Xabi Alonso

[Reece]

what happened to that thread?

Stickied?

[Joe Le Toff]

He's a pivotal cog in our machine without doubt

Bitterly disappointed that he's out again for several weeks, I just hope Lucas gets his chance and can do a good job for us

I hope youre right but i dont see Rafa giving Lucas regular gametime at all this season, itll be Sissoko all the way IMO.

[Reece]

I hope youre right but i dont see Rafa giving Lucas regular gametime at all this season, itll be Sissoko all the way IMO.

I dunno about that fella

Rafael Benitez has praised the talents of Brazilian midfielder Lucas and has backed him to make a big impact at Liverpool.
The former Gremio star played a key role in the Merseyside derby win over Everton last weekend, when he had the shot that led to the winning penalty, and the Reds manager said he would not hesitate to give him a chance in a big game again.

"It could be that he can now feature more," said Benitez. "I was talking about Lucas for a long time, and maybe people didn't know too much about him. He is a player with quality and experience.

"He's only 20 but already has experience at international level. I have a lot of confidence in him, though we do have very good players in the middle.

"He will need time, but he has shown now the quality he has."

[AFII]

I hope youre right but i dont see Rafa giving Lucas regular gametime at all this season, itll be Sissoko all the way IMO.

I doubt that Sissoko will play that much before he is sold in January. He hasn't played since he said that he wanted to join Juventus.

It will be Lucas that will replace Alonso IMO.

[kopash]

I doubt that Sissoko will play that much before he is sold in January. He hasn't played since he said that he wanted to join Juventus.

It will be Lucas that will replace Alonso IMO.

I hope so AF. He's more appropriate a plyer to replace Xabi though away to dogged Blackburn I would not oppose Momo and Monster in the middle with Stevie on the right

[Marky]

As i said yesterday as soon as the match was over - we were doomed the second Xabi came off.

Good post Pacman btw.

[JonnytheCrook]

I've always thought a midfield with xabi (collects the ball and plays the short forward ball) monster (enforcer) and stevie (free role) with two flair players who can do things out wide and "between the lines" behind torres would be the best formation for us and our players.

Looked like rafa was trying that this weekend...injury ruined it again? I'd like to see lucas replace xabi now...momo just can't do it at the mo

Kuyt and voronin can't play out wide off torres...not quick enough and don't have flair...with the players we have got at the mo I would like to see yossi and babel in the roles kuyt and voronin played against the arse.

[AFII]

I've always thought a midfield with xabi (collects the ball and plays the short forward ball) monster (enforcer) and stevie (free role) with two flair players who can do things out wide and "between the lines" behind torres would be the best formation for us and our players.

Looked like rafa was trying that this weekend...injury ruined it again? I'd like to see lucas replace xabi now...momo just can't do it at the mo

Kuyt and voronin can't play out wide off torres...not quick enough and don't have flair...with the players we have got at the mo I would like to see yossi and babel in the roles kuyt and voronin played against the arse.

We may score a goal or two and that wouldn't be any good. Just look what happened after we scored six against Derby. Rafa changed half the team clearly to point out that he don't want the players to get tired when they celebrate every time we score.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

I've always thought a midfield with xabi (collects the ball and plays the short forward ball) monster (enforcer) and stevie (free role) with two flair players who can do things out wide and "between the lines" behind torres would be the best formation for us and our players.

Looked like rafa was trying that this weekend...injury ruined it again? I'd like to see lucas replace xabi now...momo just can't do it at the mo

Kuyt and voronin can't play out wide off torres...not quick enough and don't have flair...with the players we have got at the mo I would like to see yossi and babel in the roles kuyt and voronin played against the arse.

That's a formation I'd like to see in action more often.

Though I do think people are going too far with Alonso now. He's becoming overrated by many now I think. Lets not forget he wasn't any great shakes last year. Though admittedly we're a better team when he's playing, I still want to see more from him to be deemed world class and the like.

[carheex]

I'm just waiting for Carheex to arrive and tell us all we are wrong and Alonso is crap........

I don't need to, you're only fooling yourselves - no skin off my nose!
A couple of things worth mentioning - Gerrard is bound to say he likes playing with Xabi - every player will be complimentary about everyone else at the club. Someone mentioned also that we only looked bad and conceded when Xabi came off....hmmmm, we were tired already from chasing the ball all afternoon and had to make do with a full back in midfield for the last part of the game - bugger all to do with Xabi's departure.
I'm just glad my specs aren't as rose tinted as some of you guys - at least I won't be finding new straws to clutch at when returns and things don;t really change much.

[JonnytheCrook]

who came off so we had to make do with a full back in midfield?

[carheex]

who came off so we had to make do with a full back in midfield?

Alonso - he came off injured and was replaced by Arbeloa.

[JonnytheCrook]

i'm struggling to follow your logic here...you say our problems towards the end of the game yesterday weren't anything to do with alonso's departure but it was, in part, to making do with a full back in midfield who had to replace alonso...doesn't that mean alonso's departure had something to do with it?

don't get me wrong i don't think alonso has been playing as well as he could or should have for a while now but we are certainly a better team with him...i for one am more comfortable with him receiving the ball from the defence instead of gerrard.

[El Jefecito]

i'm struggling to follow your logic here...you say our problems towards the end of the game yesterday weren't anything to do with alonso's departure but it was, in part, to making do with a full back in midfield who had to replace alonso...doesn't that mean alonso's departure had something to do with it?

don't get me wrong i don't think alonso has been playing as well as he could or should have for a while now but we are certainly a better team with him...i for one am more comfortable with him receiving the ball from the defence instead of gerrard.

The simple fact of the matter is that Alonso, makes everyone else play better.

[JonnytheCrook]

The simple fact of the matter is that Alonso, makes everyone else play better.

i agree