Liverpool FC Forum

[Madmax]

And to think rafa wanted to flog him off for barry. shame on you rafa! Alonso has bee class this season and will only get better!!!!!!

[metalhead]

Xabi....ALONSO

 

[Madmax]

i was watching a match with jap commmentry and the way the commentator shouted out xabi alonso was hell funny.

[stmichael]

I see he's linked with Arsenal again today.

[Sabre]

I see he's linked with Arsenal again today.

I don't see how, unless he's being caught with an ak-47

Some clubs phoned in summer, and were able to put the 16 M tag on the table.

The same clubs should know the price is higher now.

And to think some would have sold him for 12M! it makes sense they said, we want to sell, they give us the money, sell him I say!

With 12M you can't buy nothing these days, because you're a big club and small clubs will try to ask you a lot of money.

[NANNY RED]

I see he's linked with Arsenal again today.

Best Liverpool player this season imo. Back to his superior best. Ginger beard an all. An as Sabre said Juventus offerd 14 million last season not good enough . Price id say doubled now. Anyway hes stayin here cause he loves us. Just s.*i*e nothing to say gossip from the papers again

[bigmick]

Playing like he has this season, he's worth much more money than he was in the Summer. It seems incredible now when you think back to the times that people felt his form had dropped off, that the point was disputed. All this nonsense about "unseen" work and the like, well you can certainly see the work this season that's for sure.

I agree with Nan and that pound for pound I thnik he's been our best player this season. It seems churlish given that to have a gripe, but I really think he is capable of much better than he's showing as well. I've long talked about him coming "out of the pocket" and I'd like to see him do it more. I broadly agree with Owzats post about five or six before this one, and think if we can get him on the ball in the final third on a regular basis, you'll see him at his very best.

I can't help wondering if we are at some point this season going to see Gerrard on the right. Given the form Alonso is in, (which is right back to the best he has shown in a red shirt) and given Masherano's tigerish defensive capabilities, I remain convinced that this is the best use we could make of our resources. It would mean Kuyt and Keane fighting it out for the "other" centre forward slot (with Keane obviously winning it for me), but I just can't help feeling if I was playing against Liverpool this is the line-up I would least like to see.

As for Alonso though, top class and there will be a club or two who are kicking themselves they didn't stump up the 16 mill when they had the chance.

[Fo Dne]

Playing like he has this season, he's worth much more money than he was in the Summer. It seems incredible now when you think back to the times that people felt his form had dropped off, that the point was disputed. All this nonsense about "unseen" work and the like, well you can certainly see the work this season that's for sure.

I agree with Nan and that pound for pound I thnik he's been our best player this season. It seems churlish given that to have a gripe, but I really think he is capable of much better than he's showing as well. I've long talked about him coming "out of the pocket" and I'd like to see him do it more. I broadly agree with Owzats post about five or six before this one, and think if we can get him on the ball in the final third on a regular basis, you'll see him at his very best.

I can't help wondering if we are at some point this season going to see Gerrard on the right. Given the form Alonso is in, (which is right back to the best he has shown in a red shirt) and given Masherano's tigerish defensive capabilities, I remain convinced that this is the best use we could make of our resources. It would mean Kuyt and Keane fighting it out for the "other" centre forward slot (with Keane obviously winning it for me), but I just can't help feeling if I was playing against Liverpool this is the line-up I would least like to see.

As for Alonso though, top class and there will be a club or two who are kicking themselves they didn't stump up the 16 mill when they had the chance.

Gerrard's been head and shoulders above him. Obviously you don't count Gerrard in player of the year though as its unfair to compare anyone to him.

The only critisism of him is sometimes he's just a bit to static and plays the way he's facing to much... but with his quality I think thats more to do with instruction and communication from other players rather than his level of ability.

[stmichael]

To be honest, in the last couple of seasons his demise was overexaggerated by many. He was nowhere near as bad as some people made out.

[Scottbot]

The only critisism of him is sometimes he's just a bit to static and plays the way he's facing to much... but with his quality I think thats more to do with instruction and communication from other players rather than his level of ability.

I'm not so sure about that. He usually turns-out when the opportunity is there and he's got that excellent little pirouette move you often see when he hears footsteps as he addresses the ball.

