To watch Xabi Alonso in full flow during his heyday at Liverpool was to observe a true footballing maestro. Alongside Steven Gerrard, he could switch the direction of play with one languid swing of his right leg; he could thread a pass through to Fernando Torres that would fall divinely in front of his fellow Spaniard; he could make a goal-saving tackle and deliver the simple pass.
And listening to Alonso discuss the game is almost as enjoyable as watching him in action. He talks about football with the educated style of a professor of the game, who is also a student constantly learning and developing.
And, in an extract from what looks to be a highly promising book by Simon Hughes, 'Ring of Fire: Liverpool FC', published in 'The Guardian' today, Alonso opens up on various topics, from Rafa Benitez to Bolton Wanderers.
Alonso's debut came against Sam Allardyce's Bolton side that included bruisers like Kevins Nolan and Davies. Not a gentle introduction to the top tier of English football.
It was wild: long ball, second ball, big physical players – Kevin Nolan, Kevin Davies up front; Allardyce chewing gum and shouting orders from his technical area. The crowd was noisy but I could still hear Allardyce. When Bolton won a free kick, the army from the defence moved forward and the ground began to shake.
When quizzed about the tendency to go for long-range screamers, most players wouldn't have a lot to say. 'I just saw the 'keeper off his line and went for it, I dunno' might be a common analogy used. But Alonso's explanation is almost quasi-intellectual:
There is no risk. If the shot does not result in a goal, it does not matter, because nobody expects me to score. In these situations, only the goalkeeper looks stupid. I don’t try to do things that might make me look stupid, because the risk is there. How many times have you seen me run into the box with the ball, dribbling past players? It’s uncommon because it’s not my game; it’s not my thing.
For my game to be better, I need to be surrounded by better players than me. My game is not to have one great action. My game is to be consistent throughout: to bring the ball in the best and quickest possible way for the best players to make the last action. I know what my strengths and weaknesses are on the pitch. My duty is to be risk averse.
Alonso re-iterates a point that he has made in the past, that he thinks tackling is an inconvenient necessity rather than a feature of his game - but perhaps the most interesting point he makes is about that famous Liverpool team he played on with Gerrard and Torres, and how it compares to the Bayern Munich and Real Madrid sides he has gone on to play for since his time at Anfield.
These were my happiest times at Liverpool: Pepe to Agger, Agger to me, me to Stevie and Stevie to Torres. Sometimes it would take less than 10 seconds. The spine in that team was the best I’ve played in. You also have Carra and Mascherano in the side – top-class players. There was skill, steel and speed; it was very competitive, very intense. Very, very determined and committed.
