Paul Macdonald uses stats from the Football Critic database to profile just how Thiago Alcantara can change the way Liverpool tick.
In the Thiago Alcantara to Liverpool debate, in the first instance there was some discussion about whether they really needed him.
Other positions (centre-back, back-up forward) needed addressing more, some said. Would he give them the correct balance, said others? But all of that bluster becomes pretty meaningless when you reduce it to the simple statement that Thiago, for £20m, is a transfer that any club in the world should make happen if they have the chance, and will be just fine in the Premier League.
And in the space of three days, Liverpool seem to have solved all of their recruitment concerns with a level of efficiency that should be of concern to the rest of the league. Diogo Jota has arrived as cover, a shrewd deal that was offset by Ki-Jana Hoever going the other way, and he offers the ideal profile to cover for the front three. He has a not-dissimilar attacking profile in terms of expected goals and assists to where Sadio Mane and Mo Salah were when Liverpool acquired them and pushed them to the next level. Klopp is eminently capable of doing that, and his 16 goals last season - including nine in the Europa League - is a good base to build from.
And when a late injury to Joe Gomez forced Fabinho to cover at centre-back versus Chelsea, the Brazilian was imperious, totally shutting out Timo Werner and virtually strolling through the contest. This has allayed fears that they might be a little light at the back considering Gomez and indeed Joel Matip, miss too many games through physical problems.
But the most exciting element came when Thiago entered the scene at half-time. It must be caveated that he a) was arriving against 10 men following Andreas Christensen’s red card and b) he gave away a rather clumsy penalty that could have let Chelsea back into the game, but he completed 75 passes in those 45 minutes, the most by anyone in that timeframe since the Premier League started gathering data.
The enthrallment quickly subsided to cynicism from social media - as it often does - but it’s less to do with what the Spaniard achieved in that half in terms of raw numbers and more to do with how effortlessly he slotted into proceedings, like a new head chef entering a kitchen.
Liverpool instantly found a new formula to move the ball and while under other circumstances a half against a team with a man fewer might have been gruelling and involved the monotonous procession of passes looking for an opening, it wasn’t like that at all. Thiago strolled into the centre, like he had always been there, and began picking up passes that sometimes only he could see.
His passing numbers in the Bundesliga from 2019/20: A huge 92.5 passes P90 (highest in the division), 90% completion, with 23.5 passes in the final third (again, highest in the division), are obviously world-leading.
But there’s also his underrated skills of disruption; his 2.3 interceptions P90 is fifth-best for his position in the Bundesliga, while his 9.8 recoveries P90 is best. He wins 59% of his duels (second) and, interestingly, his 3.5 completed dribbles P90 is by far the best in the league, and one of the best in Europe. This helps to paint a picture of a dynamic player who is almost as good at getting it back as he is progressing the ball forward.
He’s highly unlikely to put up numbers in terms of assists - indeed he didn’t record a single one in the whole of the German season - while his goal output is low, too. But that’s not what he’s there for. He doesn’t pass for the sake of passing, his movements have a purpose and he’s always looking to extract positive possession value from how he spreads the ball around.
Each of Liverpool’s midfielders - Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum in particular - perform very specific roles in the side and are exceptionally good at them, so it’s not a case of Thiago technically making the team better, but making the team different, and that’s key.
It allows them tactical flexibility to adapt to different situations, and that’s something that some feared the Reds wouldn’t have. From that perspective, it’s been a hugely successful week for Klopp’s side. And we can get to watch one of the best midfielders of his generation at the peak of his powers.
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