Perez rules out Alonso capture

[JohnnyH]

I only have two words for you

 

DAVID BECKHAM

 

Well I'll see your two and raise you two.

 

SO WHAT

[Code]

So has Rafa`s bluff been called yet or do people still think he really wants Alonso to stay?

 

If Alonso wants to leave who can blame.

 

1. His manager has two summers in a row tried to get rid of him so he can bring in an inferior player even if yourself has been your teams top performer this season.

 

2. He probably understands the chances to win anything anymore with Liverpool as long as Rafa is the manager are slim so why not move somewhere else to play with better players, a better manager, for better money, for a bigger crowd, in your home country where the sun is shining etc..

 

All plausible reasons for me, I guess I would be pretty fucked off with Rafa myself if I was Alonso as he strikes me as an very intelligent person who knows his stuff.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

If he does that plays into Real's hands

 

That may be the case, but I would hope we had the upper hand at all times due to the fact we should not allow ourselves to be fucked over in the amount they pay a la Owen. It has happened too many times in the past.

 

It is a real test now Parry won't have anything to do with the transfer, we should not be held to ransom by Alonso or Madrid, even though Xabi may be unhappy, he is still under contract and he is our asset, not Madrid's. I know it is playing with a players life, but he has a contract and if he want's to leave it has to be on our terms when it comes to value.

 

If Xabi sits down with Rafa to discuss a possible move then I would hope they both make it amicable and the press don't try and start the media war against Rafa again.

[cyador]

So has Rafa`s bluff been called yet or do people still think he really wants Alonso to stay?

 

If Alonso wants to leave who can blame.

 

1. His manager has two summers in a row tried to get rid of him so he can bring in an inferior player even if yourself has been your teams top performer this season.

 

2. He probably understands the chances to win anything anymore with Liverpool as long as Rafa is the manager are slim so why not move somewhere else to play with better players, a better manager, for better money, for a bigger crowd, in your home country where the sun is shining etc..

 

All plausible reasons for me, I guess I would be pretty fucked off with Rafa myself if I was Alonso as he strikes me as an very intelligent person who knows his stuff.

 

 

Normally just a lurker, but do you really need to bring up your anti rafa agenda in every thread? It seems every time i click on a thread, theres code72 spouting off about rafa again.

 

Do you really not rate rafa after the season we just had? Genuinely interested here, just trying to understand how someone can form the opinion rafa's not much kop as a manager after last season.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

So has Rafa`s bluff been called yet or do people still think he really wants Alonso to stay?

 

If Alonso wants to leave who can blame.

 

1. His manager has two summers in a row tried to get rid of him so he can bring in an inferior player even if yourself has been your teams top performer this season.

 

2. He probably understands the chances to win anything anymore with Liverpool as long as Rafa is the manager are slim so why not move somewhere else to play with better players, a better manager, for better money, for a bigger crowd, in your home country where the sun is shining etc..

 

All plausible reasons for me, I guess I would be pretty fucked off with Rafa myself if I was Alonso as he strikes me as an very intelligent person who knows his stuff.

 

A lot of what your basing your first point are very much hearsay, neither has come out and publicly stated what is doing the rounds in the media and the internet, both have come out and said the same thing.

 

Secondly I personally don't understand how our chances of winning anything else under Rafa have become slim. We have progressed in the league, we are always challenging for the Champions League, I don't understand how people could not be confident at this stage, considering what is going on of the field.

 

Xabi has been in that squad for 4 years now and has seen the progression made, and then he has played an integral part in the title challenge we put in, surely he has seen enough to think, we can do it and I am going to better it next season. If he has't felt like that I would probably question his desire for the club. I know I could be so wrong, and I hope I am but that is a nagging thought in my head about anyone wanting to leave this summer who has been integral to the side, which Xabi has, their is a war to begin in a couple of months, if it was me I would be fired up to start next season right now.

 

I will be a sad puppy if he leaves.A very sad puppy.

[mickeydocs]

So has Rafa`s bluff been called yet or do people still think he really wants Alonso to stay?

