McAgger wrote:28 year old Xavi was being schooled around by disinterested-past-it Guti.

Only when Guardiola came did Xavi really reach that prime level. Before that Xabi shat on him. You *bleep* idiot jibs.

What are you on about? So Guardiola was coach when Xavi was the best player in the Euros. So when you make a player the centre of the team they don't play better? A bit of common sense here mate. Xavi started being the centre. Obviously as a cm if you have less touches you have less influence. I suppose Messi is worse than Higuain seeing as Pipita was part of the Madrid team that raped Barcelona pre Pep. What nonsense.

I answer this the same way, every single time

Go watch Barcelona-Milan in 04, see how stupid that comment is, then come back and apologise.

The Franchise wrote:I answer this the same way, every single time

Go watch Barcelona-Milan in 04, see how stupid that comment is, then come back and apologise.

Go watch Madrid Barca in April 2008 and come back and apologize to me.

The Franchise wrote:I answer this the same way, every single time

Go watch Barcelona-Milan in 04, see how stupid that comment is, then come back and apologise.

It's hard to argue with fan boys when their favoutite players are said to be not as good. xavi being a better footballer takes nothing away from Alonso. Alonso is a fantastic Thugista.

jibers wrote:

McAgger wrote:28 year old Xavi was being schooled around by disinterested-past-it Guti.

Only when Guardiola came did Xavi really reach that prime level. Before that Xabi shat on him. You *bleep* idiot jibs.

What are you on about? So Guardiola was coach when Xavi was the best player in the Euros. So when you make a player the centre of the team they don't play better? A bit of common sense here mate. Xavi started being the centre. Obviously as a cm if you have less touches you have less influence. I suppose Messi is worse than Higuain seeing as Pipita was part of the Madrid team that raped Barcelona pre Pep. What nonsense.

Xavi reached is prime in 2008. That's what I said. The Euro's was 2008 you *bleep* bellend. At club level only when Guardiola came did he show that same sort of level at Barca that he did at the Euros.

McAgger wrote:

The Franchise wrote:I answer this the same way, every single time

Go watch Barcelona-Milan in 04, see how stupid that comment is, then come back and apologise.

Go watch Madrid Barca in April 2008 and come back and apologize to me.

So by that Pipita is better than Messi? What a silly comparison. At the end of the day, Xavi has reached a level Alonso cannot simply achieve. Xavi is regarded as SPains best player of all time by many as was the centre of SPains success. Saying a player raped another player is just silly. Barcelona were worse than the last 2 months under Tito.

McAgger wrote:

jibers wrote:

McAgger wrote:28 year old Xavi was being schooled around by disinterested-past-it Guti.

Only when Guardiola came did Xavi really reach that prime level. Before that Xabi shat on him. You *bleep* idiot jibs.

What are you on about? So Guardiola was coach when Xavi was the best player in the Euros. So when you make a player the centre of the team they don't play better? A bit of common sense here mate. Xavi started being the centre. Obviously as a cm if you have less touches you have less influence. I suppose Messi is worse than Higuain seeing as Pipita was part of the Madrid team that raped Barcelona pre Pep. What nonsense.

Xavi reached is prime in 2008. That's what I said. The Euro's was 2008 you *bleep* bellend. At club level only when Guardiola came did he show that same sort of level at Barca that he did at the Euros.

Are you drunk fella?

Apologise for what? What would showing that game prove?

You realise who is the one making claims here? It's you, by saying Xavi was nothing pre Pep/did nothing special. Which of course is total nonesense, unless of course you never watched or you dont know what your talking about.

jibers wrote:

McAgger wrote:

The Franchise wrote:I answer this the same way, every single time

Go watch Barcelona-Milan in 04, see how stupid that comment is, then come back and apologise.

Go watch Madrid Barca in April 2008 and come back and apologize to me.

So by that Pipita is better than Messi? What a silly comparison. At the end of the day, Xavi has reached a level Alonso cannot simply achieve. Xavi is regarded as SPains best player of all time by many as was the centre of SPains success. Saying a player raped another player is just silly. Barcelona were worse than the last 2 months under Tito.

GTFO that was just a sarcastic remark to his idiotic answer. Pointing out one match to me

Why the *bleep* are you bringing up Pipita and Messi. That's got nothing to do with it you pos. And you know we're not talking about the absolutely top level that Xavi reached you pos. I'm saying in 2006 Alonso was indeed better than Xavi. Once Xavi reached his prime he was much better.

Yes, because thats all Xavi had. One match, his entire career pre Pep, he was actually crap

The Franchise wrote:Yes, because thats all Xavi had. One match, his entire career pre Pep, he was actually crap

That's not what I said.

McAgger wrote:

jibers wrote:

McAgger wrote:

Go watch Madrid Barca in April 2008 and come back and apologize to me.

So by that Pipita is better than Messi? What a silly comparison. At the end of the day, Xavi has reached a level Alonso cannot simply achieve. Xavi is regarded as SPains best player of all time by many as was the centre of SPains success. Saying a player raped another player is just silly. Barcelona were worse than the last 2 months under Tito.

