Xabi Alonso - the enigma

[tomasjj]

A player like Alonso needs quick players with good movement in front of him.
We have Torres who is marked by two defenders normally and Gerrard who gets man marked these days.The rest are crap if you ask me.
My point is that until we sign better attackers we wont see the best of Xabi again.
When he came we had Garcia,Baros,Cisse,Gerrard and our fullbacks used to get past the halfway line back then.They dont now and Yossi cuts in and congests the play,Pennant marks the touch line and is easy for a defender to mark and Kewell is as slow as a turtle.

Our other 3strikers have crap movement and dont make good runs.
Put Xabi into Barca's side or Arsenal's or the Manc's and you would see the old Xabi again.Fact.

Xabi is boss.

Don't listen to Shaggs. He smokes all day,

And listen, I got this web interview of him where he is off his rocker.

PM only

[kopdan]

Alonso is class

But I havent seen passing from him like I saw when he played against Spurs a couple of years ago.

[tomasjj]

Alonso is class

But I havent seen passing from him like I saw when he played against Spurs a couple of years ago.

I was at that match, mate.
It was unbelievable.

[Shaggy]

A player like Alonso needs quick players with good movement in front of him.
We have Torres who is marked by two defenders normally and Gerrard who gets man marked these days.The rest are crap if you ask me.
My point is that until we sign better attackers we wont see the best of Xabi again.
When he came we had Garcia,Baros,Cisse,Gerrard and our fullbacks used to get past the halfway line back then.They dont now and Yossi cuts in and congests the play,Pennant marks the touch line and is easy for a defender to mark and Kewell is as slow as a turtle.

Our other 3strikers have crap movement and dont make good runs.
Put Xabi into Barca's side or Arsenal's or the Manc's and you would see the old Xabi again.Fact.

I've already mentioned how good I think he'd be for Barca - alongside his old pal Xavi, pulling the strings for those exceptional attacking players in front him. He needs to be in a fluid team of perpetual motion, not some lumbering, static outfit like we presently are.

It'd kill me to see him leave us and become that genuinely world class player, that we all know is inside Xabi somewhere...bursting to get out....for another club.

[Shaggy]

Xabi is boss.

Don't listen to Shaggs. He smokes all day,

And listen, I got this web interview of him where he is off his rocker.

PM only

[kopdan]

I was at that match, mate.
It was unbelievable.

I wonder if its a different formation and style to blame for his supposed decline?

[tomasjj]

Sense of humour gone?

[Shaggy]

Sense of humour gone?

I'm not in the highest of spirits though, no. Bloody football.

[tomasjj]

I wonder if its a different formation and style to blame for his supposed decline?

I think Postman Pat above pointed at some fair points.
Also, he has been injured now, and he was shoehorned into the DM position that Mascherano now occupies.

So, yeah, formation and style of play. True. Also team selection. I don't think we will really kick into gear before we move Alonso in alongside Mascher and release SG, but 80% on here will probably differ on that one.

[tomasjj]

I'm not in the highest of spirits though, no. Bloody football.

I was fuming earlier, and the missus had to sit in the kitchen for a couple of hours. I was in no mood for small talk and just grunted and huffed and puffed.

[Shaggy]

I think Postman Pat above pointed at some fair points.
Also, he has been injured now, and he was shoehorned into the DM position that Mascherano now occupies.

So, yeah, formation and style of play. True. Also team selection. I don't think we will really kick into gear before we move Alonso in alongside Mascher and release SG, but 80% on here will probably differ on that one.

Nope, I'm with you on that one.

[kopdan]

I just want to see those 60 yard passes like he used to do.

[JPK]

I've already mentioned how good I think he'd be for Barca - alongside his old pal Xavi, pulling the strings for those exceptional attacking players in front him. He needs to be in a fluid team of perpetual motion, not some lumbering, static outfit like we presently are.

It'd kill me to see him leave us and become that genuinely world class player, that we all know is inside Xabi somewhere...bursting to get out....for another club.

I hear what you were saying.He is'nt the Xabi of old but like you said it's down to personel.Torres has 17 goals this year and in all honesty he does not even have a strike partner or any good wingers to provide ammunition.
It is frightening to think what he would be like with world class wingers and a "No 10" playing off him.
Same goes for Alonso me thinks.

[Shaggy]

I was fuming earlier, and the missus had to sit in the kitchen for a couple of hours. I was in no mood for small talk and just grunted and huffed and puffed.

Although I think I'm getting better at coping with us being ****. I think it's all this practice we're getting.

[Shaggy]

I hear what you were saying.He is'nt the Xabi of old but like you said it's down to personel.Torres has 17 goals this year and in all honesty he does not even have a strike partner or any good wingers to provide ammunition.
It is frightening to think what he would be like with world class wingers and a "No 10" playing off him.
Same goes for Alonso me thinks.

Aye, we're absolutely crying out for a genuine number 10 IMO.