can someone honestly explain the signing of Aquilani?

[chrisbonnie]

this is not a piss take, im being honest here

 

why did Rafa spend so much money on this guy and then just refuses to play him?

 

besides, isnt he supposed to play just behind the striker....if so, isnt that where Gerrard plays now?

 

seriously, why????

 

does even Rafa know

[Dicko]

He was ill tonight.

[chrisbonnie]

this is not a piss take, im being honest here

 

exactly why did Rafa spend so much money on a guy to leave on the bench

 

besides, isnt he supposed to play just behind the striker....if so, isnt that where Gerrard plays now?

 

seriously, why????

 

does Rafa even know?

[Newport]

Keep up with the news before you post shit threads like this.

[Randy Marsh]

Ill, therefor unavailable.

[piscinin]

this is not a piss take, im being honest here

 

why did Rafa spend so much money on this guy and then just refuses to play him?

 

besides, isnt he supposed to play just behind the striker....if so, isnt that where Gerrard plays now?

 

seriously, why????

 

does even Rafa know

 

He was going to sacrifice a defensive CM. Alas the defence imploded and proved they needed both.

[Brownie]

He was unavailable tonight, although if he'd been fit I still think Rafa would have gone with Lucas and Mascherano; he really likes the pairing.

[Randy Marsh]

I think he would have played tonight to be honest, and i agree with him being on the bench Saturday. Last thing I'd want to do is risk a player returning from a long injury lay off against them clogging bastards.

[chrisbonnie]

the thread says can someone explain the signing

 

not can someone expain why he didnt play tonight

 

mind you, i didnt hear about the illness anyway ;)

 

but the question still stands, why did he sign him?

[Soleilrouge]

not playing tonight because ngog was flying in training

 

signed because rafa had to cover his ass when we lost alonso and did not get barry

[Jose Jones]

He was unavailable tonight, although if he'd been fit I still think Rafa would have gone with Lucas and Mascherano; he really likes the pairing.

 

I don’t think Rafa really likes the pairing of Lucas and Mascherano – I think he feels it’s necessary with our resources at the moment.

But then I still hold out a bit of hope that Rafa isn’t completely stupid.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Because you touch yourself.

[zigackly]

He was going to sacrifice a defensive CM. Alas the defence imploded and proved they needed both.

 

If we had midfielders capable of keeping quality posession this would not be so evident.

[Randy Marsh]

the thread says can someone explain the signing

 

not can someone expain why he didnt play tonight

 

mind you, i didnt hear about the illness anyway ;)

 

but the question still stands, why did he sign him?

 

He was signed on a 5 year contract, one for the longterm. He was injured longer than expected and it's clear that we thought we'd have him in sooner than we did, and that the team would have started the season better than we did. That didn't happen and he's come back in to a side not playing the type of football we know we can. He's looked short on fitness, understandably, and is still to tune in to English football. We won't see the best of him until next season, when he has had a full press season under his belt. Therefor I am more than willing to give the lad a chance and do not expect him to be flying in to things and hitting top form after the massive lay off and lack of football over the past 4 years.

[Kevin D]

He was going to sacrifice a defensive CM. Alas the defence imploded and proved they needed both.

 

Is "imploded" fair,though? We've only conceeded 14 goals from open play, which isn't exactly disastorous. Also I would make the arguement that a more attacking or expansive game would see the defence put under a lot less pressure (teams in this league should be scared to attack us, as they are the Mancs) and gradually inspire confidence from our backline.

[Code]

the thread says can someone explain the signing

 

not can someone expain why he didnt play tonight

 

mind you, i didnt hear about the illness anyway ;)

 

but the question still stands, why did he sign him?

 

Because Macia has been taking classes with Harry.

[Jose Jones]

the thread says can someone explain the signing

 

not can someone expain why he didnt play tonight

 

mind you, i didnt hear about the illness anyway ;)

 

but the question still stands, why did he sign him?

 

Rafa thought Aquilani would be able to bring some passing and vision to the midfield with a bit of ability to get forward create and score the odd goal. He thought it was worth the risk that he’d been basically injured for 2 whole years and wouldn’t be available until November, as he had the ability to be a top player.

Unfortunately I think it looks like he wasn’t worth the risk as he’s barely been fit, and not looked that great and our season has been abysmal. Mind you we’re only paying in instalments – so there is a bright side!

[Faustus]

I'm not slagging him off because I think he's a good player, but I just don't see how he's going to fit into our system. Rafa said he was signed as replacement for Alonso, but to me, they look totally different players. Alonso's somebody who can get stuck in in the middle of the park and dictate play from deep, whereas Aquilani looks to me like he needs to play further up the field to have any influence in the game.

 

Personally, I'd sacrifice a holding player and have Gerrard and Aquilani behind Torres, but I can't see Rafa doing that at all, so I'm unsure where he's going to fit in, to be honest.

[Dicko]

Rafa thought Aquilani would be able to bring some passing and vision to the midfield with a bit of ability to get forward create and score the odd goal. He thought it was worth the risk that he’d been basically injured for 2 whole years and wouldn’t be available until November, as he had the ability to be a top player.

Unfortunately I think it looks like he wasn’t worth the risk as he’s barely been fit, and not looked that great and our season has been abysmal. Mind you we’re only paying in instalments – so there is a bright side!

 

Can't argue with any of that. As someone who's behind the manager and without wanting to prejudge the boy, I can't in all honesty say I've seen anything in him that has left me feeling more than slightly underwhelmed.

 

Probably a tad unfair, but you can only say what you see.

[chrisbonnie]

Personally, I'd sacrifice a holding player and have Gerrard and Aquilani behind Torres, but I can't see Rafa doing that at all, so I'm unsure where he's going to fit in, to be honest.

 

thats what id like to see, and thats what confuses me about the whole situation

 

surely when you sign a player you have a particular idea on how and where you're going to play him

 

yet with aquilani it seems nobody knows what he's here for

[loadsoftrophies]

If Torres doesn't play then there's no use in having Gerrard playing behind the front man he's just lost up there without Torres. He has to drop back into the middle as the evidence stacks up with everygame that Gerrard is being wasted. I'd love to see his influence back in the middle until Torres comes back.

[Jose Jones]

Personally, I'd sacrifice a holding player and have Gerrard and Aquilani behind Torres, but I can't see Rafa doing that at all, so I'm unsure where he's going to fit in, to be honest.

 

I think that was the plan, to have Gerrard and Aquilani interchange, and both able to go forward.

[The Dude Abides]

His signing still puzzles me to be honest. Just a massive contradiction in styles really. Hre'ed be good ina nice tippy tappy side. Like Roma were, like Arsenal are, Barca are. But with us? Where most of our lads can't be arsed to pass the ball and then move into space? Who'll leave you run into three players without daring to venture from their "zone" to offer an outlet? Even Fabregas would struggle to influence a game in our side.

 

Even forgetting his injury record, and forgetting that he was fucking injured when we signed the lad? A real head scratcher.

 

just one this season i'd like to see

 

-----Masch

Aquilani--Gerrard

 

and just see them express themselves on a footballl pitch and not be fucking bothered with standing zones.

[Ted]

Sneijder for £13m would have been a very decent alternative to this.

[El Rojo]

this is not a piss take, im being honest here

 

why did Rafa spend so much money on this guy and then just refuses to play him?

 

besides, isnt he supposed to play just behind the striker....if so, isnt that where Gerrard plays now?

 

seriously, why????

 

does even Rafa know

 

Don't even go there, girlfriend.