Liverpool FC Forum

by **Dundalk** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:08 am

Rafa says he is staying...

Guillem: There is an interesting situation surrounding Xabi Alonso - who probably thought at one point that he would be leaving Liverpool and, instead, he has risen to the challenge of trying to prove to everyone that he was good enough to be at Liverpool. And he is having probably his best season at...

Benitez: The first year was really good and this year he is also playing really well. You know that we had an offer from Juventus: we were asking for a big price because he is a big player. They couldn`t give us the price that we wanted so that`s it. In the end, Xabi has been having a very good season; he has been playing well in a lot of games and is a key player for us.

Guillem: You are counting on him for the near future?

Benitez: Yes, we have a lot of confidence in him because he is playing really well and he is a player we want to keep because he has the quality, and the game, that we need.

Interview

by **Sabre** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:21 am

That's a relief and dispells some fears I had. Nice one.

by **LegBarnes** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:26 am

Well if he has to go I would expect rafa to sell him for no less then 22 mil ish as I think he is worth that kinda money.

by **DanAn** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:46 pm

I think he's irreplacable. Behind Torres, Gerrard and Reina he the next player we can
t afford to lose.

by **Zidane** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:17 pm

I'd put him ahead of Reina, I think Reina him and Masch are all top class players, at times they are world class on level with Gerrard/Torres but not as often.

by **tubby** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:32 pm

Id like to see Xabi shoot more often. He strikes the ball so sweetly it's a shame he doesn't take random shots more often.

by **Ciggy** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:36 pm

Our best and most consistant player this season and should be up for an award istead of them 5 manc gobsh!tes.

Boss :buttrock

by **stmichael** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:37 pm

Xabi's beard combined with Rafa's Goatee has more power than the combined force of the five rings which spawn Captain Planet.

by **Scottbot** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:56 pm

He's been one of our best this season, just ahead of Reina and behind Gerrard for me. He played an absolute blinder agaisnt Cheslea the other night, ran the game from start to finish although he did screw up for Lampard's first goal (gifting him the ball in front of our goal). Until that moment I'd say that was his best game for the club ahead of the Juventus game in 05. Fairplay to the likes of Lando and Sabes who really stuck by the playter when quite a few of us were thinking we could probably get by without him. He's one of the most likeable players to play for the club and he's a joy to watch. I love it when foreign players stay at the club long enough to get Scouserfied (just made that up!) like Big Sami, Didi, Jonny Riise and the likes of Big Molby before them. Xabi falls well and truly into that bracket now, i'd love him to spend the rest of his career with the club :bowdown

by **tubby** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 3:33 pm

Ciggy wrote:Our best and most consistant player this season and should be up for an award istead of them 5 manc gobsh!tes.

Boss

Yeah I was saying that just yesterday to a mate. Can't understand how someone like Giggs gets nominated when Alonso has been playing so well this season.

by **loopyliverpool** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:22 pm

He was immense on Tues absolutely outstanding. Thought he rose to the challenge more than anybody. A passer of the ball par excellence. To think we nearly lost him last summer is unbelievable! Doesn't always get the plaudits he deserves but if he continues to play like he is then we have every chance of winning all our remaining fixtures and who knows! I agree with those who feel he should have been nominated for the PFA award but have to say I do think Giggs will win it. I hate the Mancs obviously but have always admired and actually liked Giggs - weird I know - might go seek some counselling!

by **aCe'** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:02 pm

mmm... Alonso better than Gerrard this season ? you guys gotta be having a laugh... hes had an amazing season but Stevie was/is/has been our best performer this season by a country mile for me...
I dont really rate Reina all that much so its Gerrard-Torres-Alonso for me... if we get anything more than 20mill for him i expect him to be sold with Barry a direct replacement... not that big a difference between the two but personally id take alonso every day of the week ahead of Barry....

Anyways hes having a great season and would be great if hes still around next season... hopefully we'll add some more quality in the final third (new right winger and maybe a Silva or some better backup) and that should help Xabi raise his game even more...

by **GYBS** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:08 pm

How come you dont rate reina ace ?

And think the only thing barry has over Xabi is the fact he is english but for me xabi is technically superior to barry in most aspects of the game bar barry having a better ability to burst forward where as xabi prefers to play that quarterback role to the highest level .

by **Sabre** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:56 pm

I think Alonso's been second best behind Gerrard this season. The problem with Gerrard is that his blips are infinitesimal, very small, he's always at a very top level, and sometimes we forget that his extraordinary quality is extraordinary. For me Gerrard has been still the best player of the season.

Fairplay to the likes of Lando and Sabes who really stuck by the playter when quite a few of us were thinking we could probably get by without him.

Nah, I don't like those fairplays and credits, the truth is that many of us talked about Alonso and many of us were right about something.

Trusting in players like Alonso and Aurelio is not worth credit. When the quality is there, it's a matter of time they prove you right. In some cases you have to wait longer, for instance I've been waiting 3 seasons to watch Aurelio's FK ability!!! until now he hadn't shown it here. But you know the quality is there.

Other posters, said other things that were also spot on: Mick said that Xabi could give more to this club by occupying more attacking positions more often. He was right.

He always defended that Alonso's game had been lowered, especially last season, and the manager's views that Dundalk has brought confirm that: in the eyes of Rafa, Alonso's first season was excellent, but he doesn't say so about the second and the third. And that seemed to trigger the fact he put a price to sell Xabi. I got that wrong for instance. I've always thought that Alonso's been progressing, and last season I thought that Xabi's lower form had to do with his injuries and the context. I never linked his form to Rafa putting a price for him. I always thought that Rafa putting a price on Xabi had to do with tactical reasons (Barry fitting better) rather than Xabi's form. And I was wrong it seems.

So you see, this is all very relative, and (almost) everyone is right and wrong in something.

I'm simply glad nobody denies his quality and I'm very happy that Xabi has answered the uncertainty surrounding him with hard work, instead of fúcking off somewhere else.

by **tubby** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:11 pm

Im sure he will sign a contract extension and stay for many years to come. He is a vital part of the spine of the team. And for the record his ginger beard looks boss. :cool:

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