Liverpool FC Forum

[LFC2007]

Roughly his appearance record in starts since the Wolves game at home:

IN
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
OUT (virus)
OUT
OUT
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
IN

Rotation makes you dizzy.

[SouthCoastShankly]

Both Malouda and Nani were considered "bad signings" and "flops", yet faith in selection has aided their acclimatisation to the constraints of being a premier league footballer and now they are frequently praised for their contributions to two very good sides.

It all starts with the faith to select them, whilst I am no massive fan of Benitez I can see why he has selectively used him, both from an injury perspective and one of adapting to the league. From what I have seen of Aquilani, next season will truly show his ability to perform in this league and whether he is a good long term signing.

[bigmick]

Roughly his appearance record in starts since the Wolves game at home:

IN
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
OUT (virus)
OUT
OUT
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
IN

Rotation makes you dizzy.

Presumeably soon he must be due to shake it all about.

[bigmick]

I apologise. "unsuited to English football" to me, means that you were implying hes not very good at playing in the PL.
Is that correct? If this is true why has he got so many assists?
Which leads me on to your statement: "the fact that Lucas keeps him out of the team says it all really"
What exactly does it say? Could you elaborate please?

He has a number of assists against poor teams who we've banjoed. In games where he's been given a go against anybody who's any good, he has been largely anonymous, and what's more defensively invisible.

The fact that Lucas keeps him out does say it all really and I'm surprised you need me to elaborate. Lucas isn't very good, and yet the manager considers him a better bet than Aquilani. Now I know you (and probably me as well to be truthful) would question the managers judgement on most things, but you have to assume that when he first bought the Italian he thought he was going to be better than Lucas, and he thought that he was going to play him when fit. Since he has gotten himself fit, the manager has changed his mind, and lets be honest it ain't because Lucas is uprooting any trees.

I have explained myself a couple of times on my thoughts as to why he is unsuited to English football. I did so a couple of days back in answer to a question from St Mick. Have a read of that (it's on this thread a page or two back I think) if you are so massively interested in my opinion.

As it is, why don't we just wait and see. You rate him and think he'll be a hit over here, I think he's a decent player who won't. Not so terrible really.

[ironman]

So far, he is yet to step up to the mark. I want him to prove us all wrong, I really do. I am sure we all do. But...I just question his character and abiltity to adapt.
Any player who has critics like Alberto has, I would be looking for the player to respond by gritting his teeth and giving us 110%. Were decent fans when it comes to being loyal and patient with players. Yet everytime he plays, in my poinion, he seems a bit timid almost, maybe a confidence issue? I am not saying we havnt seen any good points from him, but he's 20 millions worth, I wanna see some return for that type of fee...

how in gods name can anyone judge Aquilani??? Hes been treated like dirt from our manager.. no trust, no belief, how do you expect to get the best out of a player when you treat him like a spare part... god knows, if i was Aquiani and Lucas was being played ahead of me. i would be saying bye bye... but if the guy is given a proper run of games, then we can all have our opinion... 23 million pounds worth of a player that our manager believed would fill  alonso gap.. then its lucas and all the excuses in the world why aqua doesnt play?? rafa says its not fair to put him in a struggling side??? when the do you put a player in then??

[tubby]

Roughly his appearance record in starts since the Wolves game at home:

IN
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
OUT (virus)
OUT
OUT
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
OUT
IN

Rotation makes you dizzy.

Presumeably soon he must be due to shake it all about.

Does that mean Rafa puts in the hokey-pokey and turns him around? That Rafa does love to turn players around and play them out of position

[Zidane]

Had a solid game against Burnley, fantastic pass to Maxi for his goal as well.  He still irritates me with his stray passes, sometimes he just assumes someone should be where he is passing to and it goes straight to the other team.  This is a good and bad thing I suppose, the good being that he has a good feel for the game, and the bad being the obvious.  I still don't get the criticism, how can you say he's gotten assist against bad teams that we've banjoed etc etc yet not give him credit?  We've played like sh!te, lost, or drawn against these same bad teams without him in the lineup at least once or twice I would guess?  Didn't look that up but I think it is safe to assume that.  Put it this way, if he was healthy all season long and we swapped him out for Lucas in the games played department in my opinion we would have been much better off.  The fact that Lucas keeps him out is a huge reason why Rafa has so many critics, and a large reason why Rafa has failed to succeed in the league, it does not say anything about  how good Aquilani can be in the premier league imo.

[Sir Roger]

I apologise. "unsuited to English football" to me, means that you were implying hes not very good at playing in the PL.
Is that correct? If this is true why has he got so many assists?
Which leads me on to your statement: "the fact that Lucas keeps him out of the team says it all really"
What exactly does it say? Could you elaborate please?

He has a number of assists against poor teams who we've banjoed. In games where he's been given a go against anybody who's any good, he has been largely anonymous, and what's more defensively invisible.

The fact that Lucas keeps him out does say it all really and I'm surprised you need me to elaborate. Lucas isn't very good, and yet the manager considers him a better bet than Aquilani. Now I know you (and probably me as well to be truthful) would question the managers judgement on most things, but you have to assume that when he first bought the Italian he thought he was going to be better than Lucas, and he thought that he was going to play him when fit. Since he has gotten himself fit, the manager has changed his mind, and lets be honest it ain't because Lucas is uprooting any trees.

I have explained myself a couple of times on my thoughts as to why he is unsuited to English football. I did so a couple of days back in answer to a question from St Mick. Have a read of that (it's on this thread a page or two back I think) if you are so massively interested in my opinion.

