Topic: Xabi Alonso

[royhendo]

No, what did he say?

Loads - he's just a football man through and through, and his views on the game, his role, the mechanics of a side and a squad, and the relative merits of different managers and methods - just fascinating. Makes you wish you could interrogate him for a few days in the most benign sense possible

[doikc]

any chance of a transcript?

[James Mac]

He's the footballer I'd most love to play like. There's something mesmerising about the way everything ticks when he's on the pitch - at least there was about Liverpool, haven't seen much of him at Madrid. Lovely guy as well, would have him here in the backroom any day, along with Hyypia.

[kwalitee, no?]

Loads - he's just a football man through and through, and his views on the game, his role, the mechanics of a side and a squad, and the relative merits of different managers and methods - just fascinating. Makes you wish you could interrogate him for a few days in the most benign sense possible

Players like Xabi don't come along very often, so while it might be difficult to watch him playing for another team I've just decided to watch anyway. There are a few players that I consider myself lucky to have seen play live over the years & Xabi is one of them. Oh and if you need help with the interrogation Roy just let me know.   

[koolkamal]

Loads - he's just a football man through and through, and his views on the game, his role, the mechanics of a side and a squad, and the relative merits of different managers and methods - just fascinating. Makes you wish you could interrogate him for a few days in the most benign sense possible

Oh yeah, even from his time here at Liverpool - you could see he's a student of the game. Not just a footballer with talent. He really studies and tries to understand the game and different aspects of it.

[Breitner]

He's up there with the greats of the club for me. Unfortunately the decision to unsettle him to bring in Barry was the beginning of the end for Rafa.

[Hazell]

I do love how virtually every thread these days turns into a Rafa one.

[koolkamal]

He's up there with the greats of the club for me. Unfortunately the decision to unsettle him to bring in Barry was the beginning of the end for Rafa.

If we had better owners, we could have still had both players and maybe even a league title.

[Randy Marsh]

Jamie Redknapp would have been slightly better than Xabi.......if you crossed him with Xabi.

[royhendo]

If he ends up a manager you'd put money on him winning things. He's one of 'those' players.

In summary, from memory (got it on SKY+):

- In his 10 years this was the first pre-season where all work was done with the ball at all times
- The spirit in the squad is good throughout training (midweek)
- There's no prioritisation of trophies (obviously)
- He sees his role in terms of balance.

Balance was the theme he repeated. The comment "with the ball spending as little time at my feet as possible" - if you misread that you'd think he didn't want to be on the ball, but he expanded that his job was to always be available for his team mates who had the ball, and to shift it as quickly as possible to where it needed to be next.

Beautiful.

[Something Else]

Said to the mrs yesterday, we were really spoiled with watching him, as any midfielder now, bar Xavi and Iniesta will never quite look and play so well

[west_london_red]

Said to the mrs yesterday, we were really spoiled with watching him, as any midfielder now, bar Xavi and Iniesta will never quite look and play so well

Maybe im biased here, but i think Xabi's range of passing puts him above Xavi and Iniesta, who have the benefit of playing with each other, while Xabi spent most of his time with us playing with Masch, and Momo before that, who didnt offer the same level of movement or passing as midfield team mates.

I miss Xabi loads, hate watching Real Madrid hoping they fail misrably while at the same time wanting him to do well :s

[chrisG]

He made a tweet yesterday that was like well done reds.

[Something Else]

Maybe im biased here, but i think Xabi's range of passing puts him above Xavi and Iniesta, who have the benefit of playing with each other, while Xabi spent most of his time with us playing with Masch, and Momo before that, who didnt offer the same level of movement or passing as midfield team mates.

I miss Xabi loads, hate watching Real Madrid hoping they fail misrably while at the same time wanting him to do well :s

Oh yeah, they are different players, all i mean is the way he looked in such control of the game, he never looked rushed, never looked pressure and always seemed to know what the next three moves are is so rare in football and only Xavi and Iniesta can match it.

A lot is said about other midfielders saying they are world class, Essien, Gerrard etc but they have never seemingly had what Alonso had, and that was bucket loads of time on the ball.

