Thiago Alcantara

[serghei]

He looks stylish but imo he's overrated.

I agree. It's true that he has some flashes of superb technique. And that some of his passes are absolutely gorgeous looking. I admit that. But in the Madrid game, he gave several balls away very easily. And against a team with the counter power of Madrid this put Bayern under some serious trouble at times.

He also gave the ball away too much when at Barcelona. That is something the world class players don't do as often as he still does.

He's almost a great playmaker, but he seems he wants to show off too much. He has an individualistic side that is not helping him or his team. Overcomplicates things by deliberately going for the types of passes that are harder to pull off, like fancy outside of the foot passes, lobbed ones, or passes with agressive curve on them. A lot of time this extra difficulty he takes on in his passing game is intended to show how great of a player he is. That's the feeling I get watching him.

 

[JamDav1982]

He would still be the best midfielder at Barca by a distance over rated or not.

Proper right back, Thiago dictating in midfield with Messi holding position on RW again more and this team would improve massively.

Dont think Thiago will be back but he would be a huge improvement.

 

[serghei]

He would be an instant improvement, but he's still have to get better to be at the level of the best midfielders in Europe. But, yea, he'd be our 2nd best midfielder after Busquets.

 

[JamDav1982]

He would be an instant improvement, but he's still have to get better to be at the level of the best midfielders in Europe. But, yea, he'd be our 2nd best midfielder after Busquets.

Wasnt really counting Busquets as thinking of centre mids.

Thiago is one of the top ball dominant mids going. Maybe not the very best but not that far off either.

 

[1993Kaan1993]

Thiago is a great midfielder, yet Bayern lost the midfield vs Real, with little aggression shown. Yep, Casemiro limited Bayern's midfield so much. it's a shame Bayern didn't have same kind of midfielder who can kill Real attacks before even starts, instead they played finished grandpa Xabi.

l agree that Thiago played some risky passes though.

 

[ThiagoAlcantara]

Must of watched a different game because Real's midfield never beat Bayern's in either leg. (Unless you meant after Javi martinez got a red card and Carlo decided to drop a Alonso for an attacker).

You have to take in consideration Thiago has been playing with Alonso. For as great and talented as Alonso has been, right now in his career, he's a huge liability defensively.

Once Alonso leaves, Thiago can play in his more natural role, which everyone knows is not the number 10 role. Also, unless Verratti comes, Thiago is already the best midfielder this season.

Lol what? They have the most stacked midfield, even Isco is sitting on the bench there, why would they need Thiago

Midfield consists of a declining Modric and Kroos.

Thiago essentially replaced kroos from Bayern. He literally took Kroos, Bastian and Muller's spot from the team over the seasons. Thiago right now is better than both Kroos and Modric are. In addition, can't really compare Thiago with Isco/James/Asensio.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Thiago right now is better than both Kroos and Modric are. .

No he isn't, not even close, i rated Isco higher then him also.

 

[Andrew M]

How on earth is Thiago better than Modric and Kroos? That is absolutely absurd. And Kroos is in decline apparently? Ha! He is one year older than Thiago! One year!

We all know the Alcantara brothers are genetically predisposed to injuries also.

 

[ThiagoAlcantara]

Kroos vs Thiago;

Set pieces: Kroos
Longrange shots: Kroos
Dribbling: Thiago
Vision: I'll say even
Creativity: Thiago
Goal scoring ability: Kroos

Agility/speed: Thiago
Height: Kroos

Defense: Thiago

For a team like Barcelona, Thiago would be a much better midfielder than Kroos. I love Modric, but Modric definitely has declined.

If you actually paid attention to Bayern Munich during Pep's time, Thiago replaced Kroos essentially and the team/Thiago were at there peak. However, Thiago was so injury prone all those years. Like I said, German fans have a resentment towards THiago because he is the last of the pep era and essentially he has replaced a key German every season.

Kroos. Bastian. Muller.

Can you imagine a midfield of Iniesta-Kroos-Busquets, getting killed on every counter attack. Difference is madrid had Modric-Casimero doing so much dog work in the midfield.

