Here’s a question for you. Who is Real Madrid’s most important player? Many of you will reply Ronaldo or maybe Higuain who bang in the goals in what seems to be a ten minute basis. Or perhaps you feel its playmaker Di Maria, whose assists this season have been nothing short of sublime. Maybe you’re a fan of the defence and the ever present lion Sergio Ramos is your man of choice. Or you may be a Liverpool fan and reply Xabi Alonso, whose departure you have never really recovered from. Here I agree with you.
In Alonso, you have a man at the very heart of Real’s team. An ever present, the boy is certainly one of Mourinho’s core players and an untouchable. He dictates the tempo at which Los Blancos play and provides a shield in front of the back four, slotting in should a player make a run forward and not be able to get back in time. Add to this the sublime vision and range of passing Alonso possesses and you have a very special player.
Yes Real’s front three are vital – Ronaldo scores for fun, and would be an immense loss if struck by injury or suspension, yet Real would be able to cope without him. They are in possession of such a wealth of creative, goal scoring players who are able to change a game in a second, and really make the difference in tight games. Should Higuain get injured, there is Benzema. If Ozil succumbs to fatigue or loss of form there is Kaka. If Khedira is out of favour, there is Lass.
Likewise in defence, should Pepe, a man who pays his disciplinary fines by direct debit they occur so often, be serving a three match ban, there is Carvalho, Ramos, Varane… You get the picture. The strength in depth at the Santiago Bernabeau is frightening – well if you’re Barcelona that is.
But with the risk of sounding like a cult chant, there is only one Xabi Alonso, and Real know it. Last season, when opposition teams clocked on to how Alonso was the one to make Real tick, they near enough man marked the Spaniard, and Real struggled to function.
Alonso is the deep seated creative outlet that Real rely so heavily on, and is it any wonder, with the player’s distribution of the ball one of the best – if not the best – in world football. Not only this, but Alonso also possesses the ability to see what others are about to do, and can anticipate where he needs to be in order to block an opposition shot or pass.
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that was the start of lfc’s demise as if that wasnt enough kk just destroyed a winning combination 4rm last season.the starting 11 in the 2nd half last season was way better than the 11 with the expensive flops
“…Likewise in defence, should Pepe, a man who pays his disciplinary fines by direct debit they occur so often, be serving a three match ban…”
Genius turn of phrase 🙂
All “thanks” to the fat Spanish waiter. Alonso supposedly had two “poor” seasons according to him. And the endless pursue of Gareth Barry who is 2nd class to Alonso. And I can’t believe people can still think so much of the Spanish waiter. Yes, he won the UCL and brought us so close to the title. KK brought us the titles back then. Imagine a team with Suarez, Alonso and the ex. No 9. It would have been title 19 for LFC instead.
Dalglish brought back BOB PAISLEY to sit with him in his office for his first three years,to look over him.THE TRUTH IS THAT PAISLEYS TALLY OF TROPHIES extended after FAGAN pulled out ???He sat with Daglish for the next three years showing him what to do!THE TRUE FACTS ARE THAT PAISLEY’S tally of First Div/Premiership should read that he won #more than the records show !!! ABSOLUTE FACT!!! KK did nothing in his first three years as LFC manager! PAISLEY DID IT ALL !!!
That is why KD is overated and i kept saying he won the league with someone else’s team.
Besides overated KD is actually a cheat
RAFA BENITEZ is second to none as a manager tactician,and would have excelled in the years off PAISLEY/FAGAN/DALGLISH. LIVERPOOL FC need BENITEZ back ‘RIGHT NOW’ to put them back at the top!
I am really annoyed at people like you Mr’Chang’,who have ‘no idea’ of LFC’s history !The facts are true that Alonso ‘DID HAVE’those bad years!(and I, like all other fans loved him once Benitez had woken him up). You need to stop the derogatory comments about the fat ‘Spanish waiter’,because you have no idea what you are talking about!!!
That Spanish waiter won us the UCL in his 1st season, a FA cup a year later, got us to another UCL final and got us to 2nd in the league.
KK so called success with us was with Paisley sitting next to him. Without Paisley, he paid 35 mill for a donkey, 20 mill for a wimp and occasional winger and struggled to beat promoted sides like Norwich and Swansea.
Go play with yourself Chang.