Liverpool FC Forum

[GYBS]

Where is hte report of Xabi being unhappy - so far the only words to come out of the player and manager and club is "he isnt for sale" "he wants to stay " " we want him to stay " and no word from anyone about barry - is this not the papers trying to create headlines and rumours regarding xabi and barry and rehashing last summers stuff

barry for xabi is a step backwards .

[stmichael]

For me the only way we can make this work is to buy Tevez and drop Gerrard back into the center of the park alongside Mascha.

We would still have Stevie bursting forward and scoring goals and have Tevez getting his share and working his bollox off.

I still don't get why people would still advocate dropping Gerrard back in the centre of midfield, yet he has had his best scoring seasons on the right and supporting Torres.

People bang on about playing 4-4-2 even though hardly any of the top teams do so.

[bunglemark2]

All this smoke, there has to be fire there somewhere. I wish I knew the reason for the unrest (is it a greedy agent; does Rafa have different plans for next year - did he see something we all missed; has Alonso tired of the poxy weather; phuck knows what else...)
I'm kinda mixed about Alonso leaving. On the one hand I think he *can* have an outstanding game, then in others he fades into obscurity. I'm no expert, but when I see a panel of ex-pros and experts in general ALL select him in a Premiership team of the season...well, they can't ALL be wrong, can they ?
Doesn't change a thing though if Alonso wants to leave himself - the best thing to do is to maximise what we can get from him.
So on the one hand, I'd like to keep him; on the other hand, if it is inevitable that he leaves, then we have to put sentiment to one side and stick a business hat on, end of !

As for Stevie G dropping back to midfield, I'll again revert to a comment from many-an-expert who all agree that the floating role behind Torres is the most effective position for him. Sticking him back in midfield is reverting to previous sterile performances.

So, all in all, I presume Rafa is planning for the eventuality that Alonso goes and will hopefully pick a suitable replacement. I don't like Barry and don't rate him all that highly. Again, I'm not the expert, but Rafa (or somebody !) please tell me why he has been linked with us for almost 2 years now ?

[Alex G.]

Is it a bad thing these rumours. Alonso has had his best season so let's find out what somebody is prepared to pay. Could somebody do an even better job at a lower price? Let's face it Alonso has always blown hot and cold and a lot of us would not have been that disappointed if he had gone at the end of last season. Unfortunately you don't get the same guarantee of consistency with Xabi as you do with the likes of Gerrard and that has to come into the mix. Xabi spreads the ball around with fantastic precision but just how many killer balls does he play? How many goals does he score? How many games have we lost when he doesn't play?

Yes, I think it's bad.  I think we'll find out just how much he brings to the side if he goes...how much he sets the tempo and provides the platform for our attack while also helping shield the defense.  But, over and above that, I think the principle you've described of testing the waters and seeing what we can get for him while finding someone out there to do the job cheaper is even worse.  Why?  Because we came ever so close this season and the last thing we need is to go overboard with the squad tinkering.  Central midfield's sorted and has been for several years.  Let's leave it alone and focus on improving elsewhere in the squad rather than spending the summer shopping Alonso around and looking to haggle with O'Neill over Barry again (who says he'll be keeping a high price on Barry despite him entering the last year of his contract).  I must confess that some people have a very strange notion of how to achieve progress.  Selling one of our proven and established best players in hopes that we'll get some in to fill his boots is not the path to league success.

O´Neill can say what he wants, but the reality of football is very different. A player with only one year of contract and leaving desires is not the best business for the seller club.
Villa asks for 20 million, Benitez says 0 cause I can get him free the next year,
so the final prize: aprox. 10 million.

The problem would be if Chelsea or another team hind the operation and makes Barry more expensive, but the last word is always for the player.

[bigmick]

I just can't on with this idea that we've just come out of a three month spell which saw us play the best football we've played for 20 years, and people are all up for ripping it apart and starting again. I don't buy this idea that we need an attacking midfielder, we've already got the best one in the Premiership as it is but we don't need to play him there. It seems as clear to me as the nose on your face that if Gerrard and Torres are fit, scoring goals is not going to be a problem, it's when one or both of them don't play that we have issues.

