Injuries updates
- Thread starter Red rose
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Status
https://www.thisisanfield.com/2022/08/liverpools-thiago-conundrum-the-good-and-the-bad/
His quality has never been in question, but having sustained another injury in Liverpool’s first league game of 2022/23, Thiago‘s season is already threatening to follow a familiar pattern.
Thiago Alcantara do Nascimento.
One of the most graceful footballers to wear the red shirt in recent years, without any shadow of a doubt.
His arrival from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2020 perhaps generated more excitement among fans than any other signing in the Jurgen Klopp era, and understandably so.
Liverpool’s decision to swoop for a player of Thiago‘s ilk was a step away from the type of signing we’ve become accustomed to seeing from Michael Edwards and the rest of the transfer committee.
This wasn’t a young player with bags of unfulfilled potential and plenty to prove, but it was a truly world-class operator at the peak of his powers who, at the time, was being spoken about as the best midfield player on the planet.
So, after two years at Anfield, how can we assess the Spaniard’s time at Anfield to date?
When fit, Thiago is one of the first names on Klopp’s teamsheet.
He offers a completely different dimension to the midfield than any of the other options in his position.
Incisive passes, a remarkable passing range, and pretty much everything else you’d want from a modern day midfielder.
After a first season disrupted by Covid complications and a frankly unbelievable turn of events that left the team without any centre-backs for the much of the season, the following campaign was much more fruitful for the midfielder.
Despite several injury setbacks, he made 39 appearances in all competitions in 2021/22, with the Reds winning 22 of the 27 matches he started.
Having almost missed the Champions League final with a muscular injury that would keep him out of international duty at the end of the season, the sight of Thiago limping off with another problem against Fulham was certainly an unwelcome one.
The Spaniard missed 14 Premier League matches in his first season and just one less in 2021/22.
He was in tears after picking up an injury in the warmup ahead of last season’s Carabao Cup final against Chelsea, and it was nearly the same story in Paris at the end of the season.
There were standout performances against the likes of Southampton in the league and Man City in the FA Cup semi-finals. And that Porto strike really did encapsulate everything he is about. Pure class.
The 31-year-old is usually deployed in the number eight position on the left-hand side of Liverpool’s midfield trio, often accompanied by Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in the centre of the park.
It’s a slightly more advanced role than what he was used to at Bayern, having often been used in a double-pivot, but it’s one he’s adjusted to well.
A classy player who offers so much to this team, but it’s not always been so easy-going.
have to wonder whether the intense nature of Klopp’s football is taking its toll. Thiago is being asked to run more, to make more forward sprints and is more involved in the attacking play than he was at Bayern.
As previously mentioned, the Spaniard was more of a deep-lying playmaker at the Allianz Arena and was tasked with dictating the play.
His latest setback has certainly not slowed down calls from some sections of Liverpool supporters to see a new, top class midfielder added to the ranks this summer.
the success Liverpool have enjoyed on the pitch and the role Thiago has played in it, you have to say yes.
The injuries, though, are becoming a real problem.
Thiago was effectively Liverpool’s Gini Wijnaldum replacement, with the Dutchman’s contract expiring 12 months after the Spaniard’s arrival.
In terms of availability, though, the two players are polar opposites. In the five years he spent at Liverpool, Wijnaldum was a machine, missing just 11 matches due to injury during that time.
You could argue that Wijnaldum, who has recently joined Jose Mourinho’s Roma on loan after a dismal year with PSG, was also more suited to the advanced midfield role in Klopp’s system.
However, Liverpool knew what they were getting in Thiago and, for an initial £20 million, the La Masia academy graduate has been worth every penny.
That said, this really is a big season for Liverpool’s No. 6.
With less than two years remaining on his contract, the next year will surely play a huge part in the Reds’ thinking when they’re weighing up whether to offer him a new deal, and on what terms.
His quality has never been in question, but having sustained another injury in Liverpool’s first league game of 2022/23, Thiago‘s season is already threatening to follow a familiar pattern.
Thiago Alcantara do Nascimento.
