Liverpool FC Forum

[metalhead]

Lovely player, has passion, character, courage and wonderful passes that makes him a class player.

Brilliant!

[Ronny]

Fantastic player, no where near as good as Ruben Baraja.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtODDUq5GUU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v....search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v....search=

People drone on about Ronaldinho's freekicks for Barcelona, no one ever concentrates on Ruben Baraja, the best deadball finisher in La Liga.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v....search=

Great finish, by Ruben!

[A.B.]

Fantastic player, no where near as good as Ruben Baraja.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtODDUq5GUU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v....search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v....search=

People drone on about Ronaldinho's freekicks for Barcelona, no one ever concentrates on Ruben Baraja, the best deadball finisher in La Liga.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v....search=

Great finish, by Ruben!

Not as impressive as you make them out to be.


''Anything you can do I can do better"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elG3nJCV46g
[Xabi v Arsenal]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dbkDmRjFv8&NR
[Xabi v Fulham]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGvrjuSSJNw
[Xabi v Newcastle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpRr1-F3EHc
[Xabi v Villa]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMUKgYAECFU
[Xabi v Luton I]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od54bRP1xGo
[Xabi v Luton II]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaCwDmAD7Gg
[Xabi v Sunderland]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdwekihiHRQ&eurl=
[Xabi v Watford]

[Ronny]

Xabi is an impressive player, he's come on leaps and bounds since his move to Liverpool. English football really has improved him as a person and player, which is good for Spain. There is a lack of footage of Baraja which is a shame, he's a wonderful player too, I'd much rather have both players in my team, but I think we have the better player in Baraja.

[Sabre]

Baraja is worse than Alonso now that Baraja is finished and past his best, and Baraja was worse than Alonso when he was at his best age.A player like Baraja couldn't dream to playin Liverpool because his position is covered by much better player: Gerrard.

Baraja couldn't play as a defensive midfielder, he was a good midfielder, that didn't make difficult things, gave away few balls, and had a decent shot. But he's not even near the Class of Xabi Alonso, he has never been.

i remember that screamer against madrid well. sociedad won 4-1 and alonso absolutely ran the show in the centre of the park. infact i'm sure that was the season when sociedad finished narrowly second in la liga.

Indeed, this was the most incredible match I've seen in a football pitch, or one of the most. 3 goals in 5 minutes. RS started with an outstanding 3-0, when we scored the 3rd, Ronaldo scored the 3-1 shortly after the kick off after the goal. Then we put the ball in movement, Alonso started to run with it, he was given space and Bomb! a superb goal. I was just behind that goal in the top part

*But*

I sense that Alonso receives most of his praises when he scores. And I must stress *that's not his job, nor his best aspect of his game*. When you have LG,Gerrard,Bellamy,Kuyt and Pennant on front of you, excuse me but we shouldn't be expecting too much our defensive midfielder scoring goals. He does, which is nice, but bear that in mind when he doesn't score and makes an average game before somebody says he's not the same ALonso or he's overrated.

He always had a powerful shot, but the best part of his game is not abut that.

[Ronny]

Baraja is worse than Alonso now that Baraja is finished and past his best, and Baraja was worse than Alonso when he was at his best age.A player like Baraja couldn't dream to playin Liverpool because his position is covered by much better player: Gerrard.

Baraja couldn't play as a defensive midfielder, he was a good midfielder, that didn't make difficult things, gave away few balls, and had a decent shot. But he's not even near the Class of Xabi Alonso, he has never been.

That's incorrect, Baraja is still one of Spain's best centre midfielders, he has been for years and is still quality, if he wasn't he wouldn't be at Valencia now. If we compare Xabi too Baraja in La Liga than Ruben is a better player, I know there is a big age difference but to say Xabi at his tender age of 23 is better than Baraja is a false statement to be making. It's worth noting that Xabi was not a defensive player to begin with, Benitez made him into one because your midfield was jammed packed to the rafters with quality.

Every player gives the ball away, being a Real Sociedad fan you should know that more than anything. Baraja might not have the passing ability of Xabi, but he is more athletic, more intelligent, has a better goals ratio and has better ability to shoot than Xabi.

The two players that are possibly on the same level as Baraja are Xavi and Fabregas. Alonso isn't as good as Xavi, Baraja or Fabregas.

[A.B.]

Baraja is worse than Alonso now that Baraja is finished and past his best, and Baraja was worse than Alonso when he was at his best age.A player like Baraja couldn't dream to playin Liverpool because his position is covered by much better player: Gerrard.

Baraja couldn't play as a defensive midfielder, he was a good midfielder, that didn't make difficult things, gave away few balls, and had a decent shot. But he's not even near the Class of Xabi Alonso, he has never been.

