As a Liverpool fan, Alonso is a good player without doubt, but he lacks the fight that is desired in English football, especially mid-field.

1) I see Alonso as very similar to Denilson, in which case he cannot play alongside Cesc.
2) Gareth Barry is an option, but Veloso or Inler would be better.
3) We don't need anyone else in defense.

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I'm sorry but wouldn't sign alonso yes he will link up well with frabagaz but not sure defensively and way over priced
i hoping we get veleso the boy is quality

I voted for every option.

alonso and cesc would be a good combo, teams would find it hard to get the ball off us cos they pass so well....but when up against essien, hargreeves, and mascherano, who will have the fight like flamini to get the ball back, ie starting our attack...im not saying we should find a flamini replica...just someone with grit and power so we wont be bullied out of the big games when push comes to shove...height would be an added bonus........as for central defence...toure and gallas are no compatible although they both have use in the squad...we need a brute/animal....like vidic/terry who wont take shit and who attacks the ball.....and even if these players arrive it wouldnt make much difference if eboue is always playing...he is a decent right back, a sagna replacement, but wenger must actually be loosing hs standards as eboue is a long way short of pires, ljunberg(the early years), overmars, j.cole. giggs.....this standard is needed to win the premiership....i really am looking forward to all these amazing youth players...wilshire, vela, ramsey, nasri(still young)....but alex ferguson wouldnt trade two premierships in a row as well as a champions league for all the best kids in the world...im not saying we need to spend another 40-50.....ut another 20-30 is what is needed to be champions...i doubt he will bring in a defensive midfielder as that would hinder the progress of ramsey, diaby, and denielson.....unless diaby/denielson are sold....letting diarra go was a massive mistake.

Liverpool Fan: The reason Alonso is up for sale inst because he not good enought for Liverpool,its because he dosent add the balence to are midfeild we need. As Gerrards needs to be a attacking minded midfeilder to link up with Torres. Which because Alonso a CM he isnt defensive enought to alow Gerrard to move forwards. So Machcarno has taking his spot.
However in Arsenals line up Fabregas is more of CM feilder alowing a great balace in the midfeild. With Alonso still one of the best passers in the game Arsenal should be able to out pass any team (except Liverpool)

The balance:
LFC: Arsenal:
Torres Keane Adebayor Persie
Barry Kuyt Walcott Fabregas Alonso Risiky
Gerrard Mascarano

We don't need Alonso! He is a good player, but we don't need a Pirlo-like slow-paced, one-dimensional long-ball midfield distributor, we need a tackler that, I insist, tackles and passes the ball quickly, somebody who will disrupt the other team's play and start our counter attacks, just as Flamini or Vieira. And no, Barry isn't the solution, it is either Veloso or buy another centreback so Kolo can play there. Eventually, Song will play the DM position. And if we don't buy anybody, play Diaby, he has been excellent for me in FIFA 08!!

Ignore above post

Liverpool Fan: The reason Alonso is up for sale is not because he not good enough for Liverpool, but because he dose not add the balance to our midfeild we need. Because Gerrard needs to be a attacking midfeilder to link up with Torres. But Alonso a Central midfeilder meaning Gerrard can't be a attacking with Alonso beside him. So Machcarno has taking his spot.

However Arsenals line up has Fabregas who is more of CM feilder which allows a great balance in Arsenals midfeild. With Alonso still one of the best passers in the game. Arsenal should be able to out pass any team (except Liverpool)

I forgot to mention... Yaya Toure!!! He will not be a starter for Barcelona (Keita will take his position). If he wants to be a regular (and play with his brother), then buy him!!

ur poll does not offer an answer that i felt comfortable picking.

- first of all we dont need midfielders like barry or alonso.
- flamini clearly highlighted the fact that a balance is needed in the centre of rugged ball-chasing aggression (a la flamini) and a box-to-box central midfielder (e.g. fabregas, vieira - although both had different ways of doing it.)

-we dont need defesnive enforcements. we have five CB's (kolo, gallas, senderos, song, djourou) who despite receiving heaploads of criticism are all potentially very good.
- therefore we need to buy a rugged and energetic DM - roughly between the ages of 23-29!

i'm not sure if ramsey is seen as that type, but diaby for sure is not - i dont know why anyone thinks that abou is a DM!!!!

his gameplay is to push forward. when he wins th ball he pushes foward! that isn't what a DM does - he is a box-to-box midfielder!
I know he is similar to vieira, but vieira was never a DM.

ive always rated alonso and im so happy he is being linked to us.
this would be the final little piece of the jig saw we need.
with walcott fabregas alonso nasri in the midfield we will be unstoppble.
trust me gooners alonso is the man we need,why do you think liverpool fans want him to stay so much?
alonso or barry?
only one answer ALONSO.
IN ARSEN WE TRUST!

i second that no.1,alonso is what we need!

i'm not even sure why we're dwelling on this.
arsene hasn't even mentioned barry or alonso.
they seem to be just paper rumours.

anyway if i was to choose between them both, then i would say barry - only coz he would provide experienced cover for left back if gael was out.

