THIAGO OUT TO IMPRESS
Superstar shock at to face a culture League One Lincoln
THIAGO and Diogo Jota are ready to make their full Liverpool debuts tonight in the less than glamorous surroundings of Sincil Bank.
Reds assistant boss Pep Lijnders believes both players will help take the champions to another level.
And the highly-regarded coach insists Thiago, in particular, will not only improve Liverpool’s game, but the quality of the players around him.
Asked if the £20million signing from Bayern Munich is too good a player to appear at Lincoln in a League Cup game, he shook his head vigorously, and replied: “The German competition is like this as well.
“A lot of times, you draw a third division club in Germany, you play away. That’s how they try to help, so he knows these kind of teams. He knows those games.”
Thiago has, in fact, only once played a lower-league club in his career, in the German Cup at SV Rodinghausen, who are a fourthtier team, so Sincil Bank could still come as a culture shock.
Yet it is the player’s culture that Lijnders is so excited about. The Dutchman is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished technical coaches in English football, with an eye for tactical detail that gives the Anfield club a real edge.
And his assessment of Thiago will delight Liverpool fans, as he explained the thinking behind bringing the technically brilliant Spain international midfielder to the club.
“With some signings you get direct improvements, like a keeper making saves, a striker scoring goals. But indirect development is the most important of signings,” Lijnders explained.
“Because he is so calm and plays so many creative passes, all the other players start playing like that. This is the power of the example, the power of models. He will not only improve our game, but improve all the other players.
“This team deserves a player like him. He will make sure we keep evolving. Teams adapt, teams try to destroy our plans, and it’s most important we stay unpredictable. Thiago gives us unpredictability in the spine. He will add something to our team.”
Jota has been signed to provide depth to Liverpool’s front line, but Lijnders – who played against the winger (right) when he was a
young player in Portugal – believes - he is far ar more than a backup ckwill player, and will get plenty of games. mes.
“His technical al level is the same as our front three,” he added. “He has so much fufuture in the game and will have a great pathway inside our club. He’s like a pressing monster, so will fit in straight away!”
The assistant boss promised Lincoln fans a “strong Liverpool team”, but there could be a debut for 19-year-old centre-half Rhys Williams, who was on loan at Kidderminster last season.
He will play alongside Sepp van den Berg, with Joel Matip and Joe Gomez injured, though Gomez will be back for the weekend.