Thiago Translantara

[jamrock]

as the article by gab marcotti put forward most of his minutes game when he played 30 minutes or less, or something like that which ways it all. he wasn't as good as xavi or iniesta but that's besides the point, the point was that he was easily good enough to play regularly and not just crap minutes or when a player is out injured.

damn tito

 

[JamDav1982]

That same logic was used to say that Thiago wouldn't play at Bayern. Gotze, Kroos, Schweinsteiger, Martinez, and Lahm all class midfielders, yet Thiago is fitted in. Having 4 players of starting quality for 2 midfield spots is good, when Xavi is gone having 3 players of starting quality for 2 spots is necessary for a top club. Soon it would've been Thiago, Iniesta, and Cesc all worthy as starters which is what depth is about.

Counting numbers would say that yes Thiago did get time. However in reality, he wasn't played at the end to keep his contract from activating the clause, he wasn't played in place of Xavi on painkillers vs Madrid, and overall his role showed that he wasn't looked upon as a useful player but someone that was played in games as a luxury.

The difference is that Thiago may well be the best AM amongst those players named and Gotze has played some games at false nine and Martinez at CB and Lahm at FB.

It is easier to see Thiago as one of the best three CMs at Bayern than it is at Barca.

Thiago was given plenty of opportunities and never looked better than the players ahead of him. He played in place of Xavi when he was injured and he also played away to Real Madrid weakened team and was poor.

Had Thiago stayed Cesc would have gone it is not possible to keep four players of that quality happy. Not matter how much you repeat it.

 

[Flavia]

Thiago was poor, as Bartra, Alexis and Pedro all were. Xavi turned 34. With a different coach, like Tata, he would have stayed. Tito was a bad coach.

 

[JamDav1982]

Thiago was poor, as Bartra, Alexis and Pedro all were. Xavi turned 34. With a different coach, like Tata, he would have stayed. Tito was a bad coach.

Thiago was available for 29 league games and started over half of them last season.

He was never going to replace Xavi and was competing with Cesc and Iniesta.

I would put money on the fact that the only reason Cesc stayed in the end is because Thiago left.

 

[zanela]

Thiago is a natural AM. It was Luis Milla who started playing him deep, and built both his 19s and 21s around him. He is a more versatile midfielder, with better skill-set than Cesc. Its a tough loss, but that's life. I try not to venture in to this thread as its disheartening to see a diff club reap the benefits of La Masia grooming, and a talent of such quality.

And whilst Tito is to blame, Rosell, even more so, as he was one who appointed the former under the charade of continuity.

 

[Flavia]

Maybe that's why Barça is looking for another cm then, isn't it? Thiago could play instead of Xavi, and not compete with Cesc or Iniesta. Saying he wouldn't is just your opinion, and to me a wrong one.
But tito was poor as a man manager. The improvement in Pedro, Alexis and Bartra are proof of that.

 

[JamDav1982]

Maybe that's why Barça is looking for another cm then, isn't it? Thiago could play instead of Xavi, and not compete with Cesc or Iniesta. Saying he wouldn't is just your opinion, and to me a wrong one.
But tito was poor as a man manager. The improvement in Pedro, Alexis and Bartra are proof of that.

Of course its opinion and for me Thiago is not a CM in the mould of Xavi and is at his best given the freedom of movement to get forward. While he took too many risks in a deeper position which Barca can barely afford as they offer the CBs little protection other than Busquets.

Did he excel as Xavis back up at Barca? No not really.

By far and away the best I ever seen Thiago play live was when Pep went 3-4-3 against Villreal and he was given the freedom to get forward. Other than that under Pep and Tito when played in the Xavi role in a three he never looked comfortable or at his best.

Even the U21 tournament in the summer he was given room for Spain and ran riot.

It was getting more and more clear all the time that he was not suited to the Xavi more disciplined role - and he was given loads of opportunities to prove he was.

Has he excelled at Bayern given more freedom to get forward - looks like it.

 

[DonAndres]

The difference is that Thiago may well be the best AM amongst those players named and Gotze has played some games at false nine and Martinez at CB and Lahm at FB.

It is easier to see Thiago as one of the best three CMs at Bayern than it is at Barca.

Thiago was given plenty of opportunities and never looked better than the players ahead of him. He played in place of Xavi when he was injured and he also played away to Real Madrid weakened team and was poor.

Had Thiago stayed Cesc would have gone it is not possible to keep four players of that quality happy. Not matter how much you repeat it.

