‘It’s a shame’: John Barnes says £25m player Liverpool let go would’ve been great for Arne Slot
The Arne Slot era has got off to a brilliant start at Liverpool as the Reds currently sit top of the league. Liverpool have won...
The Arne Slot era has got off to a brilliant start at Liverpool as the Reds currently sit top of the league.
Liverpool have won five of their first six league games so far this season, and a big part of their success this term has been their midfield.
Ryan Gravenberch has been at the centre of a lot of praise as of late, and Slot seems to have finally made this midfield click.
Speaking on the Seaman Says Podcast, John Barnes has been discussing Liverpool’s midfield this season, and he says that it’s a massive shame that Thiago Alcantara left the club at the end of last season.
Indeed, Barnes believes that Thiago would’ve been ideally suited to Slot’s system of controlling possession in the midfield.
Thiago would’ve been perfect for Arne Slot
Barnes spoke about Liverpool and their midfield composition.
“I was with them pre-season in America and they were bang into what they’re wanting to do. The personnel, who would’ve thought Gravenberch would be a number six and thriving in that role. In possession they’re making more passes in the midfield, they don’t have Henderson, Milner and Fabinho who just work hard, he likes more control in midfield,” Barnes said.
“The midfield was really the three hard-working players, Henderson, Milner and Fabinho, those players. It’s a shame because I think Thiago would’ve been ideally suited to him, he likes those kinds of players.”
Thiago is a huge ‘what if?’
This is the story of Thiago’s Liverpool career, what could’ve been.
The Spaniard was arguably the Reds’ best player on a technical level throughout his time at Anfield, but injuries caused him too many problems, and he eventually had to retire.
As Barnes says, a fit and firing Thiago would’ve been brilliant in an Arne Slot team, but a fit and firing Thiago is about as rare a thing to see as a shooting star.
The £25m man could’ve been so much more for Liverpool, whether that was under Slot or Jurgen Klopp, but, sadly, we didn’t get to see his brilliance all that often.
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