Torres blames sale of Alonso for poor season

Given that myself and others have compared our midfield pre and post Xabi on many occasions and pointed to what we see as it's inadequacies without him; it would be churlish of me to disagree with Nando.


 

Its not the sale of Xavi Alonso that has wrecked our season its Benitez's failure to replace a vital cog to make our system function

I didn't know a Xavi Alonso played for us ? 

I didn't know a Xavi Alonso played for us ?

People calling him Xavi really grinds my gears too niks 

I didn't know a Xavi Alonso played for us ?  

People calling him Xavi really grinds my gears too niks 

Out of Johncolf's whole post, that's all you see fit to pass comment on? Poor bloke.  

Out of Johncolf's whole post, that's all you see fit to pass comment on? Poor bloke.  

  Don't worry bbb I read Johncolf's post I just don't like it when people call him Xavi that's all .

As soon as i seen Xavi Alonso i stopped reading BBB!

Nah im joking, it was a good post with valid points, but im the same as niks, just annoys me when people call him that!

Its like people calling me john (my names andy)

 

Injuries? Yes.

Alonso, Arbeloa and Hyypia? No. We have Gerrard, Johnson and Kyrgiakos.

Had Gerrard been plugged in the hole Alonso occupied, the story would have been different.

So I don't totally agree with Torres.

I agree with Torres' because he would know wouldn't he. Because he goes to training everyday, he's in the locker room, he's on the pitch, and he's also been off the pitch due to injury. The man knows how many goals he's scored, and how many months he spent watching matches from home wishing he could be playing, influencing the match. If there's any player I will actually listen to when they speak, it's Torres.

He's not the type to just run his mouth, he wouldn't say anything that we don't already know. But I like that he is speaking out, I mean, given our predicament, most of our players have stayed remarkably silent.

I don't know why we let Arbeloa go for 2.5m. For me it's not worth it. I mean, say we had him in the team, and he assisted, or scored a few more extremely important goals. What if we wont the Premier League? Sure, he'd leave on a free the next summer, but we would have profited way more than the 2.5m gained in his transfer, if he stayed, and we won the league. I mean, he was healthy, and improving all the time, his style of play was reliable and consistent. I don't know why we let him go so easily. I think that is the key to why this season has been so terrible. It's our defense. Our back line is unstable. Johnson, Agger, Aurelio and Skrtel can't stay collectively healthy. And Jamie is aging. The Big Greek isn't fast enough to play every single match. Insua is neither fast or consistent. Arbeloa was reliable, which I think is the most important quality in a footballer.

Nando knows what he's talking about, right now, he's the most important member of the team

People calling him Xavi really grinds my gears too niks 

I'd have to agree with Torres in that it may have contributed to our bad season. Xabi was a phenomenally creative player. But it's not the only contributing factor.

But Xabi wanted to go. At least we got a good few years out of him and, subsequently, made about £20m profit on the lad off the back of a situation where he was going to leave regardless. 

As Fernando said. New engines don't work straight away. Hopefully we can iron out he kinks and have another crack next season.

What we got rid of Xavi as well!!! Damn it.
Yeah that grinds my gears

I think the loss of Alonso and arbeloa are just a piece of the jigsaw on why this season has fallen apart.

Not directly to blame as we do have a couple of replacements as previously pointed out, however this thrown in with lots of other issues has contributed to a downward spiral

The interesting trend I have noticed in his last two brushes with the media is how he tends to admit weakness in his fellow players.  In this case referring to them being mentally weak.

Agreed mate, last two things he's said in the press are this and that we needed 4 or 5 players to bring into the club for a proper Title push to happen. Don't think he has much faith in some of the lads he's playing with at the moment. That can't be good for team morale, even if it is the truth.

Surely thats something we all agree with though, hopefully referring to Lucas, Ngog and dare i say it Kuyt... (although i do think he could be better utilised)

Don't forget Insua. Wonder who the 5th is?

We've missed all three big time.

Arbeloa could actually defend, which is kind of a nice thing to have in a right back. Hyypia had tons of experience and could read the game as well as anyone in the world and as soon as Carra turned sh*t I would have put him back in alongside Agger. And Alonso could offer a range of passing that probably only the likes of Xavi and Iniesta could match so of course he's going to be a big loss.

Surely we missed them all. Arbeloa for his consistency and Hyypia for his presence and experience. Surely players of Alonso's quality are hard to come by and will be sorely missed but along with injuries, that cost our season.

I wouldn't say those three players are irreplacable but perhaps if Gerrard had been put back in the centre of midfield, we probably would have had different results because Gerrard, can do, what Alonso can (except maybe scoring from his own half ).

