A thread about a man named Xabi

[Guest Ulysses Everett McGill]

I'm sure you didn't forget Jerzy!;)

 

Haha

 

Touché

 

Make that the last two players that have gone from LFC to Real Madrid

 

For what it's worth though, I think the latest Perez vision is doomed to be a hugely expensive failure

 

All style no substance, even with Lass and Alonso, they just won't be strong enough at the back

[TommyW]

i see what you mean catch

[redrosetints]

Good stuff snippety snipped

 

Xabi would also do well to look at what happened to the last player that went from LFC to Real Madrid.

 

Is that Dudek or Owen ?

[Duff Man]

I reckon and Masch and Sneijder could work. We'd finally have someone who could take a decent fucking corner too.

[The Acolyte]

They just can't help themselves can they?

 

Pellegrini assured Real Madrid will sign Liverpool's Xabi

26.06.09 | tribalfootball.com

Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini has been assured he can count on Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso for next season.

 

Real are now intensifying their pursuit of Xabi after Spain's Confederations Cup campaign was ended by the USA on Wednesday night.

 

AS says before he went home to Santiago, Chile, for a short holiday, Pellegrini was promised a midfield of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lassana Diarra, Xabi Alonso and Kaka by Real president Florentino Perez.

 

Pellegrini assured Real Madrid will sign Liverpool's Xabi | Premiership News | tribalfootball.com

[diego]

If Xabi stays at LFC next season he will have more than his "personal professionalism" as motivation for playing to the best of his ability. He will need to continue to play well (a) to secure his place in a championship chasing team at LFC and (b) to keep his place in Spain's World Cup team and (b) to secure a move to another club in 2010, if that is still what he wants.

 

I still think it best to refuse to sell him this year (unless an offer of 35- 40 million is received soon enough to secure his replacement), hope he avoids injury next season, hope he has a good World Cup next summer and then sell him to the highest bidder if he won't sign a new contract with LFC.

[shaunstrudwick]

I don't think we should be looking at who we can get to directly replace Alonso but more of which midfielder can offer similar qualities but potentially more.

 

 

S-n-j-e-i-d-e-r

 

;)

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Alonso isn't as crucial to our play as your making out especially in terms of production. What he does do, to steal an American Football term, is 'move the chains' by linking the defense and the front 4.

 

Thats the best description of Xabi I have seen for a long time.

[AmerScouse]

i disagree with being able to replace xabi with someone that hits 20 yd passes.

 

i don't think the full value of xabi's range and accuracy of passing will be truly understood until he's gone.

 

the fact that xabi can put a ball anywhere within 60 yards with ridiculous accuracy is all nice and pretty to the eye, but the overwhelming value, in my mind, is the speed with which he passes it and the extra time it affords the player who receives it.

 

to date we've not had the exact players to take advantage of this attribute in wide positions, but i think with a quality addition out wide we'd see more value.

 

i don't think the premier league is as cagey as some other leagues where slow methodical buildup is the norm. sometimes its point a to b as quickly as possible and pace and power are what leads to goals. xabi gets the ball from a to b with more accuracy and pace than just about any midfielder out there today that i can think of.

[Kevin D]

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.

 

Some bizzare logic right there.

[shaunstrudwick]

Thats the best description of Xabi I have seen for a long time.

 

but by that classification Masch = a defender which he isn't

 

Masch role = 'linking the chains'

 

Xabi role = playmaker

 

therefore we should replace him with a better version of a playmaker

[shaunstrudwick]

S

N

J

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I

D

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F

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[Skidfingers McGonical]

but by that classification Masch = a defender which he isn't

 

Masch role = 'linking the chains'

 

Xabi role = playmaker

 

therefore we should replace him with a better version of a playmaker

 

I suppose it is open to interpretation, Masch is a defender of the back four to me, and I would class Xabi breaking the chains of the opponents rather our own, but I said it is how you look at yourself.

[Brownie]

Some bizzare logic right there.

 

Eh? How is that? I can't comment on his ability because i've never seen him play.

[jackofdk]

I reckon and Masch and Sneijder could work. We'd finally have someone who could take a decent fucking corner too.

 

Me too.

 

It would make us even more attacking, that's for sure, and the deadball delivery would be improved by 100 percent.

[Salou]

Eh? How is that? I can't comment on his ability because i've never seen him play.

 

Think he was just being ironic or sarcastic in that many on here appear to comment without never having once seen the player.

[G Richards]

Like pretty much everyone else I want Xabi to stay. But if he does want to go then we should let him. We should set out price and the date by which it must be met (as stated above) and then we all know where we are at. If Real Madrid do not meet it, no deal. If they do, we have some time and money to weigh our options.