One of the most graceful footballers to wear the red shirt in recent years, without any shadow of a doubt.
His arrival from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2020 perhaps generated more excitement among fans than any other signing in the Jurgen Klopp era, and understandably so.
Liverpool’s decision to swoop for a player of Thiago‘s ilk was a step away from the type of signing we’ve become accustomed to seeing from Michael Edwards and the rest of the transfer committee.
This wasn’t a young player with bags of unfulfilled potential and plenty to prove, but it was a truly world-class operator at the peak of his powers who, at the time, was being spoken about as the best midfield player on the planet.
So, after two years at Anfield, how can we assess the Spaniard’s time at Anfield to date?
When fit, Thiago is one of the first names on Klopp’s teamsheet.
He offers a completely different dimension to the midfield than any of the other options in his position.
Incisive passes, a remarkable passing range, and pretty much everything else you’d want from a modern day midfielder.
After a first season disrupted by Covid complications and a frankly unbelievable turn of events that left the team without any centre-backs for the much of the season, the following campaign was much more fruitful for the midfielder.
Despite several injury setbacks, he made 39 appearances in all competitions in 2021/22, with the Reds winning 22 of the 27 matches he started.
Having almost missed the Champions League final with a muscular injury that would keep him out of international duty at the end of the season, the sight of Thiago limping off with another problem against Fulham was certainly an unwelcome one.
The Spaniard missed 14 Premier League matches in his first season and just one less in 2021/22.
He was in tears after picking up an injury in the warmup ahead of last season’s Carabao Cup final against Chelsea, and it was nearly the same story in Paris at the end of the season.
There were standout performances against the likes of Southampton in the league and Man City in the FA Cup semi-finals. And that Porto strike really did encapsulate everything he is about. Pure class.
The 31-year-old is usually deployed in the number eight position on the left-hand side of Liverpool’s midfield trio, often accompanied by Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in the centre of the park.
It’s a slightly more advanced role than what he was used to at Bayern, having often been used in a double-pivot, but it’s one he’s adjusted to well.
A classy player who offers so much to this team, but it’s not always been so easy-going.
have to wonder whether the intense nature of Klopp’s football is taking its toll. Thiago is being asked to run more, to make more forward sprints and is more involved in the attacking play than he was at Bayern.
As previously mentioned, the Spaniard was more of a deep-lying playmaker at the Allianz Arena and was tasked with dictating the play.
His latest setback has certainly not slowed down calls from some sections of Liverpool supporters to see a new, top class midfielder added to the ranks this summer.
the success Liverpool have enjoyed on the pitch and the role Thiago has played in it, you have to say yes.
The injuries, though, are becoming a real problem.
Thiago was effectively Liverpool’s Gini Wijnaldum replacement, with the Dutchman’s contract expiring 12 months after the Spaniard’s arrival.
In terms of availability, though, the two players are polar opposites. In the five years he spent at Liverpool, Wijnaldum was a machine, missing just 11 matches due to injury during that time.
You could argue that Wijnaldum, who has recently joined Jose Mourinho’s Roma on loan after a dismal year with PSG, was also more suited to the advanced midfield role in Klopp’s system.
However, Liverpool knew what they were getting in Thiago and, for an initial £20 million, the La Masia academy graduate has been worth every penny.
That said, this really is a big season for Liverpool’s No. 6.
With less than two years remaining on his contract, the next year will surely play a huge part in the Reds’ thinking when they’re weighing up whether to offer him a new deal, and on what terms.
we’ve lost our voices
I would tend to believe the more pessimistic option when it comes to our players.
We have a little break at the end of that time frame due to an international window.
Thia8o.
