Liverpool FC Forum

[Scottbot]

This "Aquilani needs to playn with X Y and Z" couldn't be more wrong if it tried. Look, if you fill the team with Aquilaniesque players, you'll end up looking like Ardiles's Tottenham who got beat 5-3 every week because Alberto doesn't do a tap. I'm no lover of Lucas and Kuyt, but because of the way Alberto plays, these are precisely the kind of players he will have to play with in order to be a success in England.

That's all well and good, providing that the fetching and water carrying which others have to do in order to get him into the team is repaid with game changing contributions in big matches. Back to the same connundrum then, does Alberto do enough? I don't think he does, but some others do. We have a disagreement which is fine, lets just wait and see.

I actually quite like the look of our midfield with Aquilani in it... Granted he does somewhat limit your 'possibilities' because of his lack of defensive qualities... He does however offer something different and i think if the manager manages to get the balance right then he could become an important player in our side..

Like you said, having him in the side forces us to play a 3man midfield.. Which in turn means that we either continue to rely on a superstriker like Torres being there or try to get more out of our wingers..

To me though, it all comes down to how the manager decides to go about his tactics when Aquilani is in the side... Having him in there means that Gerrard would probably have to give up the 2nd striker role which he has been occupying the past couple of seasons.. That will no doubt increase the pressure on Torres, Kuyt, Babel..etc to produce in the final third which is why i think that if we decide to keep Aquilani, we'll have to go for a top winger in the summer..

As things stand, i dont think Aquilani quite fits with our system of play.. He doesnt have the drive and goal-threat of Gerrard in the final third and he certainly cant play as part of a midfield duo especially not against decent opposition.. We're hugely reliant on central positions which is one of the reasons why we fcked this season up..

Get a decent winger in... Get gerrard to play a little depper.. and then this side would have alot more balance to it..

That's a good post mate. He could be a player for us (i think) but only with the right system, style of play, and more importantly, with the right personnel/balance in the team.

[Penguins]

This "Aquilani needs to playn with X Y and Z" couldn't be more wrong if it tried. Look, if you fill the team with Aquilaniesque players, you'll end up looking like Ardiles's Tottenham who got beat 5-3 every week because Alberto doesn't do a tap. I'm no lover of Lucas and Kuyt, but because of the way Alberto plays, these are precisely the kind of players he will have to play with in order to be a success in England.

That's all well and good, providing that the fetching and water carrying which others have to do in order to get him into the team is repaid with game changing contributions in big matches. Back to the same connundrum then, does Alberto do enough? I don't think he does, but some others do. We have a disagreement which is fine, lets just wait and see.

I actually quite like the look of our midfield with Aquilani in it... Granted he does somewhat limit your 'possibilities' because of his lack of defensive qualities... He does however offer something different and i think if the manager manages to get the balance right then he could become an important player in our side..

Like you said, having him in the side forces us to play a 3man midfield.. Which in turn means that we either continue to rely on a superstriker like Torres being there or try to get more out of our wingers..

To me though, it all comes down to how the manager decides to go about his tactics when Aquilani is in the side... Having him in there means that Gerrard would probably have to give up the 2nd striker role which he has been occupying the past couple of seasons.. That will no doubt increase the pressure on Torres, Kuyt, Babel..etc to produce in the final third which is why i think that if we decide to keep Aquilani, we'll have to go for a top winger in the summer..

As things stand, i dont think Aquilani quite fits with our system of play.. He doesnt have the drive and goal-threat of Gerrard in the final third and he certainly cant play as part of a midfield duo especially not against decent opposition.. We're hugely reliant on central positions which is one of the reasons why we fcked this season up..

Get a decent winger in... Get gerrard to play a little depper.. and then this side would have alot more balance to it..

Good post.

It is just that top class wingers never come cheap.
Which is one of the reasons we never have one...

[LFC2007]

Used to get caught up in all the "must play there....must play with these types of players in this type of system" etc.. I just think he needs to play a string of games with good players in a good team in the position that suits him - the middle of the f'in pitch, considerably closer to the attack than the defence. Then after a period of games we can see if he's really up to it or not. The physical side of things needs to worked on and any player can improve in that department. Mentally as well, he needs to steel himself. Seems rather timid, a bit like Johnson and that's where I think the motivation skills of the manager (any manager) come into play.

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

I would have liked Aquilani to be included in the Italian squad for South Africa ,only then  would we have been able to form a valid opinion as to the capabilities of the lad ,or indeed  gauged his role in a team littered with class players ,as it is his position has been taken by the superb Gaetano D'Agostino who is coincidently  another midfielder we were linked with to replace the outgoing Alonso

[Sir Roger]

I would have liked Aquilani to be included in the Italian squad for South Africa ,only then  would we have been able to form a valid opinion as to the capabilities of the lad ,or indeed  gauged his role in a team littered with class players ,as it is his position has been taken by the superb Gaetano D'Agostino who is coincidently  another midfielder we were linked with to replace the outgoing Alonso

We dont need to see him in the world cup to form a valid opinion of his capabilities
Rafa thinks hes fantastic
Thats why he bought him while he was injured
Only when he got fit he didnt play him
Curiouser and curiouser

[tubby]

I would have liked Aquilani to be included in the Italian squad for South Africa ,only then  would we have been able to form a valid opinion as to the capabilities of the lad ,or indeed  gauged his role in a team littered with class players ,as it is his position has been taken by the superb Gaetano D'Agostino who is coincidently  another midfielder we were linked with to replace the outgoing Alonso

We dont need to see him in the world cup to form a valid opinion of his capabilities
Rafa thinks hes fantastic
Thats why he bought him while he was injured
Only when he got fit he didnt play him
Curiouser and curiouser

But if Rafa is thinking of offloading him it would put us in a better position if he plays and plays well surely? As it is we would be making a loss on him.

