Liverpool FC Forum

[Bad Bob]

People are not looking at the big picture. We dont have a lot of money and need more quality in other positions we are not so strong in at the moment. Alonso can only play where he plays now and Barry can fill 3 positions so if you can have someone come in and do the job for half the money then why not take it? Of course I don't want Xabi to go but you cant have it both ways. We need strength in depth more than anything else.

People are not looking at the big picture.  We finished within touching distance of the Mancs thanks in large part to having a settled spine full of quality players who did their jobs at or near the top reaches of their ability.  In that context, how is selling one of those key players good policy?  I don't care how much revenue it generates for other transfers or how likely it is that we would be able to sign someone else who might eventually fill the hole we've created.  When you come as close as we did to winning the title you don't look to sell top performers.  If sufficient transfer funds can't be raised by selling fringe players and from the owners reaching into their pockets in order to improve on the existing personnel I'd prefer us to stick to what we have and give it another go.  Tinkering with the spine of the team at this stage is madness. 

[GYBS]

100% spot on there bob - agree with every single word of that

[Alex G.]

some people here don´t Know who is Carlos Tevez..

[Bad Bob]

The question here is not Alonso vs Barry,

The question here is (according to the reports) that selling Alonso we can use the money and sign Tevez and Barry at the same time.

Of course, the ideal situation would be to have all of them but I fear that´s impossible.

Probably Alonso is better than Barry and we would suffer with his absence in any areas of the game, but with the acquisition of Tevez, it´s a bargain, we can´t pass up that opportunity .

There's a lot of assumptions embedded into this tidy little scenario, not least of which has to do with how much we would get for Alonso and how much we would have to pay for both Tevez and Barry.  Add to that the fact that we might first have to offload Alonso in order to have the money in hand to buy the other two and it gets complicated.  What happens if it drags on a bit and we approach training without all the dealing done?  Over and above everything else, it presumes that Tevez and Barry come in and slot in just fine.  They're fine players and model professionals so they'll probably do just that but what if they don't?  How much will we lose by selling a guy that not only knows our system but who, in large measure, helps make it work?  Will we expect Barry to be able to step right into that void and run the show or will there be a significant "getting to know each other" period where we run the risk of dropping points and falling off the pace?  Not meaning to sound hysterical or anything but I do think these are legitimate issues to consider (actual transfer fees, time it takes to seal the transfers and the bedding in time for the new lads).

No, for me, we run the risk of shooting ourselves in the foot if we move Alonso on--no matter who we get in return.  If he insists on leaving then, by all means, lets play it your way and use the funds to go after Barry and Tevez but, if not, lets see if there's another way to add quality to the squad without bleeding it of its best players.

[woof woof !]

mc allister was great for us as he came in on a freebie and we got two great seasons out of him - paying 10 mil on barry for us to not improve overall would be a waste as that money could be better used to other players that can improve us and be a STEP FORWARDS .

ie a short term fix on a free is good business - spending 10 odd million of a short term fix is wasting money that could easily be used elsewhere .

"Step Forwards"

Great soundbite GYBS, even though all steps forward in this game are partially into the unknown

Surely even you must recognise that £10 million for a proven England international with at least 5 seasons at the top flight left in his locker is no more of a gamble or detriment to the "future of the club" than frittering it about on another couple of youngsters with "potential"

[GYBS]

for me its a step backwards if it means he replaces xabi or if we spend 10 mil on him to sit on the bench and be back up for them when that 10 mil can be better spent on a more attacking force than barry ,
and alex we know who tevez is just would rather not sell xabi to fund him and would rather spend 20 mil on silva

[Alex G.]

Well  I´m just guiding by the reports.

The reports say that Benitez is absolute OBSESSED with Tevez (not in sexual way:D) and he needs the Alonso cash to approach him.
It´s obvious that Tevez never would cost more than 30 milions and Barry more than 10-12.

In any case, is Alonso who wants go and we can´t put a gun on his head and force him to stay.

