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Rafa: Aquilani Close to First Team Debut!

WhiskeyJar

By WhiskeyJar,
in FF - Football Forum

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JohnnyH Grand Master

JohnnyH

Posted
Posted
That he was genuinely concerned about Aquailiani's fitness even if it might be missguided

 

So the next game comes around and Rafa plays him then? Does that game mean Rafa has lost the plot? Does this charade go on game after game until Rafa eventually plays him and then you can declare Rafa's lost the plot?

 

I think even you know your comment makes absolutely no sense at all.

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Brownie Grand Master

Brownie

Posted
Posted
tricky, we only went 2-0 after 80 so he could possibly have chucked him for the last 10...however we weren't exactly cruising were we! and that's not even discussing the roughness...

 

Right, taking all of the the information into account that you've provided me with during this discussion, it seems that a player returning from injury, shouldn't be given minutes in any of the following circumstances:

 

When the score is level.

When we're winning by one goal.

When we're winning by two goals but playing against a 'physical' team.

 

Interesting.

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zigackly Grand Master

zigackly

Posted
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Where are these quotes about him needing to improve his tackling etc?

 

"I think the fans will get to see the best of Aquilani this season. It is a question of time"

 

"Only yesterday he scored an amazing goal in training. We had two. Fabio Aurélio scored with a volley from 30 metres and then Aquilani scored with a left-footed chip over [José] Reina. It was very, very good, and he showed touches of quality. His movement on the pitch is very clever but there are things he needs to improve, like tackling. We want to use him as much as we can this season, starting against Fiorentina."

 

"One of the problems we had was that we were watching him training every single day and the people were expecting to see him on the pitch. I think he will show his quality and touch against Fiorentina, but his match fitness will not be the same as the others. Hopefully he can play well. He has good movement and is clever and will take up good positions."

 

"We understand the fans are frustrated because the staff are frustrated, too. We want to give him minutes on the pitch but when the team is not playing well it is the worst time to introduce a new player. We are trying to do the best for the team but also the best for the player."

 

"After four months without playing 90 minutes, and just training in the gym, the pool and on the bicycle, it would be a problem to put someone in from the start of a Premier League game. It doesn't matter about the quality or the value of the player; in this situation you are playing physical teams and so you have to introduce the player little by little."

 

[sauce]

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Brownie Grand Master

Brownie

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Posted
"I think the fans will get to see the best of Aquilani this season. It is a question of time"

 

"Only yesterday he scored an amazing goal in training. We had two. Fabio Aurélio scored with a volley from 30 metres and then Aquilani scored with a left-footed chip over [José] Reina. It was very, very good, and he showed touches of quality. His movement on the pitch is very clever but there are things he needs to improve, like tackling. We want to use him as much as we can this season, starting against Fiorentina."

 

"One of the problems we had was that we were watching him training every single day and the people were expecting to see him on the pitch. I think he will show his quality and touch against Fiorentina, but his match fitness will not be the same as the others. Hopefully he can play well. He has good movement and is clever and will take up good positions."

 

"We understand the fans are frustrated because the staff are frustrated, too. We want to give him minutes on the pitch but when the team is not playing well it is the worst time to introduce a new player. We are trying to do the best for the team but also the best for the player."

 

"After four months without playing 90 minutes, and just training in the gym, the pool and on the bicycle, it would be a problem to put someone in from the start of a Premier League game. It doesn't matter about the quality or the value of the player; in this situation you are playing physical teams and so you have to introduce the player little by little."

 

[sauce]

 

Thanks, mate.

 

I just find it all so contradictory. That bit in bold for instance; that is the opposite of what has happened! He hasn't been introduced little by little, he's had one 15 minute cameo (when he looked really good) and then will have a start!

 

It's just bizarre and my view is that Rafa has been happy with the Mascherano/Lucas axis and hasn't wanted to break it up.

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Royal Family Proficient

Royal Family

Posted
Posted
Where are these quotes about him needing to improve his tackling etc?

 

In terms of his movements on the pitch, he is very clever. But in terms of his tackling, he needs to improve. We need to use him as much as we can and we will start now. I think he will do well this season and he will play even better in the next season and the one after that. He will need time to become more suitable.”

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Brownie Grand Master

Brownie

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In terms of his movements on the pitch, he is very clever. But in terms of his tackling, he needs to improve. We need to use him as much as we can and we will start now. I think he will do well this season and he will play even better in the next season and the one after that. He will need time to become more suitable.”

 

The cynic in me reads that as, 'it will take time to turn him into a robot'!

 

I'll fight those thoughts for now though and just see how he does.

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zigackly Grand Master

zigackly

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That bit in bold for instance; that is the opposite of what has happened! He hasn't been introduced little by little, he's had one 15 minute cameo (when he looked really good) and then will have a start!

 

Bear in mind that 15 minute cameo was over five weeks ago as well. It's hard to work it out; the only thing I can call it is overly cautious. As I said above, ok there's a risk he could get injured, but that could happen in training. There's a risk he could lose the ball attacking because he's off the pace, but there's also the chance his skill could shine through and he could set up a goal with a quality pass. Catch22 is always going on about Rafa being a gambler, well if that's true he seems to gamble with everything except for taking risks during games. I'm glad the lad is starting tomorrow night, but he could have already had four or five more cameos by now and be much sharper. I personally doubt we could have played any worse with him on the pitch. We've been clueless anyway.

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Brownie Grand Master

Brownie

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Bear in mind that 15 minute cameo was over five weeks ago as well. It's hard to work it out; the only thing I can call it is overly cautious. As I said above, ok there's a risk he could get injured, but that could happen in training. There's a risk he could lose the ball attacking because he's off the pace, but there's also the chance his skill could shine through and he could set up a goal with a quality pass. Catch22 is always going on about Rafa being a gambler, well if that's true he seems to gamble with everything except for taking risks during games. I'm glad the lad is starting tomorrow night, but he could have already had four or five more cameos by now and be much sharper. I personally doubt we could have played any worse with him on the pitch. We've been clueless anyway.

 

I genuinely believe that it's because Rafa is very happy with how Mascherano and Lucas are performing as a pair. I remember he was asked after the Lyon game (away) why Aquilani hadn't been introduced and he said it was because, 'Lucas and Mascherano were controlling the game'.

 

It's the only plausible explanation for me.

 

I can understand us being a bit cautious with an injury prone player but even that is contradictory to an extent. If you're so worried about his fitness issues, then why spend £20M on him in the first place?

 

It makes little sense.

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