Liverpool FC Forum

by **Igor Zidane** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 8:13 pm

Sabre wrote:If it's Arteta it will be a good buy, but he's a dangerous player for the disciples of the school of Bigmick, because I can see more danger than in any other player to see him playing in varied positions. He can occupy the position of Kuyt, he can do the role Gerrard does now, and he can certainly play a partnership in the middle.

Not arteta sabre , have alook in the rumour mill .

by **Dundalk** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 8:36 pm

Igor Zidane wrote:Looks like Alonso's replacement could be coming from a little closer to home .

Youve heard what Ive heard so

by **bigmick** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:23 pm

Suicide watch :laugh:

I shouldn't worry too much, people make odd statements as they try and reconcile some of the previous stuff they've come out with against the current reality. It's a bit like when Alonso's form hadn't dipped by even 1% and then he came out last season and played out of his skin, looking like a completely different player. Lines in the sand were swiftly rubbed out and re-drawn as reality replaced fantasy. Now we have no chance of winning the league next season if Xabi is sold, none whatsoever. If we sold Gerrard or Torres I might go along with that, but top player though he is, selling Xabi isn't as much of a body blow.

As for Xabi's mates statements to Sabes about his relationship with Rafa, I wouldn't blame either man for that. They've been at Liverpool together for five seasons, and as I've said before anyone can get on anyones nerves over that period of time, it's just one of them things. In that time period, Xabi has got married and had kids, so whether or not he realises it he will have changed a huge amount as a person, both in his maturity and his outlook. He might well look back in ten years time and conclude that the breakup was actually more of his doing than Rafa's, but no matter these things happen.

The key obviously is what we do to replace him. I've seen the Scott Parker rumours, but feel sure that he is more in the mould of the "one out of four" midfielders than he is a direct replacement. As it is, if Xabi goes then we only have two credible midfielders unless we move Gerrard back, so we do need more cover there anyway.

Ultimately though, the most telling thing which has come out of the last couple of weeks is that for the manager, Alonso "didn't feature in his plans". Obviously we can only guess why that actually is, but mine would be that he wants a midfielder who gets forward more effectively, scores more goals and makes more goals. I haven't off the top of my head got any stand out suggestions for who is that player, but it seems fairly obvious that this is the way the manager sees things developing.

As for Xabi, i wish him all the best. He's been a wonderful professional, and in his last season showed just what a top player he has become.

by **Toffeehater** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:48 pm

22 million + sneijder would still be a good deal , he's a brilliant player maybe we could nick horseface off them too in that deal , 2nd striker sorted and sneijder can play on the left or in the centre as well

by **LFC2007** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:49 am

Is he due back this weekend?

by **LFC2007** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:53 am

Bammo wrote:There are young English players like Mark Noble coming through but even he is defensive.

Quality player he is, but not really defensive - that's Parker's job. He's their dynamo higher up the field, spreads the ball and links the play. Wouldn't mind him at all.

by **Dundalk** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:53 am

He is supposed to be but Real Sociedad were to get 20 per cent of any transfer fee, but that is supposed to expire today, so its our interests to hold off.

The deal should go through then, before Xabi goes anywhere need the far east

by **LFC2007** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 1:11 am

Sabre wrote:Xabi's dad didn't come but his bezzie did, I have made him some questions, and trust me, I don't like it because it doesn't go well with my "Pro" beliefs. I wish this bezzie was talking bóllocks, but I'm afraid he's not.

I've asked him: "So, what was the problem, that he wanted to sell him last summer? the incident with his son birth?"

Answer: "No, that was just the drop that stretched the limit (you'd say that expression of the straw and the camel)"

"The problem is that Rafa's personality is very especial, he's always eating the ear" (A expression we use when someone is too insisting, to the point of tiresome).

He has said aswell "Xabi isn't too happy with the squad at the moment, there are only a few left from the squad which won the CL", by this he was implying Xabi was not too happy with the constant renewal of the squad Liverpool have suffered.

Question: "What about the club and team mates, any problem?"

Answer: "No, he's just fed up of Rafa, he loves how the club and the fans have treated him". Apparently the captain Gerrard have tried to convince Alonso and have said that "you can't go the team needs you", but Alonso is too fed up.

The things being like this, I guess this is a very good sum, but I think that if Alonso had been a little bit more patient and thought of the club a bit more we could have ripped them off even further.

If he ends up staying... :laugh:

by **bigmick** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 1:17 am

It's an intersting post that Sabes and thanks for putting it up. Like Taff earlier, the one bit of it I can't get my head around in the "Champions League team" bit, as that the team we have currently would beat that team comfortably I think. It just seems odd to be hankering after the good old days of Djimi Traore and Milan Baros when you've got Glen Johnson and Fernando Torres.