Alonso seemed to get forward more today...

[alias75]

Rewatching the highlights he was often on the edge of the opposition area when we attacked and apart from his goal he had a couple of other decent chances because he was playing further forward.

 

I know a lot of people have mentioned it before but i do think this 1 subtle tactical change could help, when we're dominating we don't need both Alonso and Mascherano holding, Alonso is the obvious candidate to get further forward because his shooting is very good and hes capable of playing that killer pass.

 

Maybe its only a small difference but hopefully its Rafa finally given him more license to get forward.

[Ben 23]

Against the weaker teams (basically anyone outside the top four) and with Mascherano in the side there is no reason for him not to go forward more.

 

He was delighted with that goal as well. Meant a lot to him clearly.

[Spiblish]

Xabi has looked a real player again this season.

 

Great piece of management by Rafa in the summer IMO - th kick up the a*** worked.

 

He passed that into the net today

[Rory Fitzgerald]

Alonso's step up this season is in stark contrast to people like Keane, Babel, Benayoun, Dossena.

 

If some of those players upped their game the way Alonso have then we could achieve what we dream.

[Gunga Din]

his celebration was boss. he really enjoyed that goal. is that the closest in he has scored for us?

[Cobs]

his celebration was boss. he really enjoyed that goal. is that the closest in he has scored for us?

 

Istanbul?

 

he did have a go today from about 70 yards in the 2nd half - made me laugh

[kop205]

Xabi has looked a real player again this season.

 

Great piece of management by Rafa in the summer IMO - th kick up the a*** worked.

 

Don't think it was done just as a kick up the a*** though was it? Think he was genuinely on the way if other things had worked out differently, though suppose we'll never know.

 

Either way, great to see him playing so well.

[RedHarvest]

Xabi has looked a real player again this season.

 

Great piece of management by Rafa in the summer IMO - th kick up the a*** worked.

 

He passed that into the net today

He wouldn't be here now if Juve had met our asking price last summer. I dont think Rafa can take credit for Alonsos form, it's purely down to the mans application and intelligence. My one problem with him has been his goal return, something he's putting right this season.

[Kite]

Xabi has looked a real player again this season.

 

Great piece of management by Rafa in the summer IMO - th kick up the a*** worked.

 

He passed that into the net today

Not sure how you can interpret a "I'll sell you if someone gives me 15 million, thereabouts" is a "kick up the a***". Xabi has always applied himself with professionalism, he had a s**** last season, probably not helped by Rafa dropping him into difficult games immediately after injuries etc, but this season he is showing his true potential again. That's bugger all to do with Rafa in my opinion.

[anny road]

i agree

 

but a few managers may have let Xabi go anyway and turned attention to someone else

 

it takes character to say "ok let bygones be bygones and come back in the fold"

[alias75]

The truth is the last 12 months or so Xabi wasn't playing as well as he could, this has obviously given him the kick he needed and the fact that Rafa has played him most of the time when hes fit shows he holds no grudges and will pick players that are performing. Hes been our best player so far this season and is back to the form he showed when he first got here plus hes getting forward more and has scored a few goals too.

 

Still think theres room for Barry in the squad especially as he won't cost anything like £18 million next season but Alonso has shown what a great player he is and what a great pro he is.

[Earl Hafler]

Xabi has looked a real player again this season.

 

Great piece of management by Rafa in the summer IMO - th kick up the a*** worked.

 

He passed that into the net today

 

Yep - great management. On a par with the risky non-selection of Torres and Gerrard against the Mancs.

[growler]

You could look at ALonso and Pennant and see what makes a successful player. Both were on the verge of being sold, and look at their respective fortunes since August 31.

[Zoob]

It's not just the war beard, Alonso looks fitter and slimmer this year, and I'm sure he's covering more ground than he did last season. Great to see him popping up in the last third so much more. Even turned up on the right wing to put a great cross in for Gerrard's goal against Marseille.