 

[Andrew M]

Kroos vs Thiago;

Set pieces: Kroos
Longrange shots: Kroos
Dribbling: Thiago
Vision: I'll say even
Creativity: Thiago
Goal scoring ability: Kroos

Agility/speed: Thiago
Height: Kroos

Defense: Thiago

For a team like Barcelona, Thiago would be a much better midfielder than Kroos. I love Modric, but Modric definitely has declined.

If you actually paid attention to Bayern Munich during Pep's time, Thiago replaced Kroos essentially and the team/Thiago were at there peak. However, Thiago was so injury prone all those years. Like I said, German fans have a resentment towards THiago because he is the last of the pep era and essentially he has replaced a key German every season.

Kroos. Bastian. Muller.

Can you imagine a midfield of Iniesta-Kroos-Busquets, getting killed on every counter attack. Difference is madrid had Modric-Casimero doing so much dog work in the midfield.

Kroos is the best in the world at keeping the ball. Kind of similar to another midfielder we used to have. I think he was called Xavi or something. We handled the counters ok.

 

[ThiagoAlcantara]

Kroos is the best in the world at keeping the ball. Kind of similar to another midfielder we used to have. I think he was called Xavi or something. We handled the counters ok.

If that was the case, Zidane would not be playing such conservative football and start 2 dogs in Modric and Casimero, when REAL have Asensio, James and Isco. Problem is, Kroos is not. He's good in possession, if the other team doesn't press and gives him space. However, when he's pressed, hes not really that good.

Case and point, rewatch the bayern legs. Kroos was relevant after they went down to 10 men and Carlo for some reason took out a midfielder and added an attacker. Before that and in the second leg, where the F was Kroos all game? Why was Casimero committed so many fouls???

XAVI was a very hard working player. VERY different than Toni Kroos is. Another reason why in big games, bayern played kroos as the n10, rather than a CM and in madrid, dropped JAMES/ISCO/ASensio because of Kroos essentially...

If Barcelona got Kroos, this dude would of been killed on this forum.

 

[Yannik]

How on earth is Thiago better than Modric and Kroos? That is absolutely absurd.

I agree about Kroos, but Modric? Have you seen him this year? Madrid fans asking for Isco to be played instead..

 

[ThiagoAlcantara]

Think about bayern.

XABI ALONSI is Thiago's defensive cover.

Imagine if Kroos played on madrid in the same role, but instead of Casimero, had Alonso???

Can you imagine every counter attack, Modric would have to take on the whole team by himself while Kroos jogs and Alonso misses the tackle.

 

[Andrew M]

If that was the case, Zidane would not be playing such conservative football and start 2 dogs in Modric and Casimero, when REAL have Asensio, James and Isco. Problem is, Kroos is not. He's good in possession, if the other team doesn't press and gives him space. However, when he's pressed, hes not really that good.

Case and point, rewatch the bayern legs. Kroos was relevant after they went down to 10 men and Carlo for some reason took out a midfielder and added an attacker. Before that and in the second leg, where the F was Kroos all game? Why was Casimero committed so many fouls???

XAVI was a very hard working player. VERY different than Toni Kroos is. Another reason why in big games, bayern played kroos as the n10, rather than a CM and in madrid, dropped JAMES/ISCO/ASensio because of Kroos essentially...

If Barcelona got Kroos, this dude would of been killed on this forum.

Firstly, Zidane plays conservative football because that is his preference, not because of Kroos. Interesting that you call Modric a dog also.

Kroos does have some defensive qualities. When he first arrived at Madrid they played as a DM, straight swap for Xabi Alonso. Obviously Kroos is not totally suited to that role which was why Zidane, his being a pragmatist, brought in Casemiro. But Kroos could totally play with Busquets in my view

 

[ThiagoAlcantara]

Firstly, Zidane plays conservative football because that is his preference, not because of Kroos. Interesting that you call Modric a dog also.

Kroos does have some defensive qualities. When he first arrived at Madrid they played as a DM, straight swap for Xabi Alonso. Obviously Kroos is not totally suited to that role which was why Zidane, his being a pragmatist, brought in Casemiro. But Kroos could totally play with Busquets in my view

PEAK modric was good enough for barcelona or any team imo. However, every since he arrived there, his role has always been more defensive than before. Kroos is more like an old Xabi Alonso. With space and time, can pick out any pass, but defensively, very bad and very slow.

Barca midfield is already slow with Busquets and having Busquets and Kroos would mean counter attacks galore.