Some weird way of saying we haven't had 13 players available
[xtable]
{tbody}
{tr}
{th=colspan:7}
Liverpool
TRACK
10{/th}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}PLAYER{/td}
{td}REASON{/td}
{td}FURTHER DETAIL{/td}
{td}POTENTIAL RETURN{/td}
{td}CONDITION{/td}
{td}STATUS{/td}
{td} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Thiago Alcantara{/td}
{td}Thigh Injury{/td}
{td}Aug 06: "And now with Thiago, that is, of course, not good, and we will see. It looks pretty bad. He didn't look too happy."{/td}
{td}18/09/2022{/td}
{td}Currently Being Assessed{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Darwin Nunez Ribeiro{/td}
{td}Suspended{/td}
{td}Sending Off - Red Card{/td}
{td}03/09/2022{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Curtis Jones{/td}
{td}Calf/Shin/Heel Injury{/td}
{td}Aug 05: "We hope with Curtis, we caught it in the right moment; that's just how it is with young players. They have some kind of stress reactions sometimes, and then if they go over it because it's not massive pain, it could lead to something serious."{/td}
{td}27/08/2022{/td}
{td}Currently Being Assessed{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Joel Matip{/td}
{td}Groin/Hip/Pelvic Injury{/td}
{td}Aug 15: "[Joel] will be two weeks. We will see with that."{/td}
{td}27/08/2022{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Diogo Jota{/td}
{td}Thigh Injury{/td}
{td}Aug 05: "Diogo, it was obviously slightly too early, or the injury was different in the first place. They are already fine, and in a few weeks, they will be back."{/td}
{td}22/08/2022{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}25%{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Caoimhin Kelleher{/td}
{td}Groin/Hip/Pelvic Injury{/td}
{td}July 29: "Caoimh felt something after the international game [in June]. He came back, and first training [session] felt it again. We checked it, and it was not good so I think he will be another 2-3 weeks and then he should be fine."{/td}
{td}22/08/2022{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Roberto Firmino{/td}
{td}Other{/td}
{td}Aug 15: "Bobby couldn't make it. [He] might be back [for GW3], we will see."{/td}
{td}22/08/2022{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}50%{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain{/td}
{td}Thigh Injury{/td}
{td}July 29: "It’s a serious hamstring injury, and it will take longer. But it’s a hamstring, and we all hate this word, we hate the injury, but anyway, it happens from time to time, and now Ox was the one."{/td}
{td}No Return Date{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Ibrahima Konate{/td}
{td}Knee Injury{/td}
{td}Aug 05: "We have to see how long it will take, but he is out for a while."{/td}
{td}No Return Date{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Calvin Ramsay{/td}
{td}Other{/td}
{td}July 28: "We found a little injury which kids have when they grow. So, we have to be careful with that; that’s why he didn’t train yet."{/td}
{td}No Return Date{/td}
{td}Currently Being Assessed{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]
{tbody}
{tr}
{th=colspan:7}
Liverpool
TRACK
10{/th}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}PLAYER{/td}
{td}REASON{/td}
{td}FURTHER DETAIL{/td}
{td}POTENTIAL RETURN{/td}
{td}CONDITION{/td}
{td}STATUS{/td}
{td} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Thiago Alcantara{/td}
{td}Thigh Injury{/td}
{td}Aug 06: "And now with Thiago, that is, of course, not good, and we will see. It looks pretty bad. He didn't look too happy."{/td}
{td}18/09/2022{/td}
{td}Currently Being Assessed{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Darwin Nunez Ribeiro{/td}
{td}Suspended{/td}
{td}Sending Off - Red Card{/td}
{td}03/09/2022{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Curtis Jones{/td}
{td}Calf/Shin/Heel Injury{/td}
{td}Aug 05: "We hope with Curtis, we caught it in the right moment; that's just how it is with young players. They have some kind of stress reactions sometimes, and then if they go over it because it's not massive pain, it could lead to something serious."{/td}
{td}27/08/2022{/td}
{td}Currently Being Assessed{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Joel Matip{/td}
{td}Groin/Hip/Pelvic Injury{/td}
{td}Aug 15: "[Joel] will be two weeks. We will see with that."{/td}
{td}27/08/2022{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Diogo Jota{/td}
{td}Thigh Injury{/td}
{td}Aug 05: "Diogo, it was obviously slightly too early, or the injury was different in the first place. They are already fine, and in a few weeks, they will be back."{/td}
{td}22/08/2022{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}25%{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Caoimhin Kelleher{/td}
