Liverpool FC Forum

[JBG]

Do you speak Eeengleeeesh?

[Fo Dne]

One of our best players wants to stay and people are asking if its a good idea?

What the is this place comming to?

[Thingy]

Bruna? Hes one of our most promising youngsters, hes only 17, only had a handful of games for the reserves, and you want him gone? So when we bring in a new player this summer if he has a shocker id imagine youd want him out, too?

[account deleted by request]

One of our best players wants to stay and people are asking if its a good idea?

What the is this place comming to?

Used to be one of our best players Stu. When was the last time he was M.O.M. OR EVEN IN THE FIRST 3 ? He has struggled ever since he was injured before the 2006 FA cup final.

He is still a great passer of the ball but too often now he is pressured out of the game. Either we need to change the way we play by bringing in better wide players, or bring in someone who will compete better in midfield. Personally I would prefer Gerrard and Masch in CM and I think if thats Rafa's choice, Alonso will go.

[SundanceKid]

Does anyone else think Joey Barton should be in Liverpool? [Hopes this doesn't backfire] Him and Alonso could often rotate as they don't have too much of a different style. Both have the potential to be lethal attackers, but can play strongly in the middle of the pitch as well.

[bigmick]

Does anyone else think Joey Barton should be in Liverpool?

Joey Barton is a good player. He has a good engine, an eye for goal and can pass it as well. Unfortunately he is an idiot so we won't touch him, and nor should we.

[Owzat]

Does anyone else think Joey Barton should be in Liverpool?

Joey Barton is a good player. He has a good engine, an eye for goal and can pass it as well. Unfortunately he is an idiot so we won't touch him, and nor should we.

He's an idiot that is banned from going into Liverpool, might make selecting him for home games a bit of a problem! 

I wouldn't sign him, he's not so good a player that you overlook his flaws. And he'd cost more than he's worth.

And as for Alonso staying, if he goes then it should be for a sizeable fee and he's not so pivotal to our team. If it were Agger/Skrtel, Carra, Gerrard, Mascherano or Torres then maybe it would be a major loss. And that short list is worrying in itself, that we have so few pivotal players despite all our spending. You could argue a case for one or two others like Reina, but in truth we could survive without Reina. Replacing those named would cost a huge amount

[Owzat]

One of our best players wants to stay and people are asking if its a good idea?

One of our best ten players, doesn't necessarily make him irreplacable and money can always be handy. We can cope without him, we did earlier in the season and now we have Mascherano it makes Alonso less pivotal.

I was interested by a caller to 606 who suggested Dion Dublin was "one of the best man utd players ever". I laughed, even I can name 10 players from just the past 15 years who were more important to the mancs without much effort - Ronaldo, Robson, Cantona, Stam, Vidic, Van Nistelrooy, Keane, Beckham, Scholes, Giggs. It was a remark made simply because Dublin retired, it didn't actually involve a great deal of thought because you can add half a dozen greats to that without even trying.

Point? People use expressions like "one of the best" or "world class" etc without much meaning. I'm "one of the best" posters on this forum, could mean anything. I might be in the top ten, top 100, top 1000 or kidding myself (I don't care, it's just an example) When you think about a comment using that phrase you normally find it is too ambiguous or rubbish, I reckon there are at least half a dozen more important players and in a squad of 24 then outside or just outside the top 25% isn't exactly massive. Top three players or top 10% would be impressive, but Torres and Gerrard hold the top two slots and I doubt Alonso would come in third in many people's voting

[stmichael]

Personally, I think he might leave in the summer.

Feel a bit sorry for the guy though. Despite being below par this season, some of the stick he has been getting has been way over the top. Xabi's game depends a lot on the wings and we haven't had an concrete option on the either flank for ages.

[Owzat]

I take what players and managers say about staying with a pinch of salt, it will be tested when bids come in and the club may choose to sell him just as much as he decides to go. Did fat sam think he was going to be going to Newcastle when they were looking for a manager? Did he think he'd be leaving just as quickly? We'll see if a £15m+ bid comes in, the two most likely to make tempting bids are big enough to pay over the odds if they really want him.

[Sabre]

Perhaps the Mascherano vs Alonso debate, and the "below par the last two seasons" mantra have prevented some members from looking the big picture here.

You might prefer Mascherano, and you might miss first season Alonso, but Alonso is still one of the best players of the team. The CM position is the most expensive place in the team and Alonso has fierce competition, but if we take the squad as a whole he's still one of the best.

