Has Alberto Fucked the Arse off Montse?

[Warwick Hunt]

Another 'confidence' player in my opinion.

 

Much more chance of players like that doing well from the start though, rather than coming on as a sub.

 

I'll reserve judgement until i've seen him play a full season whilst fit but I'm still 50/50 on whether he's going to be the answer.

[James]

[Kennys_spell]

I think he's a really, really good player. Look at his last few appearances