[Sir Roger]

I would have liked Aquilani to be included in the Italian squad for South Africa ,only then  would we have been able to form a valid opinion as to the capabilities of the lad ,or indeed  gauged his role in a team littered with class players ,as it is his position has been taken by the superb Gaetano D'Agostino who is coincidently  another midfielder we were linked with to replace the outgoing Alonso

We dont need to see him in the world cup to form a valid opinion of his capabilities
Rafa thinks hes fantastic
Thats why he bought him while he was injured
Only when he got fit he didnt play him
Curiouser and curiouser

But if Rafa is thinking of offloading him it would put us in a better position if he plays and plays well surely? As it is we would be making a loss on him.

In Rafa we trust...

[account deleted by request]

This "Aquilani needs to playn with X Y and Z" couldn't be more wrong if it tried. Look, if you fill the team with Aquilaniesque players, you'll end up looking like Ardiles's Tottenham who got beat 5-3 every week because Alberto doesn't do a tap. I'm no lover of Lucas and Kuyt, but because of the way Alberto plays, these are precisely the kind of players he will have to play with in order to be a success in England.

That's all well and good, providing that the fetching and water carrying which others have to do in order to get him into the team is repaid with game changing contributions in big matches. Back to the same connundrum then, does Alberto do enough? I don't think he does, but some others do. We have a disagreement which is fine, lets just wait and see.

I actually quite like the look of our midfield with Aquilani in it... Granted he does somewhat limit your 'possibilities' because of his lack of defensive qualities... He does however offer something different and i think if the manager manages to get the balance right then he could become an important player in our side..

Like you said, having him in the side forces us to play a 3man midfield.. Which in turn means that we either continue to rely on a superstriker like Torres being there or try to get more out of our wingers..

To me though, it all comes down to how the manager decides to go about his tactics when Aquilani is in the side... Having him in there means that Gerrard would probably have to give up the 2nd striker role which he has been occupying the past couple of seasons.. That will no doubt increase the pressure on Torres, Kuyt, Babel..etc to produce in the final third which is why i think that if we decide to keep Aquilani, we'll have to go for a top winger in the summer..

As things stand, i dont think Aquilani quite fits with our system of play.. He doesnt have the drive and goal-threat of Gerrard in the final third and he certainly cant play as part of a midfield duo especially not against decent opposition.. We're hugely reliant on central positions which is one of the reasons why we fcked this season up..

Get a decent winger in... Get gerrard to play a little depper.. and then this side would have alot more balance to it..

Couple of good opposite views there. Personally I am still not sure either way. He has ability but whether he can produce that ability on a regular basis is my main concern. He seems a floater too me, a little fragile and someone who drifts out of games once the tackles start flying in. Maybe he's still not 100% recovered psychologically?

I would like to see him played behind two strikers with the width coming from the fullbacks rather than wingers.
                                Masch
    Johnson           Gerrard      CM         Fullback

                              Aquilani

                     Torres            Striker

[kazza]

You do actually stalk him.

Yes well I saw my shrink about that and he says I am getting better. Baby steps and all that.

Or on the other hand you can just feck off 

[Owzat]

I would like to see him played behind two strikers with the width coming from the fullbacks rather than wingers.
                                Masch
    Johnson           Gerrard      CM         Fullback

                              Aquilani

                     Torres            Striker

What is your name, Rafael Benitez? Erm, remember what was said when he signed Degen and Dossena last season and where will they both be next season.............................?

[rocky29]

I would have liked Aquilani to be included in the Italian squad for South Africa ,only then  would we have been able to form a valid opinion as to the capabilities of the lad ,or indeed  gauged his role in a team littered with class players ,as it is his position has been taken by the superb Gaetano D'Agostino who is coincidently  another midfielder we were linked with to replace the outgoing Alonso

We dont need to see him in the world cup to form a valid opinion of his capabilities
Rafa thinks hes fantastic
Thats why he bought him while he was injured
Only when he got fit he didnt play him
Curiouser and curiouser

But if Rafa is thinking of offloading him it would put us in a better position if he plays and plays well surely? As it is we would be making a loss on him.

dont u worry pal aquilani doesnt have to prove anything to anyone. Half the teams in serie a will be queing up for him because rafa is a plonker if he lets him leave.

[Sir Roger]

I hope he scores a hat-trick tomorrow
For us, of course...

[metalhead]

I hope Rafa doesn't sell him, he is a good player.

[Sir Roger]

I hope Rafa doesn't sell him, he is a good player.

Thats why he bought him?

[bigmick]

He didn't make it into the Italian squad for the World Cup then At least it lessens the chance of him getting injured I suppose, although it would have been nice to see him play with other "gifted" players, and to see whether he could make an impact in important matches. He might have stuck a few lira on his sell on value as well, but never mind.