Alberto Aquilani

[Jose Jones]

The goals thing is shite obviously, but I can't help but think the greater emphasis on penetration from the middle is borne out by how he used Mascher in the second half of last season, his interest in Barry, how he's been using Lucas this pre-season and now the fact that he hasn't replaced Xabi with a like for like.

 

2 or 3 times today Lucas was the furthest player forward!

 

Yeah that's a worthy point.

In my eyes the reason Xabi didn't get too far forward that often was partly because he had no pace to get back. If he got caught out of position against a good team we could be in big trouble - as was shown in Europe on the odd occasion. His positioning and reading of the game sitting a bit deeper was good enough to compensate for his lack of pace though.

Really you can't get a midfielder any slower than Xabi, so anyone we were due to bring in was going to be likely to get forward a bit more solely for that reason.

[SpeedyG]

Yeah that's a worthy point.

In my eyes the reason Xabi didn't get too far forward that often was partly because he had no pace to get back. If he got caught out of position against a good team we could be in big trouble - as was shown in Europe on the odd occasion. His positioning and reading of the game sitting a bit deeper was good enough to compensate for his lack of pace though.

Really you can't get a midfielder any slower than Xabi, so anyone we were due to bring in was going to be likely to get forward a bit more solely for that reason.

 

True, but Lucas was box to box and that was definitely suppressed the last couple of years. I can see more of a piston thing going on in the middle with less possession and more scrapping for the second ball.

 

The option of a CM getting ahead of the ball can only be a good thing.

[Jose Jones]

True, but Lucas was box to box and that was definitely suppressed the last couple of years. I can see more of a piston thing going on in the middle with less possession and more scrapping for the second ball..

I'm not entirely sure what you mean there.

The option of a CM getting ahead of the ball can only be a good thing.

 

Yeah, it should work well as Gerrard can drop a bit deeper and pick a pass, thus drawing a central defender out of position, while another midfielder (Aquilani I suppose) bombs on into the gap.

[Josef Svejk]

Interesting take.

 

Why Liverpool had to sell Xabi Alonso to catch Manchester United - mirror.co.uk

 

Why Liverpool had to sell Xabi Alonso to catch Manchester United

 

By David Maddock 6/08/2009

 

Allowing a player of the quality of Xabi Alonso to leave is never done lightly.

 

But his departure may not be the disaster many Liverpool supporters believe it to be.

 

Rafa Benitez has already re-invested £15million of the Alonso cash in Roma’s Alberto Aquilani, who the Liverpool boss hopes could be the key to the Premier League title.

 

Benitez could yet live to regret the decision to sell to Real Madrid, even given the admirably inflated price-tag of more than £30million, but beyond the inevitable disappointment of losing such a popular player, the Anfield boss has compelling reasons to cash in.

 

When he looked at last season’s failed title challenge Benitez will have identified three areas that needed surgery. Two were obvious, at full back and wide midfield.

 

But the third will surprise many fans, who assume that the club’s midfield was their strength last term. On the surface, the Alonso-Javier Mascherano partnership was one of the strongest in the Premier League, but a closer look at the statistics from last season suggest otherwise, given the importance of the two base midfielders in the diamond formation all top teams now employ.

 

Between them, the pair scored just THREE league goals all season. Compare that to Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher at United who managed seven in a side who got goals from all over the field.

 

What Fletcher and Carrick also provided was an ability to get forward into the penalty area unmarked, and beyond the opposition back line into space, which created numerous chances for United.

 

For Liverpool, who beat Lyn Oslo 2-0 last night, neither Alonso nor Mascherano could do that, because their style in sitting deep is so similar.

 

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But it is crucial when Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are always so heavily marked to exploit the space afforded to other players deeper in the midfield.

 

It seems the Liverpool boss decided that Mascherano has the edge because of his mobility and aggression in fulfilling the covering role both must do.

 

The Anfield manager has been left casting around for a midfielder who can pass and defend, and still get forward beyond the opposition back line.

