Xabi Alonso

[clhe329]

I'd like to reiterate, if we end up selling him in January that would be a very grave mistake.

That is all.

[Urko23]

I'd like to reiterate, if we end up selling him in January that would be a very grave mistake.

That is all.

QFT.

That Barry fella is shit.

[dean_lfc]

I'd like to reiterate, if we end up selling him in January that would be a very grave mistake.

That is all.

Agreed

[paulotrac]

Alonso is going nowhere, so lets stop fucking talking about it eh?!

[dean_lfc]

Alonso is going nowhere, so lets stop fucking talking about it eh?!

The standard post... :rolleyes:

[paulotrac]

The standard post... :rolleyes:

:confused:

[Finlay's Dad]

:confused:

Don't get it either? Anyway, I'd keep Alonso and buy Barry also. We need quality on the bench and people who say Barry isn't are just ignorant. If we play 60 games a season then we need exceptional back up in all positions. Oops, Guthrie sent off for Newcastle. They are a shambles.

[paulotrac]

Don't get it either? Anyway, I'd keep Alonso and buy Barry also. We need quality on the bench and people who say Barry isn't are just ignorant. If we play 60 games a season then we need exceptional back up in all positions. Oops, Guthrie sent off for Newcastle. They are a shambles.

To be honest I dont want Barry anymore. The money could probably be spent better else where. I think we need another winger in.

[Urko23]

We need quality on the bench and people who say Barry isn't are just ignorant. If we play 60 games a season then we need exceptional back up in all positions.

Be quiet you muppet. I'd rather spend that "₤18 million" on giving Aurelio bionic legs.

[paulotrac]

Be quiet you muppet. I'd rather spend that "₤18 million" on giving Aurelio bionic legs.

:confused: what the fuck are you on about?

[Urko23]

:confused: what the fuck are you on about?

That supposed ₤18 million price tag for Barry. I'd rather spend it on something else (Okay, Aurelio having robotic legs was a long shot) than an over-rated because he's English, Gerrard bumboy central midfielder who we've no need for.

[Finlay's Dad]

To be honest I dont want Barry anymore. The money could probably be spent better else where. I think we need another winger in.

I can see your point but the only problem is we can't get rid of Pennant and ideally we could do with a quality right sided winger. There aren't too many about for the fees we can afford so I'll take Barry for £11/£12M at the end of the season if he's still available. I think that the squad we have can do things this season. I fucking believe it very strongly after todays game :D

[paulotrac]

That supposed ₤18 million price tag for Barry. I'd rather spend it on something else (Okay, Aurelio having robotic legs was a long shot) than an over-rated because he's English, Gerrard bumboy central midfielder who we've no need for.

I can see your point but the only problem is we can't get rid of Pennant and ideally we could do with a quality right sided winger. There aren't too many about for the fees we can afford so I'll take Barry for £11/£12M at the end of the season if he's still available. I think that the squad we have can do things this season. I fucking believe it very strongly after todays game :D

£18mil is a lot of money to spend on Barry, especially with Alonso looking good at the moment. Second man of the match award today, thoroughly deserved. Mascherano certainly isn't getting dropped anytime soon, so I think we would really be buying a squad player. Our main problem is still full backs and wingers. Centrally we are fine, with world class players in each position. Gerrard, Mascherano, Torres and Reina, as well as real quality with Carragher, Agger, Skrtel and Keane. Its the wings that let us down.

At the back its hard to call at the moment. Aurelio is a good player, but I dont think he is ever going to be brilliant, likewise with Arbeloa. We are yet to see what Degan and Dosenna can do. I do think if you look at the other top teams they all have very athletic full backs who can get up and down all day long. Evra, Clichy, Eboue, Sagna, Cole, Bosingwa are all quick athletic players. Somthing which I think we lack at full back.

As for the wings, we don't tend to play with out and out wingers, but we have struggled without natural wingers. If weve got a natural winger on one flank, who will get chalk on their boots, then we can afford to hve Kuyt or Babel on the other wing, who are going to cut in a bit more. I still think we could do with a quality right winger. Babel, Riera, Kuyt and Benayoun are good, but if we had another quality winger on that list I think we'd be looking a lot stronger.

That all being said, I think today showed that we are not crying out for anything. If that is a sign of things to come im very happy. No Gerrard, Agger, Torres or Babel. These are some of our best players and we didnt really ever need them today. I think it was NineteenX who said that today would show us where we are in terms of the strength of our squad. W'll we've just beaten arguably the best team in the world. I think we are right up there!

[Xabi D]

The redemption of Xabi Alonso took place today :)

[DeanoLFC]

The redemption of Xabi Alonso took place today :)

Because of the size of the text I am now convinced Alonso is back to his best.

[paulotrac]

Because of the size of the text I am now convinced Alonso is back to his best.

:D

It convinced me anyways!

[sK_yoda]

What the frack is with the "redemption" of alonso? Xabi D whats your IQ? That is a serious question and not a mockery.

[kg271]

The redemption of Xabi Alonso took place today :)

Form is temporary Class is permanent!

some of us need remember this!!!

[JONO]

What the frack is with the "redemption" of alonso? Xabi D whats your IQ? That is a serious question and not a mockery.

Its Seven mate :D

[DeanoLFC]

:D

It convinced me anyways!

We should all thank Xabi D if we keep Alonso because Rafa must now be convinced aswell.

[Evs]

The late, great Bob Paisley said: "If you speak softly, people are more likely to listen to you".

[Finlay's Dad]

Be quiet you muppet. I'd rather spend that "₤18 million" on giving Aurelio bionic legs.

and I'm the muppet :rolleyes:

Why don't you go have a lie down somewhere like in the middle of the road or something. Thanks.

