Thiago Alcantara

[DeGea Loves Doughnuts]

Our other forwards being useless and missing on a lot of chances.

Lol fair enough.

 

[Cruijffista]

Really? that seems to go against what Vilanova told him in a meeting before the U21 tournament so we're led to believe, Thiago asked if hed get more games this season and Tito said he couldn't guarantee that, Thiago is one they think of for the future not the present. So how do you know this was going to be the season Xavi took a back seat and he got his chance? surely the club and the manager would have told Thiago this already and hed have said he was staying long ago if that were the case? not saying what youve said is wrong just that it goes against what we've heard coming out from your manager so far, is Thiago competing with Fabregas for a spot though? surely the players hes competing with are the alonsos, Xavis, Martinez's in the squad? when i watch Spain Fabregas seems to play far further forward than Thiago would do.

Would Barca really dump Rafinha if Thiago went to Madrid? wouldnt that be unfair on him, not his fault his brother made the move surely?

Sounds good, do you see him partnering Pique or is Puyol still a dominant figure when fit in the defence? Pique seemed to have a poor season by his standards.

I can see with my own 2 eyes that Xavi is slowing down, it happens to all the greats. Any rotating spot with Xavi and Iniesta would certainly be either Cesc or Thiago's. Cesc is his direct competition for any minutes with both club and country.

Cesc played a False 9 role for La Roja last summer but this current Confederations Cup he's been moved back to midfield and Iniesta is playing more on the wing, like he has many times for Del Bosque. Thiago is not in competition with Xavi (he's not getting it, so why even bother with that debate), Alonso (Del Bosque uses him in a double-pivot), Martinez (he's the first sub as a DM for Del Bosque's double-pivot when Alonso is playing but did get minutes in Busquets spot to rest Busquets)... Thiago's competition for minutes is Cesc and Cazorla. Thiago is not a DM and he would not be competing with Alonso or Martinez.

Your hypothetical situation where Xavi gets injured and Thiago is at Man U only would solidify Cesc's spot with La Roja, as he would directly take that spot over for Barcelona for the rest of the season.

We wouldn't dump Rafinha but he won't get any preferential treatment either if his dad and brother showed some serious disloyalty by moving to that bastard club.

Puyol just had another operation, he can't be counted on anymore. Marquinhos hypothetically would link up with Pique. I thought he played really well with Roma.

 

[DeGea Loves Doughnuts]

I can see with my own 2 eyes that Xavi is slowing down, it happens to all the greats. Any rotating spot with Xavi and Iniesta would certainly be either Cesc or Thiago's. Cesc is his direct competition for any minutes with both club and country.

Cesc played a False 9 role for La Roja last summer but this current Confederations Cup he's been moved back to midfield and Iniesta is playing more on the wing, like he has many times for Del Bosque. Thiago is not in competition would Xavi (he's not getting it, so why even bother with that debate), Alonso (Del Bosque uses him in a double-pivot), Martinez (he's the first sub as a DM for Del Bosque's double-pivot when Alonso is playing but did get minutes in Busquets spot to rest Busquets)... Thiago's competition for minutes is Cesc and Cazorla. Thiago is not a DM and he would not be competing with Alonso or Martinez.

We wouldn't dump Rafinha but he won't get any preferential treatment either if his dad and brother showed some serious disloyalty by moving to that bastard club.

Puyol just had another operation, he can't be counted on anymore. Marquinhos hypothetically would link up with Pique. I thought he played really well with Roma.

I agree Xavi is slowing down i think everyone can see it, but surely if he was slowing down enough for Thiago to be given his chance your manager would have told Thiago exactly this already? thats what dosnt make sense and why i questioned it, i agree with what your saying and if i were Barca coach id make integrating Thiago into the team a matter of urgency, but that dosnt seem to be the case which is why the issue has raised.

As for the national team, what i meant by in competition with Xavi was more the roles both play in the set up rather than the individuals themselves, my point was if anything happened to Xavi Thiago would be one of the obvious natural alternatives in that role, you guys see him as Xavis natural successor at club level dont you? thats what im saying, rather than a role further forward like Carzola would play, ive never seen Cazorla play the xavi role before Im basing that from what ive seen of Carzola at Malaga and Arsenal maybe hes used differently for spain.

You watch spain more than i do thats a given but from what ive seen and what i saw Thiago do at the U21 tournament he could play in any of those pivot positions alongside a dm like Busquets or Martinez, hence my earlier point regarding injurys loss of form or whatever with either Alonso or Xavi, i dont see Carzola playing in place of those players in their roles again maybe Del Bosque uses them differently than i see at club level, Thiago would surely be a more natural replacement though? and same with Fabregas, isnt that the reason a lot of Barca fans would rather lose Cesc than Thiago because you dont think Fabregas is as good in that specific role as Thiago is or could be? why would the national side see it any differently?

 

[Richard.H]

Be hilarious if the brat stayed at Barca in the end. Man U fan mass suicide watch.

This. It would be so funny if this thing stretches towards August and then he finally decides to stay. It would be the biggest troll job in football of recent times

 

[DeGea Loves Doughnuts]

There wouldn't be any suicides (well hopefully not) lot of disappointment but we've been here many times before, last summer alone we had this with both Hazard and Lucas Moura, we're used to getting so close then missing out, its why i reckon it'll happen again, keep thinking if it was going to happen it would have happened by now, its been a week since we 'agreed terms' with the player.

