Benefits of selling Masch & Xabi?

There are no benefits xabi and masch are key to Liverpoool and no matter what the price you can't sell them

If they aren't completely happy here, and we get an offer that you simply cannot refuse, they are quite easy to sell. There have been numbers like 35 Million for Masch. With that, we could get Silva and Gerrard drop back into midfield, with Benayoun on the left, Silva just off Torres, and Kuyt on the right.

We have to be ruthless in this business, and although I don't want to see Xabi OR Masch leave (in fact I'd hate it), if they aren't happy, they have to move on and we must rebuild.

I would hate to loose either of them but if masch is going to Barca then swap him for Xavi or Iniesta? Cant let Xabi leave just yet, if he wants to return to Spain, keep him for another year which gives enough time to find a replacement or for one of the young lads to mature!

As if Barca are going to swap Xavi or Iniesta, dont be mad. We need Alonso and Masch, the one thing we have are the best centre midfielders in the World, I think we would be mad to sell. Lucas I would sell, as much potential as he may have, Jay Spearing is an able replacement for Lucas, I hope the lad gets a chance instead of being loaned out or sold to some championship club. Riera set up a goal for Villa today, that can only be good news for us. We need him to be more consistent this season.

bit more creativity would be nice

It would be as mad as us letting Masch leave!! Why should we settle for anything less, lets see how bad they want him!!

Just to clear things up here because I think quite a few have missed the point Brian was trying to raise. Nowhere in his opening post did I read "we should sell", he's asking, with the money we'd get for them, would it be more beneficial to the club. It's a similar thing to the 80 mill for Gerrard thread, with that money we could buy an able replacement and improve other areas.

Now I've already said I think Brian was a little optimistic with his valuations of Xabi and Masch, but that's because of the way I am and don't think any player in this world should be sold for 50 million plus. If a club holds a player that highly, they shouldn't be selling them in the first place. Plus with 50 million, you could buy entire football clubs and save them from administration, to spend on just one player is ludicrous in my opinion but that's the way this sport and the world in general is going. People, by and large, are no longer interested in helping each other, instead it's a money driven world. But I'm going off topic here, so I'll try and get back to it.

Would it be more beneficial to sell for, what I'd consider, slightly more realistic estimations of somewhere between 45 and 50 million and improve the other areas. Well, I doubt we'd get two better central midfielders and it's such an important role on a football field that on the surface it looks like it wouldn't be. But if we can get box to box midfielders, like for example Mark Noble and Michael Johnson, then maybe it could be. If they could form an understanding of one holds while the other sits, like Gerrard and Barry had for England, then at least it's one extra body getting in and around the box which with Xabi and Masch we don't have often enough. It would also give us a bit of bread to spend on a top class left winger, which is the area we have never found somebody for in Benitez' five years. We've always been doing with poor quality left wingers (Kewell, Gonzalez, Riera) or make shift left wingers (Aurelio, Garcia, Riise, Babel).

So in the long run, depending on who we would actually sign, it could be more beneficial to lose them. Although I'd be disappointed to see them both go, I can see why it could (for those who can't read) be beneficial. Like I said though, it depends on who we sign with the money. If with the 45-50 million, I'd expect, we got we just blow it on David Villa is it more beneficial as the central midfield area would then be contested between Gerrard, Lucas, Spearing and Plessis.

The current team beat Utd 1-4 and Real 5-0, why would we want to change things so much for one of the most important positions on a pitch???We do have the best centre mid in the world. Thats why the best clubs in the world are after them. Masch obviously isnt Maradona, but he is the best at what he does and I think it would be hard to replace Alonso, Inesta and Xavi, the 2 players that keep him out of the Spainish squad and thats the type of players we would need. Id love to see a player join LFC that could give Torress and Gerrard a rest but still have the quality to do a fuc*in good job. Was thinkin Tevez but obviously not meant to be. If you ask me I think we would be mad to sell either of them and had Garreth (I might aswell be Lucas Neill) Barry signed for us, Rafa may have let one of them go. Unless the players hand in a transfer request, I cant see them leaving.

The current team beat Utd 1-4 and Real 5-0, why would we want to change things so much for one of the most important positions on a pitch???

The current team also drew twice with Stoke without scoring a bleeding goal. That argument works both ways mate.

We do have the best centre mid in the world. Thats why the best clubs in the world are after them.

