2 years ago i'ld have hit myself...but should alonso go?

[Chewie]

i honestly cannot believe I'm even considering this but I'm really wondering if it is in fact time for Alonso to go. It has taken some time to admit to this possibility and it is not a case either of thinking that because we have one player in that automatically means another should go...

 

but unless we dramatically change our attacking options at full-back and wide midfield I am wondering if Alonso is inhibiting our attacking force. Alonso and Sissoko offer very little of an attacking presence through the middle...one breaks up the game but gives the ball away and the other passes it sideways. Mascherano is kind of like both players combined...like Didi he reads and breaks up the game but keeps up the momentum through decent distribution. This allows Gerrard to actually be a driving force through the middle and allows us to play with an additional forward (be it a target man or indeed a creative attacker)

 

I really loved Alonso in his first year and a half but his influence on our ability to attack a game has waned considerably...is there now a case for his possible departure if (and only if) it means we have even more funds to purchase quality attacking players?

 

I only want to raise the debate...as I see many of the arguments for keeping him, namely that if we acquire genuine attacking width then Alonso can feed those players all day long - and there may well be games when we feel that attacking down the flanks is the most appropriate whilst there are games when we need more drive through the middle...

 

I guess I could accept him leaving if his departure significantly assists in the development of the team and if he in fact wishes a new challenge.....

 

I know this post seems a bag of contradictions but that's how I'm feeling at the moment about Xabi...I want him to be the player I thought he was going to become....one of the best midfielders in the world, but at the moment I wonder if his lack of influence alongside a holding midfielder (so favoured by Rafa) is one of the reasons why we are about 20 - 25 goals short...

 

confused

 

Chewie

[Guest Finnan3]

Alonso is quality, a genuine world class player. I'd hate to see him go but I have resigned myself to the fact he'll go (either this year, or next year as other people here have said).

[£440,000]

Have a feeling he'll go but got no evidence for thinking so. Think Momo might be off as well.

[Guest AdamS]

Carra was talkin g the other day about needing players with pace and strength to win the premier league. Alonso has niether really. I suspect Carra was echoing what Rafa thinks, and so for all his abilities I reckon Alonso may be on his way.

 

He is a class act, but I reckon he'll fulfill his potential playing away from the premier league.

[Guest RedLegend]

If we got offered big money from Barcelona I'd let him go.

 

Don't think he's had a great season and it seems likely at least one of our central midfielders will leave.

[John am Rhein]

I've got a feeling Alonso is going to leave. I think that'll be unfortunate, but if we can get a decent player in return - I assume he'll be going back to Spain (Barcelona?) - then it might be for the best.

[Guest JV]

Just hasn't been himself this season.

[fred milne]

Mascherano is kind of like both players combined.

I don't agree with that at all.

Edited May 24, 2007 by fred milne

[Mikey]

I've got a feeling Alonso is going to leave. I think that'll be unfortunate, but if we can get a decent player in return - I assume he'll be going back to Spain (Barcelona?) - then it might be for the best.

I think the young Brazilian lad will be seen as his long term replacement - not in styles exactly but in the first team squad.

 

If he goes to Barca who would we want apart from Eto'o or Ronnie? All their midfielders are tiny!

[fred milne]

For me, Alonso-Gerrard is still the best CM pairing for most Premiership games. Alonso-Mascherano is a good option for tougher Premiership fixtures and European games.

 

Mascherano-Gerrard is similar to Hamann-Gerrard, which gave Gerrard licence to bomb on but came at the expense of the better teamplay that Alonso's passing encourages.

Edited May 24, 2007 by fred milne

[yellow jumper]

the key to much of this (as well as our winger issues) is where does benitez see gerrard playing in the main next season?

[Chewie]

I don't agree with that at all.

 

in what way Fred...I guess I was meaning that he can break up play the way Momo does without the consequent loss of possession...maybe I'm comparing Masch to Momo's deficencies rather than say to Alonso's quality of distribution...

 

but then elsewhere Rafa sometimes refers to momo as more of a forward influence, as if Alonso and Masch are his deep midfielders and Gerrard and momo his attacking ones....if this Brazilian kid comes in does that mean momo is a more likely departure?....

 

genuinely, in what way do you think Masch isn't like a better combination of both and how do you think they complement each other / compare with each other?