Xabi was a joy to watch in a liverpool shirt, and at times yesterday Merielles was getting the ball in areas Xabi used to and looked far more rushed, as has Lucas, Masch and Gerrard since ALonsos departure.

Alonso played the game differently to nearly all midfielders. He may not have contributed with15 goals a season or truely inspirational moments ala Gerrard, but when we lost Xabi we lost our team, and became individuals again.

The guy is a top football player and from watching him, if I had to bet on any of the current footballers becoming managers, I would throw my mortgage on him.

[Spanish Al]

World class and the best passer of the football currently in the game, and for a long, long time to. Every game there was 4 or 5 crossfield balls straight onto someones foot, so precise you couldn't fuck up controlling it even if you had a shite first touch.

[aggerman]

World class and the best passer of the football currently in the game, and for a long, long time to. Every game there was 4 or 5 crossfield balls straight onto someones foot, so precise you couldn't fuck up controlling it even if you had a shite first touch.

oi! lay off dirky wii ya 

[ChaChaMooMoo]

Just curious.

How many of you would want him back? I mean, he had personal problems with Rafa. But now that Roy's incharge and Xabi sometimes tweets about LFC. Given a chance (atleast 1 in 1,000,000) would you have him back?

I would have him back.

[koolkamal]

If he ends up a manager you'd put money on him winning things. He's one of 'those' players.

In summary, from memory (got it on SKY+):

- In his 10 years this was the first pre-season where all work was done with the ball at all times
- The spirit in the squad is good throughout training (midweek)
- There's no prioritisation of trophies (obviously)
- He sees his role in terms of balance.

Balance was the theme he repeated. The comment "with the ball spending as little time at my feet as possible" - if you misread that you'd think he didn't want to be on the ball, but he expanded that his job was to always be available for his team mates who had the ball, and to shift it as quickly as possible to where it needed to be next.

Beautiful.

That really is brilliant. The thing about balance is something which Rafa talked about a lot and that comment about the ball is pretty much the same as Shanklys comment about football being a simple game.

"Football is a simple game, based on the giving and taking of passes, of controlling the ball and of making yourself available to receive a pass. It is terribly simple"

Simple yes - but amazing how difficult it is to do.

[royhendo]

That really is brilliant. The thing about balance is something which Rafa talked about a lot and that comment about the ball is pretty much the same as Shanklys comment about football being a simple game.

"Football is a simple game, based on the giving and taking of passes, of controlling the ball and of making yourself available to receive a pass. It is terribly simple"

Simple yes - but amazing how difficult it is to do.

The thing that gets me is that he sees his role as almost invisible. When you read stuff from Timoschuk it's similar, interestingly, but less detailed.

[koolkamal]

The thing that gets me is that he sees his role as almost invisible. When you read stuff from Timoschuk it's similar, interestingly, but less detailed.

Exactly just the cog in the wheel - you don't notice it but extremely vital. The thing is when he sprays the ball 40 yards to feet people notice but the rest of the stuff he does you don't really notice it but it's so vital to the way the team plays.

[Corkboy]

The other thing that doesn't get noticed is his defensive play. While he doesn't go in for the Hollywood bundle 'em out over the sideline tackles a la Masch or Gerrard, his positioning is excellent. Often, he discourages attacks just by standing in the right place.

[royhendo]

Yeah - that's why I like interviews with players like David's and Iniesta - the smaller lads. They're always making the point that positioning's everything - just as much as physical strength or balance.

[jckliew]

Xabi Alonso was the most vital cog in the Rafa Benitez Liverpool machine. And when Alonso left, the engine gradually began to seize up, to the point where the Liverpool machine just could't race against the best anymore. When Xabi left I kidded myself into thinking that we could replace him and mount another title challenge, but deep down (even though I refused to admit it to myself) I knew I was wrong. I guess I was in denial.

How can one accurately describe Xabi Alonso? An artist whos canvas is the very football pitch he stands upon, with his nimble feet acting as the brushes to paint masterpiece after masterpiece?  A matador who entices all before him, before sweeping aside and sending his memesis to embrace thin air? A master of smoke an mirrors who leaves opponents chasing in his wake? His ability has been questioned on here many times, and I've lurked and read the threads concerning him, but at his best, he is a grade A central midfielder

18 months ago we destroyed Real Madrid at Anfield. The current world cup winning captain could only stand on his goal line and shake his head defeatedly, as Xabi Alonso propelled the Liverpool machine towards anhialating one of the biggest names in world world football. Xabi is now at Madrid, his partner in crime is in Barcelona, and the general who gave them their orders is now in Milan. It just makes you want to cry, doesn't it?

