Thiago Alcantara

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JamDav1982

Senior Member
ASordidGod said:
Well, yes. That is indeed what I'm saying. Coutinho's a quality player, I'm not debating that, but I wouldn't trust him in CM in the big games. Hell, I hope I'm wrong, but that's just how I feel. I'm English and watch him a lot, and yes he does amazing things, but if we play him LW where does Dembele fit, and if you think as a CM he can be anywhere NEAR comparable to Iniesta you're dreaming. The thing with Thiago though he offers control, creativity (more assists than Coutinho last season according to a quick glance at whoscored), and vastly under rated defensive capabilities (again, check the stats if you don't believe me). But for me the great beauty of Thiago is that he wouldn't be an Iniesta replacement but rather a Rakitic replacement. For a Busquets, Iniesta Thiago would work in a way a Busquets Iniesta Coutinho wouldn't.
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Thiago is nowhere near as creative as Coutinho who is a great replacement for Iniesta - a better one than Thiago would be.

Thiago is not a strong defensive player either.
 
Yannik

Yannik

Senior Member
BBZ8800 said:
Our team is already quite solid in defense.
So, Thiago's defensive contribution is NOT what we need the most in this moment.

On the other hand, Coutinho's magical skills in the final third...
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Thiago matches most of Coutinho's offensive qualities besides pace and long distance shooting. Look at this games vs Arsenal where he was used CAM. Even actually outdoes Coutinho in technique, playmaking and passing. The fact that Thiago is otherwise defensively usable and even plays great games at DM for Bayern is not meant as a suggestion to actually use him defensively, but means that you can pair him up with someone that isn't just a hard working shithouse, but add another actual offensive player. And what is better than one midfielder with ball playing qualities? 2 midfielders with ball playing qualities.
 
i_bleed_blaugrana

i_bleed_blaugrana

Senior Member
If we brought him back this summer with Coutinho, we would have the best MF in the world by a wide margin again. Imho, only Kroos can compete with him as far as best controlling/tempo CM in the world and Pep sold Kroos to make room for Thiago.

I’d much, much rather us get Thiago than Griezmann next summer. And of course Thiago is going to have injury problems in Bundesliga. I predicted that when he first left us.
 
J

JamDav1982

Senior Member
DonAndres said:
What is this rubbish about Thiago not being world class? He's almost undisputably a top 5 mid in the world on form and I can only implore you to watch the games if you disagree. I've followed Koke since he first broke out at Atleti and he hasn't been on the same level for years, and Thiago is better than Iniesta and probably Silva too. The main reason he lacks the caps that Koke has for Spain is because of injury.

The recency bias is absurd due to his injury and not having really played this season. He was integrating into Heynckes' system quite nicely and has been arguably Bayern's best player in up to 2 of the last 3 seasons which MANY Bayern fans would agree. He was pretty much Ancelotti's most important player in what is/was an aging squad. Coutinho is obviously having the better season but you could say he's been doing better than the likes of Kroos, Isco, and even Modric right now too. Doesn't reduce the class of those 3 at all because we all know what they can do on their best game.

Thiago is world class and has been for some seasons now. If you're holding CL success against him then I guess a lot of the Bayern players haven't been world class since 2014, Verratti isn't world class, hell Coutinho too hasn't 'proven' to be world class yet either. Thiago's done fine and produced big games vs the likes of Arsenal and Juventus, regularly wrecks Dortmund too domestically even when they were a stronger team. He did pretty well against us in the return game in 2015 too.
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Coutinho has regularly dominated the big teams and is clearly world class.

That is playing bigger teams that his side has not been better than as well.
 
J

JamDav1982

Senior Member
Yannik said:
Thiago matches most of Coutinho's offensive qualities besides pace and long distance shooting. Look at this games vs Arsenal where he was used CAM. Even actually outdoes Coutinho in technique, playmaking and passing. The fact that Thiago is otherwise defensively usable and even plays great games at DM for Bayern is not meant as a suggestion to actually use him defensively, but means that you can pair him up with someone that isn't just a hard working shithouse, but add another actual offensive player. And what is better than one midfielder with ball playing qualities? 2 midfielders with ball playing qualities.
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Thiago doesnt match Coutinhos offensive abilities at all.

Games vs Arsenal are hardly any barometer and Coutinho has battered the big teams and better teams than he is on regularly.
 
DonAK

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
Thiago is better defensively than most midfielders in the World - Excluding Defensive Midfielders and the like
 
i_bleed_blaugrana

i_bleed_blaugrana

Senior Member
Also: Thiago=XAVI, Coutinho=Iniesta.

Thiago plays as a CAM bc his vision and passing/playmaking ability is that good. Similar to Xavi with the Spanish NT under Del Bosque. His best position is box-to-box, behind the play rather than roaming the final third, despite him being exceptional in the final third as well.

We should be chomping at the bit to get him back here.
 
serghei

serghei

Senior Member
Injuries are part of the life of the player. What is this bullshit about 'if he wasn't injured all the time, he would've been x or y'. The guy can't stay fit a whole season, and has never had a marquee performance at the highest level. World class based on what? Oh, because he has technique, does fancy tricks and can pull off fancy passes? :lol: Had absolutely awful performances on Camp Nou (0-4) and Calderon (0-1) against top class teams in CL.

Isco, Iniesta, Modric, Kroos, Coutinho, Pogba, De Bruyne, David Silva, Verratti are all better midfielders than Thiago.
 
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DonAndres

DonAndres

Wild Man of Borneo
JamDav1982 said:
Thiago is nowhere near as creative as Coutinho who is a great replacement for Iniesta - a better one than Thiago would be.

Thiago is not a strong defensive player either.
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Nowhere near?? That's just wildly off. The margins in quality between any of the ~top 5 mids isn't that high at all. Thiago plays in a different position and different role, deeper and less focused on attacking defenses and picking out the final ball. Coutinho is closer in style to Neymar than he is to Thiago, can't compare chance creation. Would you have said Iniesta or was nowhere near as creative as prime Ozil because he pretty much never averaged more key passes than him?

And Thiago isn't a defensive stalwart but he is elite amongst ball playing CM's defensively. Kroos even played CDM for some years but Thiago has practically always been a better defensive support player, his defensive stats have been eerily close to freaking Vidal in recent years which is crazy considering the numbers Vidal puts up. He's not the best or a capable CDM but he's distinctly better defensively than Coutinho and always has been.
 
J

JamDav1982

Senior Member
DonAndres said:
Nowhere near?? That's just wildly off. The margins in quality between any of the ~top 5 mids isn't that high at all. Thiago plays in a different position and different role, deeper and less focused on attacking defenses and picking out the final ball. Coutinho is closer in style to Neymar than he is to Thiago, can't compare chance creation. Would you have said Iniesta or was nowhere near as creative as prime Ozil because he pretty much never averaged more key passes than him?

And Thiago isn't a defensive stalwart but he is elite amongst ball playing CM's defensively. Kroos even played CDM for some years but Thiago has practically always been a better defensive support player, his defensive stats have been eerily close to freaking Vidal in recent years which is crazy considering the numbers Vidal puts up. He's not the best or a capable CDM but he's distinctly better defensively than Coutinho and always has been.
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Yeah nowhere near and he has other strengths he is better at.

Thiago and Coutinho in final third is no contest and across a range of positions.

He is better defensively than Coutinho. Already said that.
 
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