Alonso or Barry?

[Ged B]

personally I'm insulted by the accusation I don't have a brain of my own.

my vote is based on observation of xabi of the past few seasons and him not raising to the heights of his debut season, watchng him increasingly get caught on possession putting us under needless pressure and not having enough drive through the center of the park with gerrard now utilised in a forward position but not wanting to drop gerrard back into the center of midfield.

 

and regarding barry his consistancy in the league is there for all to see.

my vote was made with my head not with my heart.

 

Exactly.

I'm far from Rafa's biggest fan and have been critical of his transfer stratergy many time's in the past, but I can definitely see where he's coming from on this one.

That's not to say it isn't without risk - given what redknight was saying about the players being less than convinced, it's fair to say this the most important transfer of Rafa'a reign, and if it doesn't pay off like he hope's he may well be looking for another job this time next year.

[JohnnyH]

personally I'm insulted by the accusation I don't have a brain of my own.

my vote is based on observation of xabi of the past few seasons and him not raising to the heights of his debut season, watchng him increasingly get caught on possession putting us under needless pressure and not having enough drive through the center of the park with gerrard now utilised in a forward position but not wanting to drop gerrard back into the center of midfield.

 

and regarding barry his consistancy in the league is there for all to see.

my vote was made with my head not with my heart.

 

Repped as it's how I feel. I love Xabi and I defo don't want him to go to Arsenal in case he finds that first season form, but I feel Barry better suits our chase for the title.

[Stu Monty]

If you needed a really quick way of finding out who the really bad bellends are on here then this thread would be perfect. Even when categorically told that demeaning other people's opinions isn't what this thread is for there are the same reliable characters doing it and fucking up Jules' perfectly simple thread. I really hope you carry on as you are and Dave culls the fucking lot of you.

 

I still can't really make my mind up about it. I've gone for keeping Alonso but I think that there's a lot of hoping going on in my decision to keep him. Hoping that he can flourish in a side with more quality, which we should hopefully have. I just don't want to see him leave even though my head is saying that Barry could slide right in and do a consistent job for us (and provide balalnce and options).

 

And stop quoting Rashid, it's not fucking hard.

[drewy]

 

And stop quoting Rashid, it's not fucking hard.

 

It is when you're in the bad place I'm in this fine Sunday!

 

Good post though Stu.

[spider-neil]

If you needed a really quick way of finding out who the really bad bellends are on here then this thread would be perfect. Even when categorically told that demeaning other people's opinions isn't what this thread is for there are the same reliable characters doing it and fucking up Jules' perfectly simple thread. I really hope you carry on as you are and Dave culls the fucking lot of you.

 

I still can't really make my mind up about it. I've gone for keeping Alonso but I think that there's a lot of hoping going on in my decision to keep him. Hoping that he can flourish in a side with more quality, which we should hopefully have. I just don't want to see him leave even though my head is saying that Barry could slide right in and do a consistent job for us (and provide balalnce and options).

 

And stop quoting Rashid, it's not fucking hard.

 

sorry, felt I had to defend my opinion after being called a sheep.

[MLB]

Got to love spider neil's thorough refutations of some of the bullshit arguments we've seen on here over the last few days.

[Moschops II]

If you needed a really quick way of finding out who the really bad bellends are on here then this thread would be perfect. Even when categorically told that demeaning other people's opinions isn't what this thread is for there are the same reliable characters doing it and fucking up Jules' perfectly simple thread.

 

Rashid is highly contagious. One little prick and the whole forum's infected.

[Guest ian garro]

And stop quoting Rashid, it's not fucking hard.

 

Shit, sorry.

 

Been a long day.

[Stu Monty]

Rashid is highly contagious. One little prick and the whole forum's infected.

 

Unsurprisingly he's the first to break ranks.

[Chuck Fadanoid]

We conceded 10 goals from open play in the league last season, how the fuck are we going to get more solid?

 

Liverpool - 10

Chelsea - 13

mancs - 15

Arsenal - 19

 

My point isn't that we need to conceded less goals, it's that we need to remain solid whilst giving Gerrard, Torres, Babbel and Keane as litttle defensive responsibility as possible. Given that, I think Barry would be a better option than Alonso as Xabi has seemed weak in some (especially PL) games.

 

Don't get me wrong though, I love Xabi and I'd be more than happy if he stayed - tbh I'd like to see us sell pennant, voronin and a few others and so raise enough funds to sign Barry and keep Xabi.

 

And again, sorry for fucking up the thread. I'll stop now.

[spider-neil]

Got to love spider neil's thorough refutations of some of the bullshit arguments we've seen on here over the last few days.

 

to be honest there is a hint of guilt tinged with my posts because I think alonso is a fantastic player and especially in europe but imho we are evolving as a team where crisp one touch passing, interchanging and forward momentum will increasingly become the norm and I think rafa's thinking is barry is more suited to that role that alonso.

 

some examples

 

a) when dossena moves forwards, barry is left footed and an accomplised left back so can effectively cover him.

 

b) he can play in serval persitions meaning we can change our formation fluidly with no disruptions

 

c) he is less likely to get caught in possesson of the ball and keeps it ticking over with crisp short passes

 

d) we are more balanced down the spine of the side

 

e) we will have a left footed set piece taker, although we have one in aurelio I don't think he will play that much.