 

He's getting into lots of good positions to shoot or try to slip passes through, and that's what Barry has always done, but Alonso hasn't been doing enough of until now (and it's always possible that he wasn't doing that because Rafa wanted him to be prompting play from deeper).

 

Been our player of the season by some distance.

 

Linked with a 12 million pound move to Arsenal in the Mirror today, here but I'm sure that's just rubbish, and 12 million is a joke of a price to pluck out of the air.

[budgie]

It's a tribute to how professional he is that he did not spit the dummy out over the summer. That said I also think his good form is also a direct result of it. I think he may of been a bit complacent last year.

 

He's really stepping up for us.

[McBain]

Xabi has looked a real player again this season.

 

Great piece of management by Rafa in the summer IMO - th kick up the a*** worked.

 

I wouldn't exactly call trying to sell a world class player in order to replace him with an older less good player a great piece of management

 

Thankfully Xabi is an outstanding professional

[Swagger]

Against the weaker teams (basically anyone outside the top four) and with Mascherano in the side there is no reason for him not to go forward more.

 

Agreed.

 

Alonso's shooting from around the edge of the area is a useful tool to have against teams that crowd the area and defend in numbers.

[MFletcher]

I wouldn't exactly call trying to sell a world class player in order to replace him with an older less good player a great piece of management

 

Thankfully Xabi is an outstanding professional

 

To be fair to Rafa, Xabi would have been nowhere near the exit door if he'd played anywhere near this well over the last couple of seasons. He's twice the player this year, and long may such excellence continue.

[Kite]

To be fair to Rafa, Xabi would have been nowhere near the exit door if he'd played anywhere near this well over the last couple of seasons. He's twice the player this year, and long may such excellence continue.

By that logic, Rafa should sell Torres come January. Don't think I've ever seen a player hampered with injuries so quickly written off by a section of fans as Alonso was last season.

[Hassony]

By that logic, Rafa should sell Torres come January. Don't think I've ever seen a player hampered with injuries so quickly written off by a section of fans as Alonso was last season.

 

crazy it was

[matty]

Rewatching the highlights he was often on the edge of the opposition area when we attacked and apart from his goal he had a couple of other decent chances because he was playing further forward.

 

I know a lot of people have mentioned it before but i do think this 1 subtle tactical change could help, when we're dominating we don't need both Alonso and Mascherano holding, Alonso is the obvious candidate to get further forward because his shooting is very good and hes capable of playing that killer pass.

 

Maybe its only a small difference but hopefully its Rafa finally given him more license to get forward.

Which is exactly what I said he should be doing after the West Ham fiasco, and got shouted down for it. Well done me.

[Mike]

and he's got 3 arms

[_00_deathscar]

By that logic, Rafa should sell Torres come January. Don't think I've ever seen a player hampered with injuries so quickly written off by a section of fans as Alonso was last season.

 

People say crap like "Alonso's only had one good season at Liverpool" - where the f*** did that come from?

[honourablegeorge]

For all the talk of "wingers", "creativity" and all the rest - our big problem is aggression. Time after time, you see us with nobody in the box, nobody attacking a cross, players isolated, etc.

 

It was great to see Xabi pushing on - but he should be doing it every time. We don't break in numbers enough, we don't commit forward enough. We play it safe. Not just Alonso, but everyone.

 

I accept that's just the managers way, but we can't afford the number of draws that valencia had when they won their titles - we need to win games, and that's going to require a little more attacking impetus.

 

"f***in' get at them" is what I'm trying to say, basically.

Edited December 8, 2008 by honourablegeorge

[Whitey85]

Yep Alonso got further forward on Saturday as Rafa changed the shape slightly. It was very much 4-1-4-1 with Mascherano shielding behind Alonso and Gerrard. They both got on the scoresheet so id expect to see more of the same in the future.

Edited December 8, 2008 by Whitey85