He's a player we've been consistantly linked with since Rafa arrived. Rafa was seen at Goodison park watching Sociedad against Everton and rumours are that he was watching Xabi and we are preparing to make a bid(i've heard one story that we've already made a bid)

 

He's a player we've been consistantly linked with since Rafa arrived. Rafa was seen at Goodison park watching Sociedad against Everton )

he was watching greavsen ********

enjoy the nationwide

 

he was watching greavsen ********

enjoy the nationwide

Gravesen or Greavsen? Please state clearly

 

wow..so you managed to spot a typo?! are you einstein in diguise?

 

Jimmy Greavsie has already retired from football in the early seventies

Benitez at the press conference didn't rule out a bid for Xabi Alonso which means he must want him, bit strange he went to scout him in a pre-season kickabout though, you'd think he had seen enough in all his time in Spain, perhaps he just wanted to watch a great side like Everton play.

 

It will be amazing to sign him before Real Madrid, cuz he's young and alredy part of NT, Real wants him !

 

he was watching greavsen ********

enjoy the nationwide

course he was Fergie, and when the whisky runs out you'll have a **** of a hangover.

 

Real Sociedad claim they have not received a bid from Liverpool for Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez and members of his technical staff watched Alonso this weekend in a friendly against Everton.


Benitez is familiar with the midfielder from the 30-yard shot the Spain international scored from against his former club Valencia last season.

The Basque club are thought to need to raise cash following the arrival of Mikel Arteta from Rangers during the summer.

Arteta was signed as a replacement for Alonso, who was thought to be on his way to Real Madrid.

But with Madrid now thought to be close to signing Patrick Vieira, Sociedad could look to offload Alonso to ease their finances.

However, although the club are aware of the interest, they insist there is still nothing official.

'We all read the press and have been keeping an eye on the internet,' a club spokesman told reporters.

'As you know we were in Liverpool last weekend to play Everton. We have not had official contact with Liverpool, but we think there could be some interest as Rafael Benitez and his assistants were watching the game.

'However, I insist that we have had nothing official from them and as such we have no comment to make,' he added.

'He (Alonso) is still training with the team and has been called up for a friendly tomorrow and will continue as normal unless something happens.'

Sounds like a "we know a bid is on it's way but hasn't arrived yet but we will let him go" plea.

 

let's hope so. Xabi and Stevie would be amazing. If we could get an RW (maybe Malbranque??) as well, we'd have a great midfield

 

I am surprised that Xabi Alonso is still La Real Sociedad, he didn't have a great Euro, but then again no one in Spain really did anything to write home about. He is class and would help any team that takes him.

 

I think that it would be a great sign for Liverpool and he's not that expensive. Real Sociedad sources say that he would cost 12-15 million €. In any case, I think he's waiting for Real Madrid, but if the madridistas sign Vieira you have free way to sign him.

 

I doubt the validity of any "waiting for Real" rumours. I think he'd definitly come to us.

We've alledgedly made a bid of £8m(€12m) for Alonso and it's been turned down. Sociedad want £12mil(€18m), i think we may get him for £10m(€15m)

 

Real Sociedad have confirmed you have made a bid.

 

They don't say it's been rejected though so either Liverpool have made 2 bids within a short space of time or Soceidad are considering the very first offer.

 

Soceidad have now confirmed that they are willing to sell the player to Liverpool.

 

according to the BBC the fee is £10.7m , so Doc was wrong, he is £0.7m out

 

Very good buy if he comes but it could spell the end of Hamann.

Alonso is a better all round player than Hamann and will contribute loads more on the attacking front than the one-dimensional German.His passing is top class and is also adept at breaking down opponent's play with tenacious tackling.

 

Didi will be kept as backup to Stevie and Xabi. kinda like Butt was backup to Keane and Scholes.

love the sig mate!

 

Soceidad have now confirmed that they are willing to sell the player to Liverpool.

REALLY?????????

*Jumps of a cliff due to insanity*

 

Didi will be kept as backup to Stevie and Xabi. kinda like Butt was backup to Keane and Scholes.

love the sig mate!

With German clubs queuing up for his signature, you think he'd be prepared to sit on the bench?!?

 

Deal tied up by end of the week.

 

Very good buy if he comes but it could spell the end of Hamann.

Alonso is a better all round player than Hamann and will contribute loads more on the attacking front than the one-dimensional German.His passing is top class and is also adept at breaking down opponent's play with tenacious tackling.

I think if Alonso makes his way here it won't be Hamman sitting out. I think the midfield would be (from left) Kewell, Hamman, Alonso, Gerrard. The reason for this is I don't think Alonso would have enough time to settle down in EPL and form a midfield with gerrard so soon. Plus the pace at La liga is considerably slower than here, which means we still need someone to play the holding man role in midfield. Since Riise & Josemi are going to find a way to overlap and support the attack anyway, I figure that we won't be runing out of ideas in attack with this formation.

Try taking out hamman from the midfield above. Thus we would have gerrad playing in the center with alonso and finnan operating on the right. Gerrard would still need to coevr for finnan and alonso in this formation because the center midfield is a little lacking in bite. Since Finnan is not a natural winger we can't afford to let him waiting in the wings and then work his magic up to the opposiong penalty box. IHowever if gerrard plays on the right, we will still see him running to the middle and tackling. At the end of the day, we would still be able to gain sth.

Not to mention Hamman can strike the ball well from outside the box compared to Finnan.

Personally,I'd like to see Cosmin Contra playing for us, but that dream's too far away now.

 

With German clubs queuing up for his signature, you think he'd be prepared to sit on the bench?!?

i think he would for one season. He's only got a year left on his deal, and he loves the club so i think he'd stay and then leave next summer on a Bosman.

karrmadamaii: Gerrard on the right is an option BUT rafa is looking at some right wingers, notably Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Gerrard is definitly better in the centre.

As for Contra, no thanks.

 

nah nah please not Cosmin Cuntra

 

nah nah please not Cosmin Cuntra

well, I was impressed with him in the season where Alaves really performed. The one thing I like about him (the only thing actually) is that he can dribble. A nice alternative to riise on the left who cuts inside for the cross or long range shots. Contra would be able to hold the ball on the rightin an attacking position, allowing whoever plays on the right wing to come inside. Of course our holding midfielder would cover for Contra.

I just somehow felt that it would be an effective offensive option, although defensively, Contra is lacking quite a lot. Not to mention pace. He doesn't really have the pace to see off quick-footed wingers.

Well, that was last time. Now I heard that he didn't get his contract nenewed in Spain and Bolton are sniffing around him. All the best.

One person I'd like for the right-back slot (just speaking of preferences here) is Trabelsi. I've followed him since two years back when Ajax beat Roma in the Champions League. Solid runner, kinda reminds me of Thuram.