Rafa explains why he is open to the idea of selling Alonso

[rage]

rafa is talking nonsense. selling xabi has got nothing to do with anything other than satisfying his ego. all imo of course but at least i have one eh fredo?

how long until the window closes? where will xabi go? it'll have to be a big european team that are not in the champions league i'm thinking. don't think anyone will come in with a 10 million plus bid for a player thats cup tied and so publicly falling out with his manager, apart from us of course with paying silly money for barry.

[Scratch]

If Alonso is as good as we'd all love to think, then where the hell were all his suitors this summer? At £16 million he should have been snapped up, yet the only club interested were Juve (and Arsenal if believe the reports) and they wouldn't even come close to agreeing a fee...possibly because they were the only interested club and there's was the only solid bid.

[vlahka]

In my mind we're only hurting ourselves in midfield if we sell Alonso. Say we sign Barry, I really wonder if he WILL play on the left often. Lets say he does, then we really only have Mascherano and Gerrard in the middle. Lucas and Plessis are NOT at a high enough standard to challenge the league with. I didnt say they were bad. I said they arent there yet. Alonso is. Mascherano or Gerrard is injured or rested, I would feel 100 times more relaxed if Alonso was there instead of Plessis or Lucas. The left wing...well, we have Babel and Aurelio for now. Good enough for me.

It makes you wonder when all your friends who support other teams al cheer and laugh when Alonso isnt playing because they know he's good. Now being sold, my UTD friend wont stop laughing.

[Vermilion]

In my mind we're only hurting ourselves in midfield if we sell Alonso. Say we sign Barry, I really wonder if he WILL play on the left often. Lets say he does, then we really only have Mascherano and Gerrard in the middle. Lucas and Plessis are NOT at a high enough standard to challenge the league with. I didnt say they were bad. I said they arent there yet. Alonso is. Mascherano or Gerrard is injured or rested, I would feel 100 times more relaxed if Alonso was there instead of Plessis or Lucas. The left wing...well, we have Babel and Aurelio for now. Good enough for me.

It makes you wonder when all your friends who support other teams al cheer and laugh when Alonso isnt playing because they know he's good. Now being sold, my UTD friend wont stop laughing.

I remember when they sold Horse face, lots of people were laughing at that, it means nothing.........except of course that in most cases the Top managers know better than the fans.

Ps.....ughhhh, you have a UTD friend!...............

[cannotmakeit]

I remember when they sold Horse face, lots of people were laughing at that, it means nothing.........except of course that in most cases the Top managers know better than the fans.Ps.....ughhhh, you have a UTD friend!...............

except for posters on internet forums

[Dirk07]

In my mind we're only hurting ourselves in midfield if we sell Alonso. Say we sign Barry, I really wonder if he WILL play on the left often. Lets say he does, then we really only have Mascherano and Gerrard in the middle. Lucas and Plessis are NOT at a high enough standard to challenge the league with. I didnt say they were bad. I said they arent there yet. Alonso is. Mascherano or Gerrard is injured or rested, I would feel 100 times more relaxed if Alonso was there instead of Plessis or Lucas. The left wing...well, we have Babel and Aurelio for now. Good enough for me.

It makes you wonder when all your friends who support other teams al cheer and laugh when Alonso isnt playing because they know he's good. Now being sold, my UTD friend wont stop laughing.

He will/would play on the left during games, just because you start in a position dosent mean you are there all game, barry is also reasonably mobile which would aid our interchangeability down the left

[Guest]

Gareth Barry won't help us win the title. The team playing with a more attacking mentality and better players in the Kuyt Benayoun positions will

Fredo, no one can really win with you. When Xabi has a good game it's because the opposition were tiring. Were they tiring right at the beginning of the second half? You talk about backing the team and players but you're continued digs at Xabi are a joke

I'm going to be grateful when this summer window is closed. It's been an absolute joke. Like I said I hope we get Barry and see what he can do, if only to stop you posting your silly justifcations of selling Alonso

You've turned every thread of late into a farce, including the game thread on Saturday

rafa is talking nonsense. selling xabi has got nothing to do with anything other than satisfying his ego. all imo of course but at least i have one eh fredo?

how long until the window closes? where will xabi go? it'll have to be a big european team that are not in the champions league i'm thinking. don't think anyone will come in with a 10 million plus bid for a player thats cup tied and so publicly falling out with his manager, apart from us of course with paying silly money for barry.

Stop licking Xabi's arse. He's only a cog in a well oiled machine, the one Rafa is building. We won't miss Xabi if we can get Barry.

Fact is, Xabi hasn't stepped up the plate based on his promising first season. He's stalled a bit and please don't tell me it's because Rafa plays a defensive game. That is absolute bollocks of the highest order. We scored a lot of goals last season and in any case, winning (by any margin) is the be all and end all of football.

[vlahka]

I remember when they sold Horse face, lots of people were laughing at that, it means nothing.........except of course that in most cases the Top managers know better than the fans.

Ps.....ughhhh, you have a UTD friend!...............

Yeah, different story with Ruud though. They got into a huge spat. But he went off and was scoring regularly where he went, which means he was still very good. UTD would be feeling it far more if they didnt have Ronaldo.

And sadly, almost everyone is a damn UTD gypsie fan these days!

[Roboklopp]

Brilliant- another Barry vs Xabi/Sarb&Rage vs Frodo thread. Just what we need.

[Guest]

Brilliant- another Barry vs Xabi/Sarb&Rage vs Frodo thread. Just what we need.

Are you misspelling my name to wind me up ?

At your peril mate.

[Roboklopp]

Would I?

Yours,
PC Pud

[Cormack74]

If Alonso is as good as we'd all love to think, then where the hell were all his suitors this summer? At £16 million he should have been snapped up, yet the only club interested were Juve (and Arsenal if believe the reports) and they wouldn't even come close to agreeing a fee...possibly because they were the only interested club and there's was the only solid bid.

I think this is the crux of it to be honest.

[Guest]

I think this is the crux of it to be honest.

He's good but appears world class against Sunderland.

[vlahka]

He's good but appears world class against Sunderland.

One could argue the same. If Barry is going to win us the title where are all the bids from other teams for his skill.

[Nicey]

Yet somehow yesterday he was the best player on the pitch by a country mile!

Well I cant really comment on that because I was forced to watch it on a stream .. so cant really comment but look I am not having a pop at the guy I am just saying it would not be the end of the world if we cashed in and I mean cash in serious coin and stuck it into a top player on the left hand side