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    #1

    Xabi Alonso and other thoughts...

    .. I know most of our team has had a poor season, but Xabi (apart from his Newcastle effort) has been woeful IMO....

    ... Also the worst part of yesterday for me was seeing how our defenders, notably Finnan and Carragher were ****ting themselves (literally it seemed at times) when Henry had the ball.

    If I was Gerrard I would be ****ing depressed at the fact that the boss preferred to play Zenden in the middle ahead of me - what an insult.

    There is so much right now that reminds me of the last season of Ged. Chris Bascombe's article made me feel a whole lot worse because he is spot on - ****ing envious of Arsenal - never thought I would see the day....Depressing......
    "Its not about the long ball or the short ball, its about the right ball." Bob Paisley
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    #2
    Envious of arsenal - why? we've got a better squad and an equally talented manager. they're the same team we finished above last season. Ok, so they beat us whilst we're having a run of poor form. Are you also jealous of Everton and Bolton?

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      #3
      Did you read the article?
      "Its not about the long ball or the short ball, its about the right ball." Bob Paisley

      Comment

        #4
        Originally posted by looprevil
        Did you read the article?
        To be honest mate I'd be envious of Chelski or to a lesser extent Man U, than Arsenal, who aren't going to win the prem either
        Thomas Hicks Senior

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          #5
          Sorry but I completely disagree - because Arsenal is the role model for our club not Chelsea or Manure. The football they play - pass and move is (was) our trademark, the youth system and the way the club has moved ahead of us.
          "Its not about the long ball or the short ball, its about the right ball." Bob Paisley

          Comment

            #6
            Originally posted by looprevil
            Did you read the article?

            I did - sounded like it was written by an arsenal fan. absolute bobbins from the fool as usual.

            Comment

              #7
              Your opinion - fair enough. I thought it was well thought out and very correct in its analysis.
              "Its not about the long ball or the short ball, its about the right ball." Bob Paisley

              Comment

                #8
                You're a gentleman.

                One of my main issues with the article is that he claims we only finished above Arsenal because they had a blip. Are LFC not having a blip now, or are we performing, in Bascombes infinite wisdom, to our maximum ability?!? He's clearly on a downer and isn't prepared to give credit for last seasons 3rd place finish - a good journalist does not allow his emotions to cloud his judgement.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Originally posted by looprevil
                  Sorry but I completely disagree - because Arsenal is the role model for our club not Chelsea or Manure. The football they play - pass and move is (was) our trademark, the youth system and the way the club has moved ahead of us.


                  because they have so many british players in their squad :whatever:

                  The fact they don't have one british player in their starting XI most of the time is worrying imo.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Originally posted by The_Milkman


                    because they have so many british players in their squad :whatever:

                    The fact they don't have one british player in their starting XI most of the time is worrying imo.
                    I made comment on this yesterday, they aren't even ****ing English in any way shape or form, at least the mancs and Chelski have some english players in their sides.
                    Thomas Hicks Senior

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by carheex
                      You're a gentleman.

                      One of my main issues with the article is that he claims we only finished above Arsenal because they had a blip. Are LFC not having a blip now, or are we performing, in Bascombes infinite wisdom, to our maximum ability?!? He's clearly on a downer and isn't prepared to give credit for last seasons 3rd place finish - a good journalist does not allow his emotions to cloud his judgement.
                      of course it never had anything to do with our end of season form last year, and two unbeaten runs, but lets just brush that under the carpet for the sake of a journalism masterpiece.
                      Thomas Hicks Senior

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Originally posted by looprevil
                        .. I know most of our team has had a poor season, but Xabi (apart from his Newcastle effort) has been woeful IMO....
                        Going back to your headline, the more I see Xabi this season, the more I see the reason for him being dropped, terribly slow, taking far too long to think of the options and therefore way too long on the ball, hardly every drives us forward as a Makele or Parker would do, distribution is off and thereby handing the opposition the advantage by us losing possession, there are some killer balls granted, but every ball by our holding m/f should be a killer ball to someone in our shirt.