Barcelona have declared interest in Benayoun, he is a far cry from being the world's greatest. Real Madrid wanted Jermaine Pennant for fucks sake. Just because a top club want you, doesn't mean you're some sort of world class superstar worthy of being branded with that title either. We're one of the biggest names in the world and we're being linked with David Wheater.

Masch obviously isnt Maradona, but he is the best at what he does and I think it would be hard to replace Alonso, Inesta and Xavi, the 2 players that keep him out of the Spainish squad and thats the type of players we would need.

Well partly due to the fact Maradonna was a centre forward and quite possibly the finest cheat ever to grace god's green and pleasant earth, I wouldn't expect Masch to be him as he is an honest central midfielder. And Xabi, yes it probably would be hard to replace him but that's not the question being raised. We could find somebody who has more to his all round game, giving the club some more steel, pace, positional play in the middle of the park but lose some of Xabi's guile, vision and ability to put a ball on a fly's arse from 60 yards.

We may also be able to sign central midfielders who actually know how to attack and score. Which is part of a central midfielders game, that's something neither Xabi or Masch excel in. A central midfielder is in the middle of the action, therefore he needs to know how to do his defensive duties as well as his attacking work. That's the way football has been in the past and will be in the future. F**k, the phrase "defensive midfielder" didn't even exist up until about 10 years ago and now look, central midfielders who can't attack.

Unless the players hand in a transfer request, I cant see them leaving.

Well Masch, or his agent at least, looks like he's already in Spain and Xabi "can't answer" if he'd be disappointed if he was Anfield next year. That to me is a spoken request on both parts. They're from parts of the world where Barcelona and Real Madrid are the biggest clubs, so now they're interest has been known they seem to want out. Xabi didn't come out with such phrases last year when it was only Juventus who were interested but oh mighty Real Madrid come knocking, he's almost on the plane at Speke Airport already.

Maradona was an attacking midfielder mate. Anyway Im not here to argue. I think that we would be worse off with either of them players gone, for everything you have mentioned you have not mentioned who you would replace them with, Mark Noble??? Gerrard is a centre mid that can score goals and Alonso can score too, Masch is our holding midfielder, prob the best in the world. I am sorry, we cant get rid of them, our team will be worse off. FACT. In Gerrard, Masch and Alonso we have the best centre mid in the world, who do you think is better? Barca are after Yossi, thas bullshi* and you know it. Real were never after Pennant either, thats tabloid rubbish. I know we drew twice with Stoke but that wasnt cause of centre mid. I will tell you the truth, we need two full backs that are consistent, 2  top notch wingers, a quality player to give Gerrard and Torres a rest and Daniel Agger to start every game. Centre mid, your havin a girrafe! Mark Noble, Michael Johnson, yeah as backup players maybe, we are one of the best clubs in the world after all.

Maradona was an attacking midfielder mate. Anyway Im not here to argue. I think that we would be worse off with either of them players gone, for everything you have mentioned you have not mentioned who you would replace them with, Mark Noble??? Gerrard is a centre mid that can score goals and Alonso can score too, Masch is our holding midfielder, prob the best in the world. I am sorry, we cant get rid of them, our team will be worse off. FACT. In Gerrard, Masch and Alonso we have the best centre mid in the world, who do you think is better? Barca are after Yossi, thas bullshi* and you know it. Real were never after Pennant either, thats tabloid rubbish. I know we drew twice with Stoke but that wasnt cause of centre mid. I will tell you the truth, we need two full backs that are consistent, 2  top notch wingers, a quality player to give Gerrard and Torres a rest and Daniel Agger to start every game. Centre mid, your havin a girrafe! Mark Noble, Michael Johnson, yeah as backup players maybe, we are one of the best clubs in the world after all.

Yes we are the best club in the world and Noble and Johnson may not be the world stars people want, but they were examples and I did say "we probably won't find anybody better than Masch or Xabi."

I'm not saying we'll be in any better shape should we lose either or both, but we won't exactly become an average side either. Xabi and Masch are great at what they do, that doesn't mean they're all round game is as good as "lesser" players, for example Mark Noble. Players who don't excel in one area but perform well in all areas are better than those who specialise in one or two areas but have much weaker areas. So losing Xabi and Masch could be beneficial if we bring in more complete players.

if mashcherano goes then I'm worried. Please tell me he's not?

