Xabi Alonso Out, Barry in

[DonaldDonaldson]

Alonso was just too dozy tonight, thinking he had a lot more time on the ball than he actually did. At one point the ball came towards him in our box when he was facing our goal, and he just nonchalantly ambled up to it to hook it upfield, yet his dawdling gave time for one of the Bitters to close him down and the ball ended up ricocheting towards our goal. Infuriating.

[SpeedyG]

Alonso was just too dozy tonight, thinking he had a lot more time on the ball than he actually did. At one point the ball came towards him in our box when he was facing our goal, and he just nonchalantly ambled up to it to hook it upfield, yet his dawdling gave time for one of the Bitters to close him down and the ball ended up ricocheting towards our goal. Infuriating.

 

That happened quite a bit last season. He was getting caught in possession an awful lot a few times it cost us. But this season he's really stepped it up in that regard and is nowhere near as bad as he was, but there were signs of a malaise this last couple of games. Hopefully, it's just the kid with an earache keeping him up and we'll be back to normal soon.

[Spanish_fan]

Alonso has great passing ability. His problem is that most of the time he chooses the easy, safe pass. Knocking 30yd square balls across the half way line will not open up the opposition. Somebody should get him some videos of Jan Molby, watching the master at work could turn him into the player he should be.

 

Molby had better players to work with and a coach that would allow him more attacking freedom. Can't believe how much stick Alonso gets when there are a few players in this Liverpool team that are not half as good as he is.

Had Benitez signed more players of Alonso quality there wouldn't so much questioning about his ability as a player. Riera, Kuy, Benayoun, Arbeloa, Dossena, Babel, Crouch, Bellamy, Mark Gonzalez....... Those are the players that are/were dragging Liverpool back, not Alonso.

[ScottyT]

Forget all that, we know there's other issues in the side, but he was woeful tonight and should have took more responsibilty when Gerrard off.

[SpeedyG]

Molby had better players to work with and a coach that would allow him more attacking freedom. Can't believe how much stick Alonso gets when there are a few players in this Liverpool team that are not half as good as he is.

Had Benitez signed more players of Alonso quality there wouldn't so much questioning about his ability as a player. Riera, Kuy, Benayoun, Arbeloa, Dossena, Babel, Crouch, Bellamy, Mark Gonzalez....... Those are the players that are/were dragging Liverpool back, not Alonso.

 

It's true Alonso needs good players around him for us to get the full benefit of the type of player that he is. Our problem is that when they don't perform there's not much he can add directly.

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

I can't believe people are singling out Xabi tonight. He's been marvelous this season and didn't have any help after Stevie went off.

 

Torres was fucking abysmal tonight. Why the fuck is no one giving him any grief?

[SpeedyG]

I can't believe people are singling out Xabi tonight. He's been marvelous this season and didn't have any help after Stevie went off.

 

Torres was fucking abysmal tonight. Why the fuck is no one giving him any grief?

 

Compared to how well he's been playing he was awful. He's set high standards so when he hits a low it seems worse.

[Brownie]

He wasn't at his best tonight but the one truly creative bit of play stemmed from him, with that superb ball though for Riera (who treaded water, allowing Howard to smother).

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

Compared to how well he's been playing he was awful. He's set high standards so when he hits a low it seems worse.

 

So a player who's been exceptional all season, who had an off day is not allowed to be cut some slack?

[Fugitive]

Maradona would have struggled tonight. Just one of those days.

[SpeedyG]

So a player who's been exceptional all season, who had an off day is not allowed to be cut some slack?

 

I didn't say anything that was even close to that. And what has cutting slack got to do with anything. If he played poorly people should say so, not pretend that he didn't because he played well last week.

[SpeedyG]

Maradona would have struggled tonight. Just one of those days.

 

There have been a few of those days though. We seem to have the odd game where EVERYONE plays crap. I can't put my finger on the catalyst but there must be something.

[Fugitive]

There have been a few of those days though. We seem to have the odd game where EVERYONE plays crap. I can't put my finger on the catalyst but there must be something.

 

Fuck it, let's focus on the League and European Cup.

[SpeedyG]

Fuck it, let's focus on the League and European Cup.

