Liverpool FC Forum

by **Scottbot** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:40 pm

It's really difficult to see where this one is going as far as Alonso and Mascherano's future lies. The speculation won't go away and neither player has said anything to indicate they see their futures at Anfield. It's inconcievable that we would or could let both players go but I wonder if the manager will want to keep two unhappy central midfielders at the club. It's clear that we are holding out for BIG money which is the right way to go in the current climate. If one is gonna go it seems most likely to be Alonso on the basis that we hawked him around to just about everyone last summer but if Mascherano's problem is family related then it could well be him. I wopnder if it's worth giving them both a bit of a pay-rise and see if that settels the situation?

Anyways, let's imagine they both go and the manager wants to stick with the 4-2-3-1 with Gerrard supporting Torres. Who would you replace these two two guys with?

My knowledge of European football isn't great but based on what I have seen i'd perhaps look to replace Mascherano with:

- Yaya Toure - I've been very impressed with this lad every time i've seen him. He doesn't look as physical or as quick as Masch but he looks more comfortable on the ball. A bit of a cross btween Alonso and Masch by the looks of him. It would also make sense if we ended up selling to Barca.

- Marcos Senna - Getting on a littel bit now but he's a cracking who wouldn't cost the earth and would leave some spare change for a forward.

Replacements for Alonso:

- Gareth Barry - It's simply ridiculous that we're in this position when Alonso's ready made replacement and the guy we chased all of last summer is now playing at Man City. It's unfathomable to me. Quite a few on here have moaned on about Barry going for the money but there wasn't anything in the press to suggest we even pursued him, it's bizarre.

- Andrea Pirlo - Am not sure how old he is now but I read he might be available the other day. Don't know for sure how he'd get on with the physical aspect but he's a class act and possesses a similar passing range as our Xabi. Deffo another quarterback.

I can't think of too many others tbh, was hoping you lot might have a few ideas.

If we were gonna go after a younger player I must admit i'm a BIG fan of young Jack Collison as West Ham, he's big, strong, a good passer and skillful, Gonna be a top player.

by **Alex G.** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:08 pm

I don´t Know any holdind midfielder in the world with the characteristics of Xabi Alonso, creativity, elegance and intelligence.

by **JC_81** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:10 pm

I think we'll be able to find a good central midfield replacement more easily than we will a good attacking player. Toure and Senna are decent shouts.

I'm not sure how much game time Flamini is getting in Italy, he could be an option. Likewise Mamadou Diarra at Madrid. Vieira's best days are behind him, but he's likely to move this summer and might be a cheap option for a season. Muntari might also be leaving Inter and Benitez was interested in him while he was at Portsmouth, although I personally don't rate him and think he's a poor passer. Alou Diarra, the player signed by Houllier that never played a game for us before being sold, has worked his way into the French set up and by all accounts improved a lot and might be good enough.

Closer to home I think Scott Brown at Celtic is a good player - good tackler, aggressive and great engine. SPL player of the year this season. I think he's seriously worth a look if we need a sitting midfielder who won't break the bank. Another option would be Jermaine Jenas - doesn't seen to get on with Redknapp at Spurs, seems to be stagnating at the moment and I can see him moving somewhere this summer. Is there really much difference between him and Barry as players? Not a great deal imo.

Realistically though, it'll be some Spaniard in his early 20's who none of us have heard of. I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing.

by **tubby** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:14 pm

I think Toure will be staying at Barca according to his agent. Wouldn't want Senna or Pirlo here unless they were free and even then their wage demands would be high. Id rather we try someone English like Cattermole or Muamba.

by **GYBS** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:25 pm

Senna is 32 now - why would you spend the 10 mil plus on him ?!

If any of them do leave and i dont think they will then i wouldnt be looking at prem class like cattermole and Muamba . We want world class to replace world class .

Same with players like Brown and Jenas .

