Liverpool 0-1 Brighton - Wednesday 3rd February, 2021

[LFCMadLad]

1 minute ago, MUFC said:

At least the Thiago Alcântara wank brigade has mellowed. 

He is quality. Just never had the chance to play alongside anybody he usually would. 

[Honey Honey]

Brighton have only lost 2 in 10. The bottom 3 look gone unless Steve Bruce gives them a lifeline.

[Burning Gold]

This Thiago stuff is starting to remind me of the Paul Pogba apologism. You can have all the pedigree in the world, but how good are you really if you need to be surrounded by top players to perform? Mane elevated us to a top 4 team on his own, Salah took us to a Champions League final, van Dijk made us one of the best defences in Europe. What has Thiago elevated us to?

It's early days obviously so I'm not writing him off, but if it doesn't work out I hope we cut our losses rather than spend 4 years and 9 figures in transfer fees trying to "unlock" him

[DeadLinesman]

29 minutes ago, Steve Bruce Almighty said:

Brighton have only lost 2 in 10. The bottom 3 look gone unless Steve Bruce gives them a lifeline.

Hoping Leeds can make a late run at it if I’m honest.

[Rick]

2 minutes ago, Burning Gold said:

This Thiago stuff is starting to remind me of the Paul Pogba apologism. You can have all the pedigree in the world, but how good are you really if you need to be surrounded by top players to perform? Mane elevated us to a top 4 team on his own, Salah took us to a Champions League final, van Dijk made us one of the best defences in Europe. What has Thiago elevated us to?

It's early days obviously so I'm not writing him off, but if it doesn't work out I hope we cut our losses rather than spend 4 years and 9 figures in transfer fees trying to "unlock" him

I agree to an extent. I thought he would do better than he has, especially against teams playing a low block. Instead, he has slowed down the play to a snails pace. A midfield of him, Gini & Milner is just not the answer to any question. Sooner Henderson is back in the midfield and brings a bit more urgency I hope we start seeing the benefits of a player like Thiago who can find killer passes. 

[Mel81x+]

I am thinking once Diogo is back and playing with Thiago we'll start to see some improvement in the midfield. We wouldn't even need Hendo to move back to midfield if and when that happens. 

[LFCMike]

35 minutes ago, Rick said:

I agree to an extent. I thought he would do better than he has, especially against teams playing a low block. Instead, he has slowed down the play to a snails pace. A midfield of him, Gini & Milner is just not the answer to any question. Sooner Henderson is back in the midfield and brings a bit more urgency I hope we start seeing the benefits of a player like Thiago who can find killer passes. 

That is just blatantly untrue and smacks of just repeating the bollocks that Barnes and Hamann have spouted recently. Liverpool haven't moved the ball quick enough in some of these games. It's nothing to do with Thiago though. Watch how Wijnaldum, Milner and Firmino played last night and tell me it was Thiago slowing the play down. Thiago is moving it much quicker than any of them

[LFCMadLad]

Fuck sake, I honestly can't be arsed. Anyone with just the slightest clue can see the bloke is class.

Some on here literally haven't got a fucking clue.

Is this the next constant moan... Thiago? 

[Moon Monkey]

Should have held on to Minamino, different class altogether. 

[Rick]

2 hours ago, LFCMike said:

That is just blatantly untrue and smacks of just repeating the bollocks that Barnes and Hamann have spouted recently. Liverpool haven't moved the ball quick enough in some of these games. It's nothing to do with Thiago though. Watch how Wijnaldum, Milner and Firmino played last night and tell me it was Thiago slowing the play down. Thiago is moving it much quicker than any of them

Haven’t seen anything Barnes and Hamann have said, so can’t comment on them. Thiago being there alongside Gini & Milner has absolutely meant our midfield aren’t passing the ball around fast enough. Not going to comment on Firmino or the rest of them, cause I’ve said many times this season how they haven’t done enough. Just because you say it’s untrue, doesn’t mean it is. Watch us against Brighton, Burnley, West Brom, Southampton. Slow as fuck, and Thiago contributes to that. 
 

And @LFCMadLad just because somebody has an opinion that may differ with yours (nobody here is saying he’s not class) it doesn’t mean they “haven’t got a fucking clue”. You’re telling me Thiago has come in and made some massive effect on this team? He hasn’t yet has he, but I’ve no doubt that his qualities will come through more when we have more energetic players next to him. In Munich he had Kimmich & Goretzka next to him, both energetic players who get around. That’s what he is missing. I’m not ripping on the guy because I think that right now he isn’t working in a midfield with Gini & Milner. 

[Scouse_Mouse]

3 hours ago, Burning Gold said:

 but how good are you really if you need to be surrounded by top players to perform?

Nobody has said Thiago needs to surround himself with good players.

Dunno if Thiago will be a success, I think he's quality myself but in all honesty I'd like to see him playing in a side that wasn't makeshift mate.

