Liverpool FC Forum

by **Sabre** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:34 pm

bavlondon wrote:Sabre when you say "Alonso today" do you mean that this interview was from earlier?

I simply meant it's an interview and photo taken for today's newspaper, and normally that means it was taken yesterday afternoon. That is, it's the most recent update.

But it looks like wouldnt put up a fight to stay if the club were to sell him.

Which is good from him. Neither did Aldridge when Rush came back and the club had the chance to make some money with him, despite what he loved is to play at Liverpool.

by **tubby** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:36 pm

It just looks like we are shipping out good players and bringing in players of less quality. Garcia/Benyaoun....now Alonso/Barry?

Whats next?

by **Torres25** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:42 pm

i actually think benayouns a better more consistant player then garcia..............most supporters just look at his goals in them big games & forget that 80% off the time he lost the ball & just wasnt in the games

hmmmm i wonder why Riise springs 2 mind when i think of Garcia?

Barrys been a better player then Xabi in the last 2 two seasons & i think hes more suited 2 the premierships fast pace aswell so i cant c were ur comin from 2 be honest

by **hello_red** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:42 pm

I do feel that selling Alonso will be like removing part of the spine to buy a new hand!

There are other areas of the team where we are dog awful and need sorting, mid field really isnt one of them.

Sell to buy is a disgrace at a club like ours.

by **banana** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:10 pm

It would be an absolutely shocking decision to sell Xabi. He is proven quality in the premiership and in CL.

Remember the CL campain where he returned from 3 months injury to completely boss the midfield against Juventus.

He is a model professional No diving, no cheap tricks, no complaints. Just hard work and a brilliant team player.

He is capable of scoring goals from long range, hit big 50 yards balls with surgical precision and control the pace of any game.

He is probably the best reader of the game in Liverpool and his tactical abilities are immense.

Replacing him with Barry or any other player is a big risk. We have the best midfield in the world. Lets keep it that way.

My true concern is the yankees. They might be pulling the strings forcing Rafa to sell players. Limiting his options. Holding back transfer money. The only way forward is getting them out of the club. Otherwise LFC may end up mid table in three years.

by **Ciggy** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:11 pm

I would like to know why we are fecking around with an area that we have no problems with, there is feck all wrong with the centre of midfield, we have been crying out for years for quality widemen and quality fullbacks overlapping with pace to get back and defend.
Until thats sorted out we wont be winning no league.

by **account deleted by request** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:21 pm

Ciggy wrote:I would like to know why we are fecking around with an area that we have no problems with, there is feck all wrong with the centre of midfield, we have been crying out for years for quality widemen and quality fullbacks overlapping with pace to get back and defend.
Until thats sorted out we wont be winning no league.

I agree Ciggy, it seems very strange to me, unless Rafa intends to play Barry LM, in which case we would still need Alonso I would have thought.

I can only think its about money or maybe the supposed fall out between Rafa, Gerrard and Alonso?

I am still hoping for at least one BIG signing of a top class player, but maybe due to the problems of getting agreement between the owners we may have a long wait.

by **metalhead** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:37 pm

I think Rafa will sell alonso just to raise cash to get some players.

It would be a big dissapointment if we do sell Alonso.

by **JC_81** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:42 pm

banana wrote:Remember the CL campain where he returned from 3 months injury to completely boss the midfield against Juventus.

That is one of the best central midfield performances I have ever seen, especially under the circumstances.

Unfortunately for Alonso, it remains his best game for us and in two seasons he hasn't come close to a performance like that.

by **metalhead** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:49 pm

john craig wrote:
banana wrote:Remember the CL campain where he returned from 3 months injury to completely boss the midfield against Juventus.

That is one of the best central midfield performances I have ever seen, especially under the circumstances.

Unfortunately for Alonso, it remains his best game for us and in two seasons he hasn't come close to a performance like that.

his best performance came the next year when he bossed against Everton in the derby when people thought all was lost when Gerrard got a red card in the first minutes of the first half.

Brilliant player.

by **Lando_Griffin** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:50 pm

Torres25 wrote:i actually think benayouns a better more consistant player then garcia..............most supporters just look at his goals in them big games & forget that 80% off the time he lost the ball & just wasnt in the games

hmmmm i wonder why Riise springs 2 mind when i think of Garcia?

Barrys been a better player then Xabi in the last 2 two seasons & i think hes more suited 2 the premierships fast pace aswell so i cant c were ur comin from 2 be honest

I actually think you're a c*nt.

Isn't that funny?

by **NANNY RED** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:04 pm

Liverpool warn Juventus over Xabi Alonso

May 22 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

JUVENTUS have been told they will have to come up with a massive offer if they are to even tempt Rafa Benitez to part with Xabi Alonso.

