Liverpool FC Forum

by **Effes** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:46 am

s@int wrote:I heard today the first rumour that Xabi is off

Where did you hear that S@int?

by **Sabre** » Mon May 07, 2007 8:12 am

Ok, you're right, mine were petty arguements -- I had to check you were not joking .

You say it's a fact "Rafa basically dropped" him, when you have on front of you the fact that Rafa played from the start Alonso in Stamford Bridge, and gave him more than 60 minutes in the second leg. Not to mention the game of the premiership he played between two games. Hardly "basically dropped him"

You simply don't give that kind of confidence to a player you don't count with or you've dropped. Those were the most important matches this season so far.

Then, I'd reffer to Xabi's game, but if you cannot see that, I can't help you. But I can help you though with another FACT: Xabi Alonso was one of the 5 men to go shoot the penalties. AFAICT coaches take several things to pick those 5 men: a) Expertise in penalties b) How fit they are at that moment of the game c) His state of confidence.

By no means you'd pick a player who has his mind somewhere else or "is something wrong with him". You could argue that Alonso was more fit as he played less minutes and he was picked then by B), but if you see his penalty, he didn't choose location, he gave it strenght, he didn't care Czec guessing the orientation, and you need confidence for that.

P.S. Like Effes, I'd also like to know the sources of S@int's rumour.

by **Effes** » Mon May 07, 2007 8:19 am

Going against the grain here, but IF it meant getting a top class
winger/striker in return I'd accept that.

by **112-1077774096** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:04 am

Sabre wrote:but if you see his penalty, he didn't choose location, he gave it strenght, he didn't care Czec guessing the orientation, and you need confidence for that.

you think blasting a penalty shows more confidence that placing the ball, and then you say i know nothing.

listen sabre its obvious whats going on here, you attempt to wind me up, we have a slanging match and i am the bad man again, not going to happen, just give it a rest, at least if alonso goes you may go with him to support whoever he plays for next and start calling them "us"

you will not win this, i wont get drawn into a slanging match with you, if you wish to continue with the abuse like your pm you just sent me then please feel free, people may get to see the real you.

by **Sabre** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:06 am

you think blasting a penalty shows more confidence that placing the ball, and then you say i know nothing.

A perfectly taken penalty, end of. Well oriented, with a lot of power, unstoppable.

by **66-1112520797** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:32 am

s@int wrote:I heard today the first rumour that Xabi is off I hope to god its not true, but supposedly a deal involving a Spanish striker(Eto'o, Torres or Villa ?) and Xabi has already been agreed in principle. The fact that Xabi was one of the few first team regulars to play against both Fulham and Portsmouth only increases my concerns. We should not be selling or part exchanging our best players.

Hopefully its all cr@p and once Xabi sees the size of the contract on offer he snatches Parry's hand off and signs for another 5 years.

This rumour is probably as reliable as one of Welsh Wizards by the way

Lets hope its one of Welshys rumours :lookaround

Wasnt he one of the five players being offered a new contract ?

Mind you possibly the more sceptical supporter might think otherwise. You can read all you want into things like this, but Peewee may have a point. I dont think his forms been brilliant all season, well not like last years anyway. And I think I know what you mean Peewee when you say something doesnt see right with him.

But, sorry to point out the obvious but Rafa does like to rotate. Maybe its just that. Afterall we have brought in Mascha who does exactly the same job, and maybe Rafa thought Xabi could do with a rest. I read somewhere, that he is quite slow on recovery after football matches. But then again if you rest him against Chelsea, why play him against Fulham and Pompey ?

I dont know, but its inevitable that if a high profile player is rested or played in a "weakened" side rumours will fly out of the wood work.

by **yckatbjywtbiastkamb** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:01 am

i cant see rafa selling xavi, he regards him too high as a footballer and a person.
no doubt there`s a list of players rafa probably does want to ship out but i seriously doubt alonso`s name is on that list.
the only scenario were i could see alonso leaving is if either barca or real came in for him and he himself really fancied the idea of playing for one of those two giants.
the idea of good management is to sell your weaker players and keep your better ones.

by **kunilson** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:16 am

xabi is a great player, the last two seasons he was magnificent for us.....alright he hasn't got much consistancy going this season at all but usually he is someone rafa can depend on in BIG games...and we have precious few players like that.
I heard he was in talks for a long-term contract, but ive also heard "rumours" he may be off to barca and such....a pity if it does happen but at the end of the day its up to him and our team.

by **babu** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:35 am

yckatbjywtbiastkamb wrote:the idea of good management is to sell your weaker players and keep your better ones.

Don't get me wrong. I really like alonso.

