Xabi Alonso

[Myo]

Wow...one example and it validates your theory..come on mate.. money is better invested elsewhere. .hendo is stepping up and I rather we gave him the proper chance to do that and invest elsewhere on the park...

[Hemingway]

We mostly play Hendo wide or as an advanced midfielder because we need his workrate higher up the pitch, but I think his best role and future is in a more withdrawn position. If we can find someone so that he doesn't have to play in a 1.5 role on the wing like he did against Stoke, and can instead offer some muscle and engine in the middle of the pitch to counteract the Diames and Diabys of the world, I think central mid is pretty well set. Finding that natural wide forward that seems to be missing from the front four options is of a greater priority I think.

[Fosterbloke]

I think Henderson has the engine as a box to box midfielder. As long as he learns to tackle. I think he has the tactical discipline and his timing into the box is pretty good.

[pezzzer]

He won a few headers in a game we won and they only scored through a og and pen.

Tbf matt he was the best player on the park (or we mafe him look so) everything they did went through him and stopped us playing and we only came back into it when he was subbed at around the 70 min Mark.

I agree with you though that were not to physically week in midfield though

[Mattshark]

Tbf matt he was the best player on the park (or we mafe him look so) everything they did went through him and stopped us playing and we only came back into it when he was subbed at around the 70 min Mark.

I agree with you though that were not to physically week in midfield though

He probably was, he never broke through to run at our back line that I recall, they just put a lot of crosses in.

[pezzzer]

He probably was, he never broke through to run at our back line that I recall, they just put a lot of crosses in.

It was a lot of possesion through him spraying Hollywood passes about but we really struggled to get hold of play until he was subbed mate, they created little but it drained the time down.
I really love Alonso but to say we need his physical strength is silly as Lucas and Gerrard are very capable of controlling that aspect.

[dww]

It was a lot of possesion through him spraying Hollywood passes about but we really struggled to get hold of play until he was subbed mate, they created little but it drained the time down.
I really love Alonso but to say we need his physical strength is silly as Lucas and Gerrard are very capable of controlling that aspect.

To me the problem in a lot of those games where it felt we were bossed in midfield was the organization of the defense and deep midfield. With fullbacks pushed up you open up space behind which either has to be covered effectively taking one of Gerrard or Lucas out of midfield or balls can be played into space. This is a problem made worse by the fact that Enrique and Johnson are both weak in the air meaning that balls into those areas can be played blind with some hope of success for teams like West Ham.

[Gibbo]

Henderson will have to put a fair bit of muscle on to be a defensive midfielder in my opinion. I think Brendan has actually found his best position as a sort of right attacking midfielder if you will, got good energy pretty decent vision with the ball and will get a couple of goals.

[john316]

To me the problem in a lot of those games where it felt we were bossed in midfield was the organization of the defense and deep midfield. With fullbacks pushed up you open up space behind which either has to be covered effectively taking one of Gerrard or Lucas out of midfield or balls can be played into space. This is a problem made worse by the fact that Enrique and Johnson are both weak in the air meaning that balls into those areas can be played blind with some hope of success for teams like West Ham.

Will be interesting to see if Kelly gets a few games at right back ahead of Johnson when we head to the likes of West Ham and Stoke.

[RedReet]

I doubt Kelly would get picked ahead of Johnson for any game, but I suppose there is a chance Johnson could move to LB.

[luke]

It was a lot of possesion through him spraying Hollywood passes about but we really struggled to get hold of play until he was subbed mate, they created little but it drained the time down.
I really love Alonso but to say we need his physical strength is silly as Lucas and Gerrard are very capable of controlling that aspect.

if he was playing that well, why was he subbed?...thats a genuine question..i really cant remember the game.

was he injured?

[pezzzer]

To me the problem in a lot of those games where it felt we were bossed in midfield was the organization of the defense and deep midfield. With fullbacks pushed up you open up space behind which either has to be covered effectively taking one of Gerrard or Lucas out of midfield or balls can be played into space. This is a problem made worse by the fact that Enrique and Johnson are both weak in the air meaning that balls into those areas can be played blind with some hope of success for teams like West Ham.

I agree with that, we have got a real lack in defence with dealing with the high ball threats, it shows just how nuch we still miss Hypia as he really dealt with that and Alonso was always there too head away danger too

[pezzzer]

if he was playing that well, why was he subbed?...thats a genuine question..i really cant remember the game.

was he injured?

I watched it with a couple of westham mates and im pretty sure he took a knock mate, the game totally opened up forcus after that, he was easily westhams best player by a continent mile!

[fah-q]

Are miles longer on the continent?

[Arn]

Are miles longer on the continent?

Yes.

10 000 m.

English mile is 1609m.