A thread about a man named Xabi

[Best Believe It]

Gillett and Hicks asked him to get pissed off about Alonso wanting to be with his pregnant wife during labour? Or Gillett and Hicks asked him to sack Alonso because he dared write an open letter to Ayestrian on the official site?

 

I was speaking generally. It's a bit much to ask rafa to not indulge in what you consider to be politics when he's having to deal with it from above all the time.

[Guest the boy]

the most likely scenario, if Alonso should move on, is that Gerrard is moved slightly back into that position. If you were to ask your regular fan on the street as to which play-making central midfielder they'd most have at their club, then I'd expect Gerrard to be the choice of the majority.

 

We'd find it difficult replacing like for like, but Gerrard certainly has that aspect to his game. And I'd be far more comfortable having him moved out of position to accommodate a player of the David Villa ilk, than a Robbie Keane.

 

If we get it right this summer, we could simply physically demolish most teams next season, as Chelsea were doing in their 2005 pomp. For that you don't need a silky passer of the ball; Chelsea were without one, and United have their dogs of war who, though they get shown up figuratively against every decent side they play, will do what's needed in the other 30 games of a season.

 

Where we'd feel Alonso's absence most, I feel, would be in the European games.

[Vincent Vega]

Wonderful things are mobile phones

 

I'm posting this message via mine from a small island near the equator

 

But I agree the psychic angle is more romantic

 

You do know that you will have a mobile phone bill the size of Brazil on your return if you are using mobile web on your phone when abroad UEM?

[SpeedyG]

the most likely scenario, if Alonso should move on, is that Gerrard is moved slightly back into that position. If you were to ask your regular fan on the street as to which play-making central midfielder they'd most have at their club, then I'd expect Gerrard to be the choice of the majority.

 

We'd find it difficult replacing like for like, but Gerrard certainly has that aspect to his game. And I'd be far more comfortable having him moved out of position to accommodate a player of the David Villa ilk, than a Robbie Keane.

 

If we get it right this summer, we could simply physically demolish most teams next season, as Chelsea were doing in their 2005 pomp. For that you don't need a silky passer of the ball; Chelsea were without one, and United have their dogs of war who, though they get shown up figuratively against every decent side they play, will do what's needed in the other 30 games of a season.

 

Where we'd feel Alonso's absence most, I feel, would be in the European games.

 

Gerrard could do it no doubt, but as we are setup at the moment, the playmaker is not much more than a glorified ball playing center back, that's a poor return on what Gerrard brings to the table, your best most creative players need to be central and as close to goal as possible. I'd rather a Flamini type donkey in CM than move Gerrard back there.

[TheHitman]

The main problem about moving Gerrard back to the central position is you have then have had two changes too key parts of the team. Alonso/Masch and Torres/ Gerrard. I can certainly see the temptation but I personally would like to see us stick with the Torres and Gerrard partnership.

[rebel23]

that's why Lucho Gonzalez would be ideal, he is probably the only good midfielder we could get.

 

from Wiki:

 

He is well known for his fierce shot, crisp passing and hardworking style, and is affectionately known as El Comandante (the commander), because of his excellent leadership skills.

 

In November 2006, he had already signed an improved contract that would last until 2011, and in August 2007, Porto paid €6.65m to Global Soccer Agencies to achieve full ownership of the player.

-

 

The Commander and The Chief?

 

Edited June 27, 2009 by rebel23

[fowler9]

fuck off, its not like we want to sell anyone, but if we get an offer of £35mil for someone we wanted rid of for £16mil last year its good business, Xabi's great but he could easily be down to £16mil again next year, remember Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry prices when Arsenal held on an extra year

 

get 35mil for him and we can spend 20mil of it on Silva and 15 on a replacement and still have the rest of our budget which is about 25mil judging by the fact we bid for Tevez

[tokyojoe]

I'd be gutted if he went, so hopefully this is all bollocks.

[fowler9]

or even better say we have 25 million left as we bid for Tevez and Johnson so we do have this 25 million we then sell Xabi for 35

 

use the 35 plus 5 of the original budget to buy Villa and the other 20 for Silva piece of piss, would you consider us to be selling our best players if we replaced one world class player with 2?

[SpeedyG]

The post is saying Pelligrini has been promised him. Valdano has said he's working on unloading a few players next and then he'll start bringing the next set of targets in, so it could drag and drag.

[AmerScouse]

i just don't understand all this gerrard in the middle stuff. we've seen gerrard play in the middle under rafa. does anyone remember a series of super performances from there?

 

his best seasons under rafa have been from the right in a floating role and through the middle off of torres. why fuck with it?

 

occasionally? sure play him there, but why waste his marauding talents in a rigid, tactical position where he can be less influential?

 

he gets to improvise where he is now and isn't limited by certain defensive duties.

 

the only time i want to see gerrard in a central midfield role is when he's getting old and needs to move back there because he's lost his range physically.

 

IF we sell xabi we need to get in 2 central midfield players in my mind as we were short last year i thought. lucas is a squad player, nothing more, we need 2 first team level players for the middle, one preferably much younger than the other, and i'd say one needs to be english/british.

 

i'm not advocating michael johnson, but a player like him in age and quality who has their head screwed on straight. i'd even take mark noble as the 3rd midfielder if we were going to get in another player of much higher quality.

[G Richards]

I think there's too much bickering over the reasons for Xabi's possible departure. Can we not accept it is likely a combination of multiple factors?

