Barca was mainly 4-3-3, Bayern was more 4-2-3-1.
1 Like
How can you shield the back for when they lob long bombs deep and behind our defence, teams arenāt playing through the middle and it isnāt his job to cover the space in behind Trent he has to look after the space in front of our back for which apart from a few over-committed challenges, mainly today against Man U, he has done the job well, he does lack speed over distance and aerially he aināt bad.
A lot of you and especially me want a midfielder who plays the ball vertically to feet through the middle and that is what he has brought to us, all this slowing down play, for me is a misnomer as if does play the early long ball, teams are deep and mop it up.
What we need is better movement up top to evolve and better pass selection.
We havenāt lost our last games through Thaigo playing it is the lack of form of the front 5 players, oh and today the defence.
Iām a little lost as it seemed the majority were saying we were struggling and playing the long ball too much, now its the other way round, long term we need more strings to our bow and Thaigo offers that.
6 Likes
It is his job to cover that space to be honest, or at least partially.
But agree on our movement. Itās not good enough up front at the moment. Thereās something not quite right with the team as a whole going back some time now. The defensive players being missed doesnāt help but for me there are some wider issues as well
1 Like
So if Iām not wrong; he probably had Busquets (Barcelona) behind him or Goretzka (Bayern) beside him to help cover defensive spaces. Just because he can pass from deep areas (and the fact that he wears the #6) doesnāt mean he is a defense-oriented player like Fabinho or Mascherano.
I think we can optimize his skill-set if he plays ahead of or besides Fabinho:
Fabinho
Henderson Thiago
Henderson Thiago
Fabinho Thiago
XXX Keita
XXX
XXX Keita
XXXIn the absence of Fabinho we can try Wijnaldum or Henderson.
1 Like
For me in a fully fit side we play 4-2-3-1 with Thiago beside Fabinho at the base of midfield.
3 Likes
Thatās what he did a lot in the past, he really shouldnāt be stepping in between the center backsā¦ Needs to be further forward as he is a huge part of how we will unlock those defenses.
2 Likes
I think thatās just a part of how Jurgen wants the guys to play but 2 at the base in midfield I think they could be a little further forward at times. Really squeeze teams, but Salah needs to relearn how to control the ball and Bobby needs to stop losing it as well.
2 Likes
Yep, goals/assists aside they were the prime reason for us conceeding yesterday. The whole team are terrible at losing the ball at the moment even.
1 Like
But we were also awful in covering the break as well. First goal being a real mess in that regard
1 Like
Iām struggling to see the logic for Thiago playing the ā6ā at the moment. When teams are sitting in thereās going to be very limited opportunities for him to hurt them from a deep position. He can get the ball forward nicely, as he has been doing, but then what? Itās those positions that the front 3 and Wijnaldum have been lacking imagination for weeks.
Heās looked at his best when picking the ball up about 25-35 yards from goal. Beats a man, opens up space, finds a pass or has a shot.
If teams start pressing us instead of leaving 10 men behind the ball he can have more of an impact from deep, for now Iād like to see him move a bit further forward.
9 Likes
Yeah, itās not like opposition who plays/played a deep block (though a Burnley block is not the same as a United block or a WBA block, there are differences) against us will press us so he needs to beat the press in deep areas. But in defensive transition, we can struggle. Heās certainly not a #10, he can do a job at #6, but heās best as an #8. Maybe more rotation between him and Gini (keep it simple and tight more behind). But when Hendo comes back into midfield, I want Thiago at LCM.
Yes, I too would like to see Henderson or Fabinho in the number 6 role with Thiago and Wijnaldum playing in front of them. Thiago with his clever little true passes on ManƩ and Salah could hurt any defence.
2 Likes
Yeah, depending on the availability,
Fabinho/Henderson/Wijnaldum
Henderson/Wijnaldum Thiago
Henderson/Wijnaldum Thiago
In theory Thiago and Naby could be great together in unlocking parked buses.
In theoryā¦
4 Likes
In theory what would that do for our defense? 
2 Likes
I think what most of you are overlooking in your assessment of Thiago is that he also looks cool as fuck. Thatās worth something. Iām not sure what exactly but when I watch him strut around the pitch, head up, Iām not even sure he ever looks at the ball, then he plays a pass thatās brilliantly weighted and threaded through the needleā¦raboner. Thatās what Iāll call it. He plays raboner passes. Whilst looking cool as fuck.
4 Likes
But can we win games against 11 men (not U23s) when he plays?
1 Like
Apologies - have you or anyone else been suggesting that we canāt? Has anyone been suggesting that our struggles are down to Thiago?
If so, I must have missed them which is great news since it would mean that my brain has finally adapted to automatically filter out nonsense. Level up!
7 Likes
Thiago seems to be victim of his own sheer brillianceā¦ He was meant to come into a title winning team, play alongside Fabinho and Hendo doing the dirty work in midfield for him, dovetailing with the majestic Virgil behind, feeding the fab 3 up front to utter devastating effect.
Heās now being expected to re-invent our entire offensive build up on his own all whilst his starting position is next to the 2 center backsā¦
Slightly harsh, Iād give him a few more games and heāll nail it.
p.s. He is deceptively brilliant at the defensive side of the game.
8 Likes
Maybe our current struggles (not like we didnāt have them before, in smaller doses) are also because we spent so many years actually not having a different type of midfielder like Thiago? Keita shouldāve been a bit of that, at least for much longer periods. Itās about adding layers and evolution, while keeping our principles up and running. We didnāt have attacking full backs when Klopp took over. We didnāt play with a false 9 when Klopp took over. We didnāt have such an energetic, solid and deep midfield when Klopp took over. These things all happened with time, step by step. Sometimes planned, sometimes less so. I donāt know why Thiago is a problem here, heās not a midfield version of Balotelli.
4 Likes