Xabi Alonso.......Respect

[Craig_H]

Classy player, classy guy. Very talented footballer and a true gentleman

[lfc1394]

To be honest he's never been this good in the league, barring the odd cameo. But I put that down to the rest of the team, not just him. And the only reason I wanted him gone was because prior to this season he had failed to gell into a system which brought out the best in him.

All to often he was rushed of the ball in the prem. Looking better so far.

Totally disagree mate, he was world class in his first season for us and was still one of the best CM in the PL in his second, by his very high standards he had an average third season injury plagued fourth he was world player of the year in his 5th

I'm not having a dig at you at all but a poor Xabi is still better than most players. What Andy Gray said about him was spot on the other night, he is always aware, always looking for an option and trys / sees passes that no one else would try (well except Gerrard).

[pondus]

Xabi

[El Jefecito]

Thanks for posting that Sarb, hadn't seen it before.

I would however say that Benitez is the ultimate pragmatist. The only reason he was looking to "upgrade" Xabi is that he had performed so badly for the 18 months prior to this season.

I have to admit that I still harbor doubts about Xabi's ability to deliver when the opposition target him and close him down as soon as he gets the ball. But all credit to him, this season, he has been (Liege aside) untouchable.

Many will disagree but Xabi IS the best CM in the world, in the right league. His brain, touch, vision, play making ability cannot be surpassed (BTW SG is an AM in this analysis, who is BTW more untouchable than Xabi ).

Previously, I was of the impression that this is not the right league for him and that to prove he was the best, he would need to move to a more "sedate" league i.e. Spain / Italy. But I think our team is balanced enough now that the opposition cannot target Xabi for fear of making it easier for others e.g. Riera/Babel/Kuyt/Lucas/El Jefecito.

I am really hopeful that even though, if targeted, he can be negated and in some cases, become a liability, that the way we are setup we can overcome that. I really hope we can a/ because I bought his shirt and b/ because he is the "smartest" CM out there.

[DannyMan2006]

Totally disagree mate, he was world class in his first season for us and was still one of the best CM in the PL in his second, by his very high standards he had an average third season injury plagued fourth he was world player of the year in his 5th

I'm not having a dig at you at all but a poor Xabi is still better than most players. What Andy Gray said about him was spot on the other night, he is always aware, always looking for an option and trys / sees passes that no one else would try (well except Gerrard).

But we came 5th that year mate. His passing was a sight to behold but he was still rushed out the game by teams. And for all his great awareness he must be high on the list of players who lose the ball in possession. Maybe that's down to his position, but he takes his time to often for my liking when looking for that next 40 yard pass or 50 yard shot on goal.

Been much better this season mind.

[DannyMan2006]

Thanks for posting that Sarb, hadn't seen it before.

I would however say that Benitez is the ultimate pragmatist. The only reason he was looking to "upgrade" Xabi is that he had performed so badly for the 18 months prior to this season.

I have to admit that I still harbor doubts about Xabi's ability to deliver when the opposition target him and close him down as soon as he gets the ball. But all credit to him, this season, he has been (Liege aside) untouchable.

Many will disagree but Xabi IS the best CM in the world, in the right league. His brain, touch, vision, play making ability cannot be surpassed (BTW SG is an AM in this analysis, who is BTW more untouchable than Xabi ).

Previously, I was of the impression that this is not the right league for him and that to prove he was the best, he would need to move to a more "sedate" league i.e. Spain / Italy. But I think our team is balanced enough now that the opposition cannot target Xabi for fear of making it easier for others e.g. Riera/Babel/Kuyt/Lucas/El Jefecito.

I am really hopeful that even though, if targeted, he can be negated and in some cases, become a liability, that the way we are setup we can overcome that. I really hope we can a/ because I bought his shirt and b/ because he is the "smartest" CM out there.

The point I was trying to make, but explained far better.

[El Jefecito]

Totally disagree mate, he was world class in his first season for us and was still one of the best CM in the PL in his second, by his very high standards he had an average third season injury plagued fourth he was world player of the year in his 5th

I'm not having a dig at you at all but a poor Xabi is still better than most players. What Andy Gray said about him was spot on the other night, he is always aware, always looking for an option and trys / sees passes that no one else would try (well except Gerrard).