But thats (see quote) not nescessarily the case. Wasn't Ruud Van Horseface one of the better plays for Manchester when he was sold? and didn't Fergie come under a lot of criticism when he was sold. Turned out to be a masterstroke.

by **112-1077774096** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:42 am

what i am saying about his attitude is visible, i have noticed when we are playing he seems to be squaring up to players and complaining a lot, at times its to the detriment of the team, i dont know but the attitude always seems to be against lesser players and seems to be how dare you'.

anyway the reason he got the headbut on saturday was because he once again squared up to someone but this time he got butted. when i say squaring up i mean he is standing up and pushing players, this is something he hasnt done previously, whether its because he has dropped below mash in the pecking order at the moment or whether its because he is being played in the lesser games while other big names are rested i dont know, or whether its because he is on his way out i dont know, but to me he looks disinterested a lot of the time.

anyway it wont be long before we find out.

just a note, at no point do i say alonso is a bad player before anyone starts saying i am, i am pointing out an attitude only

by **metalhead** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:42 am

Losing Alonso will be a huge loss! We will lose his creativity, his dictating tempo and especially his passes. I for one think if he was indeed sold then we should find a replacement for him quickly that have the similar elements, i.e arteta and guti. If we don't replace him then we are in serious trouble.

by **112-1077774096** » Mon May 07, 2007 10:44 am

babu wrote:
yckatbjywtbiastkamb wrote:the idea of good management is to sell your weaker players and keep your better ones.

Don't get me wrong. I really like alonso.

But thats (see quote) not nescessarily the case. Wasn't Ruud Van Horseface one of the better plays for Manchester when he was sold? and didn't Fergie come under a lot of criticism when he was sold. Turned out to be a masterstroke.

yeah lets remember we sold owen, we were close to selling gerrard, we didnt want to sell him but sadly in this day and age if the player wants to go then they normally go

by **yckatbjywtbiastkamb** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:12 am

babu wrote:
yckatbjywtbiastkamb wrote:the idea of good management is to sell your weaker players and keep your better ones.

Don't get me wrong. I really like alonso.

But thats (see quote) not nescessarily the case. Wasn't Ruud Van Horseface one of the better plays for Manchester when he was sold? and didn't Fergie come under a lot of criticism when he was sold. Turned out to be a masterstroke.

that was different mate, ferguson didnt engineer the move, he and van nistelrooy just fell out over allegedly van nistelrooys attitude to ronaldo.
remember v.nistelrooy and ronaldo having a punch up in training and remember van nistelrooy leaving old trafford before a live match shown on sky t.v to go home when he learnt he wasnt in the starting 11.
that incident embarresed ferguson no end because the camera`s were there to see ruud storm off in a huff.
remember van nistelrooy walking off the pitch with a cob on at cardiff when united had won the carling cup not wanting to celebrate with his team mates?
ferguson probably didnt want to lose van nistelrooy but the clash of personality`s between nistelroy and ronaldo was so bad he had to make a decision.
and as with most of these situations when there`s blood in the water at football clubs other clubs come circling like sharks making the situation worse.
madrid were one of those sharks.
city have got the same thing with barton now, one clubs missfortune is manna from heaven to other clubs looking to pick up quality players on the cheap.

by **redtrader74** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:14 am

peewee wrote:what i am saying about his attitude is visible, i have noticed when we are playing he seems to be squaring up to players and complaining a lot, at times its to the detriment of the team, i dont know but the attitude always seems to be against lesser players and seems to be how dare you'.

anyway the reason he got the headbut on saturday was because he once again squared up to someone but this time he got butted. when i say squaring up i mean he is standing up and pushing players, this is something he hasnt done previously, whether its because he has dropped below mash in the pecking order at the moment or whether its because he is being played in the lesser games while other big names are rested i dont know, or whether its because he is on his way out i dont know, but to me he looks disinterested a lot of the time.

anyway it wont be long before we find out.

just a note, at no point do i say alonso is a bad player before anyone starts saying i am, i am pointing out an attitude only

The attitude you describe shows he does give a 5hit, and wants to win.
How the hell can you blame HIM for getting headbutted? That idiot was pushing players all game, esp off the ball, Xabi was pushed he turned around, so what? thats what all players do, and the cun7 buttted him.
He hasn't played aswell as he can this year, but squaring up and complaining probably shows he has become comfortable in the league.
I wish sometimes the players would show a bit of agression and help out team mates, other teams would have piled in had their team mate been butted.

by **SouthCoastShankly** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:23 am

Listen every player has career defining times and Xabi is going through one now. Very few players peform consistently year after year and along with Sissoko I feel Alonso is going through a sticky patch - a combination of poor performances and competing players playing better.

The best players fight through these times and their true pedigree shines through. I personally don't think either Alonso or Sissoko will start the CL cup final. Why should they? Based on form both Gerrard and Mascherano are a lot better. Obviously this will disappoint Alonso and Sissoko but they have to persevere and fight for that starting place. I'm confident they'll do that and Rafa will have one almighty headache next season with 4 quality centre-mid's fighting for a starting place.

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