 

If our preferred system under Rafa has been 4-2-3-1 I would change that to 4-1-3-2. Drop one of the sitting midfielders and add another striker. It is a rare game that we need more than one holding midfielder. If Masch protects the back four then that's enough. Put another striker in there and let's wipe the floor with opposition.

[ToxtethTerror]

Funny how "Alonso is no longer crucial to how we play" but the same people were crying about "Alonso being crucial to the way we play" whenever he is out and we are losing games.

[Top of the Kop]

Funny how "Alonso is no longer crucial to how we play" but the same people were crying about "Alonso being crucial to the way we play" whenever he is out and we are losing games.

 

Gonna back that comment up?...Nope, didn't think so.

[coop]

i disagree with being able to replace xabi with someone that hits 20 yd passes.

 

i don't think the full value of xabi's range and accuracy of passing will be truly understood until he's gone.

 

the fact that xabi can put a ball anywhere within 60 yards with ridiculous accuracy is all nice and pretty to the eye, but the overwhelming value, in my mind, is the speed with which he passes it and the extra time it affords the player who receives it.

 

to date we've not had the exact players to take advantage of this attribute in wide positions, but i think with a quality addition out wide we'd see more value.

 

i don't think the premier league is as cagey as some other leagues where slow methodical buildup is the norm. sometimes its point a to b as quickly as possible and pace and power are what leads to goals. xabi gets the ball from a to b with more accuracy and pace than just about any midfielder out there today that i can think of.

 

Thats great if Alonso found his man with every long pass he tries but he does not.

 

Whilst he gets a round of applause from the fans for trying the effort at the end of the day its still surrending possesion so a 20yrd pass which finds the team mate is the better pass.

 

Alonso is a top player and can play the short passes to great effect infact i would say i prefer when he does this because normally he ups the tempo but same as any player he is replacable.

 

Reina, Carragher, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard and Torres for me are our spine but out of the six for me Alonso is the least important.

[banger]

Funny how "Alonso is no longer crucial to how we play" but the same people were crying about "Alonso being crucial to the way we play" whenever he is out and we are losing games.

 

 

Stop it. That's about the 4th time you've said it. We get it , ok. You're starting to get as annoying as you were before you got banned last time . Take a breath , realise you've already posted it , accept people think it doesn't matter and think of more crap to say. Please.

[JohnnyH]

Funny how "Alonso is no longer crucial to how we play" but the same people were crying about "Alonso being crucial to the way we play" whenever he is out and we are losing games.

 

Bascially I decided to give the same reply as "Top of the Kop", except I wont add the "no didn't think so" and will instead ask you to back that up.

 

Avergae players who get long term injuries become world class players while they're out. It is also the case that excellant players (such as Xabi) become totally irreplacable when they may be sold. Neither are true.

 

If Xabi goes, then we will move on. We may struggle to replace him like for like, but we may end up with a better holding player or a player with more quickness of movement who helps our quick passing game.

 

However, I hope Xabi stays.

[Hyppia 4]

Thats great if Alonso found his man with every long pass he tries but he does not.

 

Whilst he gets a round of applause from the fans for trying the effort at the end of the day its still surrending possesion so a 20yrd pass which finds the team mate is the better pass.

 

Alonso is a top player and can play the short passes to great effect infact i would say i prefer when he does this because normally he ups the tempo but same as any player he is replacable.

 

Reina, Carragher, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard and Torres for me are our spine but out of the six for me Alonso is the least important.

 

Again just proving how undervalued he is.

 

For a kick off NO ONE finds every long pass, Xabi finds more than most.

 

Players have to risk losing possession to gain yards one way or another. FACT.

 

Alonso's positioning, stamina, passing range and decisions as well as short passing and ability to create space in tight areas effortlessly are unsurpassed.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, part of me (a very small part) hopes he does go because of people like yourself who have NO IDEA what they have and will only appreciate it when it is gone!

 

Alonso is the least important man who starts more of our play, makes more tackles and covers more ground than any player we have.....

 

You want to know what Mascherano is without Alonso's brain and positional play behind him? Take a look at his West Ham days behind Mullins and get the real picture.

 

XABI ALONSO MUST BE KEPT AT ALL COSTS.

[TommyW]

Xabi is quality, will take a hell of a player to replace him but if he wants to go there's nothing we can do about it... I've a hunch we'll survive

[Sangria]

Alonso has had a fantastic season and he has played out of his skin, he is replaceable.

 

I am h