{td}Groin/Hip/Pelvic Injury{/td}
{td}July 29: "Caoimh felt something after the international game [in June]. He came back, and first training [session] felt it again. We checked it, and it was not good so I think he will be another 2-3 weeks and then he should be fine."{/td}
{td}22/08/2022{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Roberto Firmino{/td}
{td}Other{/td}
{td}Aug 15: "Bobby couldn't make it. [He] might be back [for GW3], we will see."{/td}
{td}22/08/2022{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}50%{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain{/td}
{td}Thigh Injury{/td}
{td}July 29: "It’s a serious hamstring injury, and it will take longer. But it’s a hamstring, and we all hate this word, we hate the injury, but anyway, it happens from time to time, and now Ox was the one."{/td}
{td}No Return Date{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Ibrahima Konate{/td}
{td}Knee Injury{/td}
{td}Aug 05: "We have to see how long it will take, but he is out for a while."{/td}
{td}No Return Date{/td}
{td}None{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}Calvin Ramsay{/td}
{td}Other{/td}
{td}July 28: "We found a little injury which kids have when they grow. So, we have to be careful with that; that’s why he didn’t train yet."{/td}
{td}No Return Date{/td}
{td}Currently Being Assessed{/td}
{td}Ruled Out{/td}
{td}TRACK{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]
That's what his wife is saying too.
Joel Matip facing longer out than expected with “strange” injury
Joel Matip is one name on a lengthy injury list for Liverpool and his absence is to be longer than first expected, as Jurgen Klopp gave an update on the “strange” issue.
After the draw against Crystal Palace, Klopp reflected on the week Liverpool had experienced as one “that was like we had a witch in the building” as one injury followed another.
Matip fell victim to a groin problem, a muscle strain that the manager initially revealed would keep him out of action for up to two weeks.
That prognosis was discussed straight after the match at Anfield, but just days later as Klopp previewed the trip to Old Trafford, that timeline was extended.
“Joel now, that was strange as well,” Klopp told reporters as he reflected on Liverpool’s injury list.
“How it happened, didn’t feel anything in training, walked in then said ‘yeah, there is something’ and then out for, I don’t know, three weeks, four weeks, whatever.”
An innocuous injury rarely bodes well for Liverpool, does it?
If you date back to the time of Matip’s injury, days before Crystal Palace‘s visit, a month on the sidelines would make for a possible return against Wolves on September 10.
The Champions League group stage starts days before and Klopp will be eager to see his options in defence bolstered at a time when games return to a three-day cycle, with Ibrahima Konate also in the treatment room (knee).
The Reds are bound to opt for caution, especially considering Matip’s history, but the hope will certainly be that his absence does not extend into the September international break – more than five weeks after Matip’s issue arose.
Joel Matip is one name on a lengthy injury list for Liverpool and his absence is to be longer than first expected, as Jurgen Klopp gave an update on the “strange” issue.
After the draw against Crystal Palace, Klopp reflected on the week Liverpool had experienced as one “that was like we had a witch in the building” as one injury followed another.
Matip fell victim to a groin problem, a muscle strain that the manager initially revealed would keep him out of action for up to two weeks.
That prognosis was discussed straight after the match at Anfield, but just days later as Klopp previewed the trip to Old Trafford, that timeline was extended.
“Joel now, that was strange as well,” Klopp told reporters as he reflected on Liverpool’s injury list.
“How it happened, didn’t feel anything in training, walked in then said ‘yeah, there is something’ and then out for, I don’t know, three weeks, four weeks, whatever.”
An innocuous injury rarely bodes well for Liverpool, does it?
If you date back to the time of Matip’s injury, days before Crystal Palace‘s visit, a month on the sidelines would make for a possible return against Wolves on September 10.
The Champions League group stage starts days before and Klopp will be eager to see his options in defence bolstered at a time when games return to a three-day cycle, with Ibrahima Konate also in the treatment room (knee).
The Reds are bound to opt for caution, especially considering Matip’s history, but the hope will certainly be that his absence does not extend into the September international break – more than five weeks after Matip’s issue arose.
- Status
