12 Apr 2023 13:00:41
Hi Ed’s, reports have been doing the rounds that Thiago will leave this summer. I wondered what your thoughts on this are and if it’s actually true? I’d also seen links to us for Orkun Kökçü and.

{Ed002's Note - Thiago Alcantara (CM) His representatives have spoken to Barcelona about the player finishing his career back at the club but he would need to be very cheap and to have reduced wages. Seems unlikely.

Orkun Kokcu (CM/AM) Arsenal, Leicester City and Sevilla have all declared an interest with Feyenoord. Spurs and Dortmund interest will likely have gone but Brighton have shown an interest after scouting another player. I am not aware of Manchester United interest but they may have taken note whilst scouting another player, as per Brighton - perhaps a far cheaper Bellingham alternative for Manchester United.}

1.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 14:59:51
Bellingham will end up at Man United. New owners. New team.

2.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 15:02:49
I'd be happy to let Thiago go. Too often injured and i'm sure his wages are substantial. If we can get anything from anywhere I would say get rid.

3.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 17:12:43
Agreed Lambo, there are those on here who think he's improved this team, but he really hasn't. Shame but that's just how it is.

4.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 17:53:55
He’s not a bad player but his injuries have been poor and he tends to slow everything down. What I would say is he is one of our only players at the moment capable of completing a pass. But if it frees up wages for a younger better player, then I’d be happy for him to move on. But I think the priority should be to move, ox, Naby, jones, hendo and Fabinho on first. Hendo is the club captain but he has been awful for a while, just shouts a lot.

5.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 18:26:42
At this stage and with how rubbish our owners are. Keep him, he’s the best midfielder by some margin.

6.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 18:33:31
I think Thiago is the best midfielder we've had under Klopp personally. I don't think the team has improved though as since we signed him Milner, Matip, Gomez, Virgil, Hendo, Firmino and Fabinho in particular all started to decline rapidly.

I can't accept it's Thiago's fault that they've all nose dived. However if a good offer came in I wouldn't block him from leaving because he is 31 and only plays about 30-40 games a season.

7.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 18:49:24
I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder with Thiago. I personally don’t think he has been great for us. If he didn’t have the reputation he has more people would be complaining about his injuries and output I reckon, but because he played for Barcelona about 15 years ago, then he is considered a god regardless of performances or countless injuries.

8.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 20:05:50
If Thiago slows us down then I must be watching Milner, Hendo, Fab and Jones play whilst sat on the pause button on the remote.

9.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 20:11:03
Id like to see Thiago play alongside some top class MF's that have full batteries.

10.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 20:32:37
I really don't understand the disrespect for Thiago or what some of you guys are watching? Easily our best midfielder. Yes injured a lot just like most of the others but he's a class above when available. Came on against arsenal after however long out and looked top notch. Agree with MK and JK here. Slows the game down? That's what silly people say who don't have eyes because they heard Didi hamman say it once. Load of rubbish. Always looks for a quick forward pass in to feet. Turned one round the corner against arsenal to put us in to attack. None of our other midfielders are even capable of that. Just needs someone who can run next to him and someone who can control a fast ball to feet infront of him.

11.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 20:48:19
A good player in the wrong team.

12.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 20:55:28
Redwillis, Thiago has 2 goals and 4 assists in 3 seasons mate. I mean it’s not great is it? The guy who was meant to unlock those stubborn defences.
I would guess Henderson has more goals and assists, hell I think Keita would run him close?.

13.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 21:13:45
Unlocking stubborn defences doesn't have to be an assist. Sometimes it's moving the ball forward quickly with a ball through the lines that no one else can see let alone will try. I'm sure he has many passes that move it forward to someone who then lays on an assist but there's no stat for that.
Hes a midfielder so if you're going to throw stats at me why don't you also include his pass completion percentage? His interceptions made? His take ons completed? His forward passes completed?
You just use stats of goals and assists which have never been a big part of his game to say he's not been a good player for Liverpool.

14.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 21:40:32
Thiago was never scored or assisted many at any. That's just never been his game. He's a deep lying playmaker or a defensive midfielder. He played the odd game as a no.10 for Bayern but it was a waste of his talents which is why they usually played Muller as a 10 with Thiago in the 2 behind him with someone like Kimmich, Alonso or Goretzka.

15.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 21:47:30
Come on, goals and assists aren’t part of Henderson games but I would guess he’s still got considerably more over three seasons.
Ask yourself have Liverpool improved over the 3 seasons he’s been here and for me the answer is a resounding No. Like I said, a good player in the wrong team.

16.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 22:03:40
But Thiago doesn’t play defensive midfielder for Liverpool.

17.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 22:20:28
That’s because he is mostly injured.

18.) 12 Apr 2023
12 Apr 2023 23:28:05
Thiago, is the reason why you over spend for someone like Jude. You add Jude next to Thiago, Hendo, Fab et al th emidfield will be rejuvenated imo.