There are players out there that can replace them BUT they would cost fortunes .

by **Octsky** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:45 pm

Scottbot wrote:It's really difficult to see where this one is going as far as Alonso and Mascherano's future lies. The speculation won't go away and neither player has said anything to indicate they see their futures at Anfield. It's inconcievable that we would or could let both players go but I wonder if the manager will want to keep two unhappy central midfielders at the club. It's clear that we are holding out for BIG money which is the right way to go in the current climate. If one is gonna go it seems most likely to be Alonso on the basis that we hawked him around to just about everyone last summer but if Mascherano's problem is family related then it could well be him. I wopnder if it's worth giving them both a bit of a pay-rise and see if that settels the situation?

Anyways, let's imagine they both go and the manager wants to stick with the 4-2-3-1 with Gerrard supporting Torres. Who would you replace these two two guys with?

My knowledge of European football isn't great but based on what I have seen i'd perhaps look to replace Mascherano with:

- Yaya Toure - I've been very impressed with this lad every time i've seen him. He doesn't look as physical or as quick as Masch but he looks more comfortable on the ball. A bit of a cross btween Alonso and Masch by the looks of him. It would also make sense if we ended up selling to Barca.

- Marcos Senna - Getting on a littel bit now but he's a cracking who wouldn't cost the earth and would leave some spare change for a forward.

Replacements for Alonso:

- Gareth Barry - It's simply ridiculous that we're in this position when Alonso's ready made replacement and the guy we chased all of last summer is now playing at Man City. It's unfathomable to me. Quite a few on here have moaned on about Barry going for the money but there wasn't anything in the press to suggest we even pursued him, it's bizarre.

- Andrea Pirlo - Am not sure how old he is now but I read he might be available the other day. Don't know for sure how he'd get on with the physical aspect but he's a class act and possesses a similar passing range as our Xabi. Deffo another quarterback.

I can't think of too many others tbh, was hoping you lot might have a few ideas.

If we were gonna go after a younger player I must admit i'm a BIG fan of young Jack Collison as West Ham, he's big, strong, a good passer and skillful, Gonna be a top player.

these guys are too young!!!
any older guys?

by **account deleted by request** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:07 pm

The obvious replacement would be dropping Gerrard back into midfield and bringing in Villa, returning to a more conventional 4-4-2.

If we do sell Alonso I would hope that we would NOT try to replace him with Pirlo (or similar) but go for a much more orthodox creative midfielder.

While if we sold Masch I would consider bringing Sissoko back, as while he is not a sitting player he can break attacks down in advanced positions. (Hopefully while away he will have regained his confidence)

by **Greavesie** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:10 pm

I'm struggling to think of a realistic target that could slot in and replace Xabi straight away so....

Xavi for Xabi

by **Madmax** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:25 pm

Really can't think of any ideal replacement. Would maybe have to change our system to 4-4-2 and buy a class striker but doing that would remove duo threat of gerrard and torres... Link up play would be changed.. I feel gerrard thrives to play just behind a striker.... Anyhow hope alonso and macha stay..

by **aCe'** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:29 pm

The fact that there arent many players in world football who are quite similar to Xabi Alonso, to me, means that you dont necessarily have to have such a player to have a good organized side... There are many players who could come in and do as good a job as Xabi has as far as im concerned... But i agree with Saint on this one.... Maybe we should just focus on bringing in a top attacking player if Alonso leaves and then see if we're better off playing Gerrard down the middle rather than his free second striker role..

If we want to keep our current shape though i'd be looking at signing a top midfielder to replace Alonso though.. No sissokos, no Muamba, and certainly no 'Lucas can do a job' there !
De Rossi, Seedorf, Cambiasso, Aquilani, Toulolan, Gago.. in that order would be my picks....

If Mascherano leaves then i dont think it would be hard replacing him...quite a few around who would offer good cover for our defense and would offer just as much if not more than Mascherano does in going forward...

by **GYBS** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:06 pm

Why move gerrard away from a position where he has find the form of his life and is outstanding at - we did it start of last season when we bought keane and changed formations - leave gerrard exactly where he is a let him carry on being one of the best in the world in that position.

