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

[ufc43]

Well I don't agree with Rafa. People like Plessis or Lucas should be first out the door than Xabi but they won't be because they can't command anywhere near the fee Xabi can, patently because they are not as good (or ever likely to be IMO). Xabi offers the team far too much to contemplate selling him. I am certain Rafa has fallen out with him on a personal level and that's why we're getting these shenanigans. I wish they'd put it all aside, as the best outcome for LFC, IMO at least, is for Xabi to stay.

100% spot on.

[el matador]

Because he will be worth ****ing millions in 2 years time ... doh

dont know which lucas you're on about. certainly not about the one that pretends to play for us.

[Nicey]

Bollix .. he has been excellent when called apon last season .. pretends to play for us .. what the **** do you mean by that .. please do not tell me you are having a go at Lucas ... please .. for ****s sake ...oh wait I have just seen the McBride thing .. it is all crystal

[El Jefecito]

dont know which lucas you're on about. certainly not about the one that pretends to play for us.

Lucas was more effective than Xabi last year. Not bad for his first season in a foreign league playing a different role etc etc

[the rev leeroy brown]

people forget that lucas is an attacking midfielder. box to box man like gerard done in his younger days. rafa had him playing as the second defensive midfielder last year. and he still did a good job. trouble is, i dont see rafa giving him the license to go forward as much as he likes. not with gerard and keane playing now.

[el matador]

people forget that lucas is an attacking midfielder. box to box man like gerard done in his younger days. rafa had him playing as the second defensive midfielder last year. and he still did a good job. trouble is, i dont see rafa giving him the license to go forward as much as he likes. not with gerard and keane playing now.

he's playing as a defensive midfielder for brazil at the olympics and has done ok for them.

He looks lightweight and too slow for the premierhsip. Why buy another defensive midfield player when we already have an abundance of talent in that area.

Why not use that 5 or £6m towards a wide player instead ?

What's the point in telling xabi he has to go because we have too many midfield players at the club when rafa went out and bought them.

[El Jefecito]

people forget that lucas is an attacking midfielder. box to box man like gerard done in his younger days. rafa had him playing as the second defensive midfielder last year. and he still did a good job. trouble is, i dont see rafa giving him the license to go forward as much as he likes. not with gerard and keane playing now.

Lucas playing his natual game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYqKzNlxclw

Lucas mentioned in a pre-season interview that Rafa was looking to him to start incoroporating the attacking part of his game into his role this year.

[El Jefecito]

he's playing as a defensive midfielder for brazil at the olympics and has done ok for them.

He looks lightweight and too slow for the premierhsip. Why buy another defensive midfield player when we already have an abundance of talent in that area.

Why not use that 5 or £6m towards a wide player instead ?

What's the point in telling xabi he has to go because we have too many midfield players at the club when rafa went out and bought them.

I believe, Rafa thinks that Xabi underperforms when put under pressure and that the rest of the EPL knows this now.

[rage]

he's playing as a defensive midfielder for brazil at the olympics and has done ok for them.

He looks lightweight and too slow for the premierhsip. Why buy another defensive midfield player when we already have an abundance of talent in that area.

Why not use that 5 or £6m towards a wide player instead ?

What's the point in telling xabi he has to go because we have too many midfield players at the club when rafa went out and bought them.

we all joke about another transfer window another central midfielder and it ends up no laughing matter.

lucas was lightweight last year, the positive assessments of him are from you tube clips and some fan from his former club talking him up.

I'm hoping he improves this year and plays to the expectations of el jef and co. but surely if he does we'll know by xmas and perhaps should hold off buying barry and let this boy prove he has what it takes? complete waste of 6 million otherwise.

oh and whether he's good enough or not the only place this boy will get a chance to play will be as one of the 2 defensive/central midfielders. square pegs, round holes and every sweet in the sweetshop eh rafa?

[el matador]

I believe, Rafa thinks that Xabi underperforms when put under pressure and that the rest of the EPL knows this now.

if we'e complaining about our existing slow and lightweight midfielder then why go out and buy another one ?

Xabi might be slow but he isnt lightweight. One of his most memorable performances for me came against juventus in delli alpi for the return leg of the champions league.

We won the first leg and were missing gerrard for the second. I think it was xabi's first game back after 3 months out when lampard had broken his ankle.

He sat in front of the back and that night he was immense. You could tell he was knackered after half an hour but he played like a lion that day and we defended brilliantly.

Xabi is a legend and although he hasnt played that well recently he deserves rafa's and our respect. Thinking someone like lucas could replace xabi isnt just ludicrous but its also insulting to alonso.

[kingfunk]

Lucas playing his natual game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYqKzNlxclw

Lucas mentioned in a pre-season interview that Rafa was looking to him to start incoroporating the attacking part of his game into his role this year.

Whats the name of that song, nice...

[El Jefecito]

if we'e complaining about our existing slow and lightweight midfielder then why go out and buy another one ?

Xabi might be slow but he isnt lightweight. One of his most memorable performances for me came against juventus in delli alpi for the return leg of the champions league.

We won the first leg and were missing gerrard for the second. I think it was xabi's first game back after 3 months out when lampard had broken his ankle.

He sat in front of the back and that night he was immense. You could tell he was knackered after half an hour but he played like a lion that day and we defended brilliantly.

Xabi is a legend and although he hasnt played that well recently he deserves rafa's and our respect. Thinking someone like lucas could replace xabi isnt just ludicrous but its also insulting to alonso.

BTW It's Barry that is being brought in to replace Xabi. Barry isn't slow and lightweight.

You can only live on past performances for so long, especially European ones, when it's obvious that performance in the EPL are what matter most now.


Mate, Lucas already outperformed Xabi last year in the EPL, so get off telling me I'm ludicrous and insulting Xabi. Try looking at it from another perspective.

[Guest]

Some people just can't get over the fact that Rafa has decided to ship off Xabi.

As if he was bigger than the club.

[Exiled_red]

so from our squad our 8 would be? carra, gerrard err....

can't see how this can be as both utd and arsenal would also struggle.

Home grown players are players that were trained in the country for a minimum of 3 years between the ages of 15 and 21 (This is the current rule in the Champions League)

Our current players would be:

Finnan, Carragher, Gerrard, Pennant, Keane, Spearing, Darby and ??

Some of the other young players are eligable for the 'B' list.

Some of the youngsters we are signing at the moment that are under 18 will be eligable for "home grown status" in future as long as they stay at the club for 3 years.

[the rev leeroy brown]

Some people just can't get over the fact that Rafa has decided to ship off Xabi.

As if he was bigger than the club.

no-one is bigger than the club. not alonso, not gerard, not rafa not the yanks, maybe jan molby is but that is it!