Liverpool

[papa-j]

Of course he left Villa for City for the money but I'm not as sure that he would have snubbed Liverpool for that reason alone. He obviously wanted to join Liverpool last season and I think he would have if they hadn't f*cked him around, even if City offered him more money at that stage. However, with Liverpool indecisive and City offering him an amazing amount of money he decided to cash in and I don't blame him.

Liverpool didn't fcuk him about. They refused to pay over the odds for a player with one year on his contract.

[DeLorean]

Liverpool didn't fcuk him about. They refused to pay over the odds for a player with one year on his contract.

Ok that's true, but I can see why he would choose a club that were willing to meet his valuation and pay him huge money, over a club that that had been humming and hawing over whether or not to sign him the previous summer.

[DeLorean]

Alonso Hands In Transfer Request

We'll will be seeing a lot more of Lucas by the looks of it.

[KK77]

[QUOTE=DeLorean;

We'll will be seeing a lot more of Lucas by the looks of it.[/QUOTE]

Don't bank on that

[DeLorean]

Don't bank on that

Ha, I know. Surely if Alonso does hit the road ye'll use the money to get in something better than that fella. It's good money seeing as he's 28 but he'll be very difficult to replace.

[eamo1]

Lucas is the biggest waste of space ever to grace the Anfield turf.he's up there with Kvarme,Babb,Nunez,Torben Pitcnik(Greame Souness player),Ferri(Houllier's first signing who paul Ince described as the worse player he ever trained with),Traore and a few others.
Liverpool NEED Alonso,simple as.

[Roadend]

Ah sure, they needed Keegan before he left, we'll see what happens.

[passinginterest]

I won't here a bad word said about Torben Piechnik
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torben_Piechnik

[4tothefloor]

Lucas is the biggest waste of space ever to grace the Anfield turf.he's up there with Kvarme,Babb,Nunez,Torben Pitcnik(Greame Souness player),Ferri(Houllier's first signing who paul Ince described as the worse player he ever trained with),Traore and a few others.
Liverpool NEED Alonso,simple as.

Lucas is an over-rated pile of $hite alright but to be fair to the lad he's not being allowed to play his normal game at Anfield. Lucas won player of the year in Brazil and was signed as a box-to-box attacking midfielder (He still plays in this position when picked for Brazil and did so at the last Olympics) and was the main star in getting Gremio to the final of the Copa Libertadores that season. At Liverpool Benitez has turned him in to a defensive possession retaining midfielder with limited attacking freedom. While I have good time for Benitez, there are things that I don't like about him, and this is one of them - not playing players in their natural positions. Dossena is another one, an attacking wing back who has rarely played as a full back in his career, yet this is where he is expected to perform for Liverpool. Why buy players like this and force square pegs in to round holes? Benayoun, Bable and Kuyt are others rarely played in their natural positions. If Lucas was allowed to play his natural game with the shackles off, he might surprise a few people.....

[old git]

Liverpool didn't fcuk him about. They refused to pay over the odds for a player with one year on his contract.

yet they had no problem paying over the odds for a certain robbie keane

[papa-j]

yet they had no problem paying over the odds for a certain robbie keane

I agree but strikers are generally more expensive than midfielders and Keane still had a few years on his contract. Its widely reported that the club executives overruled the Barry signing in favour of Keane. Interesting that both Keane and the man who pushed it through are no longer at the club.

[Closed Account 2]

I won't here a bad word said about Torben Piechnik
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torben_Piechnik

A class player, but if we're honest he was always a poor man's István Kozma.

[swinfordfc]

bye bye alonso .....

[brianw82]

Lucas is an over-rated pile of $hite alright but to be fair to the lad he's not being allowed to play his normal game at Anfield. Lucas won player of the year in Brazil and was signed as a box-to-box attacking midfielder (He still plays in this position when picked for Brazil and did so at the last Olympics) and was the main star in getting Gremio to the final of the Copa Libertadores that season. At Liverpool Benitez has turned him in to a defensive possession retaining midfielder with limited attacking freedom. While I have good time for Benitez, there are things that I don't like about him, and this is one of them - not playing players in their natural positions. Dossena is another one, an attacking wing back who has rarely played as a full back in his career, yet this is where he is expected to perform for Liverpool. Why buy players like this and force square pegs in to round holes? Benayoun, Bable and Kuyt are others rarely played in their natural positions. If Lucas was allowed to play his natural game with the shackles off, he might surprise a few people.....

Good post. He then ships most of these players out once they're not performing in their 'round hole', look at the number of full backs he's gone through already.

[old git]

I agree but strikers are generally more expensive than midfielders and Keane still had a few years on his contract. Its widely reported that the club executives overruled the Barry signing in favour of Keane. Interesting that both Keane and the man who pushed it through are no longer at the club.

fair point and it seems beneitz proved his point with both these people.. what's your feeling on alonso leaving... 30 million is good value for a 28 year old who was reportely up for sale last season for 15 million.. my worry is he will be very hard to replace one of liverpools better players last year and may cost them the chance of winning preimership this year ... and maybee mascherano will get itchy feet to leave now as well..

[old git]

at least liverpool fans have something to smile at .... cross-city rivals everton have had lescott request a transfer to (looks like man city) and everton now in talks with arsenal to sign as his replacement philip
senderos !!!

[De Town]

at least liverpool fans have something to smile at .... cross-city rivals everton have had lescott request a transfer to (looks like man city) and everton now in talks with arsenal to sign as his replacement philip senderos !!!

While Senderos is a bit of a donkey IMO, it would be like David Moyes to turn him into a half decent player.

[old git]

While Senderos is a bit of a donkey IMO, it would be like David Moyes to turn him into a half decent player.

i doubt that ... even arsne wegner could not work that miracle

[Closed Account 2]

Alonso is a big loss, not just to Liverpool, but the premiership will be poorer for his departure. He was a very elegant player who would take the time to pick out the perfect pass and I would always enjoy watching him play - he was the sort of player young kids should watch to really learn how to master the game. You can't blame him for leaving, Benitez wanted to ship him out last summer. Maybe £38m is good business for them but I dont think his age is a major factor as even if his pace goes 90% of his game will remain intact. He could easily play at the highest level for another 6 years (age of 34).

[reder]

Alonso is a big loss, not just to Liverpool, but the premiership will be poorer for his departure. He was a very elegant player who would take the time to pick out the perfect pass and I would always enjoy watching him play - he was the sort of player young kids should watch to really learn how to master the game. You can't blame him for leaving, Benitez wanted to ship him out last summer. Maybe £38m is good business for them but I dont think his age is a major factor as even if his pace goes 90% of his game will remain intact. He could easily play at the highest level for another 6 years (age of 34).

I loved watching Alonso play. He is a fabulous footballer, the best passer of a ball in the PL in my opinion and I hope he has all the success in the world at Madrid. Interestingly, only 2 players from Rafa's CL winning side are now present at the club.

I dont think Aquilani is a suitable replacement for him personally and I suspect that either Gerrard will be pulled back from his forward roll, with obvious consequences for the Gerrard/Torres partnership or Lucas will start to appear on a more frequent basis which will delight all the other PL sides because he is _____.

However, I still think the title will come to Anfield this season, unless Owen and Valencia turn out to be surprisingly successful at United. Chelsea have their eyes on the CL this season. Arsenal will be the best footballing team in the league but will get muscled out of it by the likes of Bolton, Blackburn, Stoke ..........