Rumoured Xabi Alonso

[AndersonBLUE 819]

Not sure about this one, comes down to price I think. Would rather just re-sign Frank though

[Joker10 946]

If Alonso comes in he would pair up with Ramires, his athleticism is a good fit to make up for Alonso somewhat mobility issue.

Ideally i would rather have us sign Moutinho. I have been a fan of him for so long, since his early days at Sporting Lisbon, he has it all for me; creative, great passer, good work rate, and very good defensively. He is like a mini version of Schweini.

I wouldn't complain if we sign Alonso, but wouldn't be ideal.

Are we really though? He's a good passer but athletically he doesn't fit the ball. Why settle when we could identify somebody younger and more long-term? I've heard many people complain this season about Mikel, Lampard and Romeu's lack of athleticism and that Ramires aside our midfield is way too slow. Alonso would just add to the problem despite his good passing. We saw what the super dynamic midfields of Dortmund and Bayern did to technically gifted but slower/weaker players in Busquets, Alonso, Xavi, Khedira etc. They steamrollered them with their superior physical ability. We've seen what City have done to our midfield this season. I really don't see how Alonso would help.

Did you just call Khedira technically gifted?

Bayern and Dortmund won almost every 1 on 1 duals they were superior all over the pitch, the midfield was just one of them.

Those technically gifted midfield have steamrolled lots and lots of physical superior midfields btw.

Anyway who do you suggest we sign for our pivot?

[drog.ba 239]

Alonso would be way better than Lampard in our system, one of the top defensive midfielders who can also be a playmaker, couple of years younger too. Can't really see us being able to sign any of the players who are better in his position (Schweinsteiger, Martinez, Busquets, Vidal). Alonso alongside Mikel or Ramires would make us far stronger in that area.

[Billy. 2,739]

Yes I would love him at Chelsea always rated him

[True_Blue 469]

No thanks he can stay at Madrid.

[Ollie 4,400]

He doesn't do enough for me. Good on the ball and great passer but he hardly drives the team on when they're in need. Plus i don't want another Liverpool hero signing, please do not let this happen.

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

Alonso isn't good enough to play for Chelsea where we desperately need a player like him but he plays regularly in the greatest international team of the last 10-20 years or if you believe it, of all time. Ok then. How does this work?

[Dion 2,476]

I don't know if anyone has stats for DLPs in this season but this is for last season:

http://www.just-football.com/2012/06/xavi-pirlo-modric-tactical-statistical-analysis-deep-lying-playmaker/

Xabi Alonso is world class. If the price is right I think we should get him for sure.

[Blue Gino 377]

Xabi for DLP? No thanks. I'd rather get McEachran back.

[Manuf 1,448]

lol, remember that one time we got a defensive midfielder from Real?

[kc_blue 265]

If the price is right, why not? Can't hold Torres and Benayoun against Alonso. Assuming we play the same formation under the next manager, not a given, he would certainly be an upgrade on what we have currently. If that's the case his age and experience is also a plus, as he can be a mentor for our younger up and coming players and we can have a hopefully smoother transition from him to the our next in line in 2-3 years time. Also don't think signing him at a bargain price means we can't or won't also sign someone like Moutinho, or someone like Witsel or Banega.

[Strike 6,961]

lol, remember that one time we got a defensive midfielder from Real?

Now the position is named after him

[lucio 5,390]

i see us signing khedira much more than alonso

[TheSpeicalOne 1]

The thought about another ex liverpool makes me sick,BUT he is an amazing player and we need player like him.

[Marvin123 483]

He is available for free? An I correct

[Styles 9,790]

If Alonso comes in he would pair up with Ramires, his athleticism is a good fit to make up for Alonso somewhat mobility issue.

Ideally i would rather have us sign Moutinho. I have been a fan of him for so long, since his early days at Sporting Lisbon, he has it all for me; creative, great passer, good work rate, and very good defensively. He is like a mini version of Schweini.

I wouldn't complain if we sign Alonso, but wouldn't be ideal.

Did you just call Khedira technically gifted?

Bayern and Dortmund won almost every 1 on 1 duals they were superior all over the pitch, the midfield was just one of them.

Those technically gifted midfield have steamrolled lots and lots of physical superior midfields btw.

Anyway who do you suggest we sign for our pivot?

Partnering Alonso with Ramires wouldn't hide his deficiencies, it'd just double Ramires' workload.

Here's some comments from Gary Neville (who is one of the most insightful people in football today):

Having watched a lot of Champions League football this season and having been at Borussia Dortmund's 4-1 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday, it is clear that modern football is ever-changing and getting better.

For me, the best teams in the world are now taking even more risks and playing with incredible energy. They are the teams that attack in great numbers and then get back into their defensive shape the quickest.

It's about responding the fastest, both mentally and athletically. The basic principles of going forward as a team and getting back as a team haven't changed. But more players are going forward than ever; and responding and recovering quicker to get back.

And no team exemplify that change more than Borussia Dortmund. They were stunning on Wednesday, and I don't use that word lightly. It wasn't that they had more ability or that we saw some of the greatest players of all time, as we do in Cristiano Ronaldo or Leo Messi.

What was stunning was that this group of young men have the energy, intelligence and quality that only the exceptional teams have.

At this level, the technical ability and talent are a given. But it is their energy and organisation that make the difference.

Bayern's 4-0 win over Barcelona, though similar, was subtly different: they overpowered Barcelona. But Dortmund were just too quick for Real.

They made them look old and slow, yet they're neither. This is no mug of a Real Madrid team - and it's not impossible they could stage one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history.

Real Madrid were scintillating last year when they won the La Liga title with Spanish football at its peak. But Dortmund just ran them off the pitch.

Alonso isn't ideal so why settle? I don't know who I'd buy but I sure as well wouldn't bring in a slow 31 year old midfielder on massive wages. We should be moving away from slow players to high-energy dynamic midfielders. They exist. The club should identify them.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Partnering Alonso with Ramires wouldn't hide his deficiencies, it'd just double Ramires' workload.

Here's some comments from Gary Neville (who is one of the most insightful people in football today):

Alonso isn't ideal so why settle? I don't know who I'd buy but I sure as well wouldn't bring in a slow 31 year old midfielder on massive wages. We should be moving away from slow players to high-energy dynamic midfielders. They exist. The club should identify them.

This is the point though - is there a 22-25 year old midfielder out there that we could get who does what we need? I'd have loved us to have gotten Martinez, but lets not forget the guy cost €40 million and we're talking about a 'cut-price deal' for Alonso. He's a short-term option but sometimes you need to go for that when there aren't obvious long-term options readily available (there's a cluster of players like Witsel, Moutinho, Benat etc. that are all likely to be more expensive and are relatively unproven).

He's definitely an option and when we've got players like McEachran and Oscar (who I still don't think is a wide player) at the club, maybe the long-term option comes from within.

[English Freak 456]

Partnering Alonso with Ramires wouldn't hide his deficiencies, it'd just double Ramires' workload.

Here's some comments from Gary Neville (who is one of the most insightful people in football today):

Alonso isn't ideal so why settle? I don't know who I'd buy but I sure as well wouldn't bring in a slow 31 year old midfielder on massive wages. We should be moving away from slow players to high-energy dynamic midfielders. They exist. The club should identify them.

I don't know if Alonso is the right way to go....but in terms of Real Madrid midfielders, Mourinho should bring Khedira with him. Young, energetic, decent aerial ability...he'd provide another option for our CM/DM positions.