Xabi - or not Xabi

[Alpha]

Our squad must be seriously strong if Alonso can't even make the squad for the game against Havant. We've been playing shocking football lately and yet Rafa still doesn't think Xabi deserves a spell in the team. I wouldn't mind if results had been good and Xabi simply had to bide his time and then take his chance - but we've only won 2 games this year, against Luton and Havant respectively ! And still he doesn't get in the team.......

I wouldn't be surprised if Xabi goes back to Spain now which I think would be a shame coz I think he's an excellent player, with a great attitude.

Unfortunately for Xabi, the player who currently occupies his position has been arguably our best and most consistent performer all season.

[Jacko]

I have always liked Alonso but have always thought he was expendable, certainly since we had Masch/lucas in reserve, however this season has made me have a rethink and its now I think it was an on form Xabi that made us the good team that we were/are.

Since his dip in form/rotation we havent been the same and I am now of the opinion that its Xabi that is the real general of our midfield.

Keep him.

Mate that's been the case for quite some time now. Actually. . . ever since he made his debut at Bolton in 2004 that's been the case. Turin- Alonso, Luton- Alonso- Istanbul when Hamann came on- Alonso. Gerrard scores the goals- fair enough but where do you think they come from?

[Guest]

Could we have less of the so called pseudo managers on here ?

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

There are 4 players in our squad that are world class. Xabi is one of them.

World class?

Don't think so. Good player yes, but world class? Sorry, not likely.

[Joe King]

We can get better ball players than Xabi.

[Howard_lfc]

We can get better ball players than Xabi.

So name me one then. One that we can afford obviously.

[the rev leeroy brown]

So name me one then. One that we can afford obviously.

cesc fabregas

[dww]

We can get better ball players than Xabi.

So name me one then. One that we can afford obviously.

I think it depends what we want. I don't think there are many players who play the types of ball Xabi does better than him and control the flow o the game from deep. The only other players who play them consistently are Carrick and Flamini in the PL and I would take Alonso over either.

However what the team needs right now is the sort of guileful player who makes slick balls into the front man a la Fabregas, Xavi or Iniesta. I think that we would be better of having Xabi + that sort of player than swapping Xabi for one though.

I really think we have to make a decision on how we want to break team down and make an effort to add to the team in that department. The obvious answers are wide players and a 'hole' type player. For me a good hole player would get a lot more out of Babel and Benayoun plus the fact Gerrard could go on one wing. If we had a threat in behind Torres then we could play higher up the pitch and I think all of our other attacking players would benefit.

I see no benefit in selling players where we are strong in central midfield if they are genuinely challenging for a starting berth. Selling Momo is a good idea but Selling any of Gerrard, Mascher or Alonso would be madness. I think Lucas will also come good and offers a nice balance in terms of attacking and defensive qualities.

[El Jefecito]

I think it depends what we want. I don't think there are many players who play the types of ball Xabi does better than him and control the flow o the game from deep. The only other players who play them consistently are Carrick and Flamini in the PL and I would take Alonso over either.

However what the team needs right now is the sort of guileful player who makes slick balls into the front man a la Fabregas, Xavi or Iniesta. I think that we would be better of having Xabi + that sort of player than swapping Xabi for one though.

I really think we have to make a decision on how we want to break team down and make an effort to add to the team in that department. The obvious answers are wide players and a 'hole' type player. For me a good hole player would get a lot more out of Babel and Benayoun plus the fact Gerrard could go on one wing. If we had a threat in behind Torres then we could play higher up the pitch and I think all of our other attacking players would benefit.

I see no benefit in selling players where we are strong in central midfield if they are genuinely challenging for a starting berth. Selling Momo is a good idea but Selling any of Gerrard, Mascher or Alonso would be madness. I think Lucas will also come good and offers a nice balance in terms of attacking and defensive qualities.

A hole player is likely to provide the quickest improvement. We just don't have a striker that can make the most out of the crosses into the box. None of our strikers ATTACK the ball. A decent striker would have got onto at least a few of the balls that Pennant put in.

Second point, see how good Benni was yesterday, when he played up front. Reinforces to me that we need a hole player.

[redlancer]

A hole player is likely to provide the quickest improvement. We just don't have a striker that can make the most out of the crosses into the box. None of our strikers ATTACK the ball. A decent striker would have got onto at least a few of the balls that Pennant put in.

Second point, see how good Benni was yesterday, when he played up front. Reinforces to me that we need a hole player.

Unless we do get someone who can get on the end of pennants cross's do we need a dedicated winger?

I think we can play Masher, Alonso and Stevie with Stevie given the free role to drift out wide if required.

Yossi, Babel and Torres the forward players. All of whom are getting goals.

[El Jefecito]

Unless we do get someone who can get on the end of pennants cross's do we need a dedicated winger?

I think we can play Masher, Alonso and Stevie with Stevie given the free role to drift out wide if required.

Yossi, Babel and Torres the forward players. All of whom are getting goals.

Agree, but we really do need a productive winger/wing back on the left.

[Howard_lfc]

cesc fabregas

why don't we put a double bid in and try and get Rooney as well eh?

However what the team needs right now is the sort of guileful player who makes slick balls into the front man a la Fabregas, Xavi or Iniesta. I think that we would be better of having Xabi + that sort of player than swapping Xabi for one though.

I really think we have to make a decision on how we want to break team down and make an effort to add to the team in that department. The obvious answers are wide players and a 'hole' type player. For me a good hole player would get a lot more out of Babel and Benayoun plus the fact Gerrard could go on one wing. If we had a threat in behind Torres then we could play higher up the pitch and I think all of our other attacking players would benefit.

A 'hole' player would be great but they cost a few bob. I advocated buying Robbie Keane who can (sort of) play that role and also chip in with the odd hundred goals or so. But yes I agree with you Dave - we really need to decide what we're going to do to break down teams as it's causing us no end of problems at the moment.

[Gray]

There are 4 players in our squad that are world class. Xabi is one of them.

You're drunk.

[Shaggy]

I see a lot of talk about the perceived problems in our attacking play, but I can't see any threads on our shambolic defence?

We are used to keeping clean sheet after clean sheet, yet on Monday Villa nabbed two and then an amateur team get two more yesterday. We're conceding soft goal after soft goal and many of them from set pieces.

We're suddenly all at sea at every set-piece and struggle to defend any kind of high ball into the box.

I realise this is 'off-topic', but the talk of Xabi and our attacking shortcomings just seem a tad unimportant when we have such rotten problems at the back.

When a Benitez team is struggling to get even the basics of defending right, you know you're in trouble.

[marcus50bucks]

I see a lot of talk about the perceived problems in our attacking play, but I can't see any threads on our shambolic defence?

We are used to keeping clean sheet after clean sheet, yet on Monday Villa nabbed two and then an amateur team get two more yesterday. We're conceding soft goal after soft goal and many of them from set pieces.

We're suddenly all at sea at every set-piece and struggle to defend any kind of high ball into the box.

I realise this is 'off-topic', but the talk of Xabi and our attacking shortcomings just seem a tad unimportant when we have such rotten problems at the back.

When a Benitez team is struggling to get even the basics of defending right, you know you're in trouble.

Blame Tom Dick.