Xabi's problem is that he is competing with a/ Steven Gerrard who is the best attacking midfielder in the world and b/ El Jefecito who is the best defensive midfielder in the world.

It's a tough contest, especially, if you lose form for 18 months.

[Rigadon]

“That was a really emotional night for me,” Alonso said. “I can't tell you how much I appreciated such an incredible show of support. They couldn't have done more to tell me they wanted me to stay and if I had any doubts whatsoever on that score, they had disappeared long before the end.

“I always try my best, but as I heard my name ringing around that ground that night, I really felt I wanted to go on and do something to pay them all back. I always knew Liverpool fans were special and that just proved it. They appreciate loyalty from players, and not just the local boys like Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

“They look at players like Dietmar Hamann and Sami Hyypia, and Jan Molby before them, and the impact they have had over a number of years. The example of those players is like a mirror for me. It is something I want to emulate, particularly after what happened against Lazio.”

.....

Xabi Alonso, professional to the last.

Ultimate professional.

[Rich]

I actually think that Xabi has managed to find an extra half yard of pace this season, he doesn't seem so one paced has he did last year - he's in the team on merit, long may it continue.

[Slinky Skills]

Xabi Alonso emerges stronger from turmoil

James Ducker

It should have been one of the best times of Xabi Alonso's life. Spain had ended 44 years of heartache by winning the European Championship and the Liverpool midfield player had a baby boy, Jon, born a few months earlier, with whom to share the moment alongside Nagore, his fiancée. But the summer of 2008 will always carry with it a nasty caveat for Alonso.

As the celebrations continued long into the night in Madrid, the plot to remove Alonso and replace him with Gareth Barry was thickening on Merseyside. By the time Lazio arrived at Anfield for a friendly in August, the summer's most sordid transfer saga had reached almost farcical proportions.

Alonso was no longer just the intended makeweight in a deal to take Barry to Liverpool, he was a lame duck, a pawn in an increasingly political and publicised tug-of-war between Rafael Benítez, the manager, Rick Parry, the club's chief executive, and Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, the owners. Liverpool's supporters, to their great credit, recognised this.

On the one hand, they were disgusted by the treatment of a player who had been the epitome of professionalism during his four years at the club; on the other, they seriously doubted whether the Aston Villa captain, despite his greater versatility, represented an improvement on one of the idols of Istanbul.

So the Kop let rip. If Benítez was humiliated, Alonso was humbled. As the player's name reverberated around Anfield, the realisation dawned on Alonso of precisely what was in danger of being taken away.

Fans had stopped him in the street to offer their support and encouragement, others had written to him expressing anger at the merciless attempts to offload him against his wishes, but hearing one of the great citadels of European football in full voice in sole recognition of him left a lump in the throat.

“That was a really emotional night for me,” Alonso said. “I can't tell you how much I appreciated such an incredible show of support. They couldn't have done more to tell me they wanted me to stay and if I had any doubts whatsoever on that score, they had disappeared long before the end.

“I always try my best, but as I heard my name ringing around that ground that night, I really felt I wanted to go on and do something to pay them all back. I always knew Liverpool fans were special and that just proved it. They appreciate loyalty from players, and not just the local boys like Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

“They look at players like Dietmar Hamann and Sami Hyypia, and Jan Molby before them, and the impact they have had over a number of years. The example of those players is like a mirror for me. It is something I want to emulate, particularly after what happened against Lazio.”

But surely Alonso feels betrayed by Benítez? Surely he must have felt like telling the manager to stick it? He was, after all, one of his fellow Spaniard's most trusted lieutenants, his mouthpiece on the field, the player whom the manager so often called over to relay instructions to the rest.

“I prefer not to think too much about how I was treated,” Alonso, speaking for the first time about the situation at the launch of Fifa 09, the EA Sports football game, said. “It is not always easy to detach yourself from things like that, but I accept it is part of football and the main thing is it was all resolved and I am now playing regularly. It is a fact that any player can be really happy where he is, but if the club don't want him, he has to accept it. There is not much you can do.”

