Xabi Alonso - A premiership central midfielder?

[Marky]

Difficult, does not tackle, does not break play up, does not get stuck in when the going gets tough, does not go on marauding runs and score goals, is a fantastic playmaker for Euro Leagues without doubt, and can quite often make that killer pass, but to what end result actually?

When we are winning, and winning well, he is to the forefront, when we are on a bad streak and need tough players, he is not the man for the job.

Absolute bull****, he's an excellent tackler imo and can easily get stuck in when needs be.
Whilst the scrapping and breaking up the play is by no means his main strengths he can very easily do that part of the game.

[certifiable]

Made more tackles in the league for us than any other player last season.

He's just ineffective when people don't move well around him IMO.

Yeah agree totally with that. Think of it this way, he would be hugely effective in the likes of the Arsenal team, where there is plenty of movement and always somebody to play in.

He's less effective at the moment for us because of the complete lack of options for him when he looks up.

I'd say it's doing his head in as well.

[lfc4ever]

Absolute bull****, he's an excellent tackler imo and can easily get stuck in when needs be.
Whilst the scrapping and breaking up the play is by no means his main strengths he can very easily do that part of the game.

So what you''re saying is "only when he can be bothered too" then?

I want him to do it all the time, to get a grip of the match and control the events all the time, to do it half-heartedly some of the time is what is bull****.

[lfc4ever]

Yeah agree totally with that. Think of it this way, he would be hugely effective in the likes of the Arsenal team, where there is plenty of movement and always somebody to play in.

He's less effective at the moment for us because of the complete lack of options for him when he looks up.

I'd say it's doing his head in as well.

So why is he being played then, back to Rafa and his stubbornness then?

Is Stevie getting in his way of Xabi controlling the game from further back to where SG would like it to be controlled from? Who do we build the team around then?

[Speedy]

Someone like Nolan or Barton is a more effective "English" central midfielder than Alonso. I like XA a lot, but unless it's un Europe i just feel he is far far to ineffective away from home in the league.

If he was more effective let's be honest we'd have scored a goal from open play in one of our away league games this year. Dent that fact!

[lfc4ever]

Someone like Nolan or Barton is a more effective "English" central midfielder than Alonso. I like XA a lot, but unless it's un Europe i just feel he is far far to ineffective away from home in the league.

If he was more effective let's be honest we'd have scored a goal from open play in one of our away league games this year. Dent that fact!

And it isn't systems that change events, it's hard nosed players rolling their sleeves up getting stuck in that in the end change things round in our leagues, god how we backed off from 50/50 yesterday, mainly by wingers though I must admit, but one-for-all and all-for-one goes a long way in team mentality, and we lack that currently.

Winning is what matters, not winning pretty by whatever system.

[twistnkuyt]

Someone like Nolan or Barton is a more effective "English" central midfielder than Alonso. I like XA a lot, but unless it's un Europe i just feel he is far far to ineffective away from home in the league.

If he was more effective let's be honest we'd have scored a goal from open play in one of our away league games this year. Dent that fact!

Absolute garbage, time and time again alonso plays a ball that that is perfect for the person receiving it. You reckon it's fault they and the subsequently involved players don't make anything of it.

[Speedy]

Absolute garbage, time and time again alonso plays a ball that that is perfect for the person receiving it. You reckon it's fault they and the subsequently involved players don't make anything of it.

So you genuinly believe that with a different central midfielder playing alongside Sissoko (whether that be Gerrard or a bought player) that our away form would still be the same?

Get a grip

[twistnkuyt]

So you genuinly believe that with a different central midfielder playing alongside Sissoko (whether that be Gerrard or a bought player) that our away form would still be the same?

Get a grip

So it's all Xabi's fault now ?

And who's to say it wouldn't be worse ????

[Marky]

So what you''re saying is "only when he can be bothered too" then?

I want him to do it all the time, to get a grip of the match and control the events all the time, to do it half-heartedly some of the time is what is bull****.

Yesterday he looked the only player in midfield that wanted to get stuck in and scrap, he does this in most if not all our games.
He's not playing like he did last season but i would never question Xabi's committement, no way.

[lfc4ever]

He's not playing like he did last season

So drop him till he is then, and get someone in who will give 100% each & every time, and give it some on top.

The unpalatable, are Xabi & Stevie & Momo undroppable for a spell in the reserves, and therefore do they really play as a unit when all three are playing together in the same team, we have to build a team around one man, but who is that single man and in what position?

[Kiwi]

Game in/game out are what matter, not the one off games we can all reel off on one hand.

Well, going by that statement facts are the currency. Xabi has scored the same number of goals
this season as Stevie, has had a lot less shots at goal and made more tackles. So Stevie has a poor
strike rate and is not putting enough tackles in maybe he should be sold as well.

[lfc4ever]

Well, going by that statement facts are the currency. Xabi has scored the same number of goals
this season as Stevie, has had a lot less shots at goal and made more tackles. So Stevie has a poor
strike rate and is not putting enough tackles in maybe he should be sold as well.

Think the unthinkable, why not? Let's then get a team of Rafa type hard working team players, rather then prima donna star players, maybe that will work better than what we currently have, cos as it stands, we are ****.

[Nic83]

Difficult, does not tackle, does not break play up, does not get stuck in when the going gets tough, does not go on marauding runs and score goals, is a fantastic playmaker for Euro Leagues without doubt, and can quite often make that killer pass, but to what end result actually?

When we are winning, and winning well, he is to the forefront, when we are on a bad streak and need tough players, he is not the man for the job.

Mate, i'm sorry but that's balls. There are stats this season which say Xabi has put in the most tackles for us.

i don't understand how people understimate Xabi's defensive capabilities. Granted, he may not be the toughest tackler in the world but he DOES get stuck in.

WORLD CLASS PLAYER.

[lfc4ever]

Mate, i'm sorry but that's balls. There are stats this season which say Xabi has put in the most tackles for us.

i don't understand how people understimate Xabi's defensive capabilities. Granted, he may not be the toughest tackler in the world but he DOES get stuck in.

WORLD CLASS PLAYER.

We all have an opinion, he might have put in the most tackles for us, but we are **** and in comparison with the other top d/c/m the end result was what? and he is in no way world class away from home in the PL, I would take momo over Xabi in front of the back four any day, and stats suggested Pennant was the best crosser, suffice it to say stats are not what wins matches, we have a choice to make, SG gets in the way of Xabi (mostly), so who do we build the team round to give maximum support to?

Sorry, but people fawning over Xabi all the time need to look long and hard at what the other d/c/m in other top PL teams bring to the table, Xabi looks **** in a **** team, looks great in a great team, so what is the balance, I would prefer a grifter that gets in yer face rather than a killer passer when on the defensive.