I reckon we should drop Gerrard for a bit, just until he regains his form.

[Wizardry]

I'm sure there will be a number of people who don't agree with this but I'll say it anyway.

Xabi was fantastic for us and he's been excellent for Madrid. His passing, as we all know, is first rate. Xabi could spray the ball around like few others but I reckon I could count on one hand the number of driven passes over 50 metres that he played in the vain of Stevie's to Studge. Xabi passes with wonderful accuracy but he never hit that kind of driven pass as consistently well as Stevie.

Xavi has a genius mind for reading the game and his passing is sublime but it's more his short passing. He can hit the longer ones but not like Gerrard.

Pirlo would be closer than Xavi but still not the driven ball. His longer passing is more the floating ball. Amazing player but I'd take our captain over him for that kind of pass every day of the week.

 

[King Binny]

John Aldridge:
[article=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/sport-opinion/john-aldridge-liverpool-fc-need-6154750]There was yet another stunning milestone reached by Steven Gerrard on Saturday.

This time the Liverpool FC skipper became the first footballer in Liverpool’s history to score in 15 consecutive league seasons.

It’s another memorable achievement, but I hope he goes on to reach another 10 goalscoring milestones.

And he would have more chance of doing so if he was utilised a little higher up the pitch.

We need Steven to score more goals, and the way we’re playing at the moment is stopping him from getting in and around the opposition penalty area as much.

I’d love to see him given a bit more leeway to link up with Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge .

Imagine those two football brains with Stevie’s imagination and talent behind them.

With a triangle like that at the top end of the pitch you really would be talking.

The problem with Stevie is that he is just so good wherever he plays.

When he plays deeper his range of passing is so good that he dictates the match from that position.

He’s the team general and he carries out the role that Brendan Rodgers asks of him to the letter.

But for me his role is just a little too regimented at times.

He’s too disciplined to break away from what his manager has asked him to do, but the prospect of him taking advantage of the runs and the movement of Suarez and Sturridge is mouth-watering.

I’d love to see him given licence to get forward more and influence things more in the final third of the pitch.

Remember the seemingly telepathic rapport that Stevie enjoyed with Fernando Torres when the Spanish striker was at his peak at Liverpool?

They were both world class talents at the peak of their powers.

I can envisage Stevie forging the same kind of link-ups with Suarez and Sturridge, given the opportunity.

He’s already created a couple of goals for Sturridge this season – the corner bundled in at Sunderland and a pass in the League Cup tie against Notts County – and that’s a from a deeper position.

While four of the goals Luis Suarez scored last season came from Stevie’s crosses or passes.

I can understand why Brendan Rodgers wants to use him in the role he currently occupies.

But it would be great to see him higher up the pitch, scoring more goals, winning more matches and reaching even more milestones for the Reds.[/article]

 

[Delinquent]

I'm sure there will be a number of people who don't agree with this but I'll say it anyway.

Xabi was fantastic for us and he's been excellent for Madrid. His passing, as we all know, is first rate. Xabi could spray the ball around like few others but I reckon I could count on one hand the number of driven passes over 50 metres that he played in the vain of Stevie's to Studge. Xabi passes with wonderful accuracy but he never hit that kind of driven pass as consistently well as Stevie.

Xavi has a genius mind for reading the game and his passing is sublime but it's more his short passing. He can hit the longer ones but not like Gerrard.

Pirlo would be closer than Xavi but still not the driven ball. His longer passing is more the floating ball. Amazing player but I'd take our captain over him for that kind of pass every day of the week.

I'm a bit surprised that you think that. I hadn't seen anyone else in the world hit a driven pass like Gerrard, at least, not until Xabi arrived. Xabi can hit them every bit as well as Gerrard - and did so on a regular basis. If anything, it's his long passes he is famed for. It was one of my favourite things about him.

But I'm splitting hairs really. The pair of them are amazing, and I totally agree that those kind of passes are worth paying the entry fee for. They've had me gasping in awe and disbelief for years.

 

[mark1975]

I remember one of Xabi's first games against Norwich at Anfield, I can't remember who their gaffa was at the time, but he said as much. He said his passing during the game was worth anyone's money.

 

[dmishra]

I remember one of Xabi's first games against Norwich at Anfield, I can't remember who their gaffa was at the time, but he said as much. He said his passing during the game was worth anyone's money.

The Norwich game was brilliant. But the game against Spurs was other-worldly. Every pundit in England was raving about him after that performance.

 

[juniormember]

I remember one of Xabi's first games against Norwich at Anfield, I can't remember who their gaffa was at the time, but he said as much. He said his passing during the game was worth anyone's money.

Some of his Norwich passing in this Alonso pass compilation from years ago.
The guy is magic.

 

[Mystic]

God watching Xabi in action in his pomp makes me sad, he was an absolute magician.

On a side note, there's a pretty embarrassing chant clearly audible from our fans at 50 seconds.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

His understanding and mastery of when to pass it long and short, fast and slow, is amazing.

 

[jexykrodic]

Both Gerrard and Alonso are great passers but I always thought Molby was the master.

Different era, I know; but it just reminded me how good Big Jan was.

 

[Ryan]

His understanding and mastery of when to pass it long and short, fast and slow, is amazing.

Pffft, all he did was pass.

 

[Hansern]

Ah, the memories. Warnock at left wing and Salif Diao coming off the bench.

I'd love Xabi back tbh. Can sign a pre contract in January, or maybe leave for a small fee. He's perfect for Rodgers set up imho.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Alonso vs Spurs at home was his best passing game by a distance, true masterclass that day

 

[DHSC]

Alonso would be immense in our system now.

 

[ILD]

The Human Metronome.

The 'pass master' vid from the Spurs game is ridiculous.