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I think Rushian on RAWK said he is an answer to a problem that doesn't exist (paraphrasing), i think he's right, we're spending a lot of time 'chasing' Barry and having a war of words with Martin O'Neill while our rivals are signing attacking talent, i suggest we should be doing the same but 2 years after singing 'we've got the best midfield in the world' we're spending all summer chasing a midfielder, i sometimes wonder what the club is doing unless they have something up their sleeve

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Which of our rivals has signed any attacking talent this close season? Arsenal have apparently nearly signed Nasri, Chelsea have signed a right back..

 

The wailing and gnashing of teeth can start in August.

 

yeah I agree but this period is crucial because the euro's start next week and any attacking type players we might want could find their fee's and interest in them increasing

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I think Rushian on RAWK said he is an answer to a problem that doesn't exist (paraphrasing), i think he's right, we're spending a lot of time 'chasing' Barry and having a war of words with Martin O'Neill while our rivals are signing attacking talent, i suggest we should be doing the same but 2 years after singing 'we've got the best midfield in the world' we're spending all summer chasing a midfielder, i sometimes wonder what the club is doing unless they have something up their sleeve

 

It's still May.

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that should have been 'we could be'

 

Fair enough.

 

I do think it's a bit early for anyone to be getting worked up though. If it gets to August and we've still not made any further signings I will be concerned, but the window hasn't opened yet so there doesn't seem to be much point having a stress about things.

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Although also, Rashid, the theme seems to be that Barry is more suited to the League, Alonso to the CL & you are continually saying that it is the League which is more important to you and you wish the manager,etc thought like you....

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Fair enough.

 

I do think it's a bit early for anyone to be getting worked up though. If it gets to August and we've still not made any further signings I will be concerned, but the window hasn't opened yet so there doesn't seem to be much point having a stress about things.

 

No chance with Rafa! He'll have everyone he wants (told he can have) in place by then. He'll be focussing on buying shitloads of youngsters in August. Did last year. Think he signed 9 in a fortnight!

 

I'm more nervous about seeing more Benayoun's coming through the door (e.g. Riera, Downing) instead of a proper class forward, rather than the CM switcheroo. Rafa has wanted Barry for years. No way Alonso would be happy as 4th choice CM. Haven't been this gutted about a player leaving for a long time though. Only Fowler & MacManaman top it. More gutted than when Owen fucked off.

 

S'alright though cos i'm havin my coffee using a Kit Kat as a straw so i feel a bit better now. Mmmm. Lovely Kitty Katty coffee!!!

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Fucking fuck me right up the fucking fuck chute. Will you not just fuck off. Once in a fucking lifetime player my fucking bumhole.

 

Jesus fucking Christ, have you been watching him for the last 2 years or have your eyes dried up with congealed jizz? When he is on his game and everything is right, then Xabi is an asset to the team, so basically hardly any of the last 2 years.

 

When Xabi isn't on form he is laboured, slow, tackles arse first and once he becomes slow in thought as well as movement he is a sitting duck. It can't have escaped your notice how fucking anonymous he has been in big PREMIERSHIP games over the last 2 years. All he does most of the time is stroke nice sideways passes in non-threatening areas. He sits right on top of the back 4 as he has no pace to recover when he inevitably gives it away further up field.

 

Get a fucking grip, once in a lifetime player, I'm fucking sick of you already.

 

Xabi Alonso has looked like Jamie Redknapp for the last 2 years. He can play one position and one position only....just because he strolls around looking all cool and nice doesn't mean he actually contributes anything meaningful on a regular basis. He is hardly allowed into the opposition half these days as it takes him about a fortnight to get back, he tackles like Michael Thomas and pirouettes like Jamie Redknapp. He has had about 2 good games in the last 12 months. If somebody wants to offer 16m for him, take it now before the world wises up to the fact that he ain't all that and hasn't been since before the 2006 FA Cup final.

 

I will be sorry to see Xabi leave as he is a good guy and by the fact he is leaving means that he hasn't achieved all that we hoped he would. But once in a lifetime player, Mary, Mother of fucking Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezus.

 

And breathe....

 

Altough I dont agree with all your yiews on Alonso in this post of your's, i wont critisize you either, as it is clear your angry rant was caused by fellow forumite Xabi D's constant Hard On for his favourite player in everything he posts.

 

Just for the record though i would prefer Alonso to stay, but in Rafa i trust.

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To be honest I'm gutted Xabi's leaving. After Carragher he's me favourite player, and up until Torres my favourite Rafa signing. Okay, he's not been at his best these past 12 months through injury and whatnot, but for sheer class and composure on the ball, there is no better player in the Premiership than Xabi Alonso.

 

His passing- range, delivery, vision- is exceptional and he seems to have the ability to simply make time for himself in the most frantic of situations. Also his calmness under pressure is another of his great assets- a few examples:

 

Istanbul, before the Gerrard headed goal- gets the ball some 25 yards out, players rushing on him, and he just calmly swung that right foot and produced a blistering effort that was inches wide. Another player may have panicked and skied it.

