To suggest Alonso is a wimp is just wrong. I certainly remember his first game back after the injury he tried to play off when he goes in hard on Nedved after about 1 minute. It may be that Barry suits whatever role Benitez has in mind better than Alonso does that doesn't mean we have to belittle the contribution of a player who has never shown a propensity to hide or shirk his responsibilities. I would suggest that it would be better to show some respect to a player who has never shown anything but respect for the club the city and the fans.
Agreed some of the revisionist s*** spouted by posters in this thread is indicative of the reasons I left the forum for the best part of two years The gross footballing acumen of 90% of the posters here doesn't doesn't even = David Pleat
from the Beeb Rafael Benitez has confirmed he must sell again to bring Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry to Liverpool, but the Reds manager has no intention of selling defender Alvaro Arbeloa to Sevilla. (Press Association, 1510 BST)