you'll think you've gone as far as you will ever get
“I would like to say a word for Xabi, this has been a very difficult time for him right up to the transfer window shutting. He didn’t know whether he was coming or going, but he got man of the match against United today and that says a lot about him.” - Steven Gerrard
ix) PROOF
Arguably Liverpool's best players of the 08/09 season were Stevie and Xabi. It was an amazing, amazing season filled with heart and spirit and good football and teamwork and awesome matches and moments and gfjghgfkgjfd IT WAS FUN. It sounds so base to talk about it like this when it was such a high. It's so easy to think about 'what ifs' and how close we came to winning the League. I TRY NOT TO.
MEEP!!!
STEVEN GERRARD'S 100th GOAL!!! Sure has changed from the lanky kid at the top of the page huh?
ENDING CHELSEA'S UNDEFEATED RECORD AT HOME!!! BECAUSE XABI SCORED!!! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY EXCLAMATION MARKS!!!
OTHER SHINY IMAGES!!! THIS IS SO LONG MY COMPUTER IS LEGIT DYING FROM THE WEIGHT OF IT, OR THE HEIGHT, WHATEVER.
The Blackburn game towards the end of the season is another favourite (not only because of the really good goals SURPRISINGLY) just for the stuff on the bench with Fernando moving seats and Xabi's comforting, pat-thing. (BEFORE I FORGET!! This video must be included. Stevie talking about Xabi and how important he is. Fluffy times)
©fygerlonso
AND THEN SUMMER CAME AND XABI ALONSO HANDED IN A TRANSFER REQUEST AND ASKED TO LEAVE. WOE. I TOLD YOU THIS WAS GOING TO BE A FUN11!!1 POST.
x) THE END
I feel like Xabi's reasons for leaving have been speculated ad-nauseam and I don't want to get into it. I have my opinions and I should leave it at that. The fic All the Hearts in the World is a pretty good discussion of the whole ordeal. My favourite reason presented in fic is in Always Leaving, But. So, decide what you will. Let's just talk about the aftermath hmm?
"Devastated, yeah. Devastated. But there was nothing I could do about it. Xabi said a long time ago that he wanted another chapter in his career and finally he got it and his team-mates and the coaches couldn't stand in his way. We just have to say thanks and move forward without him. It's always going to be different when you lose one of the best players in the world," said Gerrard, "and people are finally realising that's what he is, on the back of his form for Real Madrid and the difference in us from last year. We've got other midfielders here doing a good job but it will take a while before Alonso's out of our system because he was such a top player... He was sometimes underrated when he was here because of the likes of Fernando Torres and that, but when you play with him and without him you realise how much he meant to you, both as a player and the team as a whole" - Steven Gerrard
[LOL, I love FourFourTwo's 'You're really gutted about this aren't you?' Like, I can imagine Stevie in a room dressed completely in black, unshaven and the interviewer keeps offering him coffee and cookies because he looks like he's on the verge of a break down heh. Well, at the very least they could sense he was sad!]
I think when you spend five significant years of your career playing with a specific type of player (and Xabi was very special in terms of his ability and what he could do) its like being doused with ice water when you have to figure out how not to. Steven Gerrard's form the year after Xabi left was horrible - probably the worst of his career. There were rumours of him being angry at Rafa and blaming him for Xabi leaving. I'm not saying Xabi leaving = Liverpool's failure. Different factors contributed to it; Stevie had to deal with a lot of injuries and family drama so. But yeah, like I said when I was talking about Michael leaving in 2004 - I don't thik Stevie is someone who likes change and I think he got really comfortable having Xabi there; not just the way he played but his leadership and his calmness and what he contributed to Stevie's development.
Anyhoo, with Liverpool finishing 7th in the League there were tons of rumours of Stevie leaving - specifically to Real Madrid (assumedly because Mourinho is always there and he's always trying to buy him or something or the two are inevitably linked IDK)
"We will see what happens, Steven is a legend at Liverpool and I have a lot of respect for Liverpool's fans and also the club, but it is clear that he's an awesome player. He has incredible quality." - Xabi Alonso
STEVIE DIDN'T LEAVE BECAUSE: L-O-L. But ooh, the World Cup!!!
