Liverpool manager Klopp insists there is much more to come from 30-year-old Thiago Alcantara as the Liverpool midfielder wraps up his first 12 months at Merseyside.
A little about the topic
Alcantara arrived in Anfield on 18 September last year, and the Reds agreed on a £ 25m deal with Munich-based Bavaria for the Spanish International. And while his first year at the club was mixed, largely due to an injury sustained at Everton in his first Premier League start, Jurgen Klopp believes they will soon see the full spectrum of the 30-year-old’s skills.
Thiago Alcantara world class player
Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s game against Crystal Palace this weekend, Jurgen told reporters the start wasn’t perfect. Thiago Alcantara got Covida, got injured early, which, of course, makes everything much more difficult. But Thiago showed what kind of player he would be for them. Of course, there is still a lot to be done.
It’s been a year, but if you want, it’s only half a year because of everything that’s happened. Coming to the new club, during the most difficult period of our entire life, Thiago settled down really well. the Thiago family is here, he loves it here, he was in the middle of the team very quickly. Alcantara is a really good character, a very good personality and obviously a world class player. Everything is fine!
Discussing Alcantara’s role in the Liverpool team and the specific tactical guidance he is being given, Jurgen compared the former Barcelona player to a golfer. Jurgen Klopp said that Thiago Alcantara played more often in Munich as a double-six, but for them it is a difficult position; you have to be offensive, you have to be defensive, you have to be between the lines, you can go down to the last line to get the ball, but not always.
But Thiago is such a natural footballer that they don’t have to give him 15 or 16 different things in the game. Klopp doesn’t ask him to constantly run for the last line. Thiago is a playmaker, obviously, who can sometimes be a little deeper, but he should be there in two interesting lines of the opponent.
The 30-year-old player has a great vision and can change everything with his passing. In an enclosed area with his pass, he is really good and he can chip balls in every area like a golfer, in fact. Good golfer. World class golfer! Thiago does it without even thinking.
According to Klopp he loves the way he plays. It’s a tough position to be No.8 for them. They have different skill sets and use different skill sets from time to time when they think a specific skill set makes more sense against a specific opponent.