[Rick]

Just to make is absolutely clear, I’m not claiming Thiago to be a bad signing or a bad player or any of the bollocks being mentioned already. 
 

It’s absolutely okay to say, however, that his contribution so far has been minimal. Is anybody here really saying that a midfield three of Thiago, Gini & Milner is what they want to see? Thiago isn’t a marauding midfielder, he’s very calculated and with that comes a slower pace in play. Henderson next to him should go a long way to sorting out the issue. 

 

[Happy Blue]

Brighton currently have 8 players out injured too, bravo 

[Azeem]

I like Liverpool's match day threads the most on this forum.

[Scouse_Mouse]

20 minutes ago, Rick said:

Just to make is absolutely clear, I’m not claiming Thiago to be a bad signing or a bad player or any of the bollocks being mentioned already. 
 

It’s absolutely okay to say, however, that his contribution so far has been minimal. Is anybody here really saying that a midfield three of Thiago, Gini & Milner is what they want to see? Thiago isn’t a marauding midfielder, he’s very calculated and with that comes a slower pace in play. Henderson next to him should go a long way to sorting out the issue. 

 

None of us are hoping for that.

Probably too late to see it this season but I'd love to see Thiago finally given a chance in a proper midfield. 

i'd go with Fab, Thiago and Hendo and assuming Gini has slung his hook I'd mix either Curtis, Keita Shaq or Milner into the mix. I wouldn't rule the Ox out just yet either, thought he did really well prior to injury, hopefully 21-22 will be a bounce back season for him.

[LFCMike]

2 hours ago, Rick said:

Haven’t seen anything Barnes and Hamann have said, so can’t comment on them. Thiago being there alongside Gini & Milner has absolutely meant our midfield aren’t passing the ball around fast enough. Not going to comment on Firmino or the rest of them, cause I’ve said many times this season how they haven’t done enough. Just because you say it’s untrue, doesn’t mean it is. Watch us against Brighton, Burnley, West Brom, Southampton. Slow as fuck, and Thiago contributes to that. 
 

And @LFCMadLad just because somebody has an opinion that may differ with yours (nobody here is saying he’s not class) it doesn’t mean they “haven’t got a fucking clue”. You’re telling me Thiago has come in and made some massive effect on this team? He hasn’t yet has he, but I’ve no doubt that his qualities will come through more when we have more energetic players next to him. In Munich he had Kimmich & Goretzka next to him, both energetic players who get around. That’s what he is missing. I’m not ripping on the guy because I think that right now he isn’t working in a midfield with Gini & Milner. 

'Instead, he has slowed down the play to a snails pace.'

That isn't true. At all. He recycles possession quickly and is often looking for the forward pass. The issue I had when he was in the 6 before the Tottenham game was that his take ons were of no use in our own half. I'm glad he's been pushed further up. 

The issues in games like last night stem from the problems at centre back. From missing Van Dijk's passing, to missing the midfielders who have been forced to play at CB. It also doesn't help when two of your front three are contributing fuck all either.

The midfield three last night is fine away to Tottenham and it's fine to start with away to West Ham. If Fabinho isn't fit on Sunday, I'd have probably gone with that midfield. Don't think he can ask Milner to go again though. Another reason I find it strange Jones didn't start last night. Or at least come on earlier

[Mel81x+]

7 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

The midfield three last night is fine away to Tottenham and it's fine to start with away to West Ham. If Fabinho isn't fit on Sunday, I'd have probably gone with that midfield. Don't think he can ask Milner to go again though. Another reason I find it strange Jones didn't start last night. Or at least come on earlier

He's going to start against City is my guess. 

[Scouse_Mouse]

2 hours ago, LFCMike said:

Another reason I find it strange Jones didn't start last night. Or at least come on earlier

Ive been saying that for a while. I'd definitely start Curtis against the against these kind of sides.

[Dr. Gonzo]

5 hours ago, LFCMike said:

'Instead, he has slowed down the play to a snails pace.'

That isn't true. At all. He recycles possession quickly and is often looking for the forward pass. The issue I had when he was in the 6 before the Tottenham game was that his take ons were of no use in our own half. I'm glad he's been pushed further up. 

The issues in games like last night stem from the problems at centre back. From missing Van Dijk's passing, to missing the midfielders who have been forced to play at CB. It also doesn't help when two of your front three are contributing fuck all either.

The midfield three last night is fine away to Tottenham and it's fine to start with away to West Ham. If Fabinho isn't fit on Sunday, I'd have probably gone with that midfield. Don't think he can ask Milner to go again though. Another reason I find it strange Jones didn't start last night. Or at least come on earlier

I agree with all this and I’m pretty sure I’m the one who started the Thiago criticism in the thread (although my point was more, if they look shit... blame all the players. Don’t single them out).