Football FanCast columnist Jerome Johnstone reacts to Ranieri's comments about Alonso and feels that Juventus' loss is very much Liverpool's gain.

To say that this summer has been a strange one for Xabi Alonso, would be something of an understatement. Firstly Liverpool want to sell him - he then plays a starring role for Spain in winning the Euros - the Reds then decide to keep him and now Juventus have come out this morning and say they didn't want to sign him anyway - confused - imagine how the Spaniard feels.

It is certainly been a strange period in Alonso's life and I think I speak for all Liverpool fans when I say that we are all delighted that it has all worked out in our favour. Whether it as the prospect of being sold or still buoyed by Spain's summer success, Xabi has been like a man possessed out on the pitch and been in sensational form this season. He seems to have patched up his differences with Rafa and has formed an excellent partnership alongside Mascherano and I honestly feel he is playing the best football he ever has in our fabled red shirt.

The decision to try and sell Alonso was always a strange one in my opinion, but it is clear that the Italians were the reasons the sale fell through. It was widely regarded that Aston Villa was the villains of the piece in out-pricing Gareth Barry, but maybe this morning's revelations from Claudio Ranieri suggests they played a bigger part in the collapse of the deal than was first thought.

"He was a player we wanted," Ranieri admitted.

"But he is a player, who even though he is an extraordinary man and a great professional, left me perplexed by the slowness of his movement in midfield.

"In the midfield of Rafa Benitez's Liverpool, where all of them are little soldiers, he finds himself in a fantastic position.

"But in our midfield, he would have found it hard to support the midfield line seeing as Mauro Camoranesi and Pavel Nedved are not players that come back to give support like Liverpool's wingers." (SkySports)

Harsh criticism, totally unfounded and I don't know which particular game Ranieri was watching but I don't think anything could be further than the truth in Xabi Alonso. Juventus' lost has become very much our gain and the whole collapse of the deal has benefitted all. Aston Villa are no longer crying at the loss of Barry, we haven't had to cough up their extortionate asking price and we have been left with a footballer who is totally revitalised and playing the best football of his career. I always felt Ranieri was one to continually miss the boat and he clearly has done the same here - thank god.