5 Things Thiago Alcantara Must Do to Take His Game Forward in 2014/15 Season
Thiago Alcantara returned to Bayern Munich training on Thursday, ending a seven-month spell on the sidelines as a result of a persistent knee injury. The 23-year-old hasn't played since March, with ligament damage having kept him out of the World Cup, the end of Bayern's 2013-14 campaign and this current season thus far.
When fit, the Spanish midfielder was often brilliant last season, his outstanding touch and ability to play with the ball wherever he is on the pitch particularly impressing. But despite being far from a teenager, Thiago still has plenty of untapped potential and could develop his game in many areas if he takes his opportunities and stays healthy.
With the midfield maestro approaching his comeback, B/R takes a look at the areas where Thiago can improve as a footballer in the 2014-15 season. Click "Begin Slideshow" for more.
Get Healthy
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Above all things, the most significant hindrance to Thiago's success since moving to Bayern has been his injury record. Although great when he has been fit enough to play, during his 15 months in Munich, he's been limited to just 25 games and 1,745 minutes (per Transfermarkt).
Ankle ligament damage sidelined Thiago for nearly three months in the fall of 2013. It took him some time to settle in afterward, but when he found his form, he played brilliantly until he suffered the ligament tear in his knee that has kept him out of action since March.
Bayern need a healthy and in-form Thiago if they are to achieve their goals. Although well ahead of their most dangerous Bundesliga rivals, they have a long way to go in the DFB-Pokal and Champions League. The influence of a world-class, versatile midfielder entering the prime of his career and blessed with an immaculate touch cannot be underestimated.
Right now, Thiago is closing in on making his return. He'll need to find his form quickly to impose himself as a starter once more, but he will need to be careful to avoid another injury setback.
Work on His Fitness
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In a central-midfield role, a player cannot afford to be physically weak. The position demands combativeness and ball-winning ability, as well as a certain physical robustness to escape challenges with minimal harm and endure the burdens of regular, 90-minute battles without breaking down.
Thiago has, in the early stages of his Bayern career, regularly broken down. The first step forward for him is to improve his strength and conditioning.
Perhaps the most dangerous hindrance to Thiago's success is living in a body presumably lacking the soft tissue density many of his peers have developed over several years. He's no longer a "youngster," he's a full senior player entering the best years of his career. But in his entire professional club career thus far, he's only played 7,725 minutes (per Transfermarkt) in all competitions. For perspective, Julian Draxler is approximately two-and-a-half years younger and stands at 9,959 minutes played.
Moreover, the majority of Thiago's career thus far has been played at Barcelona, where the slow, tiki-taka and let-the-ball-do-the-running philosophies prevail. These were useful for prolonging the careers of elders such as Xavi, but for a young player still developing his physical strength and conditioning, that approach was far from ideal.
To his credit, Thiago has spent much of the last few months in the weight room. If he used his time well, he'll come back a stronger, fitter and better footballer.
Play Each Position Accordingly
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One thing Thiago does not lack is confidence in his own ability. It's such self-belief that led him to attempt the audacious volley that handed Bayern a late victory over Stuttgart last season. But self-confidence can be a double-edged sword, and there's a fine line between healthy assuredness and being too cocky.
Thiago was taught to be a pure football player at Barca, but he'll need to adjust his game at Bayern according to his position. He was often part of a three-man central midfield last season and would have two teammates covering him if he moved forward or played a risky pass. With so many of Bayern's central-midfield options injured, this season it appears that Thiago will play as one of a two-man pivot or as a central playmaker.
If used as a number 10, Thiago can enjoy the same freedoms he had last season. Creativity and risk-taking is essential to that position. In that regard, Toni Kroos was often lacking when used in such a role during his time at Bayern.
Thiago is in no way lacking in creativity, but he'll need to be careful not to attempt too many risky passes if he plays in a deeper position. Although supremely gifted, Thiago will make the occasional mistake if he plays a holding position in the same way he would the number 10. And although he may complete upward of 90 percent of his passes, it only takes one wayward ball to concede a goal.
Taking unnecessary risks led Thiago to be slapped by Pep Guardiola during the 2013 DFL Superpokal. Assuming he's played in a position that will require more tactical specificity, Thiago will have to learn to adjust his game according to where he is used, something he has not yet been required to do.
Develop His Game Without the Ball
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On the ball, there is no Bayern midfielder midfielder more gifted than Thiago. He knows this, which perhaps explains why he demands it so much. He set a Bundesliga record for most touches of the ball in a game last season. Per Kicker, he touched the ball 1,434 times in 1,001 minutes in the Bundesliga in the last campaign, an astonishing record.
If there is one area where Thiago needs to develop his game, it's off the ball. There will be games in which he is very closely marked. There will be days when his touch is somewhat off. There will be days when Bayern are not able to keep 75 percent of the possession. On those days, it's important that Thiago is ready to show other sides of his game.
Specifically, Thiago could improve his game by leaps and bounds if he were to work on the defensive aspects of his game. In teams that include better ball-winners and have high possession figures, he's rarely had to defend in his career, which perhaps explains why he's still not recognized as a capable ball-winner.
If used anywhere deeper than the number 10 position, the Spaniard will need to improve his defending. Part of this will come in the weights room, part with an increased tactical understanding of the value of becoming a more complete player.
Become Experienced
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"Experience" is a term that can mean many things to the beholder, and certain players need more experience than others in order to play at their best when it matters most.
Players such as Mario Mandzukic and Ilkay Gundogan were at the top of their game from the time of their first major tournament final. Bastian Schweinsteiger, by contrast, played in four international finals for club and country before he finally achieved his potential on the biggest stage.
At 23, Thiago has played in some big games but still has a long way to go. His Champions League experience at Bayern consists of a pair of group-stage matches and two appearances in the round of 16. In his career, he's played a total of three minutes in cup finals and just 64 minutes in the Champions League beyond the round of 16.
Thiago was used sparingly in much of his Barcelona career as an understudy to Xavi and Cesc Fabregas. At Bayern, he's the successor to already-departed Toni Kroos and, by most accounts, the man to replace Schweinsteiger in the not-so-distant future. He needs to be fit, healthy and in form to deliver his best performances on the big stage this season. If he gains such experience, it will bring the confidence, aptitude and reliability he'll need throughout his career.
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