This.

When he went. the heart of the machine just stopped......

[Geezer08]

The other thing that doesn't get noticed is his defensive play. While he doesn't go in for the Hollywood bundle 'em out over the sideline tackles a la Masch or Gerrard, his positioning is excellent. Often, he discourages attacks just by standing in the right place.

Agree, thats what  is really noticeable when watching him live, his off the ball movement is amazing. He always knows where to place himself and cover for players that are out of position. We would never have been outplayed the way we did for Citys first earlier in the season, with Alonso in our team.

[koolkamal]

Yeah - that's why I like interviews with players like David's and Iniesta - the smaller lads. They're always making the point that positioning's everything - just as much as physical strength or balance.

Positioning is so important and can be the difference between a good player and a great player. Hyypia was a master of positioning.

[Promised to never post on RAWK again]

[Ryan M]

He couldn't dribble, ran slow with the ball, ran slow with out the ball, never won many headers. Sorry just have to balance the Xabi'luv-in

Watching Xabi play for me was like watching that pretty girl walk past on ur holiday, beside the pool, in her bikini. I mean the pretty type, not the type were u think if I see her smashed I might have a chance, more the pretty classy type, agree?

[Nebnotsew]

My favourite Liverpool player. Love the lad

[Spanish Al]

Just curious.

How many of you would want him back? I mean, he had personal problems with Rafa. But now that Roy's incharge and Xabi sometimes tweets about LFC. Given a chance (atleast 1 in 1,000,000) would you have him back?

I would have him back.

Anyone who would say no is extremely silly.

[mildale]

He will be back one day. As Liverpool manager.

[bigbear]

Anyone who would say no is extremely silly.

We haven't played well since he left.

The trick now is not to bring Xabi Alonso back as that ship has sailed but to find a player who can do similar things to keep a side ticking over. It need not be the Alonso way of spraying passes short and long amost similar to how Scholes plays now but we need a continuity player.

Banega would have been my call but we went for someone older in Meireles with Poulsen as the cheap cover for Mascherano.

[Mouth]

Seriously, what is your issue with him?

Love is her issue with him, love turned to unreasonable hatred because of rejection. I understand her completely.

[Samee]

He's so good I want to cry.

[rowan_d]

I'd have him back in a heartbeat, the bastard

[Ambrosia]

Possibly the only player in footballing history to put a transfer request in and behave the way he did in summer 09 , but still be loved by the fans.

Can see him managing Liverpool in the future.

[El Campeador]

 

[Nick110581]

Fucking beautiful player.

But weren't we only a two man team when he was still here?

[Corkboy]

I remember this time, I think it was when we were playing TNS and there had been a lot of speculation about Gerrard leaving which he was finally quashing. So Gerrard was asked the question at some press conference, did he understand the feelings of the fans and he replied, of course, they thought they were going to lose their best player. To which the Guardian acidly replied, Alonso wasn't going anywhere.

[BazC]

Amazing player. He brought a certain air of elegance and discipline that only few players have these days.

It's funny how a couple of years ago people wanted him out for Gareth-Fucking-Barry (including our manager to be fair). You were all off your heads. But now, the lad's the barometer of the CMs who have been playing in our team since. "Lucas isn't no Alonso", "Aquilani reminds me of him", "Meireles will be like him", "Gerrard's good, but he's no Alonso in that position"... etc.

He'll be a world class manager one day as well if he chooses to go down that path.

I can't watch Real Madrid as I think they play shite football (and the quality of football is all I look for when my attention ventures away from our club these days), and they disgust me actually. But when he plays for Spain, I still root for him like he's a Liverpool player.

[Dr Cornwallis]

Baz, not everyone was seeing it like that.
I still don't see a Xabi-esque player at United or Chelsea and it doesn't seem to have done them any harm.