Keep Xabi Alonso Thread

[ElRobbie]

If we're going to pay £15-18m for Gareth Barry and sell Alonso for £15m, what is the point?

I mean, I don't know about anyone else but I'm not all that fussed about Barry, I don't think he is any better than Alonso at his best, I think Alonso at his best offers more to the team.

The only way thses transfers make sense to me is if we make profit and get a better player and I don't think we would be doing either.

[Tee]

I would have given Alonso this season and if he does not perform look to move him on next summer. I am confident a fully fit Xabi would offer more to our team/system than Barry.

[Elvis]

If we're going to pay £15-18m for Gareth Barry and sell Alonso for £15m, what is the point?

I mean, I don't know about anyone else but I'm not all that fussed about Barry, I don't think he is any better than Alonso at his best, I think Alonso at his best offers more to the team.

The only way thses transfers make sense to me is if we make profit and get a better player and I don't think we would be doing either.

You get the feeling that Xabi and Rafa have had a lover's tiff...I cannot see replacing Xabi with Barry as a pure footballing decision. There must be other factors.

[rage]

If we're going to pay £15-18m for Gareth Barry and sell Alonso for £15m, what is the point?

I mean, I don't know about anyone else but I'm not all that fussed about Barry, I don't think he is any better than Alonso at his best, I think Alonso at his best offers more to the team.

The only way thses transfers make sense to me is if we make profit and get a better player and I don't think we would be doing either.

I would have given Alonso this season and if he does not perform look to move him on next summer. I am confident a fully fit Xabi would offer more to our team/system than Barry.

You get the feeling that Xabi and Rafa have had a lover's tiff...I cannot see replacing Xabi with Barry as a pure footballing decision. There must be other factors.

[Jennings]

Keep Xabi!!

[JPK]

Keep Alonso is correct.

[BFG]

If a deal can be done so that it's more or less a straight swap with Barry in and Xabi out I think it makes perfect football sense.

I think we should be a bit less hysterical about the figures being quoted in the press and Villa's apparent hardline stance. Better to see what comes out in the wash.

[poorscousertommy]

Xabi is a better player than Barry without a doubt.

The ridiculous prices managers put on English players heads baffles me.

I'd rather have a happy Alonso than a happy Barry.

We need strengthening elsewhere more importantly.

[ElRobbie]

I think its partly that I just can't get that excited about us selling a central midfielder and replacing him with one who isn't any better, when clearly it isn't an area where we need to strengthen so why are we wasting time and money doing so?

[-V-]

I can understand the thinking behind changing Alonso for Barry

Barry would get us goals and assists. 8 goals and 8 assists last season.; Good crosser, good goalscorer, good header on him, quality set-piece taker. Makes things happen

Alonso hasn't been effective going forward for a long while now and we have Mascher and Lucas who can fill Alonso's role

[The_weatherman]

I think it's something to do with the UEFA quota in the CL squad, it will increase this season, but I think Barry will offer more in the PL FWIW.

[Parm]

by all means buy Barry, but Xabi must be kept. I keep on saying that the fact the mancs bought Anderson and Hargreves last year did not mean the end of Scholes and Carrick, it in fact made them a much stronger unit than before. We need the quality in team.

[Roboklopp]

Most of Barry's goals were pens, which Stevie already takes for us.

Would be happier keeping Xabi aye, as I've said many a time. Not sure why we need yet another thread about it tho..

[Kenneth]

Sell Alonso, don't buy Barry, imo.

[ntto]

I can understand the thinking behind changing Alonso for Barry

Barry would get us goals and assists. 8 goals and 8 assists last season.; Good crosser, good goalscorer, good header on him, quality set-piece taker. Makes things happen

Alonso hasn't been effective going forward for a long while now and we have Mascher and Lucas who can fill Alonso's role

i dont think alonso is afforded that luxury in the system he is asked to play in.

all too often gerrard is asked to push forward at alonsos expense. This was so obvious when gerrard was sidelined for periods last season, alonso started getting a lot more goals and assists