I've said it a few times now, but I think we coluld sign absolutely nobody and still go very close injuries permitting. This really isn't the time I don't think to be going for any radical overhauls, and we should move heaven and earth to keep Alonso. If he does leave, who are we going to sign to replace him? we could sign Inniesta, and although he's a lovely footballer, he may not take to the Premiership. Even if he does, by the time he gets the hang of it the Mancs and Chelsea will be specks on the horizon. We could sign Barry, he's a good player and much better than many on here are giving him credit for, but he's not going to gel with Masherano from game one.

Look, if this season has taught us anything it's that each and every game counts. Make no mistake about it, we've given the Mancs the scare of their lives this season, and next time around they'll be keeping a very close eye on us. We WILL NOT beat them home and away next season, and we are going to have to be uber efficient against the smaller teams. If we have Burnley Away on the first weekend of the season, any stupid fecker comes on here and tells me it's a good point if we don't win the game will get it with both barrels. I've had three years of "I don't believe this place"'s, but we all know now what it takes so feck off with all that.

It takes from minute one of game one for us to be up for winning it. No fecking about, no delayed gazelles, no experimental formations against the lesser lights and no new signings in central midfield who are going to take two months to get the hang of things unless we can physically help it. Anybody who thinks Alonso's contribution this season wasn't absolutely pivotal to our success needs to get some videos out and watch it again.

[bunglemark2]

I just can't on with this idea that we've just come out of a three month spell which saw us play the best football we've played for 20 years, and people are all up for ripping it apart and starting again. I don't buyt his idea that we need an attacking midfielder, we've already got the best one in the Premiership as it is but we don't need to play him there. It seems as clear to me as the nose on your face that if Gerrard and Torres are fit, scoring goals is not going to be a problem, it's when one or both of them don't play that we have issues.

I've said it a few times now, but I think we coluld sign absolutely nobody and still go very close injuries permitting. This really isn't the time I don't think to be going for any radical overhauls, and we should move heaven and earth to keep Alonso. If he does leave, who are we going gto sign to replace him? we could sign Inniesta, and although he's a lovely footballer, he may not take to the Premiership. Even if he does, by the time he gets the hang of it the Mancs and Chelsea will be specks on the horizon. We could sign Barry, he's a good player and much better than many on here are giving him credit for, but he's not going to gel with Masherano from game one.

Look, if this season has taught us anything it's that each and every game counts. Make no mistake about it, we've given the Mancs the scare of their lives this season, and next time around they'll be keeping a very close eye on us. We WILL NOT beat them home and away next season, and we are going to have to be uber efficient against the smaller teams. If we have Burnley Away on the first weekend of the season, any stupid fecker comes on here and trells me it's a good point if we don't win the game will get it with both barrels. I've had three years of "I don't believe this place"'s, but we all know now what it takes.

It takes from minute one of game one for us to be up for winning it. No fecking about, no delayed gazelles, no experimental formations against the lesser lights and no new signings in central midfield who are going to take two months to get the hang of things. Anybody who thinks Alonso's contribution this season wasn't absolutely pivotal to our success needs to get some videos out and watch it again.

Mate, I don't think anybody is advocating we rip up the formsheet and start again. It's more a case of "what id Alonso leaves...", "what if SG or Torres gets injured....", "who will step in to the fray and allow us to play as if nothing has happened (within reason)...".....

You only have to look at who the manc scum can throw on from the bench if one of their stars is injured (during a match, short term, or long term), and we generally don't have an equivalent Plan B.

[Ola Mr Benitez]

For me the only way we can make this work is to buy Tevez and drop Gerrard back into the center of the park alongside Mascha.

We would still have Stevie bursting forward and scoring goals and have Tevez getting his share and working his bollox off.

I still don't get why people would still advocate dropping Gerrard back in the centre of midfield, yet he has had his best scoring seasons on the right and supporting Torres.

People bang on about playing 4-4-2 even though hardly any of the top teams do so.

Why I suggest this is simple.. Who are we going to get to fill the role of Alonso WHEN he leaves?  Maybe we could play Lucas next to Mascha??