"To play England in the World Cup final would be a sensational match because I believe both teams have so much threat going forward. For me, a World Cup final against England and great Liverpool players like Steven Gerrard would be very emotional for me. I played for many, many years at Liverpool and I have some great friends at the club who I still admire so much and are great opponents" - Xabi Alonso
I would just like to say that when Xabi said the above, Carra was still more or less in international ~retirement so I don't think anyone realistically thought he'd end up playing. Xabi has never played with Glen before. SO REALLY: the only Liverpool player he would have been playing against in the England team was STEVIE. I know he mentions him but I just thought I'd clarify because he could have picked another team with other previous/current teammates but HE DIDN'T. Oh and then Spain won.
Xabi came back to Anfield in December 2009 to watch the match against Arsenal and then again a few days ago against Aston Villa. Despite Stevie being injured, the two didn't sit next together. FAIL :/
AND THAT'S IT!!! Except not really, I've left numerous events and pictures and quotes out but LOOK AT HOW LONG THIS POST IS. I couldn't fit everything in. I hope Stevie and Xabi don't ~die~ the way all football ships inevitably do. They still seem to be going relatively strong fandom-wise despite living in different countries and stuff so!
Thought it would be a good idea to update the post if anything interesting came up so:
18/05/12:
FIC RECS: Do Your Thing(Make My Body Sing)
Forgetting the Things We Know
5 times stevie didn't say 'i love you' & the one time he did
Where Love That Traveled Far Has Found Us
This is the Wonder That Keeps Stars Apart
Before Everything is Over
Midnight on the Halfway Line
Post-match Interview
Games and the Amusements of Mankind
If Somebody Speaks of Magnificent Things
Endlessly
Five Places Where Steven Gerrard Fell in Love with Xabi Alonso
World Cup
Not Yours
Open Your Eyes
Away With Words
All the Hearts in the World
Commonplace
Red and White
It's Not Like a Tree Where the Roots Have to End Somewhere
Beginnings
Two Years
Always Leaving, But
This is How Life Goes
Fundamental Forces
5 Times Stevie and Xabi Almost Got Caught
As the World Comes Down
Following Arrows
Pasaporte
City of Angels
+++MORE
credits: gettyimages, fygerlonso, propaganda-photo.com, stevieandxabi
ix) PROOF
Arguably Liverpool's best players of the 08/09 season were Stevie and Xabi. It was an amazing, amazing season filled with heart and spirit and good football and teamwork and awesome matches and moments and gfjghgfkgjfd IT WAS FUN. It sounds so base to talk about it like this when it was such a high. It's so easy to think about 'what ifs' and how close we came to winning the League. I TRY NOT TO.
MEEP!!!
STEVEN GERRARD'S 100th GOAL!!! Sure has changed from the lanky kid at the top of the page huh?
ENDING CHELSEA'S UNDEFEATED RECORD AT HOME!!! BECAUSE XABI SCORED!!! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY EXCLAMATION MARKS!!!
OTHER SHINY IMAGES!!! THIS IS SO LONG MY COMPUTER IS LEGIT DYING FROM THE WEIGHT OF IT, OR THE HEIGHT, WHATEVER.
The Blackburn game towards the end of the season is another favourite (not only because of the really good goals SURPRISINGLY) just for the stuff on the bench with Fernando moving seats and Xabi's comforting, pat-thing. (BEFORE I FORGET!! This video must be included. Stevie talking about Xabi and how important he is. Fluffy times)
©fygerlonso
AND THEN SUMMER CAME AND XABI ALONSO HANDED IN A TRANSFER REQUEST AND ASKED TO LEAVE. WOE. I TOLD YOU THIS WAS GOING TO BE A FUN11!!1 POST.
x) THE END
I feel like Xabi's reasons for leaving have been speculated ad-nauseam and I don't want to get into it. I have my opinions and I should leave it at that. The fic All the Hearts in the World is a pretty good discussion of the whole ordeal. My favourite reason presented in fic is in Always Leaving, But. So, decide what you will. Let's just talk about the aftermath hmm?