So has his relationship with Benítez changed? Alonso denies having a bust-up with the manager in the build-up to the first leg of Liverpool's Champions League third qualifying round tie against Standard Liège in Belgium in August, but it is fair to wonder how you go about piecing back together a relationship that lay in tatters only months ago? “There wasn't [any confrontation],” Alonso said. “You always want to feel important wherever you are at, but I feel settled at Liverpool again now.

“I just had to deal with it and everything between the manager, the board and myself is fine. Of course, the manager and I talk about things from time to time, but there has been nothing specific [said]. My relationship with the manager is professional, but it has always been professional.”

It takes a consummate professional to forgive and forget like Alonso has, a special one to emerge a better player from such a mess, which, if his performances this season are anything to go by, he has. But then this affable, intelligent Spaniard has always been the thinking man's footballer.

Unbeaten in all competitions this season, Liverpool face Manchester City away tomorrow hoping to maintain their momentum, but Alonso has witnessed too many false dawns at Anfield to start getting carried away. “We have to be cautious about making any predictions at this stage of the season,” he said. “We started well enough in the Premier League last season but could not sustain it.

“If you want to be challenging for the title, you cannot afford to have a bad month, like we did last time. You have to be so consistent, so strong, and our first objective is to go into the Christmas programme still in contention. If you are eight or nine points adrift at that stage, you are out of it and we don't want any repeat of that.”

The same voice of reason is applied when assessing the impact that the takeover of City by Sheikh Mansour, a multibillionaire from Abu Dhabi, could have. “It could herald a different era of football, but hopefully money won't impose over the football and the right way of preparing and working,” he said.

Xabi Alonso, professional to the last.

Ultimate professional.

Really good article, I like the fact that he knows how difficult the task ahead is, also the importance ex players have played in the history of our club.

I'm going to admit that I was one of those fans that thought maybe it was time to let him go, for him to move on. I thought that personally he'd seen better days and that Barry would come in and do a better job than him.

But credit where it's due. He's gone about his job profesionally and in a very dignified manner this season.

He's been quiet but extremely effective as have the whole team. He's broken up play with his tackles, passed the ball in a simple fashion when needs be whilst at other times he's sprayed the ball from one end of the pitch to the other quite beautifully. The only players that can play balls like that are Paul Scholes and of course Stevie G.

He's been a testament not just himself but to Liverpool football club this season.

Well done Xabi.

[Jennings]

I love him. (i try to keep it non-sexual).

Did anyone see him grab Gerards shirt before kick-off against PSV? What were they doing?

[Slinky Skills]

I love him. (i try to keep it non-sexual).

Did anyone see him grab Gerards shirt before kick-off against PSV? What were they doing?

As long as he didn't grab Gerrard's arse, I'd start to get really worried then!

[Vermilion]

I actually think that Xabi has managed to find an extra half yard of pace this season, he doesn't seem so one paced has he did last year - he's in the team on merit, long may it continue.

Strange/amazing if true that he is able to do this as he gets older, could just be coming into his prime, or maybe wasn't totally fit last couple of seasons....fit enough to play when he did...but maybe not 100% ?.

Whatever, he's flying now compared to then, which is good for us & great for him, long may he continue.

[Slinky Skills]

Strange/amazing if true that he is able to do this as he gets older, could just be coming into his prime, or maybe wasn't totally fit last couple of seasons....fit enough to play when he did...but maybe not 100% ?.

Whatever, he's flying now compared to then, which is good for us & great for him, long may he continue.

I don't think he's added any pace, he's still a slug. He has however been very good on the ball. His short and long passing has been excellent.

We have a lot of unspectacular players who do very difficult jobs for the team and free the extraordinary up for the likes of Gerrard and Torres. These players seem to be taken for granted and their job goes largely unoticed by Liverpool fans.

[BigChief]

Strange/amazing if true that he is able to do this as he gets older, could just be coming into his prime, or maybe wasn't totally fit last couple of seasons....fit enough to play when he did...but maybe not 100% ?.

Whatever, he's flying now compared to then, which is good for us & great for him, long may he continue.

Not really that strange or that amazing. He's leaner than he's ever been at Liverpool and I dare say he's got more muscles under that red shirt now.

That would easily add half a yard of pace to any human being.