 

Aquilani appears to have those qualities, but Italians have not always been successful in the Premier League, and his injury record is a cause for concern.

 

There is one other part of the equation though, that does suggest it is a disastrous time for Liverpool.

 

So far, the Spanish coach has raised in excess of £40m by selling players this summer, and that could exceed £50m if he sells Ryan Babel or Andrea Dossena.

 

If Aquilani passes a medical, at a fee of £15m it will only take the manager’s spending to just over £30m.

 

Depressingly, that suggests Liverpool’s finances are not going on the players required for the push to get beyond United, but on the club’s mounting debts.

 

Total bollocks. Whatever United's relative strengths last season, they weren't Fletcher and Carrick. There's a reason why Real wanted Alonso (as opposed to Carrick) and Barcelona wanted Mascherano (as opposed to Fletcher)...

[chance the dog]

Total bollocks. Whatever United's relative strengths last season, they weren't Fletcher and Carrick. There's a reason why Real wanted Alonso (as opposed to Carrick) and Barcelona wanted Mascherano (as opposed to Fletcher)...

 

I think we're kinda missing the point. Fletcher and Carrick are obviously a bit shit. So if they managed to score around the same amount of goals as our two, then maybe something was amiss as far as goal threat goes. Fair comment I'd say.

[Josef Svejk]

More important matters: Aquilani's bird...

 

 

 

 

[JohnnyH]

Fuck sake. Why didn't I become a professional footballer instead of a fat miserable twat?

[Josef Svejk]

And yet more...

 

[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

 

[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

[Catch22]

One major advantage of buying players from Spain & Italy is that it is very likely to give you the best-looking WAG's.......

[sh#t waffle]

She is very beautiful. If she ever fancies marginally less cross eyed loving, as well as not being forced to quote Mein Kampf during love making, I'm ready and waiting.

[RedinSweden]

My point is that I don't think Rafa sees it as a gamble for whatever reason.

 

The chances are he has insider knowledge on Twigankle McFascist's injury problems and is satisfied it won't be an issue with us.

 

Ace name

 

An IQ test needs to be introduced.

 

Or some sort of "Are you a complete fucking spacker?" test.

 

Do MENSA do them?

 

I assume you mean for membership of the forum

 

Considering I've been a member for about a week... no. Rest assured, I'm negging you in my mind.

 

Is that your thing? You've got your name coloured gold so you think you're a bad ass? You're certainly giving out the negs, though. For fuck all.

 

Gold membership does make you badass.

 

People need to realise that Aquilani is hugely rated in Italy. He is seen as possibly their finest player and a key for the next World Cup. Talking with some Italian colleagues earlier they think we have signed a beauty and they say that now he is away from Roma, we will be able to sort out the fitness issue with proper Doctors and fitness people and that, while different to Xabi, we will, apparantly "Not miss Xabi at all" if he stays fit. They say that even if he only plays 20 games a season we will still love him! Another comment was that if Kaka is £58m, they are surprised we got Aquilani for as little as £20m.

 

They couldn't speak highly enough of him. One Lazio fan is utterly delighted he is leaving Roma.

 

Ah, I miss Riise.

 

If AA turns out to be as good as lime pickle and chilli and cumin poppadoms, we'll be on to a winner. Lime pickle is fooking amazing, even if it does crazy things to your digestive system.

 

Word. I can't believe the number of people who eat poppadoms without it. i have found an amazing one, made in nepal. It is so sour it makes your eyes bleed.

 

 

 

 

For the record, i think Aquilani is going to be a massive fucking leg.

[Dracco]

He hates Eastern European immigarnts and is a Nazi.

 

Now he´s immigrant in the UK.

 

Maybe our Eastern European guys could fuck this hate out of him. Imagine Skrtel and Voronin kicking the hell out of him and teach him some respect.

[Kevin D]

Pleased with our speed in handling this. There were a few hours there were Lucas was our first choice CM; which is not only a sackable/protestable offence but would also mean we'd be fighting for fourth so I'm made up we've signed someone with massive pedigree. His injury record is greatly concerning, there's simply no way to think otherwise, the explanation of " our medical team know more than forumites" would ring true if the majority of our staff weren't highly incompotent and we'd not bought the phantom man, Degen, just last year.

