Liverpool FC Forum

[In and Out]

The question is: Was Alberto Aquilani the worst signing ever made by Liverpool football club?

The amount we paid for him and the use we've gotten from him certainly makes the signing of him a catastrophic move. Considering the timing of it, regarding the injury he had, the so-called money we didn't have to burn and waste, has to rank as our most expensive flop ever.

Whether he's the worst signing it terms of ability or not-no he's definately not IMO.

[bigmick]

The question is: Was Alberto Aquilani the worst signing ever made by Liverpool football club?

He'd be right up there, along with Diouff IMHO. That said, I do believe Dossena was the worst player I've ever seen in a Liverpool shirt who cost good money, along of course with Diao.

[parchpea]

Dossena then Keane followed by Acquilani. The latter being the final nail in Benitez coffin at Liverpool. One too many poor buys and bottom line is £20m for Acqua was an absolutely scandalous piece of business under any circumstances let alone ours and we are now trying to limit the damage starting with a loan for the lad.

[bigmick]

All this "we want to take him back at the end of it" is just a smokescreen too IMHO. Even if he rips it up in Italy, it doesn't change the fact he is totally unsuited to English football. I once said in a fit of pique that he is more a 5 million pound player than a 20 million pound one, and needless to say I got jumped on by the crew. I wonder now though, we might not take five mill but I bet we'd be severely tempted by 7.

[metalhead]

All this "we want to take him back at the end of it" is just a smokescreen too IMHO. Even if he rips it up in Italy, it doesn't change the fact he is totally unsuited to English football. I once said in a fit of pique that he is more a 5 million pound player than a 20 million pound one, and needless to say I got jumped on by the crew. I wonder now though, we might not take five mill but I bet we'd be severely tempted by 7.

There is a 17m euro buy option on his loan clause mate, so I guess thats sorted 

[bigmick]

There is a 17m euro buy option on his loan clause mate, so I guess thats sorted 

Sometimes players have a 120 million quid trigger clause in their contracts mate, it doesn't mean anyone will pay it. If anyone offers 17 million Euros for Aquilani, we would bite off their arm at the shoulder joint.

Essentially he is going back to Italy for two reasons. Firstly to prove to the Italian market that he can stay fit for more than one month at a time, and secondly because that is the ONLY European market where we think he has any percieved value. If he plays really well there for a year, we might be able to get 10 million Euros for him I guess.

Roma got 20 million Euros for him though, they must have been laughing their b0ll0cks off when we offered that.

[maypaxvobiscum]

The question is: Was Alberto Aquilani the worst signing ever made by Liverpool football club?

He'd be right up there, along with Diouff IMHO. That said, I do believe Dossena was the worst player I've ever seen in a Liverpool shirt who cost good money, along of course with Diao.

the signing of Doss can be further criticized considering the players who were here before him in his position were, and still are far better then the Italian - Warnock and Riise.

[Octsky]

I think it is unfair to criticize aquaman to that extend.

it is not his fault that rafa signed him injured, delayed his debut and gave him undue pressure. even when fit, rafa did not play him, adding to the fact that he has to adapt to a new culture, of coz he had a poor season.

Henry had a poor season too at gooners bf becoming a legend. I hope that aquaman will be given more chance at LFC. As if we lose masch then we wont have the cover.

[dawson99]

I think it is unfair to criticize aquaman to that extend.

it is not his fault that rafa signed him injured, delayed his debut and gave him undue pressure. even when fit, rafa did not play him, adding to the fact that he has to adapt to a new culture, of coz he had a poor season.

Henry had a poor season too at gooners bf becoming a legend. I hope that aquaman will be given more chance at LFC. As if we lose masch then we wont have the cover.

Completely agree. I don't see the sense ni loaning him out, unless he is utterly useless, which i still dnot think he is

[Fauxy]

It is done, he has gone for a one year loan deal with Juventus.

I dont expect to see him come back

[RobinHood6969]

Absolutely poor business if you ask me, unless we have someone really good coming in. All big teams have expensive internationals on bench. Why not us then?  Any injury he would have stepped in with hunger.

[dawson99]

20 million spent, then shipped off on loan... f*cking ridiclulous

[TarnRed]

All this "we want to take him back at the end of it" is just a smokescreen too IMHO. Even if he rips it up in Italy, it doesn't change the fact he is totally unsuited to English football. I once said in a fit of pique that he is more a 5 million pound player than a 20 million pound one, and needless to say I got jumped on by the crew. I wonder now though, we might not take five mill but I bet we'd be severely tempted by 7.

Regarding the bit 'he's unsuited to English football'.

Are you happy with this move Mick if I may ask?.

What are your thoughts on us sticking with the 4-2-3-1 formation which is likely as I very much doubt a 4-4-2 is going to happen. We will see Gerrard slotting in behind the main striker and us adopting a Masch - Lucas ... Masch - Poulsen midfield partnership, which very much was our dimise last season as all 3 are extremely limited in terms of creativity and their array of passing?.

Are you making your decision on a player that started 9 games and when starting we looked a better team, are you basing this on a player that when starting these 9 games he didn't look out of place, are you basing this on a player that started 9 games and finished our seond highest player with assists?. I'm not quite grasping of where you are coming from here unless you know something away from the board that brings you to this conclusion of this.

What Aquilani should have been told is that in the next 3 games he has a chance to shine and if that happens then he's first choice, Cole would then have had to either start on the bench or come in from a wide position. Aquilani also offered us exactly that the variation of throwing Cole out in one of the wide positions as Cole is only the real player we have that can take a full back on, get to the byline and deliver a quality ball, and in doing that bringing Aquilani into the support striker role where I will add he looked good when deployed in it last season.

The move both financially and from a footballing sense just doesn't add up especially when we just don't have adequate backup. I just hope Roy knows what he's doing and he has made a correct decision as this weakens our squad in terms of depth and quality.

[dawson99]

Lets just hope he scores a shedload against Inter

[Fauxy]

Good player bad signing.