Only a season ago, everyone was saying that Gerrards best position is in the middle.. For me moving him back means we still have the best midfield in the Premiership and I belive Tevez is good enough to slot into our team in the same position as Gerrard has been playing this year (who said anything about 442??)

It would be a similar set up as this year except we may score more goals from Midfield.

If we do not do this, what are our options.  We will need to replace Alonso..  Do you think Barry is up to it? or do we bring in a player from outside the Premisrship and give him a year to get used to it?

[bigmick]

Well I think whether or not he leaves mark we'll be signing Barry so there will be some cover at least. Aplogies to the Babelians, but Babel must surely be on his way meaning that the only cover we have on the left is the fishmonger, so signing Barry would effectively kill two birds with one stone. It never ceases to amaze me though that some fans (not you mate) will instantly abandon previous positions on players and situations once it becomes a possibility that the manager has decided to do something.

So quickly do people alter their stance, it's hard to keep up with it sometimes.

[Ola Mr Benitez]

By the way, just to be clear.. I dont want Alonso to go.. I'm justthinking of a contingency that gives us a fighting chance

[GYBS]

I just can't on with this idea that we've just come out of a three month spell which saw us play the best football we've played for 20 years, and people are all up for ripping it apart and starting again. I don't buy this idea that we need an attacking midfielder, we've already got the best one in the Premiership as it is but we don't need to play him there. It seems as clear to me as the nose on your face that if Gerrard and Torres are fit, scoring goals is not going to be a problem, it's when one or both of them don't play that we have issues.

I've said it a few times now, but I think we coluld sign absolutely nobody and still go very close injuries permitting. This really isn't the time I don't think to be going for any radical overhauls, and we should move heaven and earth to keep Alonso. If he does leave, who are we going to sign to replace him? we could sign Inniesta, and although he's a lovely footballer, he may not take to the Premiership. Even if he does, by the time he gets the hang of it the Mancs and Chelsea will be specks on the horizon. We could sign Barry, he's a good player and much better than many on here are giving him credit for, but he's not going to gel with Masherano from game one.

Look, if this season has taught us anything it's that each and every game counts. Make no mistake about it, we've given the Mancs the scare of their lives this season, and next time around they'll be keeping a very close eye on us. We WILL NOT beat them home and away next season, and we are going to have to be uber efficient against the smaller teams. If we have Burnley Away on the first weekend of the season, any stupid fecker comes on here and tells me it's a good point if we don't win the game will get it with both barrels. I've had three years of "I don't believe this place"'s, but we all know now what it takes so feck off with all that.

It takes from minute one of game one for us to be up for winning it. No fecking about, no delayed gazelles, no experimental formations against the lesser lights and no new signings in central midfield who are going to take two months to get the hang of things unless we can physically help it. Anybody who thinks Alonso's contribution this season wasn't absolutely pivotal to our success needs to get some videos out and watch it again.

we need a different type of attacking midfielder than what he have in gerrard - he uses his power as opposed to little trickery and cleverness and pace and dribbling - thats an aspect we are missing and something silva could add along with gerrards power torres clinicalness , kuyts workrate ,mashers ball winning ability and xabis passing and coolness . I think its what he hoped keane would bring

[Alex G.]

One thing is clear, if the next season we play with 2 strikers (Torres and Tevez) and one midfielder so prolific as Barry, we´re gonna be much more offensive team. And of course more aggressive and effective against the small clubs and their deep defences, our weak spot.

[GYBS]

Barry prolific ??!? in what sense ??

[bigmick]

My opinion is that Silva will not last five minutes in the Premiership, they'll kick him to pieces. I hope against hope that we don't sign him, I think it would be a disaster, Silvagate if you like.

[Alex G.]

Barry prolific ??!? in what sense ??

Scoring goals and attacking game.

[Alex G.]

My opinion is that Silva will not last five minutes in the Premiership, they'll kick him to pieces. I hope against hope that we don't sign him, I think it would be a disaster, Silvagate if you like.

Don´t be led by appearances Mick, he´s small but hard.