As it is, why don't we just wait and see. You rate him and think he'll be a hit over here, I think he's a decent player who won't. Not so terrible really.

I believe Lucas's inclusion says more about Rafa than Aquilani.
I really dont understand how you can be so sure he is not good enough to play in the PL?
He has had 16 league appearances, 7 starts and nine as sub. In those games we have won 8, drawn 5 and lost 3. He has 6 assists and a goal and has been voted Man of the match 3 times on the official website. Not a bad return for a player who is "anonymous" and "unsuited to English football".

[kazza]

He was bought to fill CM but that is not his best game, his best game is AM as it turns out. Remember Barry was the first choice but he went to City. Aquilani will come good, he was better for Roma and will be better for us.

Hate to quote myself but apparently Rafa shares the same opnion. From Skysports:

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez believes Alberto Aquilani could flourish in a more forward role in the side.

Aquilani has endured a difficult first season at Anfield following his arrival from Roma last summer.

The Italian has struggled for form and fitness and has found himself playing a bit-part role in Benitez's first-team plans.

Aquilani was given a rare start in Sunday's 4-0 win at Burnley and the midfielder impressed in Steven Gerrard's normal role just behind the striker setting up two of the goals in the game.

Benitez was happy with how the tactic worked and felt Aquilani showed promise in the role.

"It is an option. He can play in both positions," said Benitez when asked if the Italian had a future in a more advanced role.

"In the first year, especially because he has been injured for a long time, to manage him and find the right position for him was not easy because the Premier League is very strong and physical.

"But in this position he has freedom and with Gerrard behind him they can pass to each other.

"Aquilani can pass the ball and when the game is open like in the second half (against Burney) he can move and give good assists."

[Sabre]

"In the first year, especially because he has been injured for a long time, to manage him and find the right position for him was not easy because the Premier League is very strong and physical.

Yes, but in the mean time Lucas is playing and he's level is for a team like Tenerife, not Liverpool.

Plus, to adapt quickly, you need to have some continuous games, there's no other way to adapt.

I agree he'll come good if he has the desire to fight to stay in England.

On the debate of assists, I have a question

He has a number of assists against poor teams who we've banjoed

We had another midfielder that made few assists (many insisted on this apparently important notion for a holding mid), and it was precisely the poor teams the teams we had to banjo instead of drawing them. I think that assists and last passes were precisely what we needed and that was the intention of Rafa when he thought of selling Alonso.

The problem is that we really didn't need to fiddle with that part of the pitch, as there were other more pressing problems in the team. That, and Aquilani's injuries plus having Ngog or Lucas as substitute was the real problem.

An assist against a lower team shouldn't be dismissed, because it was what we lacked here for a long time.

[Benny The Noon]

Did we sign Aqualini for just this season or for the next 4 after as well ?

How can he be judged properly until he has games under his belt and has got used to the prem .

[Yossi_Benaloon]

I do take back some of what i have said before as Aquilani is now showing signs of he is a player worth £20 million, so this bodes well for the future. Lets hope he can show more of this undoubted skill against Chelsea to fire us on in our battle for the Premier League top four. With Spurs and City looking like faltering, if Aquilani and Rodriguez can both show continued improved performances now they are settled then we could give Chelsea a shock at Anfield.

[Ben Patrick]

Did we sign Aqualini for just this season or for the next 4 after as well ?

How can he be judged properly until he has games under his belt and has got used to the prem .

I agree with that.

But who's fault is it that he has not had any games ?
He has been fit often and not selected by the manager.

Most people would say Rafa sees him in training and must be making a call based on that.
But if he doesnt even get on the pitch in a 3-0 walk in the park against West Ham when there was time and space on the ball. And Degen comes on ?
Then something is not right at all.

[Benny The Noon]

Did we sign Aqualini for just this season or for the next 4 after as well ?

How can he be judged properly until he has games under his belt and has got used to the prem .

I agree with that.

But who's fault is it that he has not had any games ?
He has been fit often and not selected by the manager.

Most people would say Rafa sees him in training and must be making a call based on that.
But if he doesnt even get on the pitch in a 3-0 walk in the park against West Ham when there was time and space on the ball. And Degen comes on ?
Then something is not right at all.

The problem is Ben we arent privvy to what happens during training and have to trust the judgement of the coaching staff . I would rather he was treated gently until he is 100% fully ready to go at it in the prem so we can have a good career at Liverpool as opposed to an injury hit career .

[Ben Patrick]

Did we sign Aqualini for just this season or for the next 4 after as well ?

How can he be judged properly until he has games under his belt and has got used to the prem .

I agree with that.

But who's fault is it that he has not had any games ?
He has been fit often and not selected by the manager.

Most people would say Rafa sees him in training and must be making a call based on that.
But if he doesnt even get on the pitch in a 3-0 walk in the park against West Ham when there was time and space on the ball. And Degen comes on ?
Then something is not right at all.

The problem is Ben we arent privvy to what happens during training and have to trust the judgement of the coaching staff . I would rather he was treated gently until he is 100% fully ready to go at it in the prem so we can have a good career at Liverpool as opposed to an injury hit career .

Thats guess work that though.
He was on the bench against West Ham and didnt feature against Athletico the following game.
Now if he isnt fit enough to be considered to play then he shouldnt even be on the bench.
But i would think he is fit enough and Rafa doesnt fancy him.