[JoeTerp]

I can't help wondering if we are at some point this season going to see Gerrard on the right. Given the form Alonso is in, (which is right back to the best he has shown in a red shirt) and given Masherano's tigerish defensive capabilities, I remain convinced that this is the best use we could make of our resources. It would mean Kuyt and Keane fighting it out for the "other" centre forward slot (with Keane obviously winning it for me), but I just can't help feeling if I was playing against Liverpool this is the line-up I would least like to see.

As for Alonso though, top class and there will be a club or two who are kicking themselves they didn't stump up the 16 mill when they had the chance.

I think the only other way (on paper) to deal with this issue would be 3 at the back once Skrtel and Torres are fit again. Then we could play all of Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt, Riera, Gerrard, Keane and Torres, and wouldn't have to play any of our weakest players (our fullbacks). People say its too defensive because in reality it plays like 5 at the back instead of 4, or that "its just not something that legit teams do in football."  But for me, its our chance to have our cake (playing 5 in midfield (with 3 of the 5 being masch, alonso, and gerrard) and eat it too (playing Keane and Torres) when we play those lesser teams at home who wont be attacking us much anyway, and the attack that they do manage to put on us is typically through the air, and having 3 in the centre can only help right?  I feel like this system could take a lot of pressure off of Keane, because Gerrard would still be a bit advanced and playing with Torres, and Keane could just be that extra option to help things run more smoothly, or hell, maybe even chip in a goal or two with opposing defenses sh.itting themselves dealing with Torres and Gerrard.







Oh yea, and Alonso is having a great season 

[bigmick]

Gerrard's been head and shoulders above him. Obviously you don't count Gerrard in player of the year though as its unfair to compare anyone to him.

In all honesty there's something in that. Gerrard even on an off day illuminates each and every game he plays in with moments of sheer, blinding quality. Even against Blackjburn where he wasn't anywhere near his best, he still scored a goal and he does it week in, week out.

I probably wouldn't disagree with there Stu, though he has been below his best he's still been our most influential player. Apart from Gerrard though, it's Alonso.


Just a quickie as some people are talking about Reina being player of the season. Though he is excellent, I don't go for that. I thought he should have saved the free kick against Man City was it, and definately the header against Tottenham.

[bigmick]

To be honest, in the last couple of seasons his demise was overexaggerated by many. He was nowhere near as bad as some people made out.

I'm not sure I agree with that St Mick TBH. It depends how highly you rate his performances when he's somewhere near his best. Certainly in comparison to this season, he looks like a different player.

How much difference? At least 20-30% in my opinion anyway. So you could make out a case for his performances over the last two seasons being poor, compared to his best form.

Besides all that, I'm not so sure that people actually slagged him off as much as you allude to. I mentioned at one point that he was worth "low teens" given his form and got absolutely slaughtered. as it was, by the reports the best bid we recieved foir him was 14 million quid so I wasn't a million miles away as it turned out. Course had we or anybody else known for sure he was going to play as well this season as he has, we wouldn't have even considered selling him in the first place.

Rafa is no fool after all no 

[Fo Dne]

The only critisism of him is sometimes he's just a bit to static and plays the way he's facing to much... but with his quality I think thats more to do with instruction and communication from other players rather than his level of ability.

I'm not so sure about that. He usually turns-out when the opportunity is there and he's got that excellent little pirouette move you often see when he hears footsteps as he addresses the ball.

Mate, watch him, sometimes he does run ten yards towards the defence, gets it off them then plays it to a centre half or the keeper. Then two minutes later the same again, or sometimes he'll run ten yards towards the defence and get it an play it to a full back when the centre half could have done that.

It invites another midfielder into our half allowing the opposition to put more pressure on our team forcing us into a long ball on occassions. Like I've said, Its only a minor critisism of him. I love the way he uses the ball 90% of the time, he nearly always finds a player in oceans of space.

[Fo Dne]

Gerrard's been head and shoulders above him. Obviously you don't count Gerrard in player of the year though as its unfair to compare anyone to him.

In all honesty there's something in that. Gerrard even on an off day illuminates each and every game he plays in with moments of sheer, blinding quality. Even against Blackjburn where he wasn't anywhere near his best, he still scored a goal and he does it week in, week out.

I probably wouldn't disagree with there Stu, though he has been below his best he's still been our most influential player. Apart from Gerrard though, it's Alonso.


Just a quickie as some people are talking about Reina being player of the season. Though he is excellent, I don't go for that. I thought he should have saved the free kick against Man City was it, and definately the header against Tottenham.

I dunno what game you were watching Mick but against Blackburn he was quality. He was everywhere and deserved his goal after a superb performance.