Crouch: Everything Xabi did was class

[TLW]

Peter Crouch has spoken about his memories of the technical brilliance of former teammate Xabi Alonso.

Xabi was a favourite of many Reds fans during his five year tenure and while Steven Gerrard quite rightly got the headlines for his talismanic performances, quite often it was the Spaniard who was making the team tick in an understated fashion.

Crouch, who played with Alonso at Liverpool from 2005 until 2008, hailed his former teammate as "class" - and recalled the time Steven Gerrard was about to dish out a rollicking to the Spaniard until he scored a wonder goal.

 

The Mirror reported the former Red as saying:

“Everything he did was done with a touch of panache, on and off the pitch. 

“He came to Liverpool from Real Sociedad but he had no problem settling into the dressing room, he mixed with everyone.

“In training, he would rap these short balls into your feet and expect you to deal with it. 

“You would then see him strike these beautiful 50-yard passes that would hit their target like a laser.

“To see him in shooting practice was also a sight to behold.

Crouch discussed some of the specific drills that took place during that time.

“We had this drill where the midfielders – whether it would be Xabi, Steven Gerrard or Didi Hamann – would arrive on the edge of the box after a ball was crossed in from out wide and the quality of their finishing was just immaculate.

"The sound of the connection illustrated the level of the strike.

“That’s not to say he didn’t drive us mad at times. He used to take on shots from the halfway line at Melwood, with varying success.

"The first time he repeated it in a game – at Luton in the FA Cup – Stevie was going to give him the biggest rollicking of all time… until he saw the ball sail into the net from 70 yards."

Alonso scored that goal in January of 2006 and the Champions League and FA Cup winner with the Reds produced another moment of pure instinctive brilliance just a few months later when he scored another goal from half way against Newcastle with a shot which was hit in a much sweeter fashion.

While the departure of Alonso to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 left a bad taste in the mouth and certainly not of his making, his career continued to thrive and the list of honours grew ever more by winning the La Liga three times and Champions League once with Madrid.

Alonso then topped off a fine career at Bayern Munich where he won a hat trick of league titles as well as a couple of domestic cups.

When you add a World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, Alonso’s football resume is clearly one of the finest in the modern era.

In keeping with the modest man that he is, Alonso has gone back to where it all began for him and he is currently the manager of Real Sociedad B.



 

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[sir roger]

I absolutely loved Xabi.

 

Cant believe his Luton goal was over 14 years ago.

[Bjornebye]

I bet Xabi has a shit and it smells of baked cinnamon 

[joe_fishfish]

His performances in 08/09 especially were unbelievable. Amazing player.

 

There was a stat going round then that more players got sent off for fouling Alonso than any other reason that season. He didn't just keep the ball well, he made players trying to press him look shit, and they'd end up getting frustrated and fouling him. He's one of the very few past players who would get into this current Liverpool side and i think Fabinho and Henderson are both pretty good.

[Bjornebye]

One of our best ever players. One of THE best ever players. 
 

I still can’t believe people wanted Gareth Barry over him. 

[Captain Turdseye]

Even the way he tried to force through a move to Arsenal oozed class. 

[RobbieOR]

10 years ago this thread would be on page 10 by now.

[Pureblood]

2 hours ago, Bjornebye said:

I still can’t believe people wanted Gareth Barry over him. 

Only one of them won the Premier League. 

[Jairzinho]

Quote

While the departure of Alonso to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 left a bad taste in the mouth and certainly not of his making

[Bjornebye]

1 hour ago, TK421 said:

Only one of them won the Premier League. 

Thats like saying Kat Slater has got bigger tits than Jessica Alba. 

 

Alonso

 

World Cup x 1

European Championship x 1

Champions League x 2

Super Cup x 1

FA Cup x 1

La Liga x 1

Copa Del Ray x 2

Bundesliga x 3

DFB Pokal x 1

 

 

Barry

 

Premier League x 1

FA Cup x 1

Intertoto Cup x 1

Everton Player of the Season x 1 

 

[Pureblood]

Haha, you looked all that up and typed it.  I was only joking.

[Bjornebye]

2 minutes ago, TK421 said:

Haha, you looked all that up and typed it.  I was only joking.

I knew it all off by heart and you never know with you these days. 

 

Anyway I've been dying to use that Slater/Alba comparison so you were simply a mere stepping stone to that. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You fucking bastard. 

[Pureblood]

Kat looks well dirtier.  I'd choose her.

[Code]

14 hours ago, TK421 said:

Only one of them won the Premier League. 

The other won the Champions League several times, the World Cup, the Euros, La Liga and Bundesliga.

[Pureblood]

8 hours ago, Code said:

The other won the Champions League several times, the World Cup, the Euros, La Liga and Bundesliga.

Must have had some decent managers.

[Tony Moanero]

Molby > Alonso

 

Both brilliant players, though.

[sir roger]

I think the first TLW magazine I ever saw had a cartoon of a Liverpool player saying it was a disgrace we had Carlsberg on our shirts , with Big Jan replying that he always had carlsberg on his shirt.

[aRdja]

On 04/04/2020 at 19:38, Bjornebye said:

One of our best ever players. One of THE best ever players. 
 

I still can’t believe people wanted Gareth Barry over him. 

To be fair Steven Gerrard did.

[suzy]

I really loved Xabi. Absolute class.

[joe_fishfish]

7 hours ago, aRdja said:

To be fair Steven Gerrard did.

 

Gerrard wanted Curbishley over Rafa.

 

[Bjornebye]

On 06/04/2020 at 00:50, aRdja said:

To be fair Steven Gerrard did.

Thanks for proving my point.