GTFO that was just a sarcastic remark to his idiotic answer. Pointing out one match to me

Why the *bleep* are you bringing up Pipita and Messi. That's got nothing to do with it you pos. And you know we're not talking about the absolutely top level that Xavi reached you pos. I'm saying in 2006 Alonso was indeed better than Xavi. Once Xavi reached his prime he was much better.

McFagger, do you love me?

At least you know. Then what are we arguing about?

jibers wrote:

At least you know. Then what are we arguing about?

Someone said Alonso was better than xavi in 2006. I said yes I agree. And in my opinion that's true.

You aint sayin nothin'.

People who actually bothered watching could see Xavi was better even then. Plenty games to prove it.

McAgger wrote:

jibers wrote:

At least you know. Then what are we arguing about?

Someone said Alonso was better than xavi in 2006. I said yes I agree. And in my opinion that's true.

I don't agree tbh. I thought Xavi was better and I was praying we got him because there were rumours

Xavi did not magically became better in 2008, after Pep he was just used in a way that maximised his potential imo, he became the integral part of a team that focused so much on fast circulation of the ball and passing.

Alonso has never been better than Xavi lol. Alonso only reached WC level in the 08-09 season before that Benitez wanted to bench him for Gareth Barry.

Gil wrote:Alonso has never been better than Xavi lol. Alonso only reached WC level in the 08-09 season before that Benitez wanted to bench him for Gareth Barry.

and look how it turned out   

Gil wrote:Alonso has never been better than Xavi lol. Alonso only reached WC level in the 08-09 season before that Benitez wanted to bench him for Gareth Barry.

That's the reason he wanted to leave

That WC player

F is Alonso lol

Alonso, the most instrumental part of our team that got us to 2 CL finals only reached WC in 2009

Gil just because you are an idiot and didn't know of Alonso's quality before 2008 doesn't mean he wasn't good

The Franchise wrote:

F is Alonso lol

Dat Xavi dictating as usual

anyway , it would be so nice if this thread actually got back on topic . lol

Raul or Villa , what's your take . Would like to read your opinion on this , what you have to say about a persistent class opponent such as Raul and of course , how you see Villa , a former Barcelona player next to Raul. I didn't add in my post that , Villa is holding on just as good , if not better at this age than what Raul did . Although i do doubt if Villa can look as good in his twilight years , he doesn't seem particularly affected by age , just by injuries in the last couple of years.

Raul had problems too , back problems i think , yet he managed some very decent and impressive performances at Schalke . Not sure if Villa's stint at Atletico is the equivalent to Raul's case , but after Atletico i have doubts as to if he can continue on at the big stage , seeing Atletico's game is very intensive and requires every single player in that team to work their socks off. In that sense , i feel we're watching a similar scenario to Raul's again , where Villa is playing his last trully big games . I'd say both have been at least fantastic after their prime years , even though for Villa it might seem a bit premature to say accurately .

McAgger... Ease up with the petty insults.

In terms of Villa vs Raul, its very hard to say. I mean Villa played the majority of his career as a 9, only with Barca and now Atletico does he play differently.

Raul was always a second striker, his role similar to that of Villa's now (when Costa plays) actually.

In terms of qualities, Villa was quicker and faster and great with both feet.

Raul had those moments of incredible brilliance , was there a better player at chipping the ball over the on-rushing goalkeeper, until Messi?

On NT level, people can make all the excuse in the world but Raul was unperforming. Forget about Spain who underperformed generally, he himself was playing below the expected level. Spain had plenty of quality, the entire team played poor.

I recall strongly in from like 96-02, they had players like Hierro, Nadal, Luis Enrique, Guardiola, Guerrero, Baraja, Morientes, Baraja, Valeron, Mendieta...all in their primes. They as a team always dissapointed, despite playing great football...so dont tell me they didnt have players, they had plenty players. They just failed to perform how they should.

Thats not a knock on Raul's greatness, things happen, his quality was pretty low on the list of reasons for it not going well. But indeed, he underperformed and so did the team.

Really, I dont know who was better. Ill cop out.

Raul.

The Franchise wrote:In terms of Villa vs Raul, its very hard to say. I mean Villa played the majority of his career as a 9, only with Barca and now Atletico does he play differently.

Raul was always a second striker, his role similar to that of Villa's now (when Costa plays) actually.

In terms of qualities, Villa was quicker and faster and great with both feet.

Raul had those moments of incredible brilliance , was there a better player at chipping the ball over the on-rushing goalkeeper, until Messi?

On NT level, people can make all the excuse in the world but Raul was unperforming. Forget about Spain who underperformed generally, he himself was playing below the expected level. Spain had plenty of quality, the entire team played poor.

I recall strongly in from like 96-02, they had players like Hierro, Nadal, Luis Enrique, Guardiola, Guerrero, Baraja, Morientes, Baraja, Valeron, Mendieta...all in their primes. They as a team always dissapointed, despite playing great football...so dont tell me they didnt have players, they had plenty players. They just failed to perform how they should.

Thats not a knock on Raul's greatness, things happen, his quality was pretty low on the list of reasons for it not going well. But indeed, he underperformed and so did the team.

Really, I dont know who was better. Ill cop out.

yes, but that players are nothing to the likes of Xavi and Iniesta.

and IMO Raul is a better chipper than Messi. The guy could have made a chip from basically any position and angle