Thiago Alcantara’s masterclass in Chelsea provides the perfect proof that Liverpool signed a world-class star

Liverpool have finally made their move, and what a move it is.

After weeks of curious transfer inactivity at Anfield, the Premier League champions have secured one of the most exciting transfers in recent club history.

After massive speculation surrounding a summer saga, the Reds on Friday announced the signing of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich, instantly raising their midfield to a new level.

Ahead of public confirmation, Bayern manager Hansi Flick paid tribute to the midfielder on Thursday and it comes as no surprise that he is saddened by Thiago’s departure. After all, he’s losing a genuinely world-class midfielder.

The arrival of Thiago will do several things. First, it will give Liverpool midfielders food for thought.

Assuming Jurgen Klopp sticks with his proven 4-3-3, and he should take into account how he adapts to his three forwards, one from Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Georginio Wijnaldum will surely make way for the new recruit, who will be aiming. Join one of the most exclusive clubs in football by winning a Champions League medal with a third different club that has conquered Europe with Barcelona and Bayern.

Second, it will give the trio mentioned in the attack a master provider, a player whose artistry and cunning has propelled teams with Robert Lewandowski and Lionel Messi, among others.

Finally, it will further strengthen Liverpool’s champions locker room. After all, Thiago has won nine league titles in the last 10 years at Barcelona and Bayern. He will not come to England to end that streak.

While it’s easy to think of Thiago as a luxury playmaker, a Rolls-Royce schemer who prides himself on valuing rival defenses, there’s so much more to him. He can, of course, be a creative hub, although he’s a significantly more well-rounded player.

Under Flick, Thiago often played a vital role in midfield as part of Bayern’s 4-1-4-1, acting as a deep creator ahead of the excellent Joshua Kimmich. More recently, during Bayern’s run to the Champions League final last season, Leon Goretzka accompanied Thiago in midfield when Kimmich returned to right back to cover the injured Benjamin Pavard.

Thiago has made several interpretations of the role of number 6 at Bayern, having been teammates with Javi Martínez under Carlo Ancelotti and Jupp Heynckes, as well as operating in the middle of a three in Niko Kovac’s 4-3-3.

An exceptional passer, Thiago’s low center of gravity and tight control allow him to impressively retain possession under intense pressure and in tight spaces.

He often falls back to receive the ball from centrals, but can carry his team further up the field in an instant with his superlative passing range. A shrewd student of space and angles, Thiago knows when to slide a simple wide pass, execute a one-two with a teammate to create some space, or attempt to unlock the opponent’s defense with a well-judged ball overhead.

It is this last weapon, in particular, that holds exciting potential for Liverpool’s three forwards of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, all of whom are adept at making angled runs from the shoulders of defenders.

Of course, Thiago is already known to the English football public. While he was an unused substitute as a youngster in Barcelona’s 2011 Champions League final win over Manchester United, he has often been a thorn in the side of Premier League teams ever since.

In 2015, he was instrumental in Bayern’s 5-1 dismantling of Arsenal in the group stage of the Champions League. In 2017, he tormented the Gunners once again, scoring two goals and notching an assist in another 5-1 win as the Bundesliga kingpins edged the North Londoners and practically booked their place in the quarterfinals.

Last season, he came off the bench at halftime to deepen Tottenham Hotspur’s misery, creating the third of Serge Gnabry’s four goals in an impressive 7-2 victory.

Then, with Bayern determined to win back their European crown, they delivered a masterful performance against Chelsea in the round of 16.

While Gnabry returned to steal the headlines with two goals, Thiago was irresistible in midfield. Its 93 percent passing accuracy looks neat, but it’s even more impressive when you consider the range and verticality in its distribution, as illustrated in the Wyscout chart below.

According to Wyscout, Thiago completed eight of his 10 long passes, made four interceptions and won 12 of his 18 games overall. Impressively, he completed 10 of 12 pass attempts in the final third.

As you can see in the screenshots below, Thiago was almost able to kill Chelsea with a pass.

Stepping back to receive the ball from Alphonso Davies, he immediately raises his head and sees Lewandowski on the run.

While Chelsea’s pressure from Olivier Giroud and Mason Mount is poor, Thiago takes the entire Blues team out with a heat-seeking ball overhead.

It created a one-on-one for Lewandowski, although Willy Caballero was able to charge the shot.

Thiago’s prowess as a player is clear, although he is also extremely skilled off the ball.

A good game reader is often able to cut through the other team’s passing lanes. It is not a coincidence that he often gets a subtle touch or deflection on the ball to return possession to his side.

Thiago’s injury history will be a bit of concern for Liverpool fans (he has never started more than 26 Bundesliga games for Bayern in a 34-game season), but there’s no question the Reds have made sure a jewel.

A player who has consistently stood out for two of Europe’s heavyweights, controlling match after match at the highest level, has the potential to be a revolutionary addition to Klopp’s squad, making an already impressive Liverpool unit still. stronger.