Liverpool FC Forum

by **Toffeehater** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:21 am

RUSHIE#9 wrote:
The Daily Mail

Barry for Arsenal: Wenger eyeing Villa star after Liverpool reject £10m Alonso bid

By Neil Ashton Last updated at 11:49 PM on 21st August 2008

Arsene Wenger confirmed Arsenal's interest in Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry after a move for Xabi Alonso collapsed.

Alonso had agreed personal terms on a move, but Wenger pulled out after Liverpool said Arsenal's £10million offer was not enough.

Barry, also a long-term Liverpool target, has already played for Villa in the UEFA Cup and is ineligible for the Champions League until February.

But Wenger will decide whether or not to move for the midfielder after the draw for the group stage next week.
Gareth Barry

In demand: Barry has also been courted by Liverpool, but could complete a move to the Emirates

The Arsenal manager said: 'There is interest in Gareth Barry, but I cannot say much more. Once someone plays in Europe it devalues a player for the season, but it doesn't necessarily mean you don't buy him.

'Barry is a good player, but the problem with players who are 27 or 28 is that you pay big money and then you get nothing back.'

Cheeky Feckers!! We're labelled as penniless cheapskates when we don't just bend over and pay what a club expects us to but come someone wanting our players a laughable bid is tabled.
Fair enough Wenger is trying to get a player for as little as possible, but £10m for a European championship winning player and one of your main rivals top midfielders is just insulting.

I think it has to be taken as either Arsenal trying to cash in on Rafa's apparent desperation to sign Barry or as a diversionary tactic whilst they nip in and grab Barry on the quiet.

If Rafa can clear the air with Coco then I think we must all call on him to do the same with Xabi. The lad is showing early signs of possibly finding his form again, he's looked good in pre-season and the first competitive games for us and had a blinder for Spain the other night. Rafa would be setting himself up to look an even bigger clown than Parry if he were to let Alonso go just as he returns to his best - especially to a big rival, that's one of the unwritten rules of football and good management.

Spot on send in 8 million bid for fabregas

by **RUSHIE#9** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:29 am

Toffeehater wrote:
RUSHIE#9 wrote:
The Daily Mail

Barry for Arsenal: Wenger eyeing Villa star after Liverpool reject £10m Alonso bid

By Neil Ashton Last updated at 11:49 PM on 21st August 2008

Arsene Wenger confirmed Arsenal's interest in Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry after a move for Xabi Alonso collapsed.

Alonso had agreed personal terms on a move, but Wenger pulled out after Liverpool said Arsenal's £10million offer was not enough.

Barry, also a long-term Liverpool target, has already played for Villa in the UEFA Cup and is ineligible for the Champions League until February.

But Wenger will decide whether or not to move for the midfielder after the draw for the group stage next week.
Gareth Barry

In demand: Barry has also been courted by Liverpool, but could complete a move to the Emirates

The Arsenal manager said: 'There is interest in Gareth Barry, but I cannot say much more. Once someone plays in Europe it devalues a player for the season, but it doesn't necessarily mean you don't buy him.

'Barry is a good player, but the problem with players who are 27 or 28 is that you pay big money and then you get nothing back.'

Cheeky Feckers!! We're labelled as penniless cheapskates when we don't just bend over and pay what a club expects us to but come someone wanting our players a laughable bid is tabled.
Fair enough Wenger is trying to get a player for as little as possible, but £10m for a European championship winning player and one of your main rivals top midfielders is just insulting.

I think it has to be taken as either Arsenal trying to cash in on Rafa's apparent desperation to sign Barry or as a diversionary tactic whilst they nip in and grab Barry on the quiet.

If Rafa can clear the air with Coco then I think we must all call on him to do the same with Xabi. The lad is showing early signs of possibly finding his form again, he's looked good in pre-season and the first competitive games for us and had a blinder for Spain the other night. Rafa would be setting himself up to look an even bigger clown than Parry if he were to let Alonso go just as he returns to his best - especially to a big rival, that's one of the unwritten rules of football and good management.

Spot on send in 8 million bid for fabregas

We could sweeten the deal and throw in Voronin!!

by **moreinjuredthanowen** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:37 am

alonso will not be sold except for a vast fee as sociadad are on a 20% cut fo the fee! great news he's staying IMO.

by **Ola Mr Benitez** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:40 pm

When Alono play for Spain, he plays much more in the final third, gettin into attacking positions and scoring. For Liverpool, he NEVER gets in the box.

Now before we slate him, does anyone on here not think this is because he is doing as he is told by Rafa??

We all know looking at Rafa's teams including Valencia, he likes to play 2 holding midfielders to protect his back 4. It is obvious to me that Alonso is being asked not to get too far forward. I say take the reigns off the lad and let him be more creative further up field.

Mascha can do 2 mens work on his own anyway

by **moreinjuredthanowen** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:45 pm

i agree especially agaisnt muppet teams like wigan, i mean who in their right mind would play two holders v them?

by **moreinjuredthanowen** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:01 pm

you MUST ask yourself where is our quality? Gerrard, keane, torres, masch..... and alonso. Yeah carra is a stalwart and agger and skertl are good but they are not top top quality, not yet. The others are.