Have to agree with Torres totally to be honest.

Xabi Alonso was the heart of our midfield the orchestrator who dictate the tempo of our games, watch any video he always had his head up, always made himself available and always knew what he was going to with the ball before he even received it. His vision, range of passing and the ability to dominate the midfield is something we have clearly been lacking this season, what ever your arguments for Lucas Leiva he's not in the same class as Alonso and never will be, it's a no brainer.

Arbeloa his significance in our back 4 was greatly under valued, a consistent solid defender who wasn't that bad going forward really he got himself into advanced positions and whipped in crosses, he may not have the flair or goal threat of Johnson going forward, but was consistent a good defender who shackled Messi when being played out of position, on what I've seen of Johnson so far, I'd say Arebloa was a better defender so it's a no brainer again.

Hyypia again another no brainer, you can not under estimate the impact of a player/joker who's been at a club the best part of ten year whether that be on the pitch or off it, now I'm not going to be hard on Sotis here as he's done well on the pitch, but I however do not feel he can carry the influence that Hyypia did.

Lack of investment, I've said it so many times I'm bored of typing it, however any club that does not invest accordingly for two years whilst other clubs around you are investing then you stand still, you can even say you regress whilst the rest around you improve. Tom & George have a lot to answer for over this one.

Injuries again, said it many times over the course of the season, Yes I think we can all accept especially in the first half of the season injuries done us no favours at all, but that again comes down to investment had Tom & George invested accordingly over the last two seasons, we may have just had he strength in depth to get through it.

So basically I agree with Nando.

Lucas is not fit to lick Alonso's boots never mind clean them.

Arbeloa was a better defender than Johnson.

Hyypia is more influential than Sotis.

Tom & George are cu*ts.

Injuries have disrupted our season.

Fook me I've been saying this sh*t all season long.

Agree with Torres about Xabi but I was saying this in August when I realised Lucas was going to be playing so much, it is not rocket science but then some people on here seem to say one player can't make that much of a difference.

In relation to Arbeloa Johnson is a much better all round player but then Arbeloa has playe left back at times this season for Real and would have being a massive improvement for us then Insua at left back this season.

In relation to Hyypia he is 10th in the Castrol ratings of players in europe this season this just shows what a legend this lad is.

Its not because of Alonso that we are where we are. Its because Rafa refuses to let Lucas (and everyone) play in the positions they play best in and he bought an injured player to replace Xabi. That and our squad doesn't have the strength and depth thanks to our two favourite american friends.

In relation to Arbeloa Johnson is a much better all round player but then Arbeloa has playe left back at times this season for Real and would have being a massive improvement for us then Insua at left back this season.

I have to disagree there Corbally mate, Johnson may be better than Arebloa was going forward, but in terms of defending positional sense consistency and being solid in the tackle, I think Arebloa was better on this seasons showing anyway, I can't remember Arebloa getting caught out of position over his Anfield Career as many times as Johnson has this season, maybe thats because of Johnson's attacking play, however a defenders primary objective is to defend and thats why I think Arbeloa is a better all round right back. Very under rated IMO.

Hopefully though Johnson will prove me wrong next year when hopefully we'll have a squad of players firing on all cylinders.

Its not because of Alonso that we are where we are.

I think you under estimate Xabi's abilities, any team would miss one of the best midfielders in the world especially when he has been replaced with a crock and the master of sideways/backwards passing.

We have to disagree on this one Redblood I wasn't a fan of Arbeloa to be honest thought he was poor in possession lost count of the amount of times he was in crossing positions and he failed to get the ball in.

 Think it is vastly overstated about him as well in the defending part. He was suspectable to a quick winger. What I can remember from him is his performance last year against Arshavin and that champions league match against Chelsea where he meekly allowed Kalou to get in the cross which Riise decided to slice into his own net.

Arbeloa was defo a defensive full back and what people tend to forget is Johnson is an attacking full back and when you employ attacking full backs you have to sacrifrice a small bit in the way of defending. look at Alves he is more like a winner than full back. That is what Barc play and I would like us to play full backs that bomb on.

We miss all three. Xabi for his sheer classiness in midfield. Arbeloa for his utility abilities which meant he could play across the back for. Hyppia for being a calming rock on and off the pitch... but  we miss them even more for not having built on last year with quality extra signings.

Rather than merely replacing who left with compromised dealings we should have been bringing in another two or three on top of those we signed. Instead we had a thread bare squad that got caught by the b"ll"cks when the injuries piled high. Team has been chop and change all year especially at the back