[RedNoodle]

For me Alonso is still giving the ball away far to often,sometimes in dangerous positions.He also looks "laboured" quite often and is not enough of a goal threat.

Whilst I acknowledge that he can provide the odd nice pass or two,I really don't think he is ever going to get anywhere near back to his best and that we should have considered replacing him whilst we could have got some decent money for him.

One good game every now and then is not enough to convince me that all's well. In the prem we need more consistency and I don't think we are going to get that with Xabi. Yes I appreciate the good things he has and does do for us but when I start to see the amount of troublesome aspects of a player catching up with their good aspects,I really do believe its time to move on to pastures new.

[redsam]

Alonso is naturally an attacking midfield player. This is the position that he excelled in when he first came to us and where he excels for Spain. Yesterday's game just proved that he is more useful when he has Mascherano behind him, mopping up and doing all the dirty work.

If Riera can provide the same consistency on the left wing as he did yesterday, then perhaps we should re examine our formation. We've struggled in a 4-4-2 because of the lack of natural width but we now look as if we've addressed that issue with Riera on the left. I suggest that our strongest formation would be with Gerrard out on the right and Alonso and Mascherano in the middle, and Keane and Torres up front.

It'd mean that Gerrard would be out of his favoured position again but it'd allow Rafa to play Keane in a central striker role where he'd be useful than playing as a wide forward/winger

In reference to the original post, I think you'll find that Rafa would have preferred to have kept Alonso and bring Barry in too. It was the owners who decided that we don't need another central midfielder when we already have Alonso.

[North Wales Red]

A great player no doubt about it.
He needs to start showing it a lot more though.

[3Y=R]

Is it just me, or does Alonso always play far, far better when Gerrard isn't playing?

[ferg_g]

Right now he's playing like the lad we signed from Sociedad.
Himself and Gerrard have been immense for the last 180 mins.

Credit to the lad he could have sulked but he's proved a lot of people wrong this season.

[isaac_hunt]

The late, great Bob Paisley said: "If you speak softly, people are more likely to listen to you".

There is also the saying that empty vessels make the most noise.




Edit: Did not mean you by the way Evs, was talking baout Xabi D's post

[Evs]

There is also the saying that empty vessels make the most noise.




Edit: Did not mean you by the way Evs, was talking baout Xabi D's post

I know that mate ;)

[redsam]

I never thought I'd be saying this but the way that Alonso is playing right now, I'm starting to question whether we need to buy Gareth Barry

The argument is there that Alonso has been inconsistent through out his Liverpool career. In his first season he showed signs of becoming a world class player and rightfully earned the plaudits

For the last 2 seasons he's been up and down and the divide over him looks to be split. I was firmly in the Barry camp but also wanted to keep Alonso as I still think he's capable of producing the goods in Europe, where he has more time on the ball

If Alonso manages to keep his current form up and we don't get Barry then I don't think there'll be too many complaining. However, the question does need to be asked as to whether Alonso has raised his game because he is now playing for his Liverpool career.

Before he was an automatic first choice and perhaps that made him complacent. He is a top professional but it can happen to anyone that hasn't got competition to keep them on their toes

[candyman]

There is also the saying that empty vessels make the most noise.




Edit: Did not mean you by the way Evs, was talking baout Xabi D's post

"Do inspired leadership and hard work have nothing to with it then?"

"No, it's all down to shouting!

Shout, shout and shout again! Beeehhhhh!"

[Evs]

"Do inspired leadership and hard work have nothing to with it then?"

"No, it's all down to shouting!

Shout, shout and shout again! Beeehhhhh!"

"You're LATE!

Where on EARTH have you been getting this tea, INDIA??"

THWACK!

"CHINA?"

SMASH!

"OR CEYLON?"

CRASH!

[faridtoxteth]

I am really happy to see how Alonso has responded to his formdip of last season and the possibility of being a reluctant transfer.
he has been back to his imperious self.
however i would like to add that Gerrard has also seriously improved his midfield game, which makes alonsos task much easier and they are both excelling in the middle of the park now. I think we can put to bed that old maxim that alonso only plays his best games when gerrard is not in the team.

[candyman]

"You're LATE!

Where on EARTH have you been getting this tea, INDIA??"

THWACK!

"CHINA?"

SMASH!

"OR CEYLON?"

CRASH!

...:D

"Yes, your Highness, your Highness"

[CODE RED]

I can see your point but the only problem is we can't get rid of Pennant and ideally we could do with a quality right sided winger. There aren't too many about for the fees we can afford so I'll take Barry for £11/£12M at the end of the season if he's still available. I think that the squad we have can do things this season. I fucking believe it very strongly after todays game :D

Spot on.

Babel on the right and Riera on the left as well. Kuyt's as competition for Babel. Sorted.

[Death.]

For me Alonso is still giving the ball away far to often,sometimes in dangerous positions.He also looks "laboured" quite often and is not enough of a goal threat.

Whilst I acknowledge that he can provide the odd nice pass or two,I really don't think he is ever going to get anywhere near back to his best and that we should have considered replacing him whilst we could have got some decent money for him.

One good game every now and then is not enough to convince me that all's well. In the prem we need more consistency and I don't think we are going to get that with Xabi. Yes I appreciate the good things he has and does do for us but when I start to see the amount of troublesome aspects of a player catching up with their good aspects,I really do believe its time to move on to pastures new.

I agree.

Most people "want" Alonso to be successful, so desperately so that they're convinced he's back to his best by a few very good performances.

With those good performances he has also given poor performances this season and is no where near as consistent enough as he needs to be in my opinion. He still needs to show a fair bit more.

Consistency is king in this league. Its too competitive to have hit-and-miss players in such integral positions.