Liverpool FC Forum

[Ciggy]

If I was Stevie Gerrard I would have been a bit worried yesterday watching from the exec box.
What a performance Xabi put in and he will only get better, every pass was inch perfect he has an all round game he was defending, putting tackles in attacking I would have loved a goal from him and young Warnock yesterday both played extremely well even though it was only against Norwich if any other team would have turned up yesterday we would have beat them Arsenal, manure , chelsea the team oozed class and confidence and our passing was just a dream to watch superb team display overall.
This is from news of the world.     
   
FIREPOWER: Norwich's Adam Drury is too late to stop Luis Garcia as Spaniard scores Liverpool's second

RAFAEL BENITEZ: 'We talk about Gerrard being injured but we have four players in that position. Xabi played very well — he is very clever'
 
Man of the match

XABI ALONSO (Liverpool)

FANS have a new star to adore in the shape of the Spanish playmaker.

His £10.5million fee looks a snip if he can produce this form on a regular basis.

 
SCORE: Spaniard eases Gerrard worries

It's Xabi days for Benitez!

From James Fletcher at Anfield

AT least Delia Smith's visit to Liverpool was not a complete waste of time — she got to spend the weekend with her nephew at his student digs.

The Norwich figurehead will also have picked up some footballing tips after a thoroughly convincing display got Rafael Benitez's Premiership charge back on track.

Liverpool's fans have seen some fantastic players through the years — and in Xabi Alonso it looks as though they have another real talent to enjoy.

Milan Baros, Luis Garcia and Djibril Cisse bagged the goals to cheer Kop boss Benitez.

But it was Spaniard Alonso — signed from Real Sociedad for £10.5million in the summer — who stole the show, easing concerns that the foot injury to Steven Gerrard means the end of Liverpool's hopes of silverware this season.

His passing ability, even at this early stage, looks to be unmatched by anything else in the Premiership.

On his day there is no one to touch him and, if he can pass the true test by proving this ability is consistent, he will be a real threat.

Ten yards, 80 yards, the midfield maestro, 22, proved yesterday he could land the ball on a sixpence from seemingly anywhere. A slimline Jan Molby perhaps?

Honeymoon

With him pulling the strings like a top-class puppet master, Liverpool began to play some really entertaining football against hapless Norwich.

Quick, fluid passing movements cut the Canaries backline to shreds.

And Norwich chief Nigel Worthington said: "It was very difficult for us. Liverpool were better quality on the day. If you don't keep the ball at this level you get punished.

"It is a good learning curve for us — it will do us no harm.

"Alonso was top drawer. I have to say if I was a football fan anywhere in the world I would pay whatever ticket price it is to watch him. Some of his passes were really top class.

"We tried to be positive. We changed the shape, stuck at the task and came out with something but we just weren't at the races in the first half.

"That is the message for the players. Welcome to the Premiership — the honeymoon period is over."

Benitez said: "I would be happier if we had scored more goals in the first half — we played very well.

"We talk about Gerrard being injured but we have four players in that position.

"Xabi played very well. I say always the same — he is very clever.

"It is important to play well, sometimes you think the other team played bad but if you play well it is not important. You must be happy with the win.

"We scored three goals, we could have scored three or four more.

"I learn every day more about my team. When you see the players playing each day you learn more.

"We said it would take time. If we started at 60 per cent, we are now at 65 — we are progressing more."

John Arne Riise could have put the Reds ahead after four minutes but he fired high and wide.

Thunderbolt

Garcia then played a delightful one-two with Baros but sliced his shot wide of Robert Green's post.

It really was all hands to the pump for Norwich as they were lashed by wave after wave of Liverpool attacks.

Baros finally made the breakthrough with a spectacular strike on 23 minutes.

With seemingly nothing on, the Czech ace made half a yard for himself and, from 25 yards, unleashed a thunderbolt across Green and into the back of the net.

Liverpool added a second just three minutes later after Cisse played a delightful reverse ball for Garcia.

His instant control took him past two defenders and his shot beat Green with the help of a deflection off Craig Fleming.
The hosts enjoyed so much possession that a third was inevitable. And they got it on 64 minutes after a well-worked free-kick.
Alonso faked to shoot but played square to Cisse, who fired low and hard into the back of the net from 30 yards.

[Paul C]

I agree he is like Jan Molby and a lot slimmer

[anfieldadorer]

The only "bad" signing from Benitez is only Nunez so far.
IMO our current team is obviously -both in average individual and team, better than the last season's. So it will be a very bad luck (which is unlikely) if we finish lower than the last season's achievement.
Notably, while we build the rafalution "on the fly", the enhancement should have completed at a certain expected level as immediate as possible before the ending stage of the season.

[akumaface]

Well, I wouldn't say Nunez as a bad signing yet. I think he just had bad luck so far. I won't judge him until I see him play on a regular basis. As for Alonso, what can I say, he had adopted EPL with ease. That's why so many top team were after him. Great signing Rafa!

[anfieldadorer]

Well, I wouldn't say Nunez as a bad signing yet. I think he just had bad luck so far. I won't judge him until I see him play on a regular basis. As for Alonso, what can I say, he had adopted EPL with ease. That's why so many top team were after him. Great signing Rafa!

I put the "bad" in quote for terms of "luck" where his injury came before he made his first run, not in quality since we've never had a chance to see him playing for us.

[Paul C]

I fell really sorry for Nunez, it must be frustrating hearing how well Josemi, Garcia and Alonso are doing and he hasn't had a chance to show the fans yet

[Ciggy]

What position does Nunez play he he a winger?
If so whos place is he going to take if he performs like garcia and Alonso hes going to make our first team.
or is it going to be squad rotation?
Cause if we get some good cup runs going the squad will have to be rotated as they will be knackerd come may

[kazza]

I think Raffa has been spot on so far, and I am sure Nunez is no different. Good news is we have a new player in two months. Xabi yesterday was excellent and what a player to have. It would have been nice had he scored, he certainly deserved it. I thought once again Garcia's movement opened everything up.

I know it was only Norwich and we don't want to get carried away, but last year we would have maybe won by a goal, or even drew. If we can beat convincingly the weaker teams (they could have had six+), and lose to the good teams, that would still be an improvement on last year.

[82-1074641017]

Well a lot of Evertonians were babbling on about how Alonso werent himself against United, I mean hes been on form in each game and the good thing is hes only settling in to English Football imagine when he adapts

Roberts

[mynameisred]

Ay the lads a wee bit special I think. He is top drawer already at 22 but he has a tremendous effort about him too and once he fully adapts and matures he will have a great engine. At the start of next season when Stevie G and Alonso know each other inside out we will have the greatest midfield pairing in Europe.

[mynameisred]

Roberts why do you sign your post we know its you.

[82-1074641017]

Roberts why do you sign your post we know its you.

Bit of a trademark mate

Roberts

[Live4pool]

The first time I saw Xabi played for Pool, I could see he was exceptionally good.
Some of you were quicker to say that he is better than Gerrard.
No one should take away Xabi's laurels for the way he ate up minnows like Norwich and I still look forward to many more wonderful things from him.

But this evening's game with the Greeks clearly showed us again that if there was a Pool player who could the turn the game around, it could only be KING STEVIE G! None of our players could offer any threats to the Greek defence !

[glambertino]

How did Alonso play tonight?

[Live4pool]

Competent at best. But by the high standard we saw against the Canary, he was appalling tonight.

Like Manures, the Greek midfield did not allow him to impose himself. Leads me to suspect that Xabi may take a while more to get into the scheme of things against bigger and more experienced clubs. Gerrard may be more erratic, but his all-action play is more threatening to any oppositions.