"Devastated, yeah. Devastated. But there was nothing I could do about it. Xabi said a long time ago that he wanted another chapter in his career and finally he got it and his team-mates and the coaches couldn't stand in his way. We just have to say thanks and move forward without him. It's always going to be different when you lose one of the best players in the world," said Gerrard, "and people are finally realising that's what he is, on the back of his form for Real Madrid and the difference in us from last year. We've got other midfielders here doing a good job but it will take a while before Alonso's out of our system because he was such a top player... He was sometimes underrated when he was here because of the likes of Fernando Torres and that, but when you play with him and without him you realise how much he meant to you, both as a player and the team as a whole" - Steven Gerrard
[LOL, I love FourFourTwo's 'You're really gutted about this aren't you?' Like, I can imagine Stevie in a room dressed completely in black, unshaven and the interviewer keeps offering him coffee and cookies because he looks like he's on the verge of a break down heh. Well, at the very least they could sense he was sad!]
Click to viewI think when you spend five significant years of your career playing with a specific type of player (and Xabi was very special in terms of his ability and what he could do) its like being doused with ice water when you have to figure out how not to. Steven Gerrard's form the year after Xabi left was horrible - probably the worst of his career. There were rumours of him being angry at Rafa and blaming him for Xabi leaving. I'm not saying Xabi leaving = Liverpool's failure. Different factors contributed to it; Stevie had to deal with a lot of injuries and family drama so. But yeah, like I said when I was talking about Michael leaving in 2004 - I don't thik Stevie is someone who likes change and I think he got really comfortable having Xabi there; not just the way he played but his leadership and his calmness and what he contributed to Stevie's development.
Anyhoo, with Liverpool finishing 7th in the League there were tons of rumours of Stevie leaving - specifically to Real Madrid (assumedly because Mourinho is always there and he's always trying to buy him or something or the two are inevitably linked IDK)
"We will see what happens, Steven is a legend at Liverpool and I have a lot of respect for Liverpool's fans and also the club, but it is clear that he's an awesome player. He has incredible quality." - Xabi Alonso
STEVIE DIDN'T LEAVE BECAUSE: L-O-L. But ooh, the World Cup!!!
"To play England in the World Cup final would be a sensational match because I believe both teams have so much threat going forward. For me, a World Cup final against England and great Liverpool players like Steven Gerrard would be very emotional for me. I played for many, many years at Liverpool and I have some great friends at the club who I still admire so much and are great opponents" - Xabi Alonso
I would just like to say that when Xabi said the above, Carra was still more or less in international ~retirement so I don't think anyone realistically thought he'd end up playing. Xabi has never played with Glen before. SO REALLY: the only Liverpool player he would have been playing against in the England team was STEVIE. I know he mentions him but I just thought I'd clarify because he could have picked another team with other previous/current teammates but HE DIDN'T. Oh and then Spain won.
Xabi came back to Anfield in December 2009 to watch the match against Arsenal and then again a few days ago against Aston Villa. Despite Stevie being injured, the two didn't sit next together. FAIL :/
AND THAT'S IT!!! Except not really, I've left numerous events and pictures and quotes out but LOOK AT HOW LONG THIS POST IS. I couldn't fit everything in. I hope Stevie and Xabi don't ~die~ the way all football ships inevitably do. They still seem to be going relatively strong fandom-wise despite living in different countries and stuff so!
Thought it would be a good idea to update the post if anything interesting came up so:
18/05/12:
FIC RECS: Do Your Thing(Make My Body Sing)
Forgetting the Things We Know
5 times stevie didn't say 'i love you' & the one time he did
Where Love That Traveled Far Has Found Us
This is the Wonder That Keeps Stars Apart
Before Everything is Over
Midnight on the Halfway Line
Post-match Interview
Games and the Amusements of Mankind
If Somebody Speaks of Magnificent Things
Endlessly
Five Places Where Steven Gerrard Fell in Love with Xabi Alonso
World Cup
Not Yours
Open Your Eyes
Away With Words
All the Hearts in the World
Commonplace
Red and White
It's Not Like a Tree Where the Roots Have to End Somewhere
Beginnings
Two Years
Always Leaving, But
This is How Life Goes
Fundamental Forces
5 Times Stevie and Xabi Almost Got Caught
As the World Comes Down
Following Arrows
Pasaporte
City of Angels
+++MORE
credits: gettyimages, fygerlonso, propaganda-photo.com, stevieandxabi