Rafa Benitez tells Xabi Alonso: Step things up

[Skillz]

Rafa is not fit enough to do the kicking that is required to wake those dozy *******s up.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Rafa definitely has big balls after what he has been through.

[AFII]

We do need a playmaker but Alonso isn't it.

Not right now he isn't. We need an Aimar type of player, someone that will dictate the pace upfront.

[homer1]

Not right now he isn't. We need an Aimar type of player, someone that will dictate the pace upfront.

He never would be the playmaker / Aimar type player. For this formation to work for us you would need Alonso as a deep lying player, controlling the game from the middle but a clever player like an Aimar / Aguerro / Saviola to play behind Torres

Nearest we have to play that position right now is Yossi IMO

[rage]

poor form by rafa, talk about double standards. how about picking out his bum boy kuyt or that excuse of a striker voronin.

I think this is the beginning of the end for alonso. Shame really as we've failed to carve open teams with any consistency if he's not in the team.

[Skillz]

He never would be the playmaker / Aimar type player. For this formation to work for us you would need Alonso as a deep lying player, controlling the game from the middle but a clever player like an Aimar / Aguerro / Saviola to play behind Torres

Nearest we have to play that position right now is Yossi IMO

My bet says AFII picks Kun out of those 3.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Rafa Benitez tells Xabi Alonso: Step things up
Feb 4 2008
by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

RAFAEL BENITEZ believes Xabi Alonso must raise his game to win back a place in the Liverpool starting line-up.

The Spanish midfielder, who played the full 90 minutes of the midweek defeat at West Ham United, failed to make even the bench for Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Sunderland at Anfield.

Alonso has struggled to rediscover his form after twice being sidelined this season with a metatarsal problem.

The 26-year-old suffered the initial problem in September which was then aggravated during his comeback match at home to Arsenal in late October.

Alonso returned to action six weeks ago, but has since started just five games as he competes with Javier Mascherano and Lucas for a place in central midfield alongside Steven Gerrard.

Alonso’s hopes of an immediate chance to stake his claims will be frustrated as the Spaniard is suspended for Sunday’s visit to Chelsea after picking up a fifth domestic booking of the season at Upton Park.

And Benitez said: “Xabi needs to step it up. When you are not 100% fit, you want to play every game because you need to play more games to build up your fitness.

“But if Gerrard, Mascherano or Lucas are playing well, it means there is competition for places which is good for the team.

“Xabi knows he needs to work harder if we wants to have a place in the team.

“Mascherano was back from suspension and he gives us balance in the middle and Gerrard can be more free going forward.

“Lucas was playing really well the other day so we had three midfielders, and we needed to have wingers or strikers on the bench. That’s why Alonso was not in the squad on Saturday.”

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0...name_page.html

Unbelievable.

You wonder what planet he's on.

These kind of comments make you wonder about his man management skills, or lack of them.

So apparently Alonso hasn't been up to standard (which in itself isn't wrong), but then he goes on to praise Kuyt despite him being alehouse for months.

It's laughable, just like his team selection against Reading or Birmingham at home.

It's no surprize that many of the players might be fed up with him.

[hamshanks]

Alonso is not match fit, he's been plagued with injuries this season. I don't think the way to help him get match fit is to publicly humiliate him - f*cking play him Rafa and get him fit - I honestly think he is our best midfield player (yes, better than SG). Like many folk have said Dirk has been terrible for a couple of months but nothing from Rafa, and he still plays him even though he's shot to bits. For christsakes give Kuyt a rest and give Xabi a bit of support or he'll be off and they'll be no shortage of takers, like Crouch he's been treated appaulingly this season and that's not Laurel & Hardy's fault

[Elrond]

Unbelievable.

You wonder what planet he's on.

These kind of comments make you wonder about his man management skills, or lack of them.

So apparently Alonso hasn't been up to standard (which in itself isn't wrong), but then he goes on to praise Kuyt despite him being alehouse for months.

It's laughable, just like his team selection against Reading or Birmingham at home.

It's no surprize that many of the players might be fed up with him.

It's funny how you give that great speech and then give an AFII like comment with your last sentence ...

[tomasjj]

It's funny how you give that great speech and then give an AFII like comment with your last sentence ...

Never let any topic get away without a chance to put forward the current agenda

[Jazzmaster]

Unbelievable.

You wonder what planet he's on.

These kind of comments make you wonder about his man management skills, or lack of them.

So apparently Alonso hasn't been up to standard (which in itself isn't wrong), but then he goes on to praise Kuyt despite him being alehouse for months.

It's laughable, just like his team selection against Reading or Birmingham at home.

It's no surprize that many of the players might be fed up with him.

I dont necessarily disagree with what rafa has done here. Some players need the confidence boost while others need the kick up the ass to get them back on track. Obviously rafa is pissed off that xabi isnt playing up to his standard and rightly so.

Also i think rafa knows well how **** kuyt is and thats whay he bigs him up publicly all the time cos if he was to criticise him it would be disastrous.

[tomasjj]

I dont necessarily disagree with what rafa has done here. Some players need the confidence boost while others need the kick up the ass to get them back on track. Obviously rafa is pissed off that xabi isnt playing up to his standard and rightly so.

Also i think rafa knows well how **** kuyt is and thats whay he bigs him up publicly all the time cos if he was to criticise him it would be disastrous.

That is my take on this as well.

[Jazzmaster]

Yeah. We have to remember that when rafa came to lfc first he had planned on building his midfield (if not the team) around xabi alonso. Therefore rafa clearly rates xabi extremely highly.

We all remember how good xabi was in his first season but since then he has been very patchy form-wise.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

I dont necessarily disagree with what rafa has done here. Some players need the confidence boost while others need the kick up the ass to get them back on track. Obviously rafa is pissed off that xabi isnt playing up to his standard and rightly so.

Also i think rafa knows well how **** kuyt is and thats whay he bigs him up publicly all the time cos if he was to criticise him it would be disastrous.

But why do it publically?

I don't get it.

Surely by leaving him out against Sunderland he was saying "you're not up to standard".

But then I remembered that he rotates without reason from time to time, so perhaps he needs to tell players when they aren't performing.

I would have more respect for him if he lambasted the squad as a whole.

And yes I do have an agenda. I would prefer to see a manager who had us on the right track not turn into the next Houllier, which he slowly is.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

It's funny how you give that great speech and then give an AFII like comment with your last sentence ...

Notice the use of the word "might".

Or perhaps you didn't.

[Jazzmaster]

But why do it publically?

I don't get it.

Surely by leaving him out against Sunderland he was saying "you're not up to standard".

But then I remembered that he rotates without reason from time to time, so perhaps he needs to tell players when they aren't performing.

I would have more respect for him if he lambasted the squad as a whole.

And yes I do have an agenda. I would prefer to see a manager who had us on the right track not turn into the next Houllier, which he slowly is.

Im no fan of rafa but if a manager feels he has to publicly criticise a player then obviously he has tried other methods prior to that and same have not worked. I can see why rafa has done this.

Anyway xabi does need to pull his socks up big time if he is going to have a chance of displacing mascher this season.