19.) 13 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 00:57:47
The issue w Thiago is his fitness. Other than that keep him. I'm happy to go either way for his final season but I don't want him as a starter.

20.) 13 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 04:35:52
So because Liverpool haven't improved since Thiago arrived he should go. We won the league the season before he arrived. So every player signed after that is also a flop by your reasoning. We've not improved since Konate, Diaz, Nunez, Gakpo arrived get rid ?.

21.) 13 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 06:17:23
Redwillis, we changed our system to suit Thiago, so unless we buy another 6/ 7 players that are comfortable playing this way then it’s a disaster. Like I said, a good player in the wrong team.

22.) 13 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 06:33:38
Then say what you really mean. You clearly think Klopp messed up but you're choosing to veil it very thinly as a dig at Thiago.

If we signed Thiago to unlock defences then Klopp, Edwards, Hunter etc are all complete morons because he had roughly 30 assists for Bayern in 7 seasons. He hasn't been at his best for Liverpool but we got him at the wrong end of his career and then asked him to play almost box to box. It's not his fault we don't play to his strengths. He's still morphed into our best ball winner with more tackles and interceptions per 90 than Hendo/ Fabinho combined.

We haven't improved but Thiago is at least as good as Wijnaldum. We've not improved because of other players declining in my opinion. Blaming Thiago is like crashing you car because you were on your phone and then telling the police that the squirrel on the grass verge caused the crash. He's an innocent bystander to our former stars looking shot to pieces.

23.) 13 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 09:39:42
I have said what I mean, 3 times actually, good player in the wrong team.
My “unlock defence” comments are based on a brave few Liverpool posters who said the exact same when we signed him.

24.) 13 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 09:49:49
He’s a super player but doesn’t play enough. He’s an intelligent player but is unmatched by those around him. He is prone to dawdling on the ball which shows that this league is a tad too quick for him and I don’t think a high intensity pressing style, like Klopps used to be suits him. Apart from all that, I would definitely blame the squirrel MK. There’s no way you would have crashed if he hadn’t been standing on the verge waving at you.

25.) 13 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 10:23:57
Don't be silly, there are clearer reasons for our decline this season than Thiago's contribution. Also, I strongly disagree about Liverpool failing to improve the last 3 seasons. Our team has been mostly incredible for the last 3 seasons. As a consequence, out team is tired and age is now a factor too. That's literally it. Nothing more. I wish fans would stop witch hunting individuals for no other reason than gas.

26.) 13 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 00:08:55
In your opinion Ed2, would Liv be better getting two or three quality midfield players instead of spending most of the money on Jude?

{Ed002's Note - The club will add a couple of CM players without doubt - Bellingham is a very good player but his price has been increasing.}

27.) 13 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 13:52:40
If that's the case then fair enough Irish. It was framed as though it was your opinion. I didn't realise you were quoting others!

28.) 13 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 18:14:10
Thiago’s contribution against Arsenal was a microcosm of his time playing with us. He played some glorious passes and a lovely flick around the corner that none of our other midfielders are capable of.

He then followed that up by getting caught on the ball and a misplaced 5 yard pass, both in the centre circle and both leading to Arsenal counter attacks in behind our midfield.

If everyone else was firing we could probably get away with his slack passes and dawdling on the ball knowing that he has the great passes and vision in him.

This season though with the team not performing he just adds to the problems.

29.) 14 Apr 2023
13 Apr 2023 23:54:58
No doubting Thiago's technical skills and abilities. I clearly remember when he was bought, we all hailed him as our next "Xabi Alonso". So has he been? Forget the injuries, the age, the different tactics and all that. Just answer to yourself if he has been or not. There's even a novel excuse that Thiago has been affected by the decline of Hendo, Fabinho and others. What about the opposite? How has Thiago's style of play affected Hendo, Fabinho and others?

30.) 14 Apr 2023
14 Apr 2023 05:53:52
I don't recall him ever being hailed as the next Xabi Alonso though. We were, however, happy to finally have a player who was able to control the tempo of the game in midfield.

As many have mentioned above, I think Thiago's purchase signaled that Klopp intended to play differently from what we used to. However, other than Thiago, we didn't have the players needed to play that way, which has led to how we currently are.

Klopp has to make a decision in the summer whether to persist with the current style of play or revert back to his previous one. I think we are at a crossroads now and this coming transfer window is extremely vital in deciding on how we play moving forward.

31.) 14 Apr 2023
14 Apr 2023 07:19:06
Thiago is no Xabi Alonso. But even Xabi had one poor season for us.

32.) 14 Apr 2023
14 Apr 2023 15:17:15
Xabi also had a bad game last night drawing 1-1 at home to Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa quarter final (they have some very good young players worth a look at perhaps) .