2. He probably understands the chances to win anything anymore with Liverpool as long as Rafa is the manager are slim so why not move somewhere else to play with better players, a better manager, for better money, for a bigger crowd, in your home country where the sun is shining etc..

 

Do you think Madrid will overhaul Barca in la liga?

Do you think Madrid will win the CL next season?

They'll make a host of signings and then sack the manager when the first wave of defeats occurs.

Liverpool on the other hand are THE rising club. Listen to Dagger and Torres, this is the club to be at.

[fowler9]

Im confident Xabi wont go unless they meet our asking price

 

 

as for replacements only De Rossi could be considered equal to Xabi

[Code]

Normally just a lurker, but do you really need to bring up your anti rafa agenda in every thread? It seems every time i click on a thread, theres code72 spouting off about rafa again.

 

Do you really not rate rafa after the season we just had? Genuinely interested here, just trying to understand how someone can form the opinion rafa's not much kop as a manager after last season.

 

I think Rafa is a great coach when it comes to set up a defensive foundation, but I dont think he as found the right balance between attacking and defending.

 

I also have a feeling that he does not trust flair players to do what he wants them to do defensively, but you never know unless you try it do you.

 

I dont think his record in the transfer market is good, in fact I think it pretty poor so I do not really trust him to bring in the right players.

 

Alonso is a key element to how our team performs, Rafa has single handidly made him feel unwanted at the club and why should such a class player stay somewhere where his manager does not appreciate him because he did not do exactly what the manager wanted over a year ago when someone comes knocking with a great offer with a great project on their hands?

 

I dont think our season has been as great as other migh think, the reality is that I think the main reason we did not win the league this season is named Rafa Benitez, our performances in the cups have been a disgrace, so my answer to your question is no.

 

Do I think we can win the title next season, yes I do if we can keep hold of Alonso and the shackles are released from August on, if we do sell Alonso on the other hand, I think we will have a fight on our hands to secure 3rd.

 

Rafa has a weakness when it comes to his realtions to the players, I think its because he has never been a top level footballer himself.

[Red Nick]

Well I'll see your two and raise you two.

 

SO WHAT

 

Beckham joined Real for 24m because he wanted to even though Barcelona offered near 30m but Beckham made it clear he would only join Real Madrid and Fergie wanted Becks out of the club (against the wishes of their fans) so Utd had no choice but to accept Reals lower offer.

 

Real have done it before and they'll do it again hence why its better to get the deal done before Xabi caves in to Rafa and puts in a transfer request. The only good thing about a transfer request is we might find out Xabi's versiion of events.

[MLB]

I think Rafa is a great coach when it comes to set up a defensive foundation, but I dont think he as found the right balance between attacking and defending.

 

I also have a feeling that he does not trust flair players to do what he wants them to do defensively, but you never know unless you try it do you.

 

I dont think his record in the transfer market is good, in fact I think it pretty poor so I do not really trust him to bring in the right players.

 

Alonso is a key element to how our team performs, Rafa has single handidly made him feel unwanted at the club and why should such a class player stay somewhere where his manager does not appreciate him because he did not do exactly what the manager wanted over a year ago when someone comes knocking with a great offer with a great project on their hands?

 

I dont think our season has been as great as other migh think, the reality is that I think the main reason we did not win the league this season is named Rafa Benitez, our performances in the cups have been a disgrace, so my answer to your question is no.

 

Do I think we can win the title next season, yes I do if we can keep hold of Alonso and the shackles are released from August on, if we do sell Alonso on the other hand, I think we will have a fight on our hands to secure 3rd.

 

Rafa has a weakness when it comes to his realtions to the players, I think its because he has never been a top level footballer himself.

 

 

A simple "no" would have done.

[Paul]

I think Rafa is a great coach when it comes to set up a defensive foundation, but I dont think he as found the right balance between attacking and defending.

 

I also have a feeling that he does not trust flair players to do what he wants them to do defensively, but you never know unless you try it do you.