That's not true, no matter how much you repeat it. At Madrid all of Khedira, Alonso, Modric, and Illarramendi are of starting quality. At Bayern, they have more consistent midfield depth than us even if they use their players in different positions. Chelsea have a stacked central midfield as well with players who all want playing time. None of those players are given the same holy pedestal status that is given to Xavi or Iniesta which is why their spots are competed for rather than ordered.

The point is that Thiago shouldn't have only been playing trash minutes and should've been treated as a player of potentially huge value and upside, rather than simply labelled 4th best CM which is an incredibly low intelligence statement in making managerial decisions. Keeping 4 star midfielders happy isn't that difficult to do (Tata would've been able to pull it off easily) and soon enough it will be 3. It's a very weak rationalization to say that what happened was the only possible scenario and keep the false idea that there was no mistake made.

I mean look at how Thiago is performing at Bayern with a manager who trusts and has confidence in him. In a team where he was determined to be a fringe player, he's now shining. Last season he may not have been the best (he still did show great quality) but then again the likes of Pedro, Alexis, Bartra, Pique, Xavi, etc. all looked horrible because of the system. It's blind to say that he didn't deserve playing time because he didn't pull out these types of performances back then.

 

[barcanuck]

If Pep had not signed Fabregas Thiago would still be at the club.

Might of been Rosell who decided that one

 

[JamDav1982]

That's not true, no matter how much you repeat it. At Madrid all of Khedira, Alonso, Modric, and Illarramendi are of starting quality. At Bayern, they have more consistent midfield depth than us even if they use their players in different positions. Chelsea have a stacked central midfield as well with players who all want playing time. None of those players are given the same holy pedestal status that is given to Xavi or Iniesta which is why their spots are competed for rather than ordered.

The point is that Thiago shouldn't have only been playing trash minutes and should've been treated as a player of potentially huge value and upside, rather than simply labelled 4th best CM which is an incredibly low intelligence statement in making managerial decisions. Keeping 4 star midfielders happy isn't that difficult to do (Tata would've been able to pull it off easily) and soon enough it will be 3. It's a very weak rationalization to say that what happened was the only possible scenario and keep the false idea that there was no mistake made.

I mean look at how Thiago is performing at Bayern with a manager who trusts and has confidence in him. In a team where he was determined to be a fringe player, he's now shining. Last season he may not have been the best (he still did show great quality) but then again the likes of Pedro, Alexis, Bartra, Pique, Xavi, etc. all looked horrible because of the system. It's blind to say that he didn't deserve playing time because he didn't pull out these types of performances back then.

Haha jesus christ - none of those Real Madrid players would get in the Barca team and you are naming DMs there.

Show me any club in the world that has four CMs for two postions as good as Xavi, Iniesta, Cesc and Thiago.

To even compare them to the Real Madrid players you mentioned is an absolute joke.

 

[jamrock]

Thiago is a natural AM. It was Luis Milla who started playing him deep, and built both his 19s and 21s around him. He is a more versatile midfielder, with better skill-set than Cesc. Its a tough loss, but that's life. I try not to venture in to this thread as its disheartening to see a diff club reap the benefits of La Masia grooming, and a talent of such quality.

And whilst Tito is to blame, Rosell, even more so, as he was one who appointed the former under the charade of continuity.

yep it was milla who played him a CM, but man was he go there, its at the the U19 level that the alcantara brothers seem to have switch positions with oscar starting to play rafa at AM and false 9 when he was always a CM.

thiago would definitely have developed into a more dynamic form of xavi for us over the years

 

[barcanuck]

Thiago was poor, as Bartra, Alexis and Pedro all were. Xavi turned 34. With a different coach, like Tata, he would have stayed. Tito was a bad coach.

To be fair Flavia, let's give Tito SOME credit he did get us to the Semi Finals of CL and Copa and 100 pts all while having cancer and missing months of the season. Bad is harsh, he was impeded by too many personal issues but didn't show enough trust in his whole squad is fair.

 

[DinhoR10]

Calm down guys, We have his younger hopefully more talented brother

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

To be fair Flavia, let's give Tito SOME credit he did get us to the Semi Finals of CL and Copa and 100 pts all while having cancer and missing months of the season. Bad is harsh, he was impeded by too many personal issues but didn't show enough trust in his whole squad is fair.

Tito was a shit coach. Messi was the one that carried the team. If we still had Tito, we'd be in 3rd or 4th place right now in La Liga and have no hope of beating City.

 

[jamrock]

if barca have four excellent CM, shouldn't it have then made it easier for a manager to rotate them, know he as class no matter who he plays?. i don't know i am just asking questions