27 Feb 2024 18:47:36
Hi all, I'm just wondering if Ali was at Wembley on Sunday? Didn't see him in any of the celebrations so is his injury a lot worse than I thought? We know Thiago is done for the season hence he wasn't there but I thought Ali would be around if possible.
27 Feb 2024 20:05:19
I didn't see him either mate.
27 Feb 2024 20:31:49
Maybe given some time at home? I didn't see him either but with him not playing a minute in the tournament maybe he didn't really have a connection to the vicotry, so a perfect time to spend some time in Brazil.
27 Feb 2024 20:50:49
I would have thought that all the players would be there?♂️.
27 Feb 2024 21:06:19
I thought I saw him, tho. Prolly a mirage.
27 Feb 2024 21:57:27
I didn’t see him either. Said the other week it feels like there’s more going on there than meets the eye.
Having said that I didn’t see Jota either but his injury was fairly serious so you wouldn’t want him hurdling the seats like Dom and Darwin!
I can’t shake this feeling about Ali though, I hope I’m wrong but it just seems like something’s not right.
27 Feb 2024 23:28:39
I saw Ali, he was dancing with the team in the dressing room aafter the game it was in a video I was sent . don't think there is strange or dodge about Ali .
28 Feb 2024 01:39:11
If Thiago is out for the rest of the season, he'll have picked up close to £15 million since he last played minus his brief cameo. Ludicrous amounts.
28 Feb 2024 03:44:12
Love watching Thiago in action but he's got to go down as the biggest waste of money since, um, Naby Keita.
28 Feb 2024 05:20:16
Anyone think Thiago isn’t pushing himself to play so he’s fit for his move in the summer? Or is he just made of crisps.
28 Feb 2024 06:06:10
Thiago is just made of crisps. He doesn't seem like the type that will refuse to play just so he can secure a move elsewhere.
{Ed025's Note - i think its just a fact of life that when you have the sort of wealth and lifestyle players have these days motivation wanes Drac, it gets harder to run your socks off every day especially when you are in the latter years of your career mate..
28 Feb 2024 08:43:22
I saw Allison during the game, he was wearing a Kelleher mask and playing in goal!
28 Feb 2024 08:59:25
Nice one, @Kop that. Prolly not enuff room on the bench so he had to go sit in the stands. Wouldn't put it past him esp. being the humble and supportive guy that he is.
28 Feb 2024 09:42:25
I don’t understand all the Thiago loving on here. Yes, I was pleased with the signing and yes I recognise his ability. Let’s face though even when fit does he really improve the starting 11? He was awful as a 6 and established himself in the Jones role however, he is nowhere near as effective as Jones.
Jones to me offers pace, better pressing, less press resistant and able to carry the ball better.
In my opinion, his injury might actually be a blessing in disguise as it has given the youngsters an opportunity, that he would essentially be blocking.
I am not trying to be negative or controversial, as he is a brilliant player, but he is just the wrong fit and not the profile of midfielder we need to thrive on the Klopp setup.
28 Feb 2024 11:34:13
I'm with Todd. Great player but I was surprised when we signed him. I got the theory behind it but it never really worked. Disastrous as a 6 and in the few games he has managed to play for us I suspect he contributed to more opposition goals with sloppy/ slow play in the middle than he did Liverpool goals.
I think he is a great player but he is a bad fit for this Liverpool team. Fully fit he still wouldn't get in it.
What I do hope is that he has inspired and helped the young players like Jones, Elliot, McConnell and Clark. To be able to play and train around him and learn from somebody like him is priceless. This is probably a more valuable contribution to the club than anything he could do on the pitch.
28 Feb 2024 11:47:00
I agree MOT, Thiago does not improve the starting 11 now but I think we are in desperate need of more bodies in midfield. He will be a useful player to bring off the bench for 20 minutes to give one of our other midfielders a rest or playing in a lesser game when we want to rotate. I don't see him contributing any more than that this season, if he even gets fit that is.
28 Feb 2024 09:45:46
You're right Ed025. That's the way it is. Not that blame has to be placed anywhere, but if it has to be done then it's to be placed on both player and club. The player's injury record was no secret to anyone, and there was no need to be "overawed" by his skills, and diving into such a transaction. Hindsight, I guess.
{Ed025's Note - very much so ArAy, it just never worked out mate like lots of transfers mate..