BIG MISTAKE IF WE SIGN ALONSO

there reports in partugal that we are ready to bid for Miguel veleso

There's a lot of guff in here.

I'm a Liverpool fan, I honestly think that Alonso would be magnificent in your side. He can look one dimensional in our side, that's a cultural thing... pass and stop. In a free flowing side like yours, he'd be an amazing asset. The fact that he isn't lightening quick means he can be an asset for years. His brain is quicker than most players' feet, and despite the post up top there, he can and does tackle too.

Alonso is a victim of 2 things at Liverpool - 1... a grinding style of play, especially in the league, 2... Benitez's love affair with "possibilities".

Alonso would go down in folklore at your place, really. To be honest, despite the competition, I'd almost like to see him at yours, specially as his "replacement" fits us so much better than he does. Like I said, though, that's more the fault of the club than the player. If Barry is an £18 Million player, so's Xabi, if he comes to you for anything less than 14-15, you've got a steal.

HAHAHA. Arsenal wont be able to outpass liverpool!?!?

YOU KIDDING ME???

DID YOU EVEN WATCH THE FIRST GAME AT ANFIELD THIS SEASON!!!

YOUR HAVING A LAUGH!!!

The big question is who partners Cesc at the start of the season? We’ll never get Yaya – we had him and let him go. Wilshere promoted to 1st team squad, excellent news. I think
Alonso could work with Cesc but not sure he would be as effective as a ball winning midfielder like Essien, Hargreaves, Mascherano etc.

1st team

Almunia,
Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy
Walcott, Fabregas, Diaby/Denlison/Song, Nasri
RVP, Adebayor

2nd team

Fabianski
Eboue, Djourou, Senderos, Gibbs
Wilshere, Randall, Diaby/Denilson/Song, Traore
Bendtner, Vela

Not too bad I’d say bearing in mind there is no Rosicky or Eduardo in there and we should have one more signing before the end of the season + Justin Hoyte + Amaury Bischoff

MarkyMark you forgot Ramsey - the boy's a magnificent talent.

It kinda seems like we'll have another Diarra situation if we bring in Alonso. He'll come in wanting to start the first game but Wenger will take a while to let him in and he'll get frustrated and try to leave in January. Not saying it couldn't work but I'd like to see Wenger bring in someone from outside the premier league who's not afraid to cut people down like flamini was. Alonso seems like he'd be better from Italy or spain.

I don't think we need a new DM we should buy a new
CB and push Kolo into midfield, as Kolo and Gallas
don't work.

I wouldn't mind Alonso but for 18 million no!

Think you're deluding yourself if you think we can afford him, read this comic this morning and it hit too close to home for comfort

http://studs-up.com/2008/08/04/some-managers-have-all-the-luck/

Give a kick in the arse and he''l be as good as he was in his first two seasons!
remember his injuries?

I have always admired Alonso and think that he would develop a great understanding with Fabregas.
However like others above, I do worry that we would not have the gritty Flamini type to win the ball back and protect the defence.
It looks as if Wenger is going to rely on Diaby to do this and I have my doubts about him. The one I think would carry out the job well is Song, but Wenger seems to be grooming him to be a centre-half which I do not agree with. Djourou also I think would make a better midfield enforcer than a centre-half and has professed a preference for playing here.

As a Liverpool fan, I would rather have Alonso than Barry. If we are to sell Alonso then I would rather we bought Ricardo Quaresma from FC Porto. He would transform us into title challengers over night.

veloso or yaya. but definitely someone please... we need some special sparks in midfield.

Ladies and Gents we are having a similar debate on another forum that I post on in addition to Arsenal Addict. The comments make for interesting reading.

http://www.liverpoolway.co.uk/forum/ff-football-forum/66157-alonso-barry.html

why give liverpool the money to buy barry why not buy him ourselves alonso is to much like cese

Alonso is a total opposite of Flamini. He's got no stamina to play for Arsenal. I would rather use Nasri and Denilson combo with Fabregas, as the linking player to our attack.
Nasri is not a left winger; he won't be able to cross enough ball as he is only right footed.

We have SO many good midfielders and others coming through. Do we need Alonso? Is it to please Cesc or is it because we really need him??? Cesc is now mature enough not to think he needs a sidekick he believes to be more mature than him. One very good reason, though, to sign Alonso is to get more balls slotted through mean dull defensive sides. But, after last weekend, I'm looking for a f-in-the-b to replace Dudu until/unless he returns. Oh how I miss him...

I think an perfect partner for Cesc would be Senna - though it will never happen. He sits back which would allow Cesc the freedom to roam, along with our two wingers-cum-central-midfielders, but at the same time Senna takcles well, eats up space which stifles the opposition midfield, and is confident enough on the ball to repeatedly play simple, accurate 10 yard passes after clearing up any loose balls.

a mascherano or lassana diarra are preferred to an alonso. alonso is quality but not a classic dm.

veloso would be better

veloso is agood player,but alonso is the best