But that's just it, he doesn't get marked out of a game. He still influences it, just not in the way of raking 40 yard passes across the field. AND THANK GOD he doesn't try...we all remember the spell Gerrard went through where he was still trying to make that killer pass all the time despite the pressure he was under. Alonso's job when he's being man-marked like that is to create space for others, and he does that BEAUTIFULLY. Again, if the others don't do something with the ball after that, it's not Xabi's fault. Thanks Spike.