Thiago Alcantara

[Raketa10]

Technique without physique wins against physique without technique.
Since technique alone is a core of footballing skills.
Technique with average physique wins against technique with weak physique.
World class technique with very good physique more or less wins against everything.

A current Barca has nice technique but quite poor physique, pace, strength, stamina, some level of aggression.

Of course that would be ideal but to find this kind of a player is unbelievably hard maybe even impossible at the moment. This description means basically top 3 midfielders in the world right now. Look at Sergej Milinkovic Savic, what a hype for an average player who was abysmal at this world cup.

If I had to choose between physique or technique I would always opt for technique. As things stand we basically have two options right now. Either to spend 60 or 70 mil on Thiago or 80 mil on Arthur and De Jong together and gamble with them. Maybe De Jong could become a world class combination of technique and physique one day but as I said it's a gamble and they for sure won't contribute much in their first year. In the end I am OK with either choice as long as we try to find a solution for our aging midfield.

 

[Jombi]

Of course that would be ideal but to find this kind of a player is unbelievably hard maybe even impossible at the moment. This description means basically top 3 midfielders in the world right now. Look at Sergej Milinkovic Savic, what a hype for an average player who was abysmal at this world cup.

If I had to choose between physique or technique I would always opt for technique. As things stand we basically have two options right now. Either to spend 60 or 70 mil on Thiago or 80 mil on Arthur and De Jong together and gamble with them. Maybe De Jong could become a world class combination of technique and physique one day but as I said it's a gamble and they for sure won't contribute much in their first year. In the end I am OK with either choice as long as we try to find a solution for our aging midfield.

If they dont contribute much in their first year, it means they have largely failed. They must be able to contribute. There is no point in spending money on players who join our team who we think can contribute years down the road. I like the signing of Arthur, De Jong and (possibly) Aouar. But we must be clear that they dont have years to adapt. They have to be able to challenge first teamers right from the get go, just like Umtiti.

 

[George_Costanza]

If they dont contribute much in their first year, it means they have largely failed. They must be able to contribute. There is no point in spending money on players who join our team who we think can contribute years down the road. I like the signing of Arthur, De Jong and (possibly) Aouar. But we must be clear that they dont have years to adapt. They have to be able to challenge first teamers right from the get go, just like Umtiti.

Short term solution over the long term? Haven't we learned yet? There should be a balance between the two. I feel we are light years behind Madrid in term of planning.

 

[Toecrusher]

Do people not understand that players are assigned instructions by their managers as part of a broader team plan, and it is their job to execute?

I was at the game vs Morrocco in the stadium, and it was quite clear that Thiago's instructions were to sit deep, keep the ball moving, provide defensive cover and generally play a very low risk game while the Iniesta's and Isco's risked more. These were his instructions, and he executed those PERFECTLY.

Did he have a single misplaced pass? No. Was he ever caught in possession? No. Sure he didn't do many fancy dribbles, runs in the box or through passes, but that was because that was not what he was asked to do. Everything works as part of a broader team plan.

Not saying the guy is perfect, but lets elevate the analysis beyond kindergarten level.

 

[Birdy]

Our problem is not lack of creativity. It's the lack of mobility.
Suarez is staying and someone will need to cover for him and Messi.

I think Valverde knows that but I doubt he runs the show re. signings.

We would be way better off with a Kante type of player than Thiago. For those old enough to remember Davids impact you'll know exactly how different it could look.

I have been screaming some time ago that Kante is the perfect player to play next to Busquets.
We need badly players that can cover a lot of ground and fast. We cannot afford Rakitic-Busi anymore
Unfortunately, no one is looking at Kante, besides PSG and Tuchel who know what they are doing.

Now Thiago is not Kante, but he is not Busquets either. He is more mobile. Certainly i would take him over Pjanic, who is pretty static - and in any case we have a better version of Pjanic in Busquets. It seems though that both Arthur and Frankie De Jong can cover ground faster and more efficient than Thiago

PS: As for the 'not playing more than a dollar for him' type of argument, it's just silly. It's 100% club's and manager's fault that he left in 2013. He was not a 16, 17 yr old that left to sign a professional contract for money.

 

[Cruijffista]

Only got to play a game for La Roja. I think he was more effective than Koke with the minutes he did play tho.

I still hope we sign him and it will probably not cost much considering he didn't get an opportunity to show much in this World Cup.

 

[Donatello]

Only got to play a game for La Roja. I think he was more effective than Koke with the minutes he did play tho.

I still hope we sign him and it will probably not cost much considering he didn't get an opportunity to show much in this World Cup.

Lol, koke isn't a benchmark, that you can compare with. No one wants Koke either fyi.

Thiago alacantra isn't worth paying 80 million euros. Try finding better options. Alacantra isn't a solution to our uncreative MF. We need someone like Iniesta or Xavi, I know you can't replace them, but we need players of similar mould.

 

[Thiago10]

Lol, koke isn't a benchmark, that you can compare with. No one wants Koke either fyi.

Thiago alacantra isn't worth paying 80 million euros. Try finding better options. Alacantra isn't a solution to our uncreative MF. We need someone like Iniesta or Xavi, I know you can't replace them, but we need players of similar mould.

Lucky for us there's fifty Iniesta's and Xavi's running around then

 

[Joan]

No need for him. We have Rakitić.

 

[Cruijffista]

Lol, koke isn't a benchmark, that you can compare with. No one wants Koke either fyi.

Thiago alacantra isn't worth paying 80 million euros. Try finding better options. Alacantra isn't a solution to our uncreative MF. We need someone like Iniesta or Xavi, I know you can't replace them, but we need players of similar mould.

I was thinking more like 40-50M. Bayern realistically can't ask for more then that.

Thiago would make our team stronger but I do agree he's not the one-stop solution.

 

[FCB50]

no Thiago, use Coutinho in midfield and sign a forward

 

[Messi983]

I was thinking more like 40-50M. Bayern realistically can't ask for more then that.

Thiago would make our team stronger but I do agree he's not the one-stop solution.

They can ask for 200M if they want.

 

[Cruijffista]

They can ask for 200M if they want.

And they'll get rejected of course.

New rumors circulating that Barca might invest 90M into de Jong and de Ligt. I wouldn't be mad at that move either. It would feel nice to get that Barca/Ajax connection going again.

 

[mia7007]

And they'll get rejected of course.

New rumors circulating that Barca might invest 90M into de Jong and de Ligt. I wouldn't be mad at that move either. It would feel nice to get that Barca/Ajax connection going again.

This is good for long term, but now with Messi getting older, get a ready WC midfielders to rotate with Busi and Raki to win CL next year
Years after we will see De Jong and Arthur taking over from Busi and Raki

 

[Icarium]

Yes we need a starter. Arthur and De Jong could be a good options for the future. But right now our midfield is the weakest it has ever been in last 10 years.