Liverpool FC Forum

by **Bad Bob** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:18 pm

No question, Sabre.

In fact, I think Xabi's one of our most assured tacklers. He gets stuck in good and proper! In another thread a few weeks back someone (can't remember who) made a great comment about the number of pinpoint, goal-saving tackles that Xabi makes in his own penalty area. The commentator stated something to the effect of seeing the player make the tackle, looking closer expecting to see Carra's number, and then realizing it was Xabi!

So, I certainly didn't mean to suggest that Momo does all the work of breaking up play in midfield--that's a key, if rather unsung, part of Xabi's game too!

by **redmikey** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:22 pm

great read this thread

alot of people have stated in the past that these two great mid fielders xabi and SG can't play together.

I feel that xabi game has adapted quicker to the prem than any other overseas player we have brought to the club, at the moment the midfield has been balanced because SG has been out on the right doing a great job and leaving the middle to momo and xabi. The headlines will always be won by our tailsman because that is how the press work, xabi has had maybe three below his par of game all season but when SG is not there he has taken the midfield as his own which is great to see.

next season he could be sliding balls through to SG who will play a more advanced role and picking out the wide players that rafa craves... gonsalez,simowetc etc

rafa will mould this team in to a class outfit which we are on the door step of at the moment, no cheating,spitting horrible diving sh'ites just world class footballers at a world class club

by **Bad Bob** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 7:35 pm

I love it that Stevie gets all the press...it takes the spotlight off Xabi and perhaps encourages teams to forget about him a little. In fact, a commentator for Saturday's game wondered what on earth WBA were thinking giving Xabi that much time and space on the ball in the first half...didn't they know how deadly he could be when he's able to get his head up and pick out his pass?

I also find it interesting how much attention the London press are lavishing on wunderkind Fabregas. Don't get me wrong, the kid has talent to burn. The interesting thing is that he's this season's Xabi--a Spanish midfield import who's tearing up the league and CL with his creative playmaking. With Cesc's star rising, perhaps some people will make the mistake of regarding Xabi as yesterday's news...which will suit me down to the ground if it means they start taking him for granted.

by **Sabre** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:10 pm

I also find it interesting how much attention the London press are lavishing on wunderkind Fabregas. Don't get me wrong, the kid has talent to burn. The interesting thing is that he's this season's Xabi--a Spanish midfield import who's tearing up the league and CL with his creative playmaking. With Cesc's star rising, perhaps some people will make the mistake of regarding Xabi as yesterday's news...which will suit me down to the ground if it means they start taking him for granted.

I agree. Fabregas is a player a la Xabi (Barcelona Xabi), yes he's creative, yes he has talent, but I'm pretty sure Arsenal has lost many games in the midfield this year, and the key to that, is that Fabregas is not Viera defending, whatsoever.

Because of this, I find that Alonso is a far more complete and better player than Cesc.

by **anti-hero** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 9:51 pm

Well then I guess the term "one man team" is history now...

by **Lando_Griffin** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 3:44 am

For me, Xabi is our best player bar none. He doesn't score as many goals as Stevie, but he has nowhere near the amount of shots/freedom Gerrard does.

I know that Stevie would be voted as the favourite, along with Fowler (my personal FAVOURITE player) and JC. But for sheer ability, I rate Alonso even higher than these three.
I have always loved to watch accurate long-distance passes, creative vision, and the technique to dispossess the opposition without going to ground, and Xabi encompasses all of this and more.

Don't get me wrong - I rate Gerrard very highly - I honestly feel we have the best two CM's in the World.

The question of whether they can play together or not is a good one.
I have an inkling that for all the adaption shown by Xabi, maybe Stevie has hindered this process by failing to adapt himself.

I will wager that the formation which would best suit them both as they currently are is this:

Reina

JC Sami Agger

Kromkamp Riise
Sissoko
Alonso

Gerrard

Crouch
Fowler

I would love to see them both play at the top of their game in a 3-5-2 formation.

