Malick Thiaw did not have the easiest of seasons in 2023-24 nor had the current one started the best way, but the Real Madrid game could be a launching point.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport write this morning – and something we spoke about in more depth during a recent feature – a new coach generally has the best chance of results with a consistent centre-back pairing.
There are areas of the field where rotations are more frequent, sometimes even forced, but in front of the goalkeeper the greatest possible stability is needed. However, Paulo Fonseca has cycled through Fikayo Tomori, Strahinja Pavlovic, Matteo Gabbia and Thiaw.
Speaking of Thiaw, the German missed two and a half months due to a myotendinous injury last season. Once he returned, he was no longer the same and it meant that 2023-24 did not go down as a positive chapter in his career.
The 2024-25 season did not begin much better: he had a horror performance against Torino, in the first game, then suffered a sprained ankle that made him miss three games – Lazio, Venezia, Liverpool – while Gabbia impressed.
In short, Malick seemed destined to remain the lowest rung of the hierarchy, but Fonseca must be given credit for not leaving anyone behind, or at least trying. Against Udinese the former Schalke man came back in, perhaps partly because Tomori was being punished by the coach after the Fiorentina penalty debacle.
From then on Thiaw has always been deployed as a starter (aside from the Club Brugge game) and the consecration came right on the most important stage: the Bernabeu, against Real Madrid. He stopped their €1.3bn squad scoring an open play goal and netted the opener from a corner.
In the summer it seemed that Thiaw could say goodbye, with Newcastle United linked, but now the impression is that it could be a whole different story, if he can keep this up of course.
He is 100% better than Pavlovic, just lost his confidence and was a walking mistake for some time. Finally got back to his usual level.
Safe to say we are having depth in the defense department
All our CB’s are going through ups & downs. Outside of Gabbia no one has been consistent. Constant rotations don’t help things either. In Thiaw’s case, the injuries have made it hard for him to find consistency.
I think this season will continue with cycles and circulations.
Let Thiaw be a lesson for the many of supporters on this site that are quick to give up on young players and scream sell sell sell – after a few bad months – and often at their lowest resale value. With young kids you need to give them time to adapt especially in defense. The problem with Thiaw is that he was too good too fast – unexpected really – so when he had a dip in form – many were too quick to write him off. Foolish. The kid has immense talent and will be our future starter. Will he have a few more bad games? Likely – but stick with this kid and he will reward us. Pavlovic will be solid too – one he learns positional defending the Italian way. Again he needs time. But those 2 along with Gabbia will be our top 3 CB – and if we are gonna sell anyone – it would likely be Tomori sold at some point in the future. Patience lads patience
I agree with you for all these points. Moreover, I think we need some backbone in every line of players. Someone who is older with stable and experienced hands (feet and brain) with leadership. We have Maignan at goalkeeper, but the others in all the lines are not. Morata at front, maybe. But nobody in the back line and midfield. The youngs have talent and energy but their plays will always shake up and down.
you are very smart bro!