Liverpool’s Alonso too slow for Juventus?
Seeing as Ranieri is best remembered for blowing the 03/04 Champions League semifinal against Monaco (then managed by his predecessor at Juventus, Didier Deschamps), I’m not *too* keen on going through his comments seeking pearls of wisdom.
However, he’s an experienced manager and he’s done quite well in his career so maybe what he says makes some sense. Let’s see what he’s saying.
Talking about Liverpool midfielder and last summer’s Juventus target Xabi Alonso:
“He left me perplexed by the slowness of his movement.
He would have found it hard to support our midfield line seeing as our wingers don’t give support like at Liverpool.
He is a player who, in the midfield of Rafa’s Liverpool, where all of them are little soldiers, finds himself in a fantastic position.”
I had two questions when I read that. One, Liverpool have wingers? really? and two, what does he mean by ‘little soliders and fantastic position’?
Bottom line, Ranieri claims that the reason Juve didn’t pay up for Alonso is because they ‘rejected’ him for being too slow - in which the rejection part makes sense because Alonso staying meant that Liverpool didn’t have the money to buy Barry (or more accurately, Hicks and Gillett didn’t give Rafa the money).
Do you think Alonso is ’slow’ and Mascherano / Gerrard cover for him in Liverpool’s midfield?
I have to agree, Alonso is slow and a clumsy tackler. Gerrard and Mascherano will always be my first choice.
So was Hyppia. Oh btw, Alonso covered more distance than any players in each game.
If you are slow, it means you’ll cover less distance on the pitch given any 90 mins. But to cover an average of 11km in every 90km and is in top 3 (most km covered) in every game means he has the lungs or perhaps he is supporting the midfield.
Maybe his reaction is slow but his intelligence to be at the right time at the right place and spreading passes at the heart of midfield makes him one of the best midfields in the world.
The funny thing about Ranieri is why bid 14 million when you know he doesn’t fit into your team? Why tell people he is slow when you team is losing? Are you blaming the player (whom you didn’t buy) because of the poor results? Let’s face it, he’s under immense pressure and people are blaming him for the poor summer transfer plan he’s done. He’s trying to explain himself out of it.
i don’t agree cause Xabi Alonzo is so fast and he is in good form
Xabi never looks rushed because his technique and positioning are so good, that may give the illusion that he is slow.
He is a phenomenal talent. He was brilliant two to three seasons back and could in no sane manner referred to as ’slow’. That was back then and the last two seasons were disappointing. He is slowly getting back there now. Its a loss for Juventus and Arsenal(I was hoping Wenger would buy him………)
Sounds like the attack of the sour grapes again.Alonso is a quality midfield player. Why bid 14mill for a player who perplexes him by the slowness of his movement and would not support his midfield line? Raineri is losing the plot in Juventus and is losing his mind.
Slow??? He might lose the ball sometimes in midfield but of all the things you could accuse him, it surely is not because he is slow.
Even if he is slow, like Ranieri said, he made it up with quarterback-like style passes from midfield to the forwards and controlling the tempo of games from there.
Go fly kite Ranieri.
he is slow like lampard is slow, doesnt sprint unless he has to but covers alot of ground. He is a deep lying playmaker like pirlo and their job isnt designed for speed, its calmly passing and controlling the game.
Now juventus really doesnt have true wingers that they use but thats partly why they are falling behind, their full backs cant provide the width so juventus becomes easily stopped.
Look at the best holding midfielders in the world and find me one that is/was fast, its all about positioning, timing and reading the game and Alonso is as good as anyone doing it at the moment. Alonso not leaving Liverpool will end up being the best thing that happened this transfer window, he has been a big part of why Liverpool have started so well.
the holding mid isnt what it used to be with maka. These days a holding mid is nearly a box to box who has alot of stamina and holds back more then the other CM’s. Diarra(both), toure, essien, toulalan, flamini and countless others who are seen as ideal DM’s are quite lively, go down alot and generally are always harrying the ball. The closest to makalele in terms of a true DM is mikel and started off as an AM
…since when was speed a factor in Serie A football?…
Slow? Italian football is about the slowest football on the planet. He’s talkin utter rubbish. Alonso or Sissoko, who would you rather have in your midfield?