 

I'd like to see us go out and buy another CM as an insurance policy because , like I said, should the worse happen with this lad, there is absolutely no way we'll sustain a title-challenge with Mascherano and Lucas as first choice midfield pairing,Imo.

[Anubis]

More important matters: Aquilani's bird...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forget the injury worry, this convinces me Aquilani won't last here. There's no way Alex Curran is going to have her little princess crown whipped away to a piece of class like Aquawoman..

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

God, she is right up my street in terms of women.

 

Anyway, Maddocks needs a cock to the earhole.

[hamstrung]

I assume you mean for membership of the forum

 

Indeed I do.

 

On a separate point. I have seen various people say this geezer isn't fit until September.

 

Where is this coming from?

[Spy Bee]

She is fucking perfect.

[Thants]

Charlie Nicholas once said we'd never win the league with Xabi Alonso in our side. Maybe he was right after all.

 

That was of course before he said Xabi Alonso was the best CM in the league last year.

 

The moral of this story is Charlie Nicholas is a twit.

[Thants]

Indeed I do.

 

On a separate point. I have seen various people say this geezer isn't fit until September.

 

Where is this coming from?

 

From negative badmen.

 

Nay mind though cos . . .

 

SJLxjU9l5uc

[Edward.]

Fuck sake. Why didn't I become a professional footballer instead of a fat miserable twat?

 

Because you are fat.

[goatboy59]

Well actually going on the rate today it is £36,961035.67 :whatever:

Are you sure? What about the travel agent's cut?

 

When I saw Rafa carrying a fucking big suitcase into Going Places, maybe I should have asked...

[goatboy59]

If anything proves the TLW formula

 

Praise for LFC/Rafa = good article

Criticism for LFC/Rafa = bad article

 

it's page 20 of this thread.

 

David Maddocks? Carrick and Fletcher? Jesus...

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

If anything proves the TLW formula

 

Praise for LFC/Rafa = good article

Criticism for LFC/Rafa = bad article

 

it's page 20 of this thread.

 

David Maddocks? Carrick and Fletcher? Jesus...

 

It's a bad article, which ever way you look at it.

[hamstrung]

Alberto Aquilani gamble could pay off for Liverpool - Telegraph

 

After the Anfield triumph of Fernando Torres, player of the tournament at the European Under-19 championship in 2004, Benitez has signed the brightest star from the 2003 edition.

 

Then, as captain of the victorious Italian side, Aquilani announced himself to the world. He played every minute of that tournament in Liechtenstein. By its end he was cast as heir to Francesco Totti, eternal idol in the Eternal City.

 

Elegant, stylish and creative, he plays deeper than Totti but shares the traits that have made the latter a star, rather than the snarling efficacy of immediate predecessor at Roma’s academy, Daniele De Rossi.

 

Aquilani’s talent has never been in question. Chelsea and Arsenal have both wanted to sign him since he was a youth player. Watching him dominate Frank Lampard, John Obi Mikel and Michael Ballack for 45 minutes at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League last season before withdrawing injured, it was not hard to see why.

 

Concerns mount, however, when it comes to his injury record. He can control tempo like Xabi Alonso, the man he will replace, and his passing range matches the Spaniard’s but will his body cope with the rigours of the Premier League?

 

Last season he started just 14 Serie A games for Roma, and the campaign before he played just 21 times in total. He is already playing catch-up this season as he has only started light training last week after ankle surgery in May.

 

His qualities may make him the best-qualified candidate to replace Alonso, but £20 million gamble taken by Benitez is whether he will be fit enough to display them.

[Uncle_Meat]

On the bright side, the annual Jewish invasion of Aberystwyth has started. Yesterday they had invaded Borth and Ynyslas before returning to complain about stuff at Morrisons.

 

 

Jews with hats+sunny beaches=Ace

 

Mornin' all.