Xabi Alonso and our lack of goals

[Nic83]

Coincidence or has his creativity from deep and ability to get moves going been sorely missed?

[Shanks]

Coincidence or has his creativity from deep and ability to get moves going been sorely missed?

Coincidence.

[kewellnthegang]

Coincidence.

[Parm]

nothing gets past us on EST!

[Nic83]

Coincidence my arse!

[Dhav]

Sorely missed IMO, and I said as much after the Marseille game.

I think we're a better side with Xabi in it, even when he's off form. Like it or not, he's our maestro and as good as Gerrard is he has shown in the last couple of games when playing deeper in a more Xabi-type position he has been incapable of replicating Xabi's role effectively.

No doubt this is an invitation for a queue of posters with an anti-Xabi agenda led by Carheex to come on here and tell me how much nonsense I'm talking.

[Nic83]

Yeah, I forgot to add that this is a carheex free thread!

If Xabi had played the last 6 matches, I'd say we'd have won 5 of them. I'd say he'd have carved up Pompey in that game if he played. Sorely missed in the home games against B'ham and Marseille.

[Dhav]

Yeah, I forgot to add that this is a carheex free thread!

If Xabi had played the last 6 matches, I'd say we'd have won 5 of them. I'd say he'd have carved up Pompey in that game if he played. Sorely missed in the home games against B'ham and Marseille.

for sure. Xabi probably has the sharpest footballing mind of any player around and so even when performing poorly can unlock the opposition.

[Nic83]

it's not just that. what goes unnoticed when he doesn't play is the fact that we have noone dropping deep to recieve the ball from the back four, meaning we end up playing hoofball and just giving the ball way, wheras if Xabi was there, there would be so many more good moves started, and a few finished!

[Dhav]

it's not just that. what goes unnoticed when he doesn't play is the fact that we have noone dropping deep to recieve the ball from the back four, meaning we end up playing hoofball and just giving the ball way, wheras if Xabi was there, there would be so many more good moves started, and a few finished!

No doubt. Like I've said numerous times on here the last few days when for some reason I felt the need to defend myself against Carheex, Xabi is a key outlet for the defenders and also very important in terms of dictating the play and setting the pace of the game; whether it's by releasing the wingers or strikers early, or slowing the game right down and holding the ball up and playing balls short.

He really is like the puppet-master in our team, pulling all the strings.

[Nic83]

Totally agree. Masher is a great ball winner but doesn't offer anything like what Xabi offers on the ball.

[Howard_lfc]

Just to reiterate a point I made last week abioyt Xabi:

His range of passing ensures that the ball reaches the danger area far quicker than when somebody else takes over his role in front of the back 4. This means there's less time for teams to reorganize and defenders are left isolated (without protection) more often.
Also Xabi's ability to receive the ball and dictate the pace of our play is far greater than any other player we have.

[Dhav]

Totally agree. Masher is a great ball winner but doesn't offer anything like what Xabi offers on the ball.

The more I think about it the more I agree with my Manc supporting boss that Xabi is the most underrated player in the league.

Xabi

[Dhav]

Just to reiterate a point I made last week abioyt Xabi:

His range of passing ensures that the ball reaches the danger area far quicker than when somebody else takes over his role in front of the back 4. This means there's less time for teams to reorganize and defenders are left isolated (without protection) more often.
Also Xabi's ability to receive the ball and dictate the pace of our play is far greater than any other player we have.

Yes, yes - the puppet master that pulls the strings, dictating the play and pace of the game, and is intelligent enough to know when the ball needs to get forward early or when the game needs to be slowed down.

yet we get people like carheex coming on here saying we're making spurious arguments by suggesting Xabi is a loss when not in the side

BTW, Xabi vis-a-vis Gerrard, while Stevie can hit the 40 yard Hollywood balls that Xabi can, he actually seems to be quite weak when it comes to short balls, and may be this is partly why Xabi is so much better at dictating the play than Gerrard?

[Howard_lfc]

Yes, yes - the puppet master that pulls the strings, dictating the play and pace of the game, and is intelligent enough to know when the ball needs to get forward early or when the game needs to be slowed down.

yet we get people like carheex coming on here saying we're making spurious arguments by suggesting Xabi is a loss when not in the side

Puppet master sounds a bit derogatory but it does sum up his importance to the rhythym of our play.