 

Chewie

[fred milne]

in what way Fred

Sissoko wins the ball higher up the pitch than Mascherano and Alonso has a better passing range than Mascherano.

 

That's not to say Mascherano isn't a great player - he just isn't the other two players combined.

 

I've got a feeling Alonso is going to leave.

If he does, then I think that will be his decision not Rafa's.

[Guest JV]

Before we even think of allowing him to leave I hope we sign Masc that for sure.

[meepins]

We need a team of athletes! We don't want footballers. Cya Alonso !

 

 

 

 

whoppers

[MFletcher]

Xabi's a great player, but he has looked disinterested at times this season. There's no word on whether he's going to sign a new contract either and I wouldn't be remotely surprised to see him move to Barcelona.

 

In fact, I wouldn't be taken aback if we sold Momo and brought in another midfielder like Zapater from Zaragoza. I'm afraid I don't rate Sissoko very highly, because there are very few games where his skills can really be of use to us.

 

But this is about Alonso. I feel that a Mascherano/Gerrard partnership with proper wingers would give us a greater attacking threat. I've always thought we were fairly limited through the centre when Alonso/Sissoko or Alonso/Mascherano are playing together because there is no-one breaking through. That's the reason I could see both Xabi and Momo moving. Lucas has been compared to Gerrard and if Xabi leaves, we'll need a holding midfielder as a back-up to Masch. Momo needs a holding midfielder beside him.

 

Maybe I'm completely wrong, but I could certainly see it happening.

[KD07]

Carra was talkin g the other day about needing players with pace and strength to win the premier league. Alonso has niether really.

 

A team of Drogbas

[smicer07]

I think it'd be a major step backwards if he was to leave.

[fred milne]

Carra was talkin g the other day about needing players with pace and strength to win the premier league. Alonso has niether really.

But Carrick does?

[Puskas]

Unfortunately when Alonso doesn't play we struggle to keep hold of the ball. He's vital to our passing game.

 

If we do start playing 4231 then I think Alonso would be perfect for the 2 alongside Mascherano. That's also apparently what Benitez was saying to Mascherano when he was convincing him to come - that he'd be playing alongside Alonso.

[Guest Cyador]

Benitez confirmed that Alonso is going nowhere, he's got two years on his contract, and their negotiating a new one. Was on the echo site somewhere.

[Zoob]

Xabi's a great player, but he has looked disinterested at times this season. There's no word on whether he's going to sign a new contract either and I wouldn't be remotely surprised to see him move to Barcelona.

 

I don't think he's looked disinterested, I think he's looked frustrated - presumably at his lack of top form. We need 4 top class central midfield players. Top players so that which ever 2 are selected, we can feel confident. No more Zenden and Momo in central midfield so that our other players can get a well earnt rest.

 

Alsonso hasn't been at his fantastic best this season, but I'm sure he's still got the highest pass completion % of any of our midfielders. Lose Alonso and we'll need to replace him with someone just as good, or else our squad will be going downhill.

[Flight]

Benitez confirmed that Alonso is going nowhere, he's got two years on his contract, and their negotiating a new one. Was on the echo site somewhere.

 

 

Its not up to Benitez. Alonso can buy out his contract if he wants to so its up to him.

 

I hope he doesn't leave.

[shaq]

I'm putting this to the fact that people are still in shock after last night, so are not in a rational frame of mind.

 

We can sell one of the top midfielders in Europe to get any ugly bruiser like Essien. Along with Sissoko, we'll be as tough as old boots in midfield, and the fact that our midfield won't be able to pass worth a damn won't matter because their job will be just to win the ball. The goalkeeper will have the responsibility of launching the ball into the oppositions goal area from which our new strikers (we'll have replaced Bellamy for a big bruiser - Viduka may be available) will score the goals...

 

So, do we want to be a successful footballing side like Man U or Barcelona, or do we want to be Bolton?

 

All season, we've been talking about how great our Central midfield is, and now we have some talking about how limited Alonso is, others talking about how limited Sissoko is... Gerrard doesn't quite fit, but we can get rid of him too, cos, hey guess what, we've got 'Monster Masch'!!!

 

Let's not talk about who should go, let's talk about wingers and strikers who will help us make that final step.

 

YNWA!!!

[Runehammer]

I agree with Zoob that it's frustration, both with his own form and, for me, there's been a shortage of targets for him to hit this season as compared to last.