Xabi Alonso.......Respect

[JermainePennant]

I never understood how anyone especailly liverpool fans could rate barry above alonso, he is top quality and it would be nothing short of a disaster if barry was in his place and alonso at arsenal.

The problem is if Alonso keeps injury free and carrys on with his form I think the big clubs will be looking at him and I think he would go after what happened in the summer but lets just enjoy having one of the best passers in the world in our team while it lasts.

[BFG]

and tbf the ref was bang on because at first im not sure it looked that bad

Me too. I think it's because you could see he got the ball with his left foot but got Xabi about half way up his standing leg with his right which wasn't so obvious on TV.

[Marky]

Three red cards have been issued due to tackles on Xabi in the Prem this year. Must have quicker feet than it appears.

That's mad.

Tough ****er though, straight back up, no fuss, just gets on with it.

His application this season for us has been first class.

[DannyMan2006]

thought it was just a foul and not as malicious as it was - can say what he likes but it was high and over the ball

Luckily when the tackle connected his foot gave way and did not stick in the turf.

[rage]

every now and again i'm gonna revsit this thread just to shout XABI ALONSO!! think reece should merge it with all the crap about alonso in the transfer thread. it'll make me feel better after my half time gaff yesterday reading all those doubters comments.

[barnes10]

I never understood how anyone especailly liverpool fans could rate barry above alonso, he is top quality and it would be nothing short of a disaster if barry was in his place and alonso at arsenal.

The problem is if Alonso keeps injury free and carrys on with his form I think the big clubs will be looking at him and I think he would go after what happened in the summer but lets just enjoy having one of the best passers in the world in our team while it lasts.

dont think anyone actually rated barry higher and wanted alonso at arsenal.

i know i was willing to let rafa make the xabi - barry swap but thats cos i was resigned that the potential best passer in world football hadnt cut it for a couple of years for whatever reasons. i used to rate xabi in CM higher than gerrard a few years back. but i had decided, with gerrard and barry working for england, that that double act was better than xabi and it was time for him to move on.

just not to arsenal. im sure pretty much everyone here thought selling him to arsenal was a big, big mistake. i know i stated that i'd seriously doubt rafa's judgement in that.

thankfully xabi has bucked up, looks the world beater we all know he can be and, with a genuine left winger, we have no need for barry. thats a win win for me and for most on here im sure.

[Robster007]

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.

I've put on a fair bit of weight over the past few months since I harshly judged/treated you, from all the humble pie your posts have had me eating.

A great post, by one of the most intelligent thinkers on the site.

[Sarb]

I've not heard much on Barry these past few weeks.....he's probably not been doing much?

I remember at the beginning of the season when he scored/assisted, all the Anti-Xabi lot were coming out and saying 'we should have had Barry.....where are you Xabi fans now', but not in such a polite way

[dww]

I've not heard much on Barry these past few weeks.....he's probably not been doing much?

I remember at the beginning of the season when he scored/assisted, all the Anti-Xabi lot were coming out and saying 'we should have had Barry.....where are you Xabi fans now', but not in such a polite way

By all accounts (Chelsea game apart) Barry has been excellent.

As it happens I still feel Barry would have improved our side and given us more flexibility. None the less Xabi has been exceptional for us of late. However it has taken an improvement elsewhere in the team which was probably unexpected (mostly from Kuyt and Riera) to allow this and take advantage of it IMO. For me it remains to be seen whether all of these elements can keep up their excellent form (or the likes of Babel can step up when they are inevitably a little off form). By the end of the season I hope that I will be totally proven wrong with Alonso's passing having proved to link the team together and his intelligence to more than make up for his lack of mobility.

I agree with El Jefecito that a major reason for Rafa looking at the Barry - Alonso swap (and many peoples opinions on it) was the previously poor form of Xabi himself. No one doubted his class but thought that he was less than optimal in the PL.

I'm not sure why it has to be seen as two camps rigidly pro-Barry or pro-Alonso.

[Harv]

I've not heard much on Barry these past few weeks.....he's probably not been doing much?

I remember at the beginning of the season when he scored/assisted, all the Anti-Xabi lot were coming out and saying 'we should have had Barry.....where are you Xabi fans now', but not in such a polite way

Maybe because we focus on the positives, unlike yourself. Xabi is playing like he should, we are winning etc etc.

Barry is still playing well, but why focus on him when the team is performing like it is, we dont see it necessary to add to the negative stuff on these boards by continuing with Barry.

[Red Chilli]

Fair play to Xabi.

I have to admit it, I thought his LFC career was shot to bits. The Euros seem to have revitalised him. He's a very important player for us and having him on form is a real bonus for the squad. He's a genuine world class footballer, on form he's one of the best in the prem.

[Harv]

The addition of Riera has had an impact on Xabi. He now has a target on the left permanently. Babel and Yossi always drift in, which would mean Xabi had no option but to go central or to the right. With a passing range like Xabi has, having all three options to pass to is paramount.

[MrMichael]

Maybe because we focus on the positives, unlike yourself. Xabi is playing like he should, we are winning etc etc.

Barry is still playing well, but why focus on him when the team is performing like it is, we dont see it necessary to add to the negative stuff on these boards by continuing with Barry.

To be fair I thought this was intended as quite a positive thread, praising Xabi etc, more than anything else.

Iam, i havent called him a cunt yet...oops

Watch it you or I'll tell Big Papi you've been misbehaving again

[MrMichael]

The addition of Riera has had an impact on Xabi. He now has a target on the left permanently. Babel and Yossi always drift in, which would mean Xabi had no option but to go central or to the right. With a passing range like Xabi has, having all three options to pass to is paramount.

Good point that. The benefit in terms of the simple shape of the team provided by Riera has been obvious, but I'd tend to agree that Alonso's play benefits from that as much as anyone's.

[Harv]

To be fair I thought this was intended as quite a positive thread, praising Xabi etc, more than anything else.



Watch it you or I'll tell Big Papi you've been misbehaving again

It is a positive thread, but the 'where are the Barry fans now when Xabi is playing well' tone he uses pisses me off. We are still here, we just dont see necessary to bring it up everyday. That ship has sailed, Xabi is back on form, and LFC are getting results.

He thinks im a Xabi basher, when he couldnt be more wrong. I love Xabi, not only because of the Spanish connection, but because he is a similar player to me. I love watching midfield maestros, and it is always those types that i have looked up to when playing the game. But after 2 seasons of underwhelming performances, i felt Xabi needed to leave. He was very very ordinary at times last season. Barry would have come into the team and slotted straight in, we would have lost some class, but we would have gained some drive.

Im as happy as anyone that Xabi is firing again, he was one of my faves, and still is.