                        The mix isn't right in the middle at all is it, not enough from middle to front to play the strikers in on goal for at least a chance in the 6 yard box, we don't boss or muscle from goalie to striker through the middle, it just isn't there.
                        http://www.retroreds.co.uk/

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                          #13
                          I have to say, I agree with Carheex - I feel like we will be in a much different postion by the end of the season.

                          Yeah, it hurts like hell to watch another listless perfomance against one of our main rivals, but I for one don't feel jealous of Arsenal.

                          Getting back to the original point of the thread, I defintely think that Alonso has been fairly ****e this season so far. I can't put my finger on why that is, and he's not alone in under-performing, but before momo was injured I would have been in favour of benching him for a game or two to see if that would light a fire under his arse.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Originally posted by lfc4ever
                            Going back to your headline, the more I see Xabi this season, the more I see the reason for him being dropped, terribly slow, taking far too long to think of the options and therefore way too long on the ball, hardly every drives us forward as a Makele or Parker would do, distribution is off and thereby handing the opposition the advantage by us losing possession, there are some killer balls granted, but every ball by our holding m/f should be a killer ball to someone in our shirt.

                            The mix isn't right in the middle at all is it, not enough from middle to front to play the strikers in on goal for at least a chance in the 6 yard box, we don't boss or muscle from goalie to striker through the middle, it just isn't there.
                            Makelele has and i suspect never will drive a team forward. The problem for Xabi has partly been that our midfield has shown very poor movement and when playing two forwards up front as we have for most of the season means that a lot of the time without movement from midfield and the full backs his only options are a hopeful punt up field or to go backwards. Xabi has been playing badly but the way the rest of the team has performed has made his individual failings more evident.

                            I think a key factor this season has been that none of the players we have played in wide positions have performed. Rafas formation relies on these players to provide movement in midfield to allow a player like Alonso to have options. Xabi has a slight tendancy to hold onto the ball and wait for someone to be ready to recieve a pass rather than slide it back to the centre backs. So far this season our midfield has lacked shape in nearly all away matches and so as a consequence Xabi has been caught in possession too often. It doesn't help that none of our back four step into midfield often enough and when they do they have a tendancy to be poderous on the ball.

                            You can only make "killer balls" if people make themselves available - too few of our players are willing to take responcibility and when they are they too often try to take on too many people or try and fashion a shooting opportunity when a bit of patience and ball retention would help.
                            "The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind."
                            -- William Blake

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Originally posted by dww
                              Makelele has and i suspect never will drive a team forward. The problem for Xabi has partly been that our midfield has shown very poor movement and when playing two forwards up front as we have for most of the season means that a lot of the time without movement from midfield and the full backs his only options are a hopeful punt up field or to go backwards. Xabi has been playing badly but the way the rest of the team has performed has made his individual failings more evident.

                              I think a key factor this season has been that none of the players we have played in wide positions have performed. Rafas formation relies on these players to provide movement in midfield to allow a player like Alonso to have options. Xabi has a slight tendancy to hold onto the ball and wait for someone to be ready to recieve a pass rather than slide it back to the centre backs. So far this season our midfield has lacked shape in nearly all away matches and so as a consequence Xabi has been caught in possession too often. It doesn't help that none of our back four step into midfield often enough and when they do they have a tendancy to be poderous on the ball.

                              You can only make "killer balls" if people make themselves available - too few of our players are willing to take responcibility and when they are they too often try to take on too many people or try and fashion a shooting opportunity when a bit of patience and ball retention would help.
                              Makele is a rock, Xabi isn't, Makele will drive a team forward by the others knowing he is a rock to be depended on, like Didi perhaps.

                              Cemantics aside, I agree with what you are saying, and at the moment, by persisting in playing Xabi, we are lost and rudderless, but have no other options to remedy that, Rafa really needs to assess and address the way forward in the middle of m/f, he has limited options despite his liking for options, sadly.

                              I doubt any of us here has the answer, without gazzilions of dosh I suppose
                              http://www.retroreds.co.uk/

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