 

Obviously, his calmness to take THAT penalty, and still have the cool head about him when he missed it to convert the rebound.

 

Luton, FA Cup- doesn't panic and think "oh my god, Gerrard is shouting at me for the ball, he looks angry", he simply calmly lofted the ball from 80-odd yards into the net. Class.

 

I'll be gutted if- and it looks increasingly like 'when' as well- he goes.

 

Having said that, Barry is a great player in his own right who'll bring his own great attributes- his work rate for Villa is collossal, and his passing, while not in the same bracket as Xabi, is still very good. He'll have hunger and desire to impress, having not been at the top of the domestic game before, never mind the Champs League, and he is also very calm under pressure- his penalty record proves that.

 

I'm still not so sure he'll bring more to the table than Xabi though. Time will tell.

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Sign some talent for both flanks, and Xabi will come into his own again. He relies on good movement from the players in front him. When it isn't there, it ends in a backpass or worse, an intercepted offensive pass.

 

From Xabis point of view I do believe he'd be better off in Spain or Italy, but we've hardly maximized his ability by signing average and poor players for the key areas high up the pitch (With one exception obviously).

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I think a lot of people on here are confused as to what a centre midfielder is actually suppose to do. One guys says its all about graft, another tells me all Xabi does is play "nice little passes" isn't that what a centre midfielder is suppose to do? We have Mascherano to do the grafting and protect the back 4, therefore we need someone next to him who will create football and pass the ball effectively to our attacking weapons. Can Barry fulfill that role? i highly doubt it, if we're selling Xabi we should at least bring in someone who will replace his role effectively. Because if we go into next season with Barry and Masch everyone will be complaining we cant string 2 passes together before long.

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Fucking fuck me right up the fucking fuck chute. Will you not just fuck off. Once in a fucking lifetime player my fucking bumhole.

 

Jesus fucking Christ, have you been watching him for the last 2 years or have your eyes dried up with congealed jizz? When he is on his game and everything is right, then Xabi is an asset to the team, so basically hardly any of the last 2 years.

 

When Xabi isn't on form he is laboured, slow, tackles arse first and once he becomes slow in thought as well as movement he is a sitting duck. It can't have escaped your notice how fucking anonymous he has been in big PREMIERSHIP games over the last 2 years. All he does most of the time is stroke nice sideways passes in non-threatening areas. He sits right on top of the back 4 as he has no pace to recover when he inevitably gives it away further up field.

 

Get a fucking grip, once in a lifetime player, I'm fucking sick of you already.

 

Xabi Alonso has looked like Jamie Redknapp for the last 2 years. He can play one position and one position only....just because he strolls around looking all cool and nice doesn't mean he actually contributes anything meaningful on a regular basis. He is hardly allowed into the opposition half these days as it takes him about a fortnight to get back, he tackles like Michael Thomas and pirouettes like Jamie Redknapp. He has had about 2 good games in the last 12 months. If somebody wants to offer 16m for him, take it now before the world wises up to the fact that he ain't all that and hasn't been since before the 2006 FA Cup final.

 

I will be sorry to see Xabi leave as he is a good guy and by the fact he is leaving means that he hasn't achieved all that we hoped he would. But once in a lifetime player, Mary, Mother of fucking Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezus.

 

And breathe....

 

Ace. Repped.

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We will very rarely play with wingers next year. That hurts Alonso's game. Look back at the great games he's had, and you'll see most of the passes he plays forward are cross field balls to the wings. In our current formation, we need someone in his position to carry the ball from defense, to attack, and that is part of his game that is lacking.

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I concur with the general opinion that Barry will be by far the more EFFECTIVE player in the EPL.

 

Xabi is a Rafa favorite, he must have really lost confidence if he's looking to move him on.

 

At least if Xabi goes we are bringing in someone who can hit the ground running!

 

The key is that we will not be any worse with Barry and in all likelihood will be better. Seems like a reasonable gamble.

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Souness was Xabi and Mascher rolled into one and we´ve never got close to finding a replacement for him but there again I can only think of Keane and Rijkaard who have come close in my lifetime

 

Souness was a freak, and don't forget his leadership skills, his tactical acumen and his ability to intimidate. We won't see another like him in your lifetime.

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Steven Gerrard admitted he is "desperate" for Gareth Barry to join him at Liverpool as the Aston Villa skipper prepares to lead England for the first time in Sunday's international with Trinidad and Tobago.

 

Barry is expected to be confirmed on Saturday as the fourth skipper of Fabio Capello's reign after Gerrard, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry.

 

But Gerrard is already thinking ahead to the prospect of him and Barry continuing their England partnership at Anfield next season.

 

He believes the time is right for Barry to play Champions League football after a decade of distinguished service for Villa whom he made his debut for as a 17-year-old.

 

The Reds have already had one £10 million cash plus players bid rejected by Villa and Barry is due to have further talks with manager Martin O'Neill and co-owner Randy Lerner before any decision is made.

 

Gerrard said: "Gareth Barry is someone who will improve Liverpool. We can't be disrespectful to Villa. He is still their player and we will see what happens.