 

apologise for adding more thoughts to this thread

[Strontium]

Barry. Playing alongside Gerrard and Mascherano, those three would give us the most complete midfield in the country.

[Red Nick]

This thread reminds me of Gary Glitter

[weeman]

I prefer Alonso but ive gone Barry as I think he will bring a big improvement in the prem and is more of a leader which is what we lacked halfway through the last season.

[drewy]

This thread reminds me of Gary Glitter

 

Why? I notice you've ignored my post Nick.

 

To quote you, 'I expected more from you than that.'

[RedKnight]

If you needed a really quick way of finding out who the really bad bellends are on here then this thread would be perfect. Even when categorically told that demeaning other people's opinions isn't what this thread is for there are the same reliable characters doing it and fucking up Jules' perfectly simple thread. I really hope you carry on as you are and Dave culls the fucking lot of you.

 

I still can't really make my mind up about it. I've gone for keeping Alonso but I think that there's a lot of hoping going on in my decision to keep him. Hoping that he can flourish in a side with more quality, which we should hopefully have. I just don't want to see him leave even though my head is saying that Barry could slide right in and do a consistent job for us (and provide balalnce and options).

 

And stop quoting Rashid, it's not fucking hard.

 

I was reading through the thread and I was going to post something along these lines but this post somes it up.

[JMARKH]

anyone who says that voting for barry means your a sheep is as thick as pig shit and not to be taken seriously in my eyes.

[Heinze]

i voted for kodos.

[Arno]

I still can't really make my mind up about it. I've gone for keeping Alonso but I think that there's a lot of hoping going on in my decision to keep him. Hoping that he can flourish in a side with more quality, which we should hopefully have. I just don't want to see him leave even though my head is saying that Barry could slide right in and do a consistent job for us (and provide balalnce and options).

 

 

Exactly how I feel :thumbup:

[Ian Sea]

I think Barry is a good player and he'll do really well for us (if he signs). That said I've voted Alonso because he's a class player, we always look a better team with him in the 11 and I don't see the point in losing money selling Xabi to buy Barry.

 

I could see the point in us selling Xabi and spending the money on other areas of the team but I just don't see the point in replacing him with a player who isn't a massive improvement, who is going to cost us more than we'll actually get for Alonso.

[Turkish Delight]

For the record I voted Barry and the reason behind this was because there were many occasions last season where I felt the movement in the centre of our midfield was very poor. I even commented on here at one point that I felt we looked better with Lucas in the team than Alonso for this reason even though I feel Alonso has more natural ability than Lucas.

 

However, I hope the rumours about a deal that is effectively 8 million + Alonso for Barry don't come about as that would be a very poor bit of business.

[moxter]

An observation: drewy is the new WATB.

 

Anyway, I've always thought Alonso is our most creative player - the one who can really make things happen, so I'd never get rid of him. I've rated Barry for years and think he'd be a great signing, but more as an option on the wing. I think the Alonso - Mascherano - Gerrard trio is the fulcrum of our team and there's nothing that could improve it.

 

Edit: but as Monty says, there's probably a lot of nostalgia and hoping attached to that point of view.

Edited August 4, 2008 by moxter

[chris71]

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Interesting 41 lambs to the slaughter.

 

How many of you are voting because its what Rafa wants.

 

Xabi pissed Rafa off but to be fair Ferguson also gets rid of anybody who pisses him off as well

I voted for Barry because if you have been watching Liverpool for the past year and a half Alonso has been not far off shit.As has been said elsewhere , where is the queue of top European clubs looking to grab him?

[Anubis]

I'd prefer Alonso quite frankly, but if he comes I'm not going to slate Barry before I've given him a chance. He's done nothing on or off the field for me to take against him immediately.

[rebel23]

here's the 'hatchet man' in the daily mail, some of you won't like it !

 

--

After the usual rash of summer transfer sagas, one stands out as complete and utter madness.

 

Not Real Madrid's willingness to spend eye-popping sums on Cristiano Ronaldo or Emmanuel Adebayor's blatant and successful bid to hike up his wages at Arsenal.

 

No, it is the tug-of-war between Aston Villa and Liverpool over Gareth Barry - one of the most over-rated midfielders in the Premier League - that should leave everyone with a face as blank as the player's.

 

Can somebody please explain why the tidy but unexceptional 27-year-old has become one of the hottest properties around?

 

Rafael Benitez is prepared to sell some very good players to stump up the ridiculous £18 million fee required to sign Barry and even The Professor, Arsene Wenger, has studied the player and been tempted to make a move.

 

Villa manager Martin O'Neill, who studied law in his youth, has also ended up looking like a court jester after apparently misunderstanding due process in the transfer market.

 

He put his name to a statement claiming the shenanigans with Liverpool were over and Barry was staying after a club imposed deadline of July 30 , before backtracking a few days later when someone at Villa Park finally twigged the transfer window actually closes at the end of August.

 

And for what? A player who didn't establish his best position, in central midfield, until relatively late in his career. There, he works hard and can pass accurately over a short distance, but he is hardly Claude Makelele in his prime, a new version of Patrick Vieira or the Bryan Robson of the modern era.

 

Barry may be able to play alongside Steven Gerrard but he cannot pick a pass like Xabi Alonso. Barry's tackling is no better than average either and his goal scoring rate has barely been half that of Frank Lampard's.

 

Villa should snap Liverpool's hand off and use the money to buy an outstanding player instead.