Topic: Fabinho

[JP!]

By far - by FAR - our biggest problem in midfield, even accounting for Henderson falling off a cliff. Absolute nonentity this season.

[redmark]

There was a moment yesterday where he received a lateral pass under pressure, let the ball run across him and turned smartly away from trouble. But the rolling ball was quicker than he was, he looked like he was treading treacle just to catch up to it and ended up stretching to toe the ball, bobbling and off target somewhere in the general vicinity of a teammate.

He's not been 'overused', or 'asked to do too much' in the absence of more physical support; he's just not physically able at this level, in this league. Play Thiago at six, move on.

[Dave McCoy]

Henderson thread is still locked.

[Coolie High]

Henderson thread is still locked.

Why is that? Shouldn’t this one be locked as well.

[Sammy5IsAlive]

Apologies for the double post - feel this is perhaps more relevant in this thread

Slightly off topic but this chimes with something I was thinking of earlier. I remember Alonso contributing a couple of the most 'aesthetically pleasing' defensive performances I can remember in those Champions League matches against Madrid. It felt like he was first to everything, and just playing on a different level to the opponents. But as you say there were times early in his career at Liverpool that he looked like a proper liability as a defensive midfielder. I was pondering on how his trajectory is perhaps the reverse of that of Fabinho. If you are playing in a team that is full of confidence and on the front foot you can let your superior game-reading skills make up for what you are lacking physically. But the moment that dominance goes (or in Alonso's case had not developed) you start getting badly exposed.

Fabinho was the right player at the right time. That is not to understate his ability - for me he was one of the players in that 'elite' team that we struggled to replace most when he was unavailable. But the situation now is different and it is highlighting all of his deficiencies in terms of athleticism whilst he no longer is able to show his best attributes as we no longer have the pressing from the front that used to force so many winnable/speculative balls into his area in front of the back four.

[lfcmaster45]

i would take hendo and fab out of the team for the next few games

we need fresh legs and energy

[MonsLibpool]

I think Jürgen reads RAWK because I remember him dropping Fab against United this season after quite a few posters on here  wanted him to be dropped 

If you're reading this, Jürgen, please sign 2 midfielders before January runs out. Thank you.

[bird_lfc]

It’s the worst drop off in form and quality in a player I’ve seen in such a short space of time

[MonsLibpool]

It’s the worst drop off in form and quality in a player I’ve seen in such a short space of time

Mané was shocking for 18 months until we converted him to a number 9. It's a combination of the intensity of our game (+many games in a short space of time) and the lack of reliable backup players.

[kasperoff]

5 tackles and 3 interceptions yesterday playing as a 10  - Fabinho managed 0 tackles … playing deeper, while we got over run … just think about how bad that is; he’s become a ghost
Thiagos giving everything and is pretty much as good as ever. The idea you can lump him in with Fabinho just tells everyone you’re either not watching the games or don’t know what you’re watching

He's the best of a bad bunch. It's no accolade. He's a creative midfielder who doesn't score or assist, and gives the ball away too much. I love the way he can receive the ball under pressure, but we need more than that. I don't get why Thiago seems to be untouchable. This argument that he's in slightly better form that the other two doesn't mean anything really. They are all underperforming.

[Coolie High]

He's the best of a bad bunch. It's no accolade. He's a creative midfielder who doesn't score or assist, and gives the ball away too much. I love the way he can receive the ball under pressure, but we need more than that. I don't get why Thiago seems to be untouchable. This argument that he's in slightly better form that the other two doesn't mean anything really. They are all underperforming.

He’s a creative midfielder? Since when? Please if you’re going to come in her spouting your points at least let there be logic to it, Thiago isn’t a final third passer, he isn’t a De Bruyne or Bruno, he’s a deep lying playmaker, these type of players normally don’t get a lot of assists or goals, he’s more of a defensive midfielder than he is an attacking one.

[killer-heels]

It’s the worst drop off in form and quality in a player I’ve seen in such a short space of time

Nah Alexis Sanchez.

[kasperoff]

He’s a creative midfielder? Since when? Please if you’re going to come in her spouting your points at least let there be logic to it, Thiago isn’t a final third passer, he isn’t a De Bruyne or Bruno, he’s a deep lying playmaker, these type of players normally don’t get a lot of assists or goals, he’s more of a defensive midfielder than he is an attacking one.

"Playmaker". You said it yourself. He's not really making much play at the moment is he? And a deep laying midfield position (if that's what he actually has), doesn't preclude him from actually weighing in with some assists.

You're clearly going to defend him to a fault, so there's no point debating. He's part of the most dysfunctional midfield we've seen in years. He's part of the problem. To try and reason he's untouchable and it's everyone else's fault is odd.

[Coolie High]

"Playmaker". You said it yourself. He's not really making much play at the moment is he? And a deep laying midfield position (if that's what he actually has), doesn't preclude him from actually weighing in with some assists.

You're clearly going to defend him to a fault, so there's no point debating. He's part of the most dysfunctional midfield we've seen in years. He's part of the problem. To try and reason he's untouchable and it's everyone else's fault is odd.

Do you know what a playmaker means?

[Sammy5IsAlive]

I think kasperoff has got his threads mixed up and thinks this is the Thiago one?

Defining Fabinho's role as a playmaker seems a very random take?

[Egyptian36]

"Playmaker". You said it yourself. He's not really making much play at the moment is he? And a deep laying midfield position (if that's what he actually has), doesn't preclude him from actually weighing in with some assists.

You're clearly going to defend him to a fault, so there's no point debating. He's part of the most dysfunctional midfield we've seen in years. He's part of the problem. To try and reason he's untouchable and it's everyone else's fault is odd.

