How Do You Highly Rate Xabi Alonso ?

Xavi doesn't attack, lol, he's more of a possession holder and he sits back, he supports the attack. Iniesta is an attacking CM.

Being an attacking CM doesn't mean he must only attack to be considered an attacking CM. but maybe i should've said he's an attack-minded CM.

No he doesn't sit back at all. he plays mostly at the center and sometimes he's involved in attacking movements.

sigh, posting that picture definitely hammers your point home

Xavi stays in the middle most if not the entire game, you dont really ever see him in the box at times he goes near it because that's the way Barcelona plays, pushing everyone up. He supports, he doesn't attack.

You truely don't know the meaning of deep lying playmaker. i can't be bothered to explain it to you but if you want to find out just compare Xavi's rule at Barca to Xabi's rule at Madrid to get my point.

ok well maybe Xavi isn't a deeplying playmaker, but he's a support CM certainly not an attacking CM.

xabi is crazy underrated

xabi alonso is the best player ever live in this planet

lol at the title

Gil wrote:Underrated at Liverpool. Overrated at Madrid.

of course players are underated when they plays in EPL

Oh no! You have unleashed the ultimate fanboy! I even return from my holiday sabbatical for this!

MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER TODAY. Whaddagod.
IMO, at least within the top 10 players today. He has much more influence over a game than virtually any other player (Xaviesta). And those SICK SICK SICK long passes...

Bit snowed under by Xavi, which is unfair, because Alonso >> Xavi during the WC and I'd say they are at least of comparable quality. Especially when Alonso is allowed to play a bit further in the offense (so not pushed in a combined CM/DM role like now at Madrid) like at Liverpool, he is much better (than in his Madrid role; not Xavi). Only thing he lacks is speed, but his game doesn't need that anyway.

He might not be the most visible player, but is no suprise that almost everytime Alonso didn't play last season, we either lost or drew. He is of vital importance to the team, to me most important player, he dictates the game.







This is just a video of all his ball contacts in one of the last matches of the season, see how he is involved with everything + absurd passing completion:

Adit wrote:

Gil wrote:Underrated at Liverpool. Overrated at Madrid.

of course players are underated when they plays in EPL

This isn't the first time I'm confused about your posts. What?

He's a complete player in regards to his talent and physical abilities. He have perfected his playing style over several years. Very few players are able to reach this kind of peak and maintain it in regards to their potential.

With that said, he can be found out as slow and sluggish against highly mobile midfielders who pressure hard. He sometimes struggle to keep up with speed and high levels of close control in defense because of his sluggishness.

Still, I think he's a more versatile player than for example Xavi. Who is perfect just for the kind of possession football Spain and Barcelona play but would be way less effective than Xabi if he played for the Liverpool Xabi was great for.

El Pipita wrote:

Lionel Messi wrote:Every topic? Wtf?

Anyway, whether he's at DM or CM he's just not in the top 3 there are better players than him in both of those positions, xavi iniesta and fabregas in CM and toure busquets and mascherano at DM. Unless we're talking about deep lying playmakers then he is top 3 for me in that role, alongside sahin and xavi.

dude Xavi is not a Deep Lying midfielder, he's an attacking CM.

LOLOL!

Absolutely amazing.

edit: This thread is f***ing amazing.

Xabi is the best DLP today and definitely top 3 Cm for me.Only Xavi and Iniesta are better than and he is on par with Fabregas IMO.

Guiltybystander wrote:Oh no! You have unleashed the ultimate fanboy! I even return from my holiday sabbatical for this!

MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER TODAY. Whaddagod.
IMO, at least within the top 10 players today. He has much more influence over a game than virtually any other player (Xaviesta). And those SICK SICK SICK long passes...

Bit snowed under by Xavi, which is unfair, because Alonso >> Xavi during the WC and I'd say they are at least of comparable quality. Especially when Alonso is allowed to play a bit further in the offense (so not pushed in a combined CM/DM role like now at Madrid) like at Liverpool, he is much better (than in his Madrid role; not Xavi). Only thing he lacks is speed, but his game doesn't need that anyway.

He might not be the most visible player, but is no suprise that almost everytime Alonso didn't play last season, we either lost or drew. He is of vital importance to the team, to me most important player, he dictates the game.

WTF!! u have No clue!!

Xavi was Spain's Best player in WC & Best player in that WC!!
All Spain's System was build around him, that possession game & dominance in WC was becuz of Xavi's ability to control the midfield & becuz of his passes..

about 100 completed passes/game (693 Passes @ WC 2010) .. & Xavi created the most goalscoring chances @ that WC, 30 goalscoring chances ( best by far in this tournament)!!

While alonso on the otherside was the reason why Spain was playing boring football in the final 3rd, throughout the tournament, whenever Alonso is replaced with Cesc/pedro/ etc.. Spain starts to play way better with more chances..

Alonso is OVERRATED by madrid fans, this doesn't mean he is not gd, he is Just gd!!

Khaledbarca wrote:

Guiltybystander wrote:Oh no! You have unleashed the ultimate fanboy! I even return from my holiday sabbatical for this!

MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER TODAY. Whaddagod.
IMO, at least within the top 10 players today. He has much more influence over a game than virtually any other player (Xaviesta). And those SICK SICK SICK long passes...

Bit snowed under by Xavi, which is unfair, because Alonso >> Xavi during the WC and I'd say they are at least of comparable quality. Especially when Alonso is allowed to play a bit further in the offense (so not pushed in a combined CM/DM role like now at Madrid) like at Liverpool, he is much better (than in his Madrid role; not Xavi). Only thing he lacks is speed, but his game doesn't need that anyway.

He might not be the most visible player, but is no suprise that almost everytime Alonso didn't play last season, we either lost or drew. He is of vital importance to the team, to me most important player, he dictates the game.

WTF!! u have No clue!!

Xavi was Spain's Best player in WC & Best player in that WC!!
All Spain's System was build around him, that possession gam & dominance in WC was becuz of Xavi's ability to control the midfield & becuz of his passes..

about 100 completed passes/game (693 Passes @ WC 2010) .. & Xavi created the most goalscoring chances @ that WC, 30 goalscoring chances ( best by far in this tournament)!!

Xabi LoOOOoL, while alonso on the therside was the reason why Spain was playing boring football in the final 3rd, throughout the tournament, whenever Alonso is subbed with Cesc/pedro etc.. Spain starts to play way better with more chances..

Alonso is OVERRATED by madrid fans, this doesn't mean he is not gd, he is Just gd!!

Yet, when Xavi didn't play the last couple of friendlies against the USA, Venezuela etc. but Alonso/Silva/Iniesta did, Spain played the most exciting football I've seen them play in ages.

OMG.

Once again, I am seeing people here label Xabi Alonso a DM just because of his deep role and impressive defensive skills. LOL


As for his rank among others?

By far the 2nd best in his position after Xavi as Alonso is an absolute masterclass in the mid for Madrid and Espana and was just as good for the reds. Watch how madrid play without him as he is one of 2 vital cogs in their system and is one of the prime reasons we won the world cup

Very high

High.
3rd passer after Pirlo and Xavi.

Quarterback Alonso is obviously a good player, very complete: he can do many things well, short passing, long passing, good defensively, etc. but he is defintely overated for Madrid fans.

In the end he is not elite in almost everything: he stumbles under pressure, lacks creativity, and is not such a good passer. Misses many of his famous long range passes, that's why I call him Quarterback Alonso.

free_cat wrote:Quarterback Alonso is obviously a good player, very complete: he can do many things well, short passing, long passing, good defensively, etc. but he is defintely overated for Madrid fans.

In the end he is not elite in almost everything: he stumbles under pressure, lacks creativity, and is not such a good passer. Misses many of his famous long range passes, that's why I call him Quarterback Alonso.

Im I as a part of "Madrid fans", because you see i have never overrated him.

free_cat wrote:Quarterback Alonso is obviously a good player, very complete: he can do many things well, short passing, long passing, good defensively, etc. but he is defintely overated for Madrid fans.

In the end he is not elite in almost everything: he stumbles under pressure, lacks creativity, and is not such a good passer. Misses many of his famous long range passes, that's why I call him Quarterback Alonso.

Lacks creativity?? Never expected this about alonso,so a spanish NT and Real Madrid play maker have no creativity?


a play maker with out creativity haha what a contradiction.

Let me ask a question,is busquet creative? Alonso is 50 times more creative than him.

isnt iniesta a AM ?

Adit wrote:

free_cat wrote:Quarterback Alonso is obviously a good player, very complete: he can do many things well, short passing, long passing, good defensively, etc. but he is defintely overated for Madrid fans.

In the end he is not elite in almost everything: he stumbles under pressure, lacks creativity, and is not such a good passer. Misses many of his famous long range passes, that's why I call him Quarterback Alonso.

Lacks creativity?? Never expected this about alonso,so a spanish NT and Real Madrid play maker have no creativity?


a play maker with out creativity haha what a contradiction.

Let me ask a question,is busquet creative? Alonso is 50 times more creative than him.

He has good creativity with his long range passes, but he is not great, as with almost everything he does (perhaps he is only great at long shots and set pieces).

Busquets is more creative than Xabi Alonso. There's a reason Busquets was the player that gave most passes forward in the last Champions League. Also, Busquets can drible and go past players, Alonso can't.

Let me ask you a question, if Alonso is so creative, why Madrid had so many problems last season against small teams that parked the bus and pressured Ozil?

Also, Why Spain so much better in the WC every time Alonso was subbed?

IMO ur overrating Busquets

ZsG7 wrote:IMO ur overrating Busquets

Busquets doesn't get the credit he should. He played all the minutes in the WC, while Alonso was subbed in almost every game, and every time Spain played better and/or scored the decisive goals. Yet Alonso was nominated in the Ballon d'Or, and Busquets wasn't.

It's normal, Busquets is young and still has to earn a reputation while Alonso has plenty, but I think that in only football terms, it's quite obvious who has been performing better the last years.