De Rossi - Rumoured to be Barces new target
Seedorf - the guy is 33 now
Cambiasso - decent player but wouldnt call him a playmaker more of a breaker up of play
Aquilani- Another decent player but below the standard of Xabi
Toulolan- Another pretty good player but on the same level as Aquilani - just not world class
Gago-Now i used to really rate the guy as seems a great player but needs space to do his best work and dont think he would get that in prem. Wonder how much he would cost as well

by **aCe'** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:41 pm

GYBS wrote:Why move gerrard away from a position where he has find the form of his life and is outstanding at - we did it start of last season when we bought keane and changed formations - leave gerrard exactly where he is a let him carry on being one of the best in the world in that position.

De Rossi - Rumoured to be Barces new target
Seedorf - the guy is 33 now
Cambiasso - decent player but wouldnt call him a playmaker more of a breaker up of play
Aquilani- Another decent player but below the standard of Xabi
Toulolan- Another pretty good player but on the same level as Aquilani - just not world class
Gago-Now i used to really rate the guy as seems a great player but needs space to do his best work and dont think he would get that in prem. Wonder how much he would cost as wellC

do u always need to argue just for the sake of it ?!

any player i've ever mentioned you always seem to find a way of making him look shhitty in comparison to all the world class talent we got here.... newsflash buddy in case you missed the 7oclock headlines ... we havent won a thing in 3 years !

Maybe, just maybe, our players arent as great as you think they are... maybe Kuyt isnt the best RM in the league.. and maybe we CAN do without Alonso or Mascherano or even both...

- DeRossi is better than Alonso, better than Mascherano... id play him ahead of both

- Seedorf is still one of the best midfielders in the world today.. dont care if hes 49, he still plays at the top level and does incredibely well... thats all i need to know... is he better than Alonso, i dont think so... would he offer more than Alonso in an attacking sense.. no doubt..

- Cambiasso is a good player when it comes to controlling the tempo and starting attacks... been one of the best midfielders in italy for the past few years and hed make a brilliant signing imo

- aquilani is fast becoming one of the best central midfielders in the world.. he could certainly do a job

- toulolan ..established solid player

- Gago... the interesting one in the bunch... the guy has bags of potential... can be used as a playmaker, a defensive destroyer or simply a holding midfielder... dont think the RealMadrid style suited him very well and im sure that in a different team/league hed do much better... for now though id say his displays were overall average at best... interesting one though...

The way i see it if i mention Fabregas or Xavi you'd probably have something to say about that aswell.. so no point arguing with you here i guess...

-

by **GYBS** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:06 pm

im sorry ace but i thought this was a forum where people put their views up - you put your views up and i replied with my views on the players - thats not really a crime is it .

you can mention xavi and fabregas and i would say i would swap them with xabi every day of the week .

i dont want a 32 year old coming to the club for over 10 million for him to only play one season maybe not even that . the rest all perform wonderful on football manager but any time i have seen them they certainly dont live up to their supposed reputation .

in my eyes Masher is the best destructive DM in the world so there is no one i want to replace him but if we had to i would pick essien - better than any you have mentioned, . and there is only a couple of people i woould want to replace Xabi - three of them are spanish - Iniesta,Xavi and Fabregas , then van der vaart and snejder .

by **JoeTerp** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:11 pm

Veloso, Hernanes (Sao Paulo) Toulalan, Gago, Vidal, Muamba, De La Red (if he can pass medical), or Banega. Pretty much in that order. Felipe Melo has looked good for Brazil in the Confederations Cup, haven't seen him outside the tournament though, maybe once, don't remember him much if I did. I would also like to thrown in a shout out for my fellow Terrapin, Maurice Edu who is playing very well up in Scotland with Gers. Not that he is ready for LFC, but maybe we could send a note to whichver team we pip a CM from suggesting him as a replacement

Of course I hope that both of them stay

by **GYBS** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:20 pm

Veleso is a decent shout - very talented player , De La Red i really liked during euros and when he was on loan but how has he got in at madrid this year ? he looks very good . Banega had a massive reputation and valencia paid a lot of money for him but went out on loan so what happened to him ?

its a shame baraja or abdleda arent younger cause would snap them up in a flash

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