Xabi Alonso Is Owed an Apology

I have a confession. You see, I'm a Liverpool fan and at the start of the season, I was disappointed that Alonso, and not Barry, would be lining up in midfield. Before you all gasp in horror, let me just explain. In my mind, Xabi, a great hero of mine, had not adapted while the team had moved on around him. I thought, and I suspect that the management maybe concurred that Alonso's poor couple of seasons had been due in part to a problem fitting in with Rafa's new expansive attacking style, which pushed the play further forward and focused the team on Gerrard and Torres. It seemed to me that Gareth Barry would have been a better bet, playing as part of a midfield containing two wingers and Mascherano, with Gerrard playing just ahead. This struck me as a fantastic option, and unfortunately, Xabi no longer fit. Rafael Benitez clearly thought likewise, as he considered offers from Juventus for the former Sociedad ace. Many people would have taken the events and uncertainty of the summer ... (link)