If you don't believe me, believe the market. Does someone honestly think that Barcelona or Madrid would come and pay more money for Lucas, Skrtel, Carra, Hyypia, Kewell, Crouch, Voronin, Benayoun, Fabio Aurelio, Arbeloa and a long etc? No they wouldn't, Alonso is more expensive than them. Why? not because he's pretty, but because he's one of the most expensive players. After Gerrard and Torres (goals are expensive), who are the most expensive and valuable players right now?, Mascherano and Alonso IMHO. So, Alonso is still one of the best in this squad.

[JC_81]

Perhaps the Mascherano vs Alonso debate, and the "below par the last two seasons" mantra have prevented some members from looking the big picture here.

You might prefer Mascherano, and you might miss first season Alonso, but Alonso is still one of the best players of the team. The CM position is the most expensive place in the team and Alonso has fierce competition, but if we take the squad as a whole he's still one of the best.

If you don't believe me, believe the market. Does someone honestly think that Barcelona or Madrid would come and pay more money for Lucas, Skrtel, Carra, Hyypia, Kewell, Crouch, Voronin, Benayoun, Fabio Aurelio, Arbeloa and a long etc? No they wouldn't, Alonso is more expensive than them. Why? not because he's pretty, but because he's one of the most expensive players. After Gerrard and Torres (goals are expensive), who are the most expensive and valuable players right now?, Mascherano and Alonso IMHO. So, Alonso is still one of the best in this squad.

He's probably one of our most expensive assets, but that's more to do with reputation than performance levels.

His performances for the last 2 seasons at least have been laboured.  To me he doesn't look like someone who is enjoying his football, and if that's the case we should cash in on him while he's still young enough to warrant a 12-15 million fee.

I would love him to get back to his best for us, but I've been waiting for about 2 years.  If we leave it any longer then I think there is more chance of his value depreciating than there is of him re-discovering his form.  To me it makes sense to sell him this summer.

[account deleted by request]

What is the point of having such an expensive player sat on the bench for most of the season? If Rafa decides to go 4-4-2 and chooses Masch and Gerrard or decides to go 4-2-3-1 and chooses  Barry and Masch? Its nice to have talented expensive players on the bench but even nicer to have them on the field. If Rafa has decided to replace/suppliment/change our midfield it looks likely that Alonso will be the odd one out to me.

Masch and Gerrard should be cast iron certs, while Lucas is probably safe as well. Who does that leave? It just depends how Rafa sees the formation and whether Alonso is willing to spend more time on the bench if he's the odd one out.

Then comes the all important question of whether we could strengthen in other areas while not really weakening the one area that we all agree we are strongest in, by selling /swopping an expensive player for maybe a creative second striker or winger. 

I have never hidden my preferrence for 4-4-2 but its up to Rafa not me.


Goodbye kiss ?

[Thinkpad]

Lucas... Is he really as good as he was made up to be?
I don't know... So far I am not convinced yet..
In fact I am more certained that he won't be a great Liverpool player than otherwise. He comes with a reputation, but not only he has failed to live up to it he has failed to impress. Great players need not play well all the time, but they must have many moments of brilliance.. Alas, he has almost none.

As usual Rafa will play him, persist with him and then realised (finally) he is really no good then sell him. So after next season, he probably won't be here. Till now, he better improve, else don't waste our time.

[NANNY RED]

There yeh go Sabs im made up

From The TimesMay 15, 2008

Xabi Alonso pledges to fight for his Anfield future James Ducker


Gareth Barry has stated his case to be allowed to join Liverpool in talks with Martin O'Neill, the Aston Villa manager, but if the England midfield player succeeds in securing a move to Merseyside, Xabi Alonso does not intend to be the man to make way for a new arrival.

Alonso's future at Liverpool is uncertain, with Rafael Benítez prepared to consider selling the 26-year-old to a Spanish or Italian club to raise funds for reinforcements, but if the Spain midfield player has his way he will stay at Anfield.

“I think I will be here next season even if Barry comes,” Alonso said yesterday. “He would bring good competition and he would be more than welcome. He can play different positions and if he plays in midfield then I could play with him. I have no problem with that. My situation is that I am a Liverpool player and I am very happy here. I signed a new contract last year and that meant I wanted to stay.”

Benítez spoke to Alonso on Saturday after reports in a Spanish newspaper that the player was a target for Real Madrid. “He never told me he wanted me to stay because he doesn't need to tell me that,” Alonso said. “He just wanted to clarify something the story had said. If he wanted me to leave I would prefer him to be honest and say, ‘Xabi, we are thinking about other players and you are not going to play that much.' Then I would look for a different option. But he still thinks I can play an important role.”

O'Neill, who has been irked by Benítez's approach to transfer negotiations, maintains that Barry will be staying at Villa Park. “We've spoken to Gareth and everyone wishes very strongly that he will stay,” the Villa manager said. “The main aim for the chairman and me is to try and keep Gareth at the club.”