If one or both want to leave that's the way it is, all we can do is demand as much as possible as they are world class clearly. However I'm hoping they will stay and we can build on what we have as at the end of last season we were a different team, the way we could get the ball for long periods and work better than usual, being more imaginative and not going for the obvious and thses guys were what caused the improvements.

don't sell xabi or mash just get the board to give rafa wat he needs to get the players that he needs so we can finally win the league and stop the mancs from gloating sort it out

Our midfield finally starts to play the Liverpool way, in auto-mode and can only improve further. Rafa will have to try his best to pursuade both to stay. I hate to see one or both leaving for whatever sum they may command.

To be honest, what would be their reasons for leaving, nothing major, okay so Mascha's wife is struggling to settle, but at the end of the day the way in which Liverpool are playing makes them easily the most exciting club in the world at the moment, if the pair were to move where would they go? There is no where offering them better futures, even if they wanted to move to Barcelona or Real Madrid, to me that's a step backwards for their careers, Liverpool's future is so promising for these two that there is no sense in them leaving (unless they're greed greedy b***ard!).

With the recent press reports regarding Xabi and Masch moving to Spain I'm starting to wonder could it be beneficial to Liverpool. 50 million for Xabi and 40 million plus Toure for Mascherano gives 90 million to play with plus the reported 20-25 million we already have. That's over 100 million to use to reinforce the team!!

Johnson for 18 million looks like its happening. Say then we go for Silva 25 million Villa 40 million. Sneidjer 15 million. Micah Richards for around 6 millionplus Toure as pert of the masch deal. We lose 2 quality players but gain 6!!

Is that not beneficial to us? Villa taking Stevies roil with Stevie dropping back to midfield. Silva on the left with Sneidjer competing with Kuyt on the right or he can play centre mid. If we were given the money made from selling the 2 lads we could create quite a side

This is total dreamland.

It means rejigging the whole side, buying players who are not settled into the unit or our way of playing.

If players leave, then surely let's discuss it then, not get carried. Remember, six players replacing two means three times as much goes to them in wages, which adds up to millions upon millions, so that has to be taken into account.

Then there's the fact that we will have become a selling club, and that puts top players off.

Losing our key midfield unit would be a big blow, no matter how you look at it. But nothing official has been said to suggest either will be on his way.

This is total dreamland.

It means rejigging the whole side, buying players who are not settled into the unit or our way of playing.

If players leave, then surely let's discuss it then, not get carried. Remember, six players replacing two means three times as much goes to them in wages, which adds up to millions upon millions, so that has to be taken into account.

Then there's the fact that we will have become a selling club, and that puts top players off.

Losing our key midfield unit would be a big blow, no matter how you look at it. But nothing official has been said to suggest either will be on his way.

How is it dreamland? Have I made this up? No its fact.bWe could lose 1 or both. The basis of my post was to point out that if we lose them make sure we get good money and then spend it well to actually improve the side. Not dreamland at all

How is it dreamland? Have I made this up? No its fact.bWe could lose 1 or both. The basis of my post was to point out that if we lose them make sure we get good money and then spend it well to actually improve the side. Not dreamland at all

I see your argument but do u realisticly believe we will get that much for those players? And if we do, that those players you have mentioned will come that cheap after we sell our players for 40-50? I really don't think we would see this ever happening.. and i don't want to see Liverpool become i side that buys big rather than builds anyways.

With the recent press reports regarding Xabi and Masch moving to Spain I'm starting to wonder could it be beneficial to Liverpool. 50 million for Xabi and 40 million plus Toure for Mascherano gives 90 million to play with plus the reported 20-25 million we already have. That's over 100 million to use to reinforce the team!!

Johnson for 18 million looks like its happening. Say then we go for Silva 25 million Villa 40 million. Sneidjer 15 million. Micah Richards for around 6 millionplus Toure as pert of the masch deal. We lose 2 quality players but gain 6!!

Is that not beneficial to us? Villa taking Stevies roil with Stevie dropping back to midfield. Silva on the left with Sneidjer competing with Kuyt on the right or he can play centre mid. If we were given the money made from selling the 2 lads we could create quite a side

£50 mil for  Xabi where on earth did that come from?
FFS

I'm sure he's got a reliable source where Real or another club quoted 50 mill, and Barca offered 40 for Masch... NOOOOOOT!

This whole topic angers me, we need to keep both of them end of story.

The only benifit will be the Squad numbers 14 & 20 will be free.

Alonso and Mascherano are crucial to us competing for major honours in the near future.

I can't see any short term benefits from selling either of them as I think it will take a couple of seasons for any new players to fit in and for us to form a unit again.