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Posted:
Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:41 pmby laza
Sabre wrote:s@int wrote:I think you have to be very sure before you sell a player of Xabi's class that you arn't going to regret it further down the line.
I have always thought that we needed to sell one of our midfielders, and Xabi was the obvious choice for me, but now we have sold Sissoko it becomes a more difficult decision. If it meant we could improve in another area where we are not as strong I would say it would probably be a good idea, if it meant that the balance sheet looks a little better for H&G I would say no chance.
Rafa is only saying what a lot of us have been saying for a while.
I agree... I have said it's an option to consider under the CIRCUNSTAMCES (no financial backing apparently), but still isn't my first choice the selling of a quality player.
Basically the questions to answer are "What if Mascherano is injured?" and "Can play Mascherano all the cup, CL and the league games?"
Quite simply you can't think of Lucas for the same role, and while Steve can do it, it's not his favourite nor his best role, he's more a centre-mid. If you give him most of the defensive midfield task, then you don't use him at 100% as could be seen in the english squad in the summer.
We DO need a quality squad. In my ideal situation Alonso should stay, and we should buy the quality we lack with departure's like the one of Sissoko.
Exactly I made a point in another thread that when Alonso arrived, many were pointing Didi to the exit door.
As it turned out with injuries/suspensions not to mention a certain night in Istandbul how lucky we were he stayed.
Its never easy to keeping so much class happy even with numbers of games that team now plays. Didi exit which I still would have preferred not to have happened and now selling of Sissoko proves this.
Its still my opinion though its worth the effort in the long run
Posted:
Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:49 pmby Emerald Red
ruskiy playmaker wrote:Ciggy wrote:"But I don't think people are fair on Kuyt, he does a fantastic job for the team and the question is finding the balance between them. This game was good for Crouch and another game might be good for Kuyt.
ffs sake Rafa. I've always defended him but to say that Kuyt has done a fantastic job is a complete lie. If Rafa uses Kuyt against Chelsea he's going to make a lot of fans unhappy.
He will....for sure!
Posted:
Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:51 pmby LFC2007
Emerald Red wrote:ruskiy playmaker wrote:Ciggy wrote:"But I don't think people are fair on Kuyt, he does a fantastic job for the team and the question is finding the balance between them. This game was good for Crouch and another game might be good for Kuyt.
ffs sake Rafa. I've always defended him but to say that Kuyt has done a fantastic job is a complete lie. If Rafa uses Kuyt against Chelsea he's going to make a lot of fans unhappy.
He will....for sure!
If he's looking to offload Kuyt in the summer, coming out in the press and criticising him isn't going to help.
He's probably looking to show confidence in him, so he can play better if he's called upon, and that could be the difference between receiving a bid, or not.
Posted:
Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:56 pmby Emerald Red
LFC2007 wrote:Emerald Red wrote:ruskiy playmaker wrote:Ciggy wrote:"But I don't think people are fair on Kuyt, he does a fantastic job for the team and the question is finding the balance between them. This game was good for Crouch and another game might be good for Kuyt.
ffs sake Rafa. I've always defended him but to say that Kuyt has done a fantastic job is a complete lie. If Rafa uses Kuyt against Chelsea he's going to make a lot of fans unhappy.
He will....for sure!
If he's looking to offload Kuyt in the summer, coming out in the press and criticising him isn't going to help.
He's probably looking to show confidence in him, so he can play better if he's called upon, and that could be the difference between receiving a bid, or not.
Funnily enough, Kuyt plays sh*t most of the time, then pops up with a goal every other big game or so. He's scored against Chelsea before, so I can see him start with none other than Torres. It may not be as bad as a selection as most would think. We'll need someone to press the ball high up, and this seems to be Kuyt's one and only redeeming feature of his play. You could be correct about playing him more often than is wanted because goals will obviously boost his overall value if and when he is sold.
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:47 amby megabomberman
I'm sorry guys but I just don't rate Alonso anymore, he seemed to be improving and turning into an awesome player at the start but he just went downhill so bad, he's so immobile (and I know Jan moltby wasn't exactly Michael Johnson) but it really ruins him, he's so sluggish at tackling, giving away so many terrible frees just outside the box, that tackle Athens giving Milan the lead when we were really on top. Also he seems to have been infected with the risse disease "I did it twice so I'll try it way too often" shooting from his own half. I don't know maybe he can be very good again, but I'd be so surprised, I've just been so dissappointed with his sluggish running and careless loss of possession, despite his class, I just think he's not good enough,
also he's overpriced, I just think we should cash in now while we still can...
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:39 amby bigmick
Lando_Griffin wrote:Cheers lads. 
Welcome back Lando. I disagree with just about everything he posts these days, but Ilike having you around. I like having Peewee aroound the place too, although I agree with him a bit more often.
Just keep it clean you fecking madmen 
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:52 amby god_bless_john_houlding
I still think it was a bit harsh to ban Lando, on his todd, despite him deserving a ban, he was constantly provoked into it. But ah well, his returns give me another "rafa can't do wrong" fan.
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:47 amby Lando_Griffin
god_bless_john_houlding wrote:Lando is the best person I have ever had the pleasure of interacting with, and if I were a woman, I would deem it an honour to have his babies.
