02 Dec 2016 18:15:47
I know you got some spare time for me Ed01☺️
Whose your pick Xabi or Xavi and Y. Both excellent and both so different.

{Ed001's Note - Xabi was light years ahead of Xavi, it is not even a worthwhile discussion. Iniesta is the one that made, and still makes, Barcelona tick, Xavi was just lucky to play alongside him. Xabi is the best holding midfielder, possibly, ever. Xavi is just a very good central midfielder, but nowhere near the best in his role. When Alonso was at Real Madrid, their win ratio increased massively when he was in the team compared to when he was missing. He is that good that he makes a genuine difference in a team of 11.}


1.) 02 Dec 2016
02 Dec 2016 18:29:51
I always believed Xabi was a once in a life time player and better than prilo ( this has nothing to do with the Liverpool background ) . I know many love Xavi because he was so good in a brilliant Barcelona team.

{Ed001's Note - Pirlo was not even close to Xabi's level. Pirlo was a liability defensively.}


2.) 02 Dec 2016
02 Dec 2016 19:00:14
Xavi and alonso were different types of midfielders.
Xabi was a holding midfielder and his positional sense was and is the best you could possibly seek from a player in his position. Fans often look at tackling as great defensive work and play . Prime example macherano who was vastly over rated. he was making them last ditch tackles because he was out of position and caught ball watching most of the time . No positional awareness.
Xabi prevents dangerous moves and balls simply because of his positional sense. He knows were the danger is and snuffs out the move without having to touch the ball. Defensively brilliant and offensively we've all witnessed how good he is. Fantastic passer.
Xavi was a fantastic offensive midfielder imo. The only thing Xavi had over alonso was that he was more skillful. Like Iniesta the ball stuck to his feet and he could dribble his way out of danger with 2/ 3 players around him. Everythingelse though Xabi was superior. He's an all round brilliant midfielder. Warrants to be called" world class "and actually under rated because like iniesta he deserves to be called one of the greats of the game. Intelligent man and truly great midfielder.


3.) 02 Dec 2016
02 Dec 2016 19:11:37
Big Al

No disrespect to my best player Xabi, But Xavi was the best controller of the ball ever 😎. Thi guy was like a robot in short pass. He takes the control of the game from kick off to until he is subbed off 😎.
I adore Alonso and only player I ha e got 3 shirts of but Xavi was no ordinary mate 😎.

{Ed001's Note - you have not seen him play in Qatar if you believe Xavi is that special. He was little short of ordinary there, despite being up against a low level of opponents.}


4.) 02 Dec 2016
02 Dec 2016 19:23:26
Well not Ed01. Always believed Scholes and Xavi was neck to neck when it come to the best CM. And Alonso was a a special player. A truly special player

A football expert defiend Alonso as ". He is a DM who could launch attack. "

{Ed001's Note - Scholes was better than Xavi without doubt, in my opinion.}


5.) 02 Dec 2016
02 Dec 2016 19:47:22
Bit of a shift away from central midfielders ed, what did you make of thierry Henry? Always thought he made everything look simple.

{Ed001's Note - brilliant player once he moved up front, but he was not a good winger. One of the best centre forwards of all time.}


6.) 02 Dec 2016
02 Dec 2016 20:53:20
Alonso was and still is, the best DM or DLP in Europe, period. He showed that being a headless chicken, making tackles and last ditch interventions, were nothing but smokescreens, to mask patent faults in your game. See Mascherano, who doesn`t play DM any more because of that reason, IMO.

Xabi plays a very difficult position so effortlessly and his passing ability and positional sense, tactical nous are not even on the same planet as Xavi. He made SG a better player, no doubt which is testament to his overall ability as a footballer.

In fact for Spain during the time they won things, the central midfield was patrolled by Busquest/ Sena with Alonso at the base while Xavi was played behind Villa/ Torres. I wonder why? may because he wasn`t good enough to play where Alonso was (Busquets is awful, btw) . As for Iniesta, even Messi isn`t better than him, and never will be, IMO.


7.) 03 Dec 2016
03 Dec 2016 00:17:09
The top of this thread reads like the world's ultimate tongue twister.
Alonso is the greatest of his generation and since, try to think of a weak part to his game there are none
Did he ever miss a shot from his own half.
Hard as nails, vision, skill, awareness, team play, bottle (pen in cl final) .
I've followed football for 40 yrs and I really can't think of a better midfielder I've seen apart from maybe Gareth Barry!


8.) 03 Dec 2016
03 Dec 2016 06:53:02
I think Zidane was a better midfielder.