 

Easier done now :whistle:

[Royal Family]

I know it's not a popular view, and I doubt I'll convince those people who bizarrely had him as man of the match (seriously HOW??!) yesterday ... but I do think Xabi is vastly overrated by a section of our fans: he's been pretty poor since his first season here (when I thought he was absolutely wonderful), and even this year I think he's been inconsistent with some absolutely woeful performances, which if someone like Stevie put in would result in a forum meltdown. He just doesn't do enough for me - he plays as if he inherited Pennant's electronic tag, that prevents him running into the opposition penalty box; he doesn't make enough strikes at goal; he just doesn't make enough telling pases where it HURTS; and i think he's just too slow which results in defensive errors when he's harassed. Pretty, relaxed passes are all well and good, but he reminds me of Jamie Redknapp how he comes to take the ball of the centre-backs and then just passes sideways. I appreciate Xabi looks better when surrounded by more dynamic players, but in a sense that's why he's overrated- how many games, honestly, does he grasp in the ways that a matchwinner like Stevie does? He seems to play at one tempo, and in the premiership that isn't good enough. Apart from Sunderland when he came on, I can't think of any games this season that he has turned around. As i said, I know it's not a popular view, and I love watching him when he's on his game, but I do think he is overrated by our fans.

[Torvald Utne]

unfortunately people are a bit irrational when it comes to alonso, some see blindly supporting alonso as a way of having a go at rafa

[Ted]

Forget all that, we know there's other issues in the side, but he was woeful tonight and should have took more responsibilty when Gerrard off.

 

He can't be three players. He was already doing Lucas's work.

[Ted]

unfortunately people are a bit irrational when it comes to alonso, some see blindly supporting alonso as a way of having a go at rafa

 

Wrong. Rafa's been doing enough himself for people to have a go at him.

[torres-9]

Compared to how well he's been playing he was awful. He's set high standards so when he hits a low it seems worse.

 

Torres has set higher standards so why not critisize, it's just because of fatigue on both sides because of what is becoming an increasingly stretched squad because of the injuries to Gerrard and Torres

[Dicko]

I hope this thread isn't going to get bumped every time Xabi has a bad game.

As someone who supports both the manager & player I really hope this isn't going to become one of these polarizing issues were you support one at the expense of another.

Sadly it's beginning to look that way.

[Ted]

Xabi>Everyone.

[SpeedyG]

Torres has set higher standards so why not critisize, it's just because of fatigue on both sides because of what is becoming an increasingly stretched squad because of the injuries to Gerrard and Torres

 

By all means criticise Torres.

[SpeedyG]

I know it's not a popular view, and I doubt I'll convince those people who bizarrely had him as man of the match (seriously HOW??!) yesterday ... but I do think Xabi is vastly overrated by a section of our fans: he's been pretty poor since his first season here (when I thought he was absolutely wonderful), and even this year I think he's been inconsistent with some absolutely woeful performances, which if someone like Stevie put in would result in a forum meltdown. He just doesn't do enough for me - he plays as if he inherited Pennant's electronic tag, that prevents him running into the opposition penalty box; he doesn't make enough strikes at goal; he just doesn't make enough telling pases where it HURTS; and i think he's just too slow which results in defensive errors when he's harassed. Pretty, relaxed passes are all well and good, but he reminds me of Jamie Redknapp how he comes to take the ball of the centre-backs and then just passes sideways. I appreciate Xabi looks better when surrounded by more dynamic players, but in a sense that's why he's overrated- how many games, honestly, does he grasp in the ways that a matchwinner like Stevie does? He seems to play at one tempo, and in the premiership that isn't good enough. Apart from Sunderland when he came on, I can't think of any games this season that he has turned around. As i said, I know it's not a popular view, and I love watching him when he's on his game, but I do think he is overrated by our fans.

 

Another way of putting it is that he is all about getting the best out of other players. If they're off their games, theres not much direct that he can add to the game.

[Ted]

Some people do criticise Torres. Only to justify their unwavering and inexplicable support of far far worse players in the team.

[Royal Family]

Maybe this needs bumping with the observation that he's reverted to Shabby Alonso since the turn of the year, in domestic matches at least. Xabi's wonderful in games where he has time on the ball (ie in Europe), where he can pick his passes and where 'control' is all that matters. But in domestic games where pace and physical presence are more important, he can be woeful at times: he just doesn't offer enough going forward and fails to provide sufficient protection for the centre backs. We need better than this - he really is hugely overrated by some of our fanbase, as a LEAGUE player at least.