 

[Stric]

And I thought I was the only one who has effed up dreams about football.

Football + Star Wars = Awesomness.

Thanks for sharing, Stric.

Glad to share. I'm kinda sad, though, because I remember there were other awesome characters and events and places in the dream, but I don't remember them vividly enough to tell.

 

[Jadentheman]

This. It would be so funny if this thing stretches towards August and then he finally decides to stay. It would be the biggest troll job in football of recent times

That would be a very bad move on Thiago's part. Not just for Man. United fans, but for Barca fans as well

 

[Stric]

I think the 90 to 18 mil. clause thing expires on August 1st.

 

[Cruijffista]

I agree Xavi is slowing down i think everyone can see it, but surely if he was slowing down enough for Thiago to be given his chance your manager would have told Thiago exactly this already? thats what dosnt make sense and why i questioned it, i agree with what your saying and if i were Barca coach id make integrating Thiago into the team a matter of urgency, but that dosnt seem to be the case which is why the issue has raised.

As for the national team, what i meant by in competition with Xavi was more the roles both play in the set up rather than the individuals themselves, my point was if anything happened to Xavi Thiago would be one of the obvious natural alternatives in that role, you guys see him as Xavis natural successor at club level dont you? thats what im saying, rather than a role further forward like Carzola would play, ive never seen Cazorla play the xavi role before Im basing that from what ive seen of Carzola at Malaga and Arsenal maybe hes used differently for spain.

You watch spain more than i do thats a given but from what ive seen and what i saw Thiago do at the U21 tournament he could play in any of those pivot positions alongside a dm like Busquets or Martinez, hence my earlier point regarding injurys loss of form or whatever with either Alonso or Xavi, i dont see Carzola playing in place of those players in their roles again maybe Del Bosque uses them differently than i see at club level, Thiago would surely be a more natural replacement though? and same with Fabregas, isnt that the reason a lot of Barca fans would rather lose Cesc than Thiago because you dont think Fabregas is as good in that specific role as Thiago is or could be? why would the national side see it any differently?

As fantastic as Thiago looked in the last game of the u21 Euros, it's really overshadowing the fact that Illarramendi was more important to retaining possession of the ball than Thiago was over the majority of the tournament.

I do think Thiago is more suited for a Xavi role as in leadership more than play but I think Cesc could be groomed for the role and probably will be if Thiago leaves. Like I said before, that doesn't help Thiago for a prominent role w/ La Roja in the 2014 World Cup at all. He's handing it to Cesc on a silver platter rather than staying and competing with him. There's enough minutes for all 4 our of current midfielders if Tito could rotate properly.

I haven't seen Thiago play enough in a double-pivot to know if he would be good enough to bench Alonso or Martinez. My guess would be he isn't and wouldn't be given the chance with the dues both Alonso and Martinez have paid. Martinez is next in line if Alonso gets hurt, that's just the way it is. Martinez will have a year under Pep too and I really see blossoming even more under him.

Whenever Xavi has been rested for a game, Cazorla has been given the start. There's nothing hypothetical about that, it's fact.

 

[Luftstalag14]

I think the 90 to 18 mil. clause thing expires on August 1st.

That's great if we can somehow manage to delay it till after August 1st. At this point I am not naive enough to hope that he will stay (I am really kind of getting tired of him), I just hope we will get more money out of him.

 

[Henry_IB]

I love how of late the tone has changed from "God damn rosell and tito", "Love thiago, don't leave", "Blame Barcelona for it" etc to "Getting tired of him anyway", people calling him brat etc.

Human reaction to rejection, so funny.

 

[Luftstalag14]

I love how of late the tone has changed from "God damn rosell and tito", "Love thiago, don't leave", "Blame Barcelona for it" etc to "Getting tired of him anyway", people calling him brat etc.

Human reaction to rejection, so funny.

Well, to be fair there are many Barca fans wishing him well in his future endeavors, wherever that might be (most likely at ManU).

I envy their integrity and good spirits, I just can't find myself getting excited over his career move and the fact that we are losing one of our best talents, no matter whose fault it is.

 

[Jadentheman]

Well, to be fair there are many Barca fans wishing him well in his future endeavors, wherever that might be (most likely at ManU).

I envy their integrity and good spirits, I just can't find myself getting excited over his career move and the fact that we are losing one of our best talents, no matter whose fault it is.

Don't become like Santista. HE became bitter

 

[Semi-Neutral]

Don't become like Santista. HE became bitter

What are you talking about? He's just thinking about the poor, poor Brazilians

The WC's only real purpose today is to market players and, most importantly, leagues and clubs.

Foreign players aren't going to market Fluminense, Atletico Mineiro, and the Brasileirao. They are going to market Barcelona, Bayern Munchen, Bundesliga, etc.

We are spending billions to host this tournament. I will be damned if all that money is being used to market and garnish attention to European clubs and players that play in Europe.

 

[Jadentheman]

He really wishes that something would happen to 11JR some he couldn't play in the WC. He wished that 11JR would break his leg or something. It's ridiculous, I don't want to wish an injury or worse upon Thiago or 11JR!