 

I dont think his record in the transfer market is good, in fact I think it pretty poor so I do not really trust him to bring in the right players.

 

Alonso is a key element to how our team performs, Rafa has single handidly made him feel unwanted at the club and why should such a class player stay somewhere where his manager does not appreciate him because he did not do exactly what the manager wanted over a year ago when someone comes knocking with a great offer with a great project on their hands?

 

I dont think our season has been as great as other migh think, the reality is that I think the main reason we did not win the league this season is named Rafa Benitez, our performances in the cups have been a disgrace, so my answer to your question is no.

 

Do I think we can win the title next season, yes I do if we can keep hold of Alonso and the shackles are released from August on, if we do sell Alonso on the other hand, I think we will have a fight on our hands to secure 3rd.

 

Rafa has a weakness when it comes to his realtions to the players, I think its because he has never been a top level footballer himself.

 

I'd have agreed with your first point if the last third of this season hadn't happened. Our average score for the last ten games of the season was something ridiculous like 3-0. You can't really improve on twatting teams every week whilst not conceding, can you?

 

On the trusting flair players to defend thing, I think he absolutely trusts Gerrard and Torres to do that. I also think he's starting to trust Yossi too. Trust has to be earned.

 

I agree that Alonso is vital to our chances of winning the league and I can see why he might be a bit pissed off with Rafa. However, I think it's laughable to suggest he's not appreciated - the manager put him at the controls of his entire system for the whole campaign, after all. It wasn't a default decision, you know.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

I'd have agreed with your first point if the last third of this season hadn't happened. Our average score for the last ten games of the season was something ridiculous like 3-0. You can't really improve on twatting teams every week whilst not conceding, can you?

 

On the trusting flair players to defend thing, I think he absolutely trusts Gerrard and Torres to do that. I also think he's starting to trust Yossi too. Trust has to be earned.

 

I agree that Alonso is vital to our chances of winning the league and I can see why he might be a bit pissed off with Rafa. However, I think it's laughable to suggest he's not appreciated - the manager put him at the controls of his entire system for the whole campaign, after all. It wasn't a default decision, you know.

 

Nail on the head there Paul,

 

I think it has become the expected thing for some to say Rafa doesn't trust him and that is why he is looking to get rid of him, the part Xabi played last season was more pivotal than Gerrard's, as amazing as that was. Xabi pulled the strings from where they should be pulled, in the middle.

 

He must have had that as his remit from Rafa otherwise I think we would have seen the quieter Alonso again.

[Code]

I'd have agreed with your first point if the last third of this season hadn't happened. Our average score for the last ten games of the season was something ridiculous like 3-0. You can't really improve on twatting teams every week whilst not conceding, can you?

 

Agree with his, but at the end of the season we had our back against the wall, I have said earlier that I will make up my mind about this when we are a few months into the new season.

 

Hopefully we will start going for the kill from the off, but its something I`m really not fully convinced will happen.

 

If it does then great, it will be evidence of the fact Rafa has finally understood what some of us have said for some time needs to be done to win this league, if not then we are back to square one and if we sell Alonso instead of adding quality to our first team on top of what we already have my predictions is that we will not be able to follow up this season.

 

The reality is that we will most likely have to improve some way to even equal this seasons point tally as I cant see us getting 12 points from the mancs and Chelsea next season and these points needs to be won from the other teams as well as considering the earlier mentioned teams only will need to get some more points in the "mini league" to improve.

[Code]

Nail on the head there Paul,

 

I think it has become the expected thing for some to say Rafa doesn't trust him and that is why he is looking to get rid of him, the part Xabi played last season was more pivotal than Gerrard's, as amazing as that was. Xabi pulled the strings from where they should be pulled, in the middle.

 

He must have had that as his remit from Rafa otherwise I think we would have seen the quieter Alonso again.

 

For me its simple, its got nothing to do with Alonso`s abilities as a player so why should not Rafa trust him on the pitch, he knows he will deliever just like he always have done.