We would wipe the floor with any team in Europe, including Barca.

by **Espionage** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:29 am

Put Hamann in for Sissoko and you will see Alonso play alot better. Nothing against Sissoko, I believe that already he a better player than Hamann but the point is that Sissoko is not a defensive midfielder. Bad Bob said it well: Sissoko disrupting the opposition's play and wins the ball with Xabi lurking nearby, ready waiting to put us on the offensive.
Momo, Stevie and Alonso have many years playing togeather ahead of them and I think that Rafa is getting Alonso used to that defensive role/pass maker as it provides better balance for the other 2.
I love your formation Lando and I hope that is what Rafa uses for the rest of the season but switch Alonso and Momo will be better.

by **Lando_Griffin** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:42 am

Espionage wrote:Put Hamann in for Sissoko and you will see Alonso play alot better. Nothing against Sissoko, I believe that already he a better player than Hamann but the point is that Sissoko is not a defensive midfielder. Bad Bob said it well: Sissoko disrupting the opposition's play and wins the ball with Xabi lurking nearby, ready waiting to put us on the offensive.
Momo, Stevie and Alonso have many years playing togeather ahead of them and I think that Rafa is getting Alonso used to that defensive role/pass maker as it provides better balance for the other 2.
I love your formation Lando and I hope that is what Rafa uses for the rest of the season but switch Alonso and Momo will be better.

Well I suppose it makes no real difference switching the two. Either way, Sissoko would keep the opposition off Xabi while he spreads the play and controls the tempo of the game.

It has to be said that we have a truely magnificent midfield. :buttrock

by **66-1112520797** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 7:06 am

Sabre wrote:Both players are perfectly compatible.

I think both players are compatible but not perfectly, the reason being is that when both are playing through the middle Alonso instantly becomes the holding midfielder.
Which isnt nessacerily a bad thing, but this is what I was trying to say first time around. We dont get to see the the creative Alonso roaming forward as much and threading the balls through to the attackers, shooting etc etc.... He tends to sit deeper and ping his passes around infront of the back four.

I think Rafa could get more from his game, even if its a little more license to roam further forward. Like I said before he seems to have more impact in a game when Gerrard isnt playing, he becomes the hub of the midfield and is able to dictate the tempo of a game through his style and passing.

Like many others have said having Sissoko in the team, isnt just a fantastic buy but a blessing to.
Sissoko isnt a natural holding midfielder on the contray he's like gazelle on amphetimenes

he's all over the place.
But by having him starting through the middle with Xabi,this would give Alonso that little more freedom to get forward and put his authority on a game and not just Gerrards.
All this could happen providing Alonso and Sissoko communicate.
i.e one would need to be wary of the other and sit back and fill the gap while the other has gone forward.(Maybe Sissoko may have to be a little more disciplined in his positional play but thats not a bad thing).
Having that extra midfielder of Alonso's quality from time to time in the final third would improve our chances of breaking teams down more.
And of course Gerrard starts out on the right, bombing down the flank or cutting inside, providing decent crosses.
(Gerrard could easily make Beckham look like the average player he is out on the right).

That way we can get to see the best of both Alonso and Gerrard.

by **zarababe** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 12:03 pm

Alonso and Sissoko's performances are evidence that Gerrard can be rested without mass panic ensuing and worries about where the drive and skill from midfield will come to split defences, create chances and score !

Sissoko, is proving to be a vital cog, how lucky are we that he joined us not them 'bitters'

by **stmichael** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 1:19 pm

Lando_Griffin wrote:I have an inkling that for all the adaption shown by Xabi, maybe Stevie has hindered this process by failing to adapt himself.

last season i would have agreed with you but i think we have seen a marked improvement in gerrard this season from a tactical point of view. in the past he was guilty of charging around like a headless chicken trying to do about three players jobs.

having said that, i raised the issue a while back about the balance of our midfield in general. in a 4-4-2 i still feel that sissoko and alonso works better as a combination than alonso and gerrard.

it would be interesting to see how many games alonso and gerrard have actually played together centrally in a 4-4-2 because it cant be that many.

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