 

1. Not getting on great with Rafa

2. The lure of returning home

3. A pay increase (high tax in UK, plus exchange rate pound to euro bad)

4. The chance to join Real Madrid as they gear up for a new chapter

 

All of these things factor into the decision. To pin it all on Rafa is wrong IMO.

[diego]

I think there's too much bickering over the reasons for Xabi's possible departure. Can we not accept it is likely a combination of multiple factors?

 

1. Not getting on great with Rafa

2. The lure of returning home

3. A pay increase (high tax in UK, plus exchange rate pound to euro bad)

4. The chance to join Real Madrid as they gear up for a new chapter

 

All of these things factor into the decision. To pin it all on Rafa is wrong IMO.

 

Can we just add that to that list that Alonso was not the main reason why the team did well last year and he was not the best player.

[kop]

Who have we sold again? I haven't read the new today so I appologise if it's bleeding obvious.

[Lucky Pierre]

Who have we sold again? I haven't read the new today so I appologise if it's bleeding obvious.

Nobody. Again.

[kop]

Nobody. Again.

 

Cheers. It's not like Bri to post like that so I actually took it serious for a minute. Maybe he's been out having a beer in the sun. I know I am in 30 minutes.

[navbasi]

what a massive fuck up on the clubs part.

 

Wasting major cash on players who don't perform then flogging them on at a loss.

 

Coverting players who don't come in and making it clear your surplus to requirements.

 

Watching said player have his best season with us.

 

Now selling one of the best midfielders in the world instead of being able to manage the situation and keep a major part of the spine of the team.

 

Fkin shite I'm mighty pissed off.

 

All the above happens at all clubs, big and small. What's your point?

[bri]

we shouldn't be a selling club.

 

The club should be busting it's balls to keep key players, including working round the tax problem.

 

It's the summer bored and tired of all the slow journalism.

 

overall I think the transfers at the club have been poor, dossena shite, keane shite, Lucas fkin rubbish (Danny Murphy would be more effective), Barry what a farce that was. Have a look at the size of our squad it's circa 60 players. I mean how do you manage that, that's 4 full sides.

 

rant over

[Sangria]

I hope Sangria hasn't just died at his keyboard.

 

Ha Ha do not know what happened there Hammy, just must have went off on one.

[Thants]

He is judged on his own standards... hence why he gets votes. If Gerrard played like he did, Stevie would be 11th.

 

wibble

[Count Morfeo]

I think there's too much bickering over the reasons for Xabi's possible departure. Can we not accept it is likely a combination of multiple factors?

 

1. Not getting on great with Rafa

2. The lure of returning home

3. A pay increase (high tax in UK, plus exchange rate pound to euro bad)

4. The chance to join Real Madrid as they gear up for a new chapter

 

All of these things factor into the decision. To pin it all on Rafa is wrong IMO.

 

No, it's just Rafa.

[Royal Family]

Rafa cost us the league last season?

 

You really couldn't make it up

 

IfithadntbeenforRafa...

 

really, some of the posts on here have become embarrassing. I'm far from rafa's staunchest defender, but I do have to wonder what mental proceesses some people have to go through to come up with absurd claims such as Rafa costing us the league! Take a good look at yourselves, lads....

[G Richards]

No, it's just Rafa.

 

Nice to see you Count!

 

I find it hard to believe that it is just Rafa. I don't deny it is a factor, and I don't deny he might even have said to someone that he wants to go because he doesn't like Rafa (hence the insider type knowledge mooted on here). But I believe several factors come into play on this one. He has also been quoted as talking about the unfavourable financial situation, so that reason is on record, should he depart.

 

Further to that, (and this is guesswork) I don't think it is unreasonable for a Spanish player to want to return home at some point, and perhaps this is a small factor, as is possibly having his head turned by Real Madrid, a team who needs him and who are at the start of another interesting chapter.

 

If I had to rank the reasons in order, I would say:

 

1. Rafa

2. Money

3. Real Madrid

4. Home

 

Even if Xabi leaves and does a kiss and tell type interview in which he cites a fall out with Rafa as the reason for his departure, I would still consider that only part of the story.

[coop]

If the only reason why Alonso wants to leave is because of Rafa then i think thats a lame excuse.

 

Like i have said in all walks of life employees do not get on with there employers and in many cases there is a 'us and them' scenario.

 

We know Rafa tried selling Alonso last summer of that there is no doubt and he tried replacing him with the inferior Gareth Barry but Rafa did not then exile Alonso when this failed to happen and played Xabi as often as possible.

 

I would imagine saying that the relationship with Rafa is what is causing the transfer makes it sound better to the fans but for me it is just as likely to be the fact he wants to return home to Spain and the fact he will get higher wages at Madrid.

[Hyppia 4]

If the only reason why Alonso wants to leave is because of Rafa then i think thats a lame excuse.

 

Like i have said in all walks of life employees do not get on with there employers and in many cases there is a 'us and them' scenario.

 

We know Rafa tried selling Alonso last summer of that there is no doubt and he tried replacing him with the inferior Gareth Barry but Rafa did not then exile Alonso when this failed to happen and played Xabi as often as possible.

 

I would imagine saying that the relationship with Rafa is what is causing the transfer makes it sound better to the fans but for me it is just as likely to be the fact he wants to return home to Spain and the fact he will get higher wages at Madrid.

 

So you would stick at a job in a foreign country that pays less where your boss doesn't like and has already tried to force you out the door and all this when someone else would improve your wages and give you a fresh start at a bigger company (yes Real are bigger than us, deal with it).