Should never pay attention to my posts then!!!
Iāll admit I thought that the reason behind Thiago coming is that we would look at employing a 4-2-3-1 where he would partner Fabinho (or A N Other) as the 2 at the base of midfield. He would be similarly employed as we used to with Alonso. His prime role being getting the ball and keeping the ball moving, always probing, setting tempo and prying open defenses.
For whatever reason weāve not gone that route so I dont think weāve seen the best from him (yet). But then many of his performances in our normal midfield 3 havenāt exactly been awful either.
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I donāt I read parts of some of them. 
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I canāt have been the only one coming on here and seeing loads of posts in this thread and going āoh fuck, not againā.
Maybe they meant 17 games per year on average over his lifetime? 
In defence of @Flobs he doesnāt usually listen to crap on here, it is more likely he is the one sprouting it 
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I can assure you i donāt sprout anything at all, Iām too old for that. All I do is lose things these days. 
I really hope poor Thiago doesnāt read this. Heād be heartbroken about the state of his thread.
Itās spout not sprout.
I hope Sr Alcantra can stay fit for the rest of the season, get up to speed with the PL, and help us win trophies.
The guy is clearly class.
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Thiago Alcantara vs. Arsenal
95% Pass accuracy
1/3 Accurate long passes
2 Chances created
1/2 Shots on target
4/7 Ground duels won
2/3 Aerial duels won
2 Interceptions
What a game tonight! Some of his passes I am in awe and wonder why canāt any other midfielder see that. Heās so good not just spotting those but also pulling them off.
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Back playing where heās best (LCM, a bit deeper/more positional than our higher/more dynamic RCM) and no wonder he produces.
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Yet still the best bit of his day was somehow using his arse to judo throw an Arsenal player out of the way who was favourite to win a header, and then bringing it down on his chest unopposed and playing a big switch. Heās fantastic at creating physical space for himself.
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To all the gods (and goddesses) the human kind prays to, would you please let this beautiful bastard play for 10 consecutive games. 
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Sublime at times yesterday.
We need him fitā¦
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Weāve seen too little of the midfield with Fabinho, Hendo (RCM) and Thiago (LCM), due to various reasons. Since the unlucky Everton game early last season, there was a huge hole until they started the next time. Hopefully we see more of it. It wonāt be a solution for every game, but I want to see more of it.
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Agree with everything there, except the āunluckyā Everton game.
That was thuggery
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Agree on wanting to see more of Fabinho deep with Thiago at the left sided number 8. But want to see that right sided 8 more offensive with Elliott, Jones and Ox battling it out. Sad to say but Henderson shouldnāt be a go to starter at the moment, there are better options for the roles he plays. Heād still play a lot, maybe even more than the go to starters. Thereās injuries, rotation, suspension, loss of form. But Henderson and Keita should be the back ups to Thiago whilst Henderson and Thiago back up Fabinho. Morton with the occasional run out in those roles too.
Pep is that you?
Yeah, itās why I said it wonāt be a solution for every game. One because itās not possible and two because we have other players, combinations, etc. For me itās still very much that Fabinho and Henderson start almost every important game of whichever type. Though that can also variate with form, sharpness, etc. Fabinho can have his little off spells, but hopefully heās past them. Hendo is for me still our most important CM. The rest are of course always there, either to bring some solid/proven 7/10 stuff like Millie, or add something different offensively like Keita, Jones, Elliott, Ox (even if I think heās in a similar situation to Origi, a bit better still).
Itās also why I like Thiago at LCM, is how he can help Fabinho in the build-up, when he can drop deeper and help us get out from the back. Last night it was Ox as a very high right sided #8. My only worry was Ox starting in a situation without Bobby, that we would be maybe cut off between midfield and attack. But the balance was good. I really liked our patience last night, knowing that we have almost nothing off the bench. Very mature from us, slowly breaking Arsenal down, not giving them much or anything, knowing that at the end of the day, we have too much quality for them if itās a round and complete performance by us. Second half and end of the game was then just a bonus.
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