That's incorrect, Baraja is still one of Spain's best centre midfielders, he has been for years and is still quality, if he wasn't he wouldn't be at Valencia now. If we compare Xabi too Baraja in La Liga than Ruben is a better player, I know there is a big age difference but to say Xabi at his tender age of 23 is better than Baraja is a false statement to be making. It's worth noting that Xabi was not a defensive player to begin with, Benitez made him into one because your midfield was jammed packed to the rafters with quality.

Every player gives the ball away, being a Real Sociedad fan you should know that more than anything. Baraja might not have the passing ability of Xabi, but he is more athletic, more intelligent, has a better goals ratio and has better ability to shoot than Xabi.

The two players that are possibly on the same level as Baraja are Xavi and Fabregas. Alonso isn't as good as Xavi, Baraja or Fabregas.

Alonso isn't good as Fabregas?     

[Ronny]

I don't think he is, Alonso is a superb player, he'll walk into any side in the world, but he is no where near as good as Fabregas. I bet Barcelona felt sick when they saw Fabregas explode onto the scene with Arsenal. He is a much more exciting player than Alonso is. I preferred Xabi when he had the freedom to roam, his game has been restricted by being the new Dietmar Hamann of your team. For this reason and the reasons of Cesc looking more comfortable and natural on the ball than Xabi means that Cesc is and will be just that bit better than Xabi.

Cesc will keep Xabi out of the Spain squad, you'll see, he is already a much better passer than Xabi, he will only widen the gulf between himself and Xabi.

[A.B.]

Xabi has better long range passes than Fabregas.

[Ronny]

At the moment he does, he won't in a few years time, I am more impressed with Fabregas than I am with Alonso's progress as a player. Cesc's intelligence is outstanding, quite scary too, for someone so young. He is more athletic than Xabi, all Cesc has to do is be a bit more selfish infront of goal. Xabi's long ranging passing is one of the best around, I'd say his long range passes are the best in any league. Pin point accuracy, it's a delight to watch.

Gerrard and Sissoko are restricting Alonso's freedom and ability to develop his more attacking side, which is a shame, Xabi could be the complete midfielder if he was allowed to. Liverpool like to cram Sissoko, Alonso and Gerrard into the same line up. Xabi ends up doing donkey work.

[Sabre]

Baraja was more Athletic than Alonso in the sense that he run more Km in a match, that's correct. Baraja could conduct (run with the ball) more naturally than Xabi does. Correct. Those aspects are the unique ones in which he was fairly better, for everything else, tackling, positionins, long and short passing, reading a play and a match, Alonso is far better. Baraja had strenght as well, in this sense it was more useful than Barça's Xavi, but that's all.

Fabregas is an attacking midfielder, he defends little or nothing, so I cannot compare him to Alonso. Cesc has an excelent last pass and he dribbles better, but he's not that complete player. Of course he's class, a player that makes it to Arsenal with 17 years must be. But then I think Alonso would be in the starting eleven of Arsenal or any team. As a midfielder, he's one of the most complete I've seen, and I'm not blindfolded by the fact he's of my city, when I see for instance his brother I have no problems to admit he's shíte.

The kind of passes of Alonso are not only special because of the lenght of them, but also because how easy are controlled due to the touch he gives to the ball. As I say few players have this abilities, and I've seen Maradona, Schuster, Stielike and many classic players in front of my eyes!

Baraja was indeed an excellent midfielder, but Xabi is Xabi, I know I sound biased but I truly think so.

[Barca Murph]

I bet Barcelona felt sick when they saw Fabregas explode onto the scene with Arsenal.

Sick? No. Cheated? Most certainly.

[A.B.]

I bet Barcelona felt sick when they saw Fabregas explode onto the scene with Arsenal.

Sick? No. Cheated? Most certainly.

Didn't you lot just let another player from your youth system go to Arsenal? Haven't you learned your lesson?

[Sabre]

Cesc will keep Xabi out of the Spain squad, you'll see, he is already a much better passer than Xabi, he will only widen the gulf between himself and Xabi.

Cesc MIGHT keep out Xavi of the squad, not Xabi. If you put a team with the little Xavi and the little Cesc, and Raul, and Torres, and LG and Navas or Joaquin how could you expect to win a game? you wouldn't recover a ball until you get a goal kick!

Xabi will be behind this players, just in the same literal way that he's covering the back of Gerrard. Xabi will be in the starting eleven of Spain with any coach, even the aged Aragones.

[Barca Murph]

I bet Barcelona felt sick when they saw Fabregas explode onto the scene with Arsenal.

Sick? No. Cheated? Most certainly.

Didn't you lot just let another player from your youth system go to Arsenal? Haven't you learned your lesson?

The law in Spain doesn't allow us to offer contracts to youth players at the same time English clubs can. Therefore Arsenal have stolen from under our noses 2 great players, while we were left with our hands tied behind our back