Babel is only potential. So to me to rob pert to pay paul. I.e. sell our quality to MAYBE buy a quality winger is silly. all signings no matter the rep are 50-50% bets. See veron for instance.

by **Sabre** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:13 pm

Ola Mr Benitez wrote:When Alono play for Spain, he plays much more in the final third, gettin into attacking positions and scoring. For Liverpool, he NEVER gets in the box.

As of late -- the comment of getting upper more often.

Against Denmark he substituted Silva, so you still had a powerful parnership with Senna, who covered his back. Before Senna, and playing the little men on front of him -- Fabregas, Xavi, Raul or Iniesta -- he was a pure holding midfielder in his role.

That leads to Liverpool discussion. When Mascherano wasn't here, and Rafa considered that "Sissoko and Gerrard like to go upper more", Xabi was more specific in that role.

With Mascherano in the team, I think he should go upper more often, a bit like in Spain. But Alonso is not Fabregas, nor Iniesta. He always must appear from behind and after a long posession, he's not a natural 3/4 of the pitch player.

In fact, we did see some intention to go upper against Sunderland, remember a play in which Alonso ran, gave it to Kuyt, and Kuyt was too kind to give it back to Alonso -- he should have shot.

by **account deleted by request** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:40 pm

I think we have seen more intent from Alonso to go forward this season (apart from the Liege game.) Certainly in the pre season games we saw more shots from Alonso than we have seen for a long while.

Under instructions or just frustrated (angry)with his situation and decided to show what he can do ?

by **Owzat** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:42 pm

s@int wrote:I think we have seen more intent from Alonso to go forward this season (apart from the Liege game.) Certainly in the pre season games we saw more shots from Alonso than we have seen for a long while.

Under instructions or just frustrated (angry)with his situation and decided to show what he can do ?

If he's playing in midfield with Mascherano then he must have some licence to get further forward. He has the technique to be able to hit goals like Torres did last week, doesn't need to get in the box so much but he could get a few from in and around the 'D'. And maybe a bit closer to goal he could thread a few through balls to the feet of Torres (and Keane) rather than the longer balls he plays

by **account deleted by request** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:55 pm

Owzat wrote:
s@int wrote:I think we have seen more intent from Alonso to go forward this season (apart from the Liege game.) Certainly in the pre season games we saw more shots from Alonso than we have seen for a long while.

Under instructions or just frustrated (angry)with his situation and decided to show what he can do ?

If he's playing in midfield with Mascherano then he must have some licence to get further forward. He has the technique to be able to hit goals like Torres did last week, doesn't need to get in the box so much but he could get a few from in and around the 'D'. And maybe a bit closer to goal he could thread a few through balls to the feet of Torres (and Keane) rather than the longer balls he plays

I agree mate, I do wonder if its because he is a little frightened of getting turned when he goes forward. Usually he has to do what Hyypia does so well and foul them when they go past him(risking a booking), but when he is sat deep its much harder to turn him with the CB's behind him.

With Masch behind him it shouldn't be such a problem, but last season Masch was usually covering the fullback who had disappeared over the horizon.

by **account deleted by request** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:20 am

From The TimesAugust 25, 2008

Arsene Wenger ready to buy as Arsenal stumble
Kaveh Solhekol
Arsenal will step up their efforts to sign Xabi Alonso from Liverpool this week after Arsène Wenger’s team were outplayed by Fulham in the 1-0 defeat at Craven Cottage on Saturday. Alonso wants to leave Anfield after falling out with Rafael BenÍtez, but the Liverpool manager is holding out for £16 million for the 26-year-old Spain midfield player.

Arsenal’s opening offer of £10 million was turned down three weeks ago, but after such a lacklustre performance, Wenger knows that he has to make a significant move in the transfer market if Arsenal are to be challengers for the Barclays Premier League and Champions League.

Lassana Diarra, Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb and Gilberto Silva have left the Emirates Stadium this year and Cesc Fàbregas’s hamstring injury forced Wenger to start with Denilson and Emmanuel Eboué in midfield against Fulham. “We lacked quality but when you lose a game it is not always a solution to buy,” Wenger said.

Arsenal have been linked with four midfield players this summer – Gareth Barry, of Aston Villa, Marcos Senna, of Villarreal, Gökhan Inler, of Udinese, and Alonso – but the Liverpool midfield player, who was in Spain’s Euro 2008 squad with Fàbregas, is Wenger’s No 1 target.

“Alonso would be perfect,” Fàbregas said. “He is my friend and apart from that he is a great professional.”

Alonso’s relationship with BenÍtez became strained when he discovered at the end of last season that his manager wanted to replace him with Barry. Matters came to a head during an angry confrontation before Liverpool’s Champions League qualifying match away to Standard Liège this month. Alonso is adored by many Liverpool fans, but he failed to impress during the 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough at Anfield on Saturday.