28 Feb 2024 16:22:24
Okay so, multiple things can be correct at the same time here. I love Thiago to death. His ability as a footballer is not in question and he did his bit to help us win trohphies during the Quad-chasing season or get top 4 in that dreadful 20/ 21 season when he was fully fit on both occasions. Anyone saying he did not improve us during the runs he had in the team is talking porkies and has a short memory cos we all know how lyrical these same people were waxing about him.
Now this is not for those who had doubts about him coming in BUT I can remember people myself included, licking their lips when we sigh-ned him, saying they might as well give us the title before a ball was kicked. ANyone remember his debut at Chelsea where he bossed the whole second half? Please, let's tone it down a bit with the revisionist history, IMO.
Now it is also true that every man and his dog on here (including the club who signed him) knew he had fitness issues so again, I find it weird that people are complaining about his injury issues whereas as if we all didn't know what the deal was at the time. That's again, revisionist history, IMO.
IMO and at the end of the day, Thiago is been finished at LFC and that much is clear and Im disappointed even tho, I've been over it for months now BUT let's not start acting as if he was a waste of space who offered absolutely nothing like Naby for ex. was, when fit and playing regularly cos that is NOT true and the receipts are there to prove it.
28 Feb 2024 17:10:19
But Oli if you are saying Keita offered nothing then you have to say the same about Thiago.
When fit Keita had some brilliant games for us (Utd away and City in the FA Cup spring to mind) but overall was a poor signing. The same is true for Thiago.
People will try to tell you it’s a coincidence but after he got injured last season we went on an unbeaten run until the end of the season. There’s more to it than just Thiago of course but him not being in our midfield made us a better team I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.
He’s a great player, just not a great player for us.
28 Feb 2024 17:39:13
Thiago certainly splits opinion.
Some fans seem to not rate him at all and some managers like Pep, Ancelotti, Heynckes, Flick and Klopp seem to think he was worth picking.
28 Feb 2024 22:02:30
I don’t have any proof but it seems to me like Thiago wanted to be a part of the team and wanted / wants to play. I think on the other hand that Naby has an arrow somewhere that reads ‘show me the money’. I think in a few years he will be remembered in the ‘what could have been’ lists (a bit like Jari Litmanen) .
28 Feb 2024 22:17:21
JK, did he have the same injury record with those managers as he did with Klopp? I suspect it has been the worst with us. That seems to be the main gripe everyone has with the likes of Thiago and Keita. Nobody really questions their talent or footballing skils. After all managers and recruiters are not blind. But the point is you don't hand a 5 year contract to someone who is going to perform for only a year or so. Some seem to think that's alright (see above), but I don't go along with that.
28 Feb 2024 22:44:43
That’s the thing though Aray on the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter what you or I do or don’t go along with.
Those managers clearly rated Thiago as a player even if some fans don’t and were part of the decisions to put him on large contracts and select him for games.
I don’t think his signing has been a success here but absolutely loved watching him live when he did play. Greatest shame is he didn’t play more.
The Thiago Liverpool chapter will be coming to its close though in the next few months.
29 Feb 2024 00:58:47
Endo is more effective than Thiago, but has half the ability.
Sometimes a player just isn’t a good fit.
I always thought Thiago was trying to be a bit too clever. Too many 1 touch passes, too many no look passes.
Sometimes you just play the simple game well.
29 Feb 2024 04:02:05
I don't remember Thiago 'not fitting in' when he was a key member of the quadruple chasing team. When fit, he fit the team. People are just making things up because everyone has to run their own narrative now.
29 Feb 2024 12:26:10
Imagine Being Us, my sentiments exactly.
@Beckers, I will NEVER in this lifetime equate the same level of uselessness that Naby had, to Thiago or even Ox.
Why? Ox and Thiago actually cared and played like it whenever they played. Naby could not be arsed to keep himself fit for near ALL 5 years he was here. That is a fact and keep in mind that Naby has been reported on here by both Ed's 01 and 02 being a problem in the DR, attitude issues and driving w/ o a license. Did Thiago or even Ox ever do that?
"When fit Keita had some brilliant games for us". Oh please, those are aberrations and he was here for 5 years, 4 of which he barely played cos he as injured. If you want to compare the impact Naby had to Thiago when they played then, you are fooling yourself.
Please, you are free to put Thiago (a boss player with inherent fitness issues we ALL knew about before he signed), to an absolute waster of a player in Naby who literally stopped trying as soon as he signed for us cos he thought he had made it. Just don't ask me to do such nonsense cos that AIN'T going to happen in this lifetime. Or the next 3 lifetimes.