The Italians have targeted Alonso as the man they want to partner former Reds midfielder Momo Sissoko as they look to make an assault on next year’s Serie A title.

The 26-year-old has become one of Liverpool’s most prized assets since joining the club from Real Sociedad for £10.5m in 2004.

Popular with both his team-mates and fans, Alonso is settled on Merseyside and is certainly not seeking a move away from Anfield.

He is also unaware of any interest in him from Juventus or any other club.

But with the Italian giants keen to secure his services and with Benitez having to balance the books on incoming and outgoing transfers, the Reds boss might have to cash in on Alonso should Juventus come up with an offer in excess of £15m.

Having already targeted Gareth Barry, rated at £15m by Aston Villa, and Udinese’s Andrea Dossena valued at £8m, Benitez knows that his planned summer spending spree can only go ahead if he can swell the Anfield coffers through player sales.

Should Liverpool manage to conclude a deal with Villa for Barry the England man would be recruited as a central midfielder, thereby increasing Benitez’s options in the position where Alonso has made his name.

Juventus have not made a formal offer for Alonso, although preliminary talks did take place between Benitez and their representative Jean-Claude Blanc on Merseyside on Tuesday.

It now remains to be seen if Juventus will come back with the kind of offer which would tempt Benitez to cash in on the Spanish midfielder and even if a bid was accepted they might find it difficult to convince Alonso to quit the club he has served for four years.

Stay where you are Xabi lad

by **7_Kewell** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:27 pm

sounds like that we WILL sell if the offer is right.....

by **Igor Zidane** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:28 pm

NANNY RED wrote:Liverpool warn Juventus over Xabi Alonso

May 22 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo

JUVENTUS have been told they will have to come up with a massive offer if they are to even tempt Rafa Benitez to part with Xabi Alonso.

The Italians have targeted Alonso as the man they want to partner former Reds midfielder Momo Sissoko as they look to make an assault on next year’s Serie A title.

The 26-year-old has become one of Liverpool’s most prized assets since joining the club from Real Sociedad for £10.5m in 2004.

Popular with both his team-mates and fans, Alonso is settled on Merseyside and is certainly not seeking a move away from Anfield.

He is also unaware of any interest in him from Juventus or any other club.

But with the Italian giants keen to secure his services and with Benitez having to balance the books on incoming and outgoing transfers, the Reds boss might have to cash in on Alonso should Juventus come up with an offer in excess of £15m.

Having already targeted Gareth Barry, rated at £15m by Aston Villa, and Udinese’s Andrea Dossena valued at £8m, Benitez knows that his planned summer spending spree can only go ahead if he can swell the Anfield coffers through player sales.

Should Liverpool manage to conclude a deal with Villa for Barry the England man would be recruited as a central midfielder, thereby increasing Benitez’s options in the position where Alonso has made his name.

Juventus have not made a formal offer for Alonso, although preliminary talks did take place between Benitez and their representative Jean-Claude Blanc on Merseyside on Tuesday.

It now remains to be seen if Juventus will come back with the kind of offer which would tempt Benitez to cash in on the Spanish midfielder and even if a bid was accepted they might find it difficult to convince Alonso to quit the club he has served for four years.

Stay where you are Xabi lad

This is the most worying part of he artical to me.

Balancing the books imo means NO significant transfer funds.

But with the Italian giants keen to secure his services and with Benitez having to balance the books on incoming and outgoing transfers, the Reds boss might have to cash in on Alonso should Juventus come up with an offer in excess of £15m.

by **account deleted by request** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:29 pm

Considering we have/had(?) the best midfield in the country if not the world, Rafa does seem to be interested in a lot of midfielders. Gattuso, Johnson, Barry etc etc. while our wide areas seem to be almost an afterthought year after year. Only god and maybe the devil (Hicks) knows how much money Rafa will get to spend this year, but I hope he concentrates on sorting out the problem areas rather than areas that (to me at least) don't need much improvement.

Surely now Kewell has gone its vital to bring in a wide player with a bit of creativity and goal threat.(not that we have seen much from Kewell the last couple of years but.... )

Certainly I saw more reason to sell Alonso last season (when we had Sissoko ) than I do now.

IF its a straight swop Alonso £15million for Barry £15million its a really strange decision for me, even with Alonso's poor form, unless Rafa believes Lucas can step up and Barry will play LM? Really can't see that myself.

If we were going to sell Alonso surely it would be better to wait till after the Euro. Spain have a decent chance of progressing (maybe winning ) and obviously if Alonso plays well his value will go up. Barry is going no-where, so whats the rush?

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