Liverpool signed Alonso from Real Sociedad for £10.5 million four years ago and the Spanish club are set for a windfall if he leaves Anfield. Under the terms of Alonso’s transfer from Spain to Liverpool, Real Sociedad will receive about £5 million if Alonso is sold for less than £13 million and 20 per cent of the transfer fee if he leaves for more than £13 million.

Wenger has money to spend after a quiet summer in the transfer market. The Arsenal manager has spent about £18 million on Samir Nasri, Aaron Ramsey and Amaury Bischoff to boost his midfield options, but none of those players is the finished article.

Getting a bit fed up of all the cr@ppy rumours now, either sell him and buy SOMEONE or sort it out and tell Alonso he is no longer surplus to requirements Rafa!

by **LiverpoolMadman** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 2:52 am

s@int wrote:From The TimesAugust 25, 2008

Arsene Wenger ready to buy as Arsenal stumble
Kaveh Solhekol
Arsenal will step up their efforts to sign Xabi Alonso from Liverpool this week after Arsène Wenger’s team were outplayed by Fulham in the 1-0 defeat at Craven Cottage on Saturday. Alonso wants to leave Anfield after falling out with Rafael BenÍtez, but the Liverpool manager is holding out for £16 million for the 26-year-old Spain midfield player.

Arsenal’s opening offer of £10 million was turned down three weeks ago, but after such a lacklustre performance, Wenger knows that he has to make a significant move in the transfer market if Arsenal are to be challengers for the Barclays Premier League and Champions League.

Lassana Diarra, Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb and Gilberto Silva have left the Emirates Stadium this year and Cesc Fàbregas’s hamstring injury forced Wenger to start with Denilson and Emmanuel Eboué in midfield against Fulham. “We lacked quality but when you lose a game it is not always a solution to buy,” Wenger said.

Arsenal have been linked with four midfield players this summer – Gareth Barry, of Aston Villa, Marcos Senna, of Villarreal, Gökhan Inler, of Udinese, and Alonso – but the Liverpool midfield player, who was in Spain’s Euro 2008 squad with Fàbregas, is Wenger’s No 1 target.

“Alonso would be perfect,” Fàbregas said. “He is my friend and apart from that he is a great professional.”

Alonso’s relationship with BenÍtez became strained when he discovered at the end of last season that his manager wanted to replace him with Barry. Matters came to a head during an angry confrontation before Liverpool’s Champions League qualifying match away to Standard Liège this month. Alonso is adored by many Liverpool fans, but he failed to impress during the 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough at Anfield on Saturday.

Liverpool signed Alonso from Real Sociedad for £10.5 million four years ago and the Spanish club are set for a windfall if he leaves Anfield. Under the terms of Alonso’s transfer from Spain to Liverpool, Real Sociedad will receive about £5 million if Alonso is sold for less than £13 million and 20 per cent of the transfer fee if he leaves for more than £13 million.

Wenger has money to spend after a quiet summer in the transfer market. The Arsenal manager has spent about £18 million on Samir Nasri, Aaron Ramsey and Amaury Bischoff to boost his midfield options, but none of those players is the finished article.

Getting a bit fed up of all the cr@ppy rumours now, either sell him and buy SOMEONE or sort it out and tell Alonso he is no longer surplus to requirements Rafa!

I hope Rafa won't sell Alonso to them .... but if rafa "smart" will ask to exchange with TW .....

by **Toffeehater** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:00 am

I have seen nothing spectacular from theo walcott this opening few games , sure he had a beautiful run against in the CL but apart from that he's been pretty average. Either sell it to arsenal for 14 million in a take it or leave it deal or exchange him for a player like clichy and they pay a little cash . Clichy plus 4 million or so would be good . If we get the straight cash , the owners should top up the additional for gareth barry

by **account deleted by request** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:15 am

Toffeehater wrote:I have seen nothing spectacular from theo walcott this opening few games , sure he had a beautiful run against in the CL but apart from that he's been pretty average. Either sell it to arsenal for 14 million in a take it or leave it deal or exchange him for a player like clichy and they pay a little cash . Clichy plus 4 million or so would be good . If we get the straight cash , the owners should top up the additional for gareth barry

If we got Clichy, what would we do with Dossena? Maybe Sagna would be a better bet ?

by **Sabre** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:38 am

Liverpool signed Alonso from Real Sociedad for £10.5 million four years ago and the Spanish club are set for a windfall if he leaves Anfield. Under the terms of Alonso’s transfer from Spain to Liverpool, Real Sociedad will receive about £5 million if Alonso is sold for less than £13 million and 20 per cent of the transfer fee if he leaves for more than £13 million

Very poor journalism.

Sometimes you don't even have to trust your Spanish red correspondant to know something is made up.

So, if Liverpool sells for less than 13 RS receives 5. If he leaves for 14 RS receives the 20%, that is, 2.8, much less than 5?

I mean, come on.

The journo hasn't read his article twice after making it up with bits and rumours he gets from here and there :laugh:

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