 

"Naturally, they are going to try and keep hold of him, and rightly so because he is one of their star men. He has been a fantastic servant for them over many years.

 

"But, from a biased point of view, I want Gareth Barry to become a Liverpool player.

 

"I know all about Gareth, I am good friends with him off the pitch and I am desperate for us to sign him.

 

"He is a good player. But I want Liverpool to be as strong as possible and Gareth Barry will certainly make us stronger.

 

"You talk about improving the team, the starting eleven and the squad, and Gareth will certainly help Liverpool to become a better team.

 

"It is easy to play with good players. I've been asked a lot of questions this season about Fernando Torres and the simple answer is 'it's easier playing with quality players' - and Gareth comes into that category."

 

Gerrard continued: "I am sure Gareth will find it hard to leave Villa. He has been fantastic for them but, in football, sometimes opportunities come along where you can better your career.

 

"I think Gareth is 27 now and he needs to play Champions League football. In my opinion, he needs that now.

 

"I've enjoyed playing with him for England. He is quite an easy player to play with. He keeps it simple, he is easy to read and I certainly enjoy playing with him because I've got a good relationship on and off the pitch."

 

Barry's expected confirmation as captain on Saturday will complete a remarkable turnaround in fortunes at international level.

 

He was a part of Kevin Keegan's squad which went to the Euro 2000 finals when at the 11th over he clinched the last available spot ahead of Ferdinand.

 

But under Sven-Goran Eriksson he was effectively frozen out and had to be content with the occasional appearance as substitute.

 

It was Steve McClaren who resurrected his career with his country and Capello has also seen qualities which he believes are ideal for England.

 

Gerrard also admitted that Barry is a candidate for the captaincy which will be decided before England's 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign gets underway in September.

 

He added: "There are some fantastic candidates for the captaincy. Everyone is talking about 'JT' (John Terry) and Rio (Ferdinand) at the moment.

 

"But you've also got the likes of Gareth Barry and Frank Lampard, other big leaders out there.

 

"We will have to wait and see what the manager decides to do but I am sure whoever he picks will give it their best shot. I am not ruling myself out."

 

Dean Ashton, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Theo Walcott and Ashley Young could all play some part against Trinidad and Tobago.

 

But England are likely to field most of their experienced players in their starting line-up.

 

One of the main objectives of the match is to aid with votes for England's 2018 World Cup bid.

 

And beginning the game with a shadow squad would probably not be looked favourably upon by FIFA vice president and Trinidad and Tobago football federation special advisor Jack Warner.

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Gerrard said: "Gareth Barry is someone who will improve Liverpool. We can't be disrespectful to Villa. He is still their player and we will see what happens.

 

"You talk about improving the team, the starting eleven and the squad, and Gareth will certainly help Liverpool to become a better team.

 

Classic Stevie

 

Just been totally disrespectful FFS

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There's a bit too much wailing and gnashing of teeth - and, worse, childish petulance - in replies on this topic for my liking. I feel that if we get good money for Xabi, it's an excellent deal for all concerned, just as with Sissoko. I can't think of a single performance by Xabi in the last two years that stands out - when i think of his great games (Arsenal, Everton, Norwich, Luton), they're all rather distant memories. I then think of his rather poor performances in big games like the West Ham cup final or the Milan final of 2007 (remember his clumsiness in facilitating the first goal?) or at Old Trafford this year, and it's clear that - at best - he's been inconsistent and I just don't think he's developed into the player we thought he was going to be, for whatever reason. I just don't think he's mentally or physically tough enough or has enough desire to really impose himself on games. I'm afraid we need more than that from him, and sentiment just cannot come into it. Where are the bids from the big Spanish teams now that Juve are progressing with theirs? Ask yourselves why they are seemingly not interested? And who knows what his role was behind the scenes this year - certainly too many of his performances have smacked of dissatisfaction and disinterest. I'll wish him well, but my liking for him as a decent and intelligent man can't disguise the fact that i just don't feel he is, or has been, what we need to progress.

 

I also feel that if he stays, we'll be selling him next summer for far less - remember Sissoko again - we could easily have got £12m for him just one year before he moved for far less. It doesn't make us a selling club - United and Arsenal have always sold players for good money, often seemingly at their peak. Henry? Stam? VanNistelrooy? Petit, Overmars, Viera?

 

Believe it or not, we're a long way off United and Chelsea over the course of a whole season, and things absolutely need to change. This is one area where the manager seems to have determined on a different approach: it may or may not work, but we do need to change things. It does amuse me that people on here demand fresh faces and then complain when Rafa seeks to move on a member of the existing squad when this existing squad is simply NOT good enough and has fallen consistently short! The manager will stand - or ultimately fall - by decisions like this, and if it doesn't work out, Rafa will pay the price. Until then, he's earned the right for us to support and trust him.

 

First post, so be gentle - long-time lurker!

 

pyle-hartman.jpg

 

THAT NAME SOUNDS LIKE ROYALTY! ARE YOU ROYALTY!?

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