[woof woof !]

for me its a step backwards if it means he replaces xabi or if we spend 10 mil on him to sit on the bench and be back up for them when that 10 mil can be better spent on a more attacking force than barry ,
and alex we know who tevez is just would rather not sell xabi to fund him and would rather spend 20 mil on silva

Well I've already stated that I wouldn't swap/sell Alonso to get Barry, maybe you couldn't be a'rsed to read that bit ? (i know reading other peoples posts can get a bit tedious  ). I'm addressing this discussion from the angle that maybe we could get Barry without selling Alonso.

As far as sitting on the bench is concerned, again, as I said earlier, I don't think that would be a problem for Barry, he would get more than his fair share of games. Considering all the competitions we're likely to progress in (all of them ! ) it would be an absolute boon to have a player of Barry's quality/versitility in the squad . Thinking back to last season, how many of us groaned when we saw Lucas/Spearing lining up or coming on ? . are you seriously suggesting Barry wouldn't have been a happier option ?

[GYBS]

but once again woof its my point of spending 10 mil on a back up when we need more ability in the forward area not the midfield area . Lucas or spearing coming on didnt loose us the title it was the lack of depth up front or wider areas . Now i would rather any money spent on barry would be better used on that area as opposed to an area where we have three world class players and two potentially very good players who have both played for us this season without it being a detrimental effect on the team .

[GYBS]

Well  I´m just guiding by the reports.

The reports say that Benitez is absolute OBSESSED with Tevez (not in sexual way:D) and he needs the Alonso cash to approach him.
It´s obvious that Tevez never would cost more than 30 milions and Barry more than 10-12.

In any case, is Alonso who wants go and we can´t put a gun on his head and force him to stay.

so your being guided by journos who are prob creating headlines as opposed to the manager himself who has said xabi is not for sale and he wants him to stay and xabi himself who has said he wants to stay

[Reg]

This threads just going round in circles now, its fair to say no one wants to sell him and that no one agrees selling him to buy Barry makes any sense. Buy Barry to add to the squad yes, or sell Lucas to buy Barry, but one for one. No.

No one has mentioned that we´re in a pretty sad position if we have to sell one of our best 3-4 players to reinforce the rest of the team - I dont see Ure, Chelsea or Arsenal doing that. Its probably hiding issues that haavent really been made public yet.

Tevez is interesting but he should be bought on the back of selling 3-4 weaker players, not from selling Alonso.

Thats all there is to say really.

[Alex G.]

Well  I´m just guiding by the reports.

The reports say that Benitez is absolute OBSESSED with Tevez (not in sexual way:D) and he needs the Alonso cash to approach him.
It´s obvious that Tevez never would cost more than 30 milions and Barry more than 10-12.

In any case, is Alonso who wants go and we can´t put a gun on his head and force him to stay.

so your being guided by journos who are prob creating headlines as opposed to the manager himself who has said xabi is not for sale and he wants him to stay and xabi himself who has said he wants to stay

Yes, the reports are just speculations, just like this conversation.

The only one who knows the truth is Rafa and Xabi.

[GYBS]

and what exactly has rafa and xabi said in the press - "not for sale " "not going anywhere " "wants to stay "

[NANNY RED]

Garreth Barry no where near the class of Xabi, completley different type of player an all. An as for Sticking Gerrard back in the middle , yes i know stevie is a mr play all over the shop an hell still be great , but even he cant do that Xabi role as good as him, Xabi is one of the best playmakers ive ever seen an for us to loose him would be suicide, Ive only ever seen another playmaker similar an Barca have got him, We are a much better footballing side with Xabi in the team imo.

We all know the perfect scenario would be to keep Xabi an have Barry in aswell. I cant understand this fixation Rafa has with Barry ,it baffles me, But to loose a world class player who as Bob has said is one of the spine of the team is fecking madness. We wont find another player like him unless we spend millions an raid Barca for Iniesta

An i still believe this Tevez buissness is a smokescreen to get up the drunks nose,

[Alex G.]

and what exactly has rafa and xabi said in the press - "not for sale " "not going anywhere " "wants to stay "

I like that innocence