A thread about a man named Xabi

[INTORRESTING]

I think we will get someone like ruben de la red or martinez, what is diarra (will be pricey i expect) up to?

 

Then i would buy two versatile matchwinners who can cover all of the front 4 slots allowing Gerrard to play centre mid at times as we need to develop a plan B considering the injuries to our best players.

 

We need 80 mil for a cm, Aguero and Silva imo. 85 total spending this season if you include johnson. I wonder if we will get a lb or keep Dossenna? I am sure any deal for a left back will break even though.

 

Alonso, Arbeloa, Leto, Voronin, Babel, Hobbs, money from owners - say 70 mil so we need to sell Yossi and a raft of kids to make up the difference or hope Ayre can persuade the yanks that getting Aguero and Silva will pay back the fees if we exploit them commercially.

[jackofdk]

Aguero is just as good as Gerrard in that number 10 role. IMO.

 

Gerrard is the best player in the world in that position - bar none.

 

Aguero is an amazing talent who is still quite unproven.

[JohnnyH]

according to an online convertor I've just used

 

30,000,000.00 EUR = 25,566,829.79 GBP

1 EUR = 0.852228 GBP 1 GBP = 1.17340 EUR

 

 

We will not be buying a midfielder from the Premier League to replace Xabi so conversion rates don't matter.

[Bogman]

We will not be buying a midfielder from the Premier League to replace Xabi so conversion rates don't matter.

 

Because there is no one in our league who can lace his boots.

[JohnnyH]

Because there is no one in our league who can lace his boots.

 

Abu Hamza?

[ToxtethTerror]

Gerrard is the best player in the world in that position - bar none.

 

Aguero is an amazing talent who is still quite unproven.

 

Gerrard is my favourite player and our greatest ever player, but we see him week in week out. There are other players out there mate that can play that role just as good as Gerrard. They can't tackle back, defend, or have as much aggression as Stevie but they are just as good at that number 10 role. IMO.

 

Gerrard is also just as good as Xabi in midfield... I'd move Gerrard back (only if we get an Aguero or even Tevez to play number 10) but can understand us wanting to keep him next to Torres rather than get a lesser player in attack.

[Hyppia 4]

Gerrard is my favourite player and our greatest ever player, but we see him week in week out. There are other players out there mate that can play that role just as good as Gerrard. They can't tackle back, defend, or have as much aggression as Stevie but they are just as good at that number 10 role. IMO.

 

Gerrard is also just as good as Xabi in midfield... I'd move Gerrard back (only if we get an Aguero or even Tevez to play number 10) but can understand us wanting to keep him next to Torres rather than get a lesser player in attack.

 

Who is as good in that role? Gerrard doesn't play the number 10 role, he plays a free role off Torres and runs the whole pitch in a dynamic way only he can.

[silverlining]

 

Gerrard is also just as good as Xabi in midfield... I'd move Gerrard back (only if we get an Aguero or even Tevez to play number 10) but can understand us wanting to keep him next to Torres rather than get a lesser player in attack.

 

 

 

Gerrard's miles better than Xabi in midfield. Or anywhere else.

[Brownie]

I honestly can't think of a player I would like us to sign, who brings the same qualities as Alonso. I like that Daniele De Rossi who plays for Roma but i'm not sure he has the same range of passing as Xabi does.

 

I know we've been linked with that young Spanish lad but I haven't seen him play so can't comment.

[SpeedyG]

I honestly can't think of a player I would like us to sign, who brings the same qualities as Alonso. I like that Daniele De Rossi who plays for Roma but i'm not sure he has the same range of passing as Xabi does.

 

I know we've been linked with that young Spanish lad but I haven't seen him play so can't comment.

 

He was crap against england in the U21 tournament and got dropped for the next game!

[Hyppia 4]

I honestly can't think of a player I would like us to sign, who brings the same qualities as Alonso. I like that Daniele De Rossi who plays for Roma but i'm not sure he has the same range of passing as Xabi does.

 

I know we've been linked with that young Spanish lad but I haven't seen him play so can't comment.

 

Completely different player and has gone backwards big time.

 

No one can come close to doing what Xabi does from the back.

 

Martinez is nowhere near the prem level yet and again is a different player who plays further up the pitch.

