The favourite lad from Spain

If there's one singular, defining mistake that Rafael Benitez has made in his much vaunted managing career, it would be the one made in the summer of 2008, when he attempted to sell Xabi Alonso for Gareth Barry. A Barry for an Alonso. A painter's roller for an artist's brush.

One year on, the saddest news of this summer is the one that we've pleaded so hard against, but materialize it did, and with it, departs half of our annual league ambitions.

Adios Alonso. It's gonna be a paler fields of Anfield Road.