Ok then... 
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:48 amby Lando_Griffin
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:07 amby Ciggy
Barcelona, Real Madrid move for Liverpool's Xabi
Spanish Liga clubs are queuing to bring Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso back home at the end of the season.
The Times says Alonso, a long-time Rafa Benitez loyalist, is understood to be deeply unhappy at his recent exclusion from the starting lineup.
The subject of longstanding interest from Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, Alonso is unhappy at his failure to regain his place after a period on the sidelines with a fractured foot.
He refused to answer questions about his situation at Liverpool when he was interviewed in Spain yesterday.
--------------------------------------------------------
Spurs website.
Tottenham Hotspur plan £14million Anfield swoop
07:29 February, 5, 2008
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club have been linked with a move for Xabi Alonso.
The Spanish international midfielder has struggled to recapture the form he showed in his first couple of seasons in England, with Javier Mascherano ahead of him in Liverpool’s pecking order.
It is believed that Rafael Benitez is prepared to listen to offers for the former Real Sociedad star, and it has been suggested that the player could link up with another Spaniard in the shape of Juande Ramos next season.
The White Hart Lane manager will be given a budget in the region of £30milion to further boost his squad at the end of the season, and he could pay as much as £14million of this to land Alonso.
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:14 pmby HacksawJimDuggin
This is a tough one.
Xabi is a quality quality player but has fallen behind Mascha. If Rafa is to persist with a 4-4-2 then one of them has to miss out. I would be sorry to see Xabi go but I can see why he may be a little p*ssed with the current situation. We have good cover in CM with Lucas but, if Xabi was to go then we'd need to bring a young up and coming CM as additional cover.
The other option is we go 3-5-2 and accomodate Mascha, Xabi and Stevie G.
Reina
Agger
Carra
Hyppia/Skrtel
Riise/Kewell/Aurelio/Babel
Xabi
Mascha
Gerrard
Benayoun/Pennant
Torres
AN Other (someone like Aimar)
What a team:)
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:02 pmby Sabre
About the mental thing, Alonso must take this on the chin. Just like you're scousers, he's from Gipuzkoa (San Sebastian province), and I think he's the classical lad of this lands. In this situations what I expect from the lad is few words in the press and a lot of work in Melwood. Sure he's angry, but mostly with himself. I don't expect to send digs to Rafa to the journos, I only expect hard work. I'd be terribly dissapointed if he was just relaxed because he has a lot of offers. But I'm sure he'll answer positively to this
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:41 pmby Penguins
Emerald Red wrote:LFC2007 wrote:Emerald Red wrote:ruskiy playmaker wrote:Ciggy wrote:"But I don't think people are fair on Kuyt, he does a fantastic job for the team and the question is finding the balance between them. This game was good for Crouch and another game might be good for Kuyt.
ffs sake Rafa. I've always defended him but to say that Kuyt has done a fantastic job is a complete lie. If Rafa uses Kuyt against Chelsea he's going to make a lot of fans unhappy.
He will....for sure!
If he's looking to offload Kuyt in the summer, coming out in the press and criticising him isn't going to help.
He's probably looking to show confidence in him, so he can play better if he's called upon, and that could be the difference between receiving a bid, or not.
Funnily enough, Kuyt plays sh*t most of the time, then pops up with a goal every other big game or so. He's scored against Chelsea before, so I can see him start with none other than Torres. It may not be as bad as a selection as most would think. We'll need someone to press the ball high up, and this seems to be Kuyt's one and only redeeming feature of his play. You could be correct about playing him more often than is wanted because goals will obviously boost his overall value if and when he is sold.
It's when I see quotes like this that I start losing faith.
it's beggards belief how Rafa can not see what is so obviously clear for eveyone else.
I'm not saying he should critize him at every opportunity, but everytime he mentions him in the press he is always praising him and tells everyone what a fantastic player he is.
Almost on the border of comical at times.
Kuyt is technically one of the worst strikers I have ever seen wearing the red shirt. Sure, he works harder than Meijer, but ability wise, not better.
1 fluke goal from open play and counting after a whole season as a one of the 1st choice strikers. GET RID! 
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:55 pmby club_Levis
Of the players whoperformed averagely to poor this season he is the one likely to earn LFC more kitty if sold that the team needs to strenghten elsewhere. I wouldnot shed a tear if he was to leave in the summer. For the perfect balance I think LFC need a more offensive & tricky midfielder.... The Egyptian H Zidan comes into mind. Has been awesome at the AFCON finals and would come cheap.
Posted:
Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:04 pmby Bammo
Wasn't there a thread a few months ago (around october/november time) comparing Alonso and Masch? At the time Alonso was on form and a lot of people on here wanted him to play instead of Masch. Now Masch is on form we're all talking about selling him. Form is temporary - next month Masch may be off-form and Alonso playing brilliantly. I'd rather have both to choose from (or play together). Whatever owners we have, we shouldn't need the £15m that desperately.
For Chelsea I'd go with a midfield of Alonso and Masch in the centre, Gerrard on the right and Pennant on the left.
One point for the Mourinho fans, if he does what he did at Chelsea we won't have a selection problem because he'd play Gerrard, Lucas, Alonso and Masch all in midfield together