 

Hernanes has the passing ability but not the defensive ability though I believe he could do if he wanted but he and his manager seem happier playing him box to box which is sensible to be honest given how complete a player he is for the age of 20.

 

Hernanes is one of the players I'd kill for if we lost either Alonso or Mashcerano.

[Auld Gregg]

I honestly can't think of a player I would like us to sign, who brings the same qualities as Alonso. I like that Daniele De Rossi who plays for Roma but i'm not sure he has the same range of passing as Xabi does.

 

I know we've been linked with that young Spanish lad but I haven't seen him play so can't comment.

 

Cambiasso is a decent midfielder!

[Best Believe It]

Gerrard is my favourite player and our greatest ever player, but we see him week in week out. There are other players out there mate that can play that role just as good as Gerrard. They can't tackle back, defend, or have as much aggression as Stevie but they are just as good at that number 10 role. IMO.

 

Gerrard is also just as good as Xabi in midfield... I'd move Gerrard back (only if we get an Aguero or even Tevez to play number 10) but can understand us wanting to keep him next to Torres rather than get a lesser player in attack.

 

Putting aside how good Aguero is/isn't, you'd be breaking up a strike partnership that has no equal in Europe. I think Xabi and Masch together is a pretty damn good partnership, but if that's going to be broken up if Xabi leaves, there seems little point breaking up the strike partnership as well. Maybe we won't be able to get someone as good as Xabi but we might get someone who can form an equally good partnership with Mascherano.

[Brownie]

He was crap against england in the U21 tournament and got dropped for the next game!

 

U21's? You've lost me.

[jackofdk]

I honestly can't think of a player I would like us to sign, who brings the same qualities as Alonso. I like that Daniele De Rossi who plays for Roma but i'm not sure he has the same range of passing as Xabi does.

 

I know we've been linked with that young Spanish lad but I haven't seen him play so can't comment.

 

I like De Rossi too. But I don't think we should limit our search to someone loke Xabi - because they're nigh impossible to find.

 

If we got someone in the Essien mould, ie. more dynamic and more of a goal threat than Xabi, we could move in a different direction as a team.

 

But I have no clue who we could get like that.

[Brownie]

Breaking the Gerrard/Torres partnership up would be absolute madness, IMO. It didn't work last year so i'd leave well alone.

 

Aguero is a good player without a doubt, but I wouldn't choose anyone to play the role other than Gerrard. As Gerrard gets a bit older then you can drop him back into midfield to play one of of the holding positions and then look at a replacement for the 'hole' position.

[ToxtethTerror]

Putting aside how good Aguero is/isn't, you'd be breaking up a strike partnership that has no equal in Europe. I think Xabi and Masch together is a pretty damn good partnership, but if that's going to be broken up if Xabi leaves, there seems little point breaking up the strike partnership as well. Maybe we won't be able to get someone as good as Xabi but we might get someone who can form an equally good partnership with Mascherano.

 

Thats a good point mate. Nice one.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

He was crap against england in the U21 tournament and got dropped for the next game!

 

He has just been to the Confederations Cup, so he can't have been that shite.

[El Rojo]

Cambiasso is a decent midfielder!

 

Great call. Most underrated midfielder in the world for me.

[SpeedyG]

U21's? You've lost me.

 

I assumed you were talking about Javi Martinez, no?

[SpeedyG]

He has just been to the Confederations Cup, so he can't have been that shite.

 

Javi martinez wasn't.

[redrosetints]

forget the + and call it euros would be my expectation

 

I just hope it gets done soon so we can get on with the job of trying to replace him.

 

Do you think ?

 

In the past, id have agreed, we always seem to lose our players for less than their value, but with no need to sell (he's under contract for 3 more years) id have hoped Rafa, Ayre or Purslow, whoever is doing the negotiation, would play hard ball and make Madrid pay over the odds as we have had to for Johnson. I think we should be demanding 30m pounds not a penny less and if they dont pay he stays, wether Xabi wants to go or not.

[Brownie]

I assumed you were talking about Javi Martinez, no?

 

It sounded as though you were talking about De Rossi to be fair.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Javi martinez wasn't.

 

He was talking about De Rossi though.

[Hyppia 4]

Great call. Most underrated midfielder in the world for me.

 

Can I join your bandwaggon.

 

Quality player and has been for years.