Liverpool FC Forum

Posted: **Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:01 pm**

I've heard unsubstantiated rumors that Xavi Alonso is one of the players most upset about the rotation system and it appears he's being linked with a possible summer move to Barcelona.

Rumour or do we think his place on the bench allowing Lucas to play last night adds weight to this?

Lets face it, his career seems to run out of steam of late.

Posted: **Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:12 pm**

I think it's hard to believe anything that we hear regarding the club at the moment with everything being up in the air. It could be a case of if the takeover happens then we may have a new manager that doesn't want Alonso. It could be that Rafa has earmarked Alonso for his cull come the summer or a new manager may decide that Alonso has a future at the club and one of the other midfielders will go. It's just all ifs and buts at the moment.

Posted: **Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:19 pm**

Reg wrote:Rumour or do we think his place on the bench allowing Lucas to play last night adds weight to this?

It was probably more to do with the fact that Alonso isn't yet 100% and was nursing a nasty-looking black eye and had his head bandaged.

Posted: **Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:55 pm**

I'm extremely concerned about the way Alonso is being treated by Benitez. He's up there with Torres and Gerrard as one of our most important and best players.

He is the most important player that Benitez has signed in terms of rebuilding the side (from Houlliers side) in my opinion. Torres has given us a few goals and will go on to be a top player for us I'm sure, but Alonso is the best bit of business we have done.

Posted: **Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:42 pm**

stmichael wrote:I'm extremely concerned about the way Alonso is being treated by Benitez. He's up there with Torres and Gerrard as one of our most important and best players.

He is the most important player that Benitez has signed in terms of rebuilding the side (from Houlliers side) in my opinion. Torres has given us a few goals and will go on to be a top player for us I'm sure, but Alonso is the best bit of business we have done.

Totally agree with him being one of our more important players but it can't be denied that for the past 12-18 months he's looked far from the top quality player that he was when he arrived. I think that has been mirrored in the way that he's been overlooked by Rafa in some games.
It would be a massive mistake were we to let him leave I feel, there is no doubt in my mind that given some stability in the team Alonso will return to his very best and it would be costly for us if it isn't in a Liverpool shirt.

Posted: **Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:38 pm**

what was the deal with Alonso last night and the black eye, also saw hypia had a black eye... a little fight broke out?

Posted: **Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:38 pm**

Didn't they clash heads in the Barnsley game ?

Some bloke on the radio said he was dropped because of his feeble attempt to make a tackle in the build up for Barnsleys winner, must be part of Rafa's new "if your good enough you play stance"

Posted: **Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:42 pm**

We should be keeping players of Xabis ability at all costs we need strenght and depth in the midfield not just of medioca players but world class, Different games will suit different midfielders style of play and to have Gerrard,Masherano.Alonso, and Lucas in your squad of midfielders what more could you ask. At least if one of them gets injured you know your not replacing him with mediocrocy you bringing on a player of the same caliber.

Posted: **Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:17 pm**

NANNY RED wrote:We should be keeping players of Xabis ability at all costs we need strenght and depth in the midfield not just of medioca players but world class, Different games will suit different midfielders style of play and to have Gerrard,Masherano.Alonso, and Lucas in your squad of midfielders what more could you ask. At least if one of them gets injured you know your not replacing him with mediocrocy you bringing on a player of the same caliber.

I think it all boils down to money and/or if he wants to stay. If we are flush with money in the summer I WOULD LOVE HIM TO STAY. If we are short I would prefer Masch to Alonso and would prefer to sell Alonso of the two.

If he really wants to go I would let him.

Posted: **Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:19 pm**

stmichael wrote:I'm extremely concerned about the way Alonso is being treated by Benitez.

I am not.

Not that he's being hit with a whip by Rafa. Alonso started this season well. He was playing almost all the league games in which we got on top for a short time at the start of the season.

Then he got injured, came for a game against Arsenal and got injured again. He's trying to recover the form. The problem for him is that Mascherano is playing great, and he's his direct competitor, not Gerrard. Lucas is another kind of midfielder and is doing great. So it's normal he has to fight back his place. Perfectly normal. I think he will come at his best sooner or later.

I don't believe those rumours concerning Xabi. I've spoken the lad a few times and words might lie, but eyes do not: he Loves this club. So I'd be terribly dissapointed if he didn't get some dosis of bench without the utmost professionality. If after 5 games of bench Xabi was throwing the towell, that would be very un-Basque and that would dissapoint me a lot. I think Xabi loves this club, he has stated so in December in the local press and I don't think he thinks otherwise in February.

Posted: **Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:00 am**

blah blah blah every season Alonso is out, every season he is still with us.

You work it out.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2008 10:51 pm**

I'm a big Alonso fan and I love his intelligence and his ability to dictate the pace of the game but I think that his lack of pace is going to be liability in future seasons. Maybe he should move to la liga or seria A. I'm sure he'll be a huge success there. If he were to leave, then Aquilani of Roma would be a perfect replacement.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:22 pm**

A swap for Henry is on the cards. We could be really nice and offer them Kuyt and Voronin for one of their stands

Liverpool FC Forum

Alonso out ?

Alonso out ?