 

Its personal and I think Alonso actually could have lived with it, if he did not feel the same thing happened again this summer and if it had not been for Rafa`s reluctance to actually appreciate the work he has done this season compared to a few other players with far lesser contributions.

[diego]

You do spout a lot of garbage. You concede you don't know anything and then you repeatedly tell us what is in Rafa's or Xabi's mind. Claiming that "it" - whatever "it " is - is "personal" is your way of reducing Rafa to your own petty level.

 

Its laughable that you will give Rafa a few weeks at the beginning of the season to see if he is following a so-called strategy that you propose. What will you do if he doesn't - stamp your feet?

[Red Nick]

Xabi is the Mobly of the 2000s and is totally expendable but most Liverpool fans loved Molby to death.

 

However Xabi may spread the ball about beautifully but doesnt do what a benayoun or Gerrard does in the final third play a killler ball.

 

We can easily win the title without Xabi but not without javier, Steve or Nando IMO

[Paul]

Agree with his, but at the end of the season we had our back against the wall, I have said earlier that I will make up my mind about this when we are a few months into the new season.

 

Hopefully we will start going for the kill from the off, but its something I`m really not fully convinced will happen.

 

If it does then great, it will be evidence of the fact Rafa has finally understood what some of us have said for some time needs to be done to win this league, if not then we are back to square one and if we sell Alonso instead of adding quality to our first team on top of what we already have my predictions is that we will not be able to follow up this season.

 

The reality is that we will most likely have to improve some way to even equal this seasons point tally as I cant see us getting 12 points from the mancs and Chelsea next season and these points needs to be won from the other teams as well as considering the earlier mentioned teams only will need to get some more points in the "mini league" to improve.

 

In my opinion, regardless of what we do in future, Rafa has already proved that he knows what it takes to win the league in England: aggressive attacking football, with or without the ball. There's no way we will play every game like that - whether it be next season or after some mythical sugar daddy has bestowed every top player in the world on us; it's just not possible to play at your peak in every match.

 

I'll be delighted with a similar approach to next season to the one we've had this: ground out results at the start conserving a bit of energy in doing so, before becoming a team unleashed for the run in. With one more top class forward and fair wind, injury-wise, we'll definitely improve on 86 points, in my opinion. Whether that would win us the title is another matter, but we'd certainly be pretty fucking close.

[Section_31]

Xabi is the Mobly of the 2000s and is totally expendable but most Liverpool fans loved Molby to death.

 

However Xabi may spread the ball about beautifully but doesnt do what a benayoun or Gerrard does in the final third play a killler ball.

 

We can easily win the title without Xabi but not without javier, Steve or Nando IMO

 

Maddest post in the history of Red Nick's madness? Certainly.

[Paul]

Utterly hat stand, I agree; bag of cheese spanners-esque, in fact.

[Thants]

Utterly hat stand, I agree; bag of cheese spanners-esque, in fact.

 

But still makes more sense than Code. It's magic.

£30 mill plus two good youngsters for a player that may want to leave at the age of 28 in Nov is bloody good business, not that I want to see him go. He'll have to replace him though as I'm not sure the crowd will be happy giving Lucas time.

[Paul]

But still makes more sense than Code. It's magic.

£30 mill plus two good youngsters for a player that may want to leave at the age of 28 in Nov is bloody good business, not that I want to see him go. He'll have to replace him though as I'm not sure the crowd will be happy giving Lucas time.

 

Eh?

[Thants]

Which bit is the eh? for?

Good business or having a replacement ahead of Lucas?

[Roy Hobbs]

Rafa hates Xabi so much he played him about 50 times last season so he had to earn his wages and now he's refusing to let Xabi move. Sick how Benitez treats another human like this.

 

We should let him go for £10m as a gesture of good will.

 

LOL.

[Paul]

Which bit is the eh? for?

Good business or having a replacement ahead of Lucas?

 

All of it. What's the bit about £30m and 2 youngsters? Have I missed some mooted deal?

[navbasi]

Real Madrid director-general Jorge Valdano admits any bid for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is like to be doomed to failure. (Marca, 0954 BST)