CL hits and misses: Thiago paints another masterpiece

An artist at work: Thiago paints another masterpiece

Thiago needs to look at himself after this performance. His passing accuracy percentage dropped from 98 per cent against Everton to a miserly 96 per cent in this Champions League semi-final. Standards are slipping.

Putting the cheap sarcasm to the side for a moment, it's an absolute joy to watch the Liverpool artist paint his strokes on the Anfield canvas. Ridiculous passing accuracy stats can sometimes overhype a player's performance, especially five-yard sideways passing merchants. Thiago is a 50-yard pass merchant. Yes, he can play the short one but he takes on the dangerous pass time and time again. Some of his switches of play in this game were superb.

Make no mistake, Liverpool were superior throughout against Villarreal. But it did not feel like a coincidence that the opening goal of the game came after a trademark drop of the shoulder from their brilliant midfielder. Thiago eluded his marker, quickening the attack. The goal followed.

He had served notice late in the first half with his rasping shot from distance that arrowed its way towards the corner only to bounce away off the angle of post and bar. Thiago oozes quality and that quality was just too much for Villarreal on the night.

The temptation was to think that it was just a matter of time, that is how it felt. But patience is only rewarded if the team is continuing to probe for weaknesses. "It is not just about patience, it is about figuring out the gaps," said Thiago afterwards. He finds them.Lewis Jones

Villarreal have overachieved in reaching the semi-final of the Champions League and their victories over Juventus and Bayern Munich mean Unai Emery is in credit whatever happens over two legs against