Signed: from Real Sociedad in August 2004 (£10.7 million)
Left: for Real Madrid in August 2009 (£30 million)
One of the most technically gifted players to represent Liverpool in recent times, Xabi Alonso will always be remembered for his vision, a fantastic range of passing, and some stunning goals.
Alonso’s first major impact came in October 2004. Liverpool trailed 2-0 against Fulham at half time, but half-time substitute Alonso inspired the Reds to an impressive comeback, scoring his first goal for the club in the process as Liverpool ran out 4-2 winners.
He was also involved in another comeback, and this one was perhaps a little bit more memorable. Alonso scored the equalising goal as Liverpool came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with AC Milan in the Champions League final, with the Anfield side going on to win on penalties.
The following season, Alonso’s supreme vision was encapsulated in an extraordinary goal. Liverpool led Luton Town 4-3 in the FA Cup third round. In injury time, Alonso picked up the ball deep in his own half, and, with Luton goalkeeper Marlon Beresford having come up to attack a corner, shot at an open goal from 65 yards. Skipper Steven Gerrard immediately berated the Spaniard, before turning to applaud him shortly afterwards as the ball rolled into the Luton net.
For those who thought it was a fluke, Alonso repeated the trick the following season, and this time he even managed it with a goalkeeper in the way, as Newcastle’s Steve Harper slipped as the ball flew over him and could only admire the strike like the rest of us. These two goals really help to demonstrate not only Alonso’s brilliant awareness of what was going on around him, but also showed that he had the world-class ability to pull off the spectacular.
Inexplicably, Rafa Benitez attempted to replace Alonso with Gareth Barry in the summer of 2008. There’s no doubting Gareth Barry’s ability, but it was no-where near Alonso’s. Neither move materialised, but Alonso felt unwanted, and the following summer he joined Real Madrid. Liverpool suffered in their first season without him, and missed Alonso’s ability to unlock defences in an instant with one of his perfectly measured through-balls.
Verdict: 100% HIT. An absolute bargain price for a player of his talent, and in terms of technical ability, the best player Benitez has signed at Anfield.
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I do agree he was a hit, but for two seasons he played well below his ability, and he could have no qualms about Rafa wanting to sell him, because in fairness he showed in his last season what he was capable of, yet seemingly for two seasons prior he didn’t seem to bother half the time. But 110% class player.
Class player but not for us, Xabi had great vision and passing but they were too often the long pass rather than than the cute deft pass that created goals underlined by the fact that if Gerrard or Nando or both were injured Xabi figured in the games we drew and thus lost the chance to win the league,eleven draws is what cost us, you see Xabi is safe player who does not posses alot of skill on the ball and his legs are short so giving himself time on the ball is not easy, nor can he carry the ball far with challenges coming, so too often passes went backwards or too long, embrace Aquillani he is more of what we need.
apart from the spectacular goals there was little else in the way of goals. The ability you speak of in passing at one time was a minimum requirement expected of a Liverpool player.
So a good player maybe a great one far from it.
Compared to the likes of Terry Mc you would say average.
Some garbage I’m hearing here boys,
I agree he (xabi) didn’t do it for couple of seasons, but if I remember correctly the season before his last he played very well when he was available, he done his ankle twice in a season and I remember his first game back against arsenal and he was excellent after long time out, then got injured again, went off and then we ended up drawing against their 10 men.
Regarding his passing ability, u won’t see a better player in modern day football except possibly xavi from barca, and I’m not talking about his long passes or couple of half way goals, it was his simple passes and his protection of the back four people forget, he became after a couple of years very good in the air and also very strong in the tackle, his stats for passes and tackling was up there amongst the best in PL what he did lack was of course pace, but his ability to dictate play and speed and slow games down was brilliant, you look now mascherano and Lucas couldn’t slow or speed a game if there was 5 of them in there… U see Gerrard can’t get up enough to support torres on many times this season when they played becuase he was too busy running 15-20 yards back to collect the ball off the midfielders who don’t possess
the ability to put through balls through the middle.
These types of players come around very rarely and our last one was molby, however barnes when he went in the middle was absolute class on the ball too…
Let’s hope we get that Eva Banegra, he’s similar to alonso and can pass the ball, take the burden off mascherano trying to and leave him to just tackling and winning the ball like 2009 season.
Personally, i liked Alonso, great ability in dictating the pace of the game, shame he’s gone. Different class to Barry. Mind you, i would have liked Barry to have joined us, he would have been an asset to us on the left, i think he would have complimented Alonso, Gerrard and Masch. Still look to the future…come on you mighty reds.
I agree with Fitzy 100%. Alonso was a fantastic player for us. He was key to the second place finish last season and should have been the first name on the team sheet. A massive loss and so far not replaced. I also would like to see Banega at Liverpool and would make him our No 1 transfer target as he possesses that same ability to control games.
I do like Alonso, his style is very good.. I can say it’s the worst mistake Benitas has made in his coaching career.. if Alonso was still a Liverpool player,, we would have a different records, who knows Liverpool might be endup with a trophy in a season,, but its all Benitaz foul,, He made Liverpool suffer for his wrong actions
“Verdict: 100% HIT. An absolute bargain price for a player of his talent, and in terms of technical ability, the best player Benitez has signed at Anfield.”
that I will agree with