawayred]

Can you delve on why he’s a shithouse?

Don't, mate, we don't really need that debate here. Thiago hasn't been lucky with injuries, and we should have known that from his Bayern history and that he's not getting any younger. I think Jambutty is going over the top, and that may be a sign of frustration. But let's not fan the fire...

[Garlic Red]

Don't, mate, we don't really need that debate here. Thiago hasn't been lucky with injuries, and we should have known that from his Bayern history and that he's not getting any younger. I think Jambutty is going over the top, and that may be a sign of frustration. But let's not fan the fire...

I just think it’s such a mad way of looking at it. I can remember him being in tears before the league cup final because he has to pull out. He was fully committed when he played, he never shit out of tackles from the moment he arrived here. I get that he’s had injuries but he can’t help being injury prone. Just like he couldn’t help Richarlison deciding to sprint at full speed and lunge straight into his leg, which broke it.

He had hip surgery last season, it’s probably the worst injury any athlete can get, it can and regularly hammers their athleticism and mobility. I’ve said a couple of times in here, a hip injury is what destroyed Sturridge’s career here. He could never get fit and looked like he couldn’t run post his hip injury and he had it much younger than Thiago. I’ve followed the NBA for years and seen players pretty much have to retire because they’ve had hip surgery, some of them barely a few years into their career, similar in the NFL but that’s much more contact based.

My point is, he had to have that surgery because he’ll have been playing through that pain, probably for years. He had a hip injury in 21/22, he had another prior or to having surgery last season, it looks to me that the surgery was the final roll of the dice and it’s not played out how we all expected. If he had a leg breaker and went off on a stretcher with his foot facing the other way or his knee in a brace, nobody would be saying anything about him, we’d all accept it’s just so unfortunate he received that challenge. But what he’s actually had is probably worse.

The signing hasn’t worked out, there are lessons to be learned all around, but don’t throw players under the bus and try and use quotes from Shankly to justify your ridiculous views that he should be fucked off to recover elsewhere because he’s useless to us now.

[Yorkykopite]

Can you delve on why he’s a shithouse?

Please, no. Thiago deserves better than a Jambutty 'assessment'. He's said his piece. He'll say it again. It doesn't vary. He needs no encouragement.

[Redley]

What a madness Methods and attitudes from the 90s would barely survive these days, let alone those from 60 years ago. Actually pretty disrespectful to Shanks to think he wouldn’t have adapted to modern football. I assume he’d only use 14 players in a season too, or are we just picking and choosing?

[Mister Flip Flop]

Christ, imagine calling one of our own players a shithouse because he's injured. 

[darragh85]

My opinion is that he's an ultra talented shithouse.

Absolute joke of a poster. Every time I read a post from you, it's utter shite being spouted.

[Red1976]

https://www.lfchistory.net/Articles/Article/2305

Thompson was a regular in Shankly's side from 1963 to 1971 until injuries cut his Anfield career short. "Shankly didn't have any time for injured players: d been fairly lucky with injuries throughout my time at Anfield but in the early 70s I began to suffer problems with my cartilage. I think it was all the twisting and turning I used to do. I’d already had one cartilage removed and when they took the second one out, I was told I wouldn’t be able to play anymore. I was really upset and cried.

I don’t want to criticize Bill Shankly because I have nothing but the greatest admiration for him, but when I returned to Anfield he didn’t want to know. He wouldn’t even speak to me and I was left to train with the kids. In time my knee became stronger, but he still wasn’t interested, ‘You’ve had your day’, he used to tell me. He was being a bit naughty, but I’d seen it happen before with players who weren’t in the team. After treating me like a son for nine years, some of the things he said to me really hurt. But once I moved he was in the press almost every other week saying how great a player I’d been."

I did read something different about Shankly in Kevin Keegan's first book  (around 1977).  In it KK says Shankly used to go into the treatment room and go up to players having treatment and ask how they were - he then asked if the injury was better than it was the week or day before and when the player said yes, Shankly would add that then it should be better tomorrow. A bit of a psychological mind trick if you like lol  KK also mentioned about Peter Thompson's knee injury and how Shankly ordered his backroom team to find out what was causing the problem (probably before the meniscus tear). They checked PT's Ford Capri and Fagan had difficulty pushing the clutch pedal down -so Shankly got PT to sell the car lol

As for Thiago, well too many injuries, and he is 32 years old - so the injuries are taking a bigger toll on his ability to play as needed in this LFC team.  It is the right decision to let him go at the end of the season. Get someone in younger and less injury prone

[Kalito]

Absolute joke of a poster. Every time I read a post from you, it's utter shite being spouted.

[...]

What was the name of the Swiss fella we signed under Hodgson, got injured after 20 minutes, and never saw him again? I think he was with us for 2 seasons.

Degen?

[Kalito]

Degen?

He was signed on a free, I believe, by Rafa in 2008 ...

[mullyred94]

Are people criticising thaigos character because of his body letting him down?

Jesus Christ

[SamLad]

Are people criticising thaigos character because of his body letting him down?

Jesus Christ

jambutty calls him a shithouse. 

mind you, jambutty also thinks he's a Liverpool supporter so there ya go.

[Yorkykopite]

Nah, Jam's a proper Liverpool supporter ok. I put his dislike for Thiago down to an excess of love.