I wonder what was your opinion about Xabi Alonso.
I can understand people questioning his injury record which is fair but how well he preforms his role as a deep playmaker nah.

[Bobinhood]

He can go but Becky stays.

[killer-heels]

He can go but Becky stays.

He can take his Bolsonaro supporting wife with him when he does go, thanks.

[JonnyCigarettes®]

He's 36 with a forged birth certificate from the favela.

[didi shamone]

Nah Alexis Sanchez.

Eden Hazard was pretty spectacular too

[HeartAndSoul]

Nah Alexis Sanchez.

Don’t think alexis Sanchez has even been top 3-5 in his position. There was a period where Fabinho was right up there. That game against Barca at anfield he was everywhere. He’s dominated city midfield by himself before as well.

His drop is definitely one of the worse drops in form/quality out there. You would probably put scott mctominay in there ahead of him at present and that’d be an upgrade.

[Xanderzone]

Seriously losing patience with this guy.

Was only on the pitch 16 minutes and got turned like a cruise ship about six times.

[harryc]

Horrendous cameo, it’s night and day the difference in mobility between him and young Bajcetic.

[Rahul21]

Clearly taken Bolsonaro’s loss badly.

[nayia2002]

Bajetic deffo ahead of him now for remainder of the season

[Coolie High]

Bajetic deffo ahead of him now for remainder of the season

Which means we’re in trouble.

[Rahul21]

Horrendous cameo, it’s night and day the difference in mobility between him and young Bajcetic.

Fab has been a great player for us. But his legs have basically gone. What’s more frustrating is that our data team (or whoever the hell it is that assesses our players’ fitness and durability) weren’t able to pick this up before the summer. Because Fab’s drop off has been a major cause (amongst others) of why we’ve struggled this season. Gone are the days that he was our ‘lighthouse’.

[Dave McCoy]

He keeps selling out but he's so slow and late that it just looks hilarious as the opposing team wheels away towards our goal. I honestly don't think I've ever seen anything like this in my life.

[Xanderzone]

Fab has been a great player for us. But his legs have basically gone. What’s more frustrating is that our data team (or whoever the hell it is that assesses our players’ fitness and durability) weren’t able to pick this up before the summer. Because Fab’s drop off has been a major cause (amongst others) of why we’ve struggled this season. Gone are the days that he was our ‘lighthouse’.

I thought the warning signs were there last season. Was pretty bad after Christmas.

And they did know it hence why we wanted Tchouamemi.

[Caps4444]

Fab has been a great player for us. But his legs have basically gone. What’s more frustrating is that our data team (or whoever the hell it is that assesses our players’ fitness and durability) weren’t able to pick this up before the summer. Because Fab’s drop off has been a major cause (amongst others) of why we’ve struggled this season. Gone are the days that he was our ‘lighthouse’.

There were signs during last season, especially in the final months.

[JackWard33]

Starting to question if I’ve seen a bigger quicker drop off in a player physically … the way he got played round a few minutes after coming on just outside our box was ridiculous

[Haggis36]

Needs to be sold or loaned out, can't be sat on the bench earning £180k a week for the next 3 and a half years then coming on and turning in cameos like that. Wonder if the penny has finally dropped.

[Xanderzone]

Needs to be sold or loaned out, can't be sat on the bench earning £180k a week for the next 3 and a half years then coming on and turning in cameos like that. Wonder if the penny has finally dropped.

The penny has dropped. There's no way Klopp would be starting Bajcetic ahead of him against Chelsea otherwise.

We could get £20m from an Italian club for Fabinho plus his substantial wages off the books in the summer.

[DelTrotter]

Shame Simeone is leaving, he'd probably have taken him. It's sad but feels like one of our old midfielders has to go, Thiago is by a million miles the best so defo not him. Henderson won't fetch anything and probably won't leave. So here we are. The downside of success is seeing legends decline and having to say goodbye and I feel fucking awful writing it but it's better letting them go quickly, maybe even slightly early in some cases rather than being shit for years with loads of legends that can barely move. There's a bad patch of form then there's looking like you can barely run.

[Xanderzone]

Mourinho tried to sign him at United didn't he?

Hopefully takes him to Roma.

The talk of new contracts for Milner and Firmino worries me that we're not going to be as ruthless as we should and need to be though.

[MonsLibpool]

Saw a stat that he didn't win a single duel after coming on. It's damning.

[Clint Eastwood]

Shame Simeone is leaving, he'd probably have taken him. It's sad but feels like one of our old midfielders has to go, Thiago is by a million miles the best so defo not him. Henderson won't fetch anything and probably won't leave. So here we are. The downside of success is seeing legends decline and having to say goodbye and I feel fucking awful writing it but it's better letting them go quickly, maybe even slightly early in some cases rather than being shit for years with loads of legends that can barely move. There's a bad patch of form then there's looking like you can barely run.

I've been really patient with Fabinho in the hope (and expectation) that he would turn a corner, but I'm getting pretty worried now. Klopp clearly dropping him for Bajceti,c who had played mid-week going off with cramp after 70 minutes and for a game against Chelsea is telling.

[Dave McCoy]

Yes, he lost all 3 of his duels. The guy is done. It really really sucks.

[Clint Eastwood]

Saw a stat that he didn't win a single duel after coming on. It's damning.

The worst was that attempted slide tackle, that I imagine got no where near the player or the ball. Could have stayed on his feet.

[Chakan]

He'd be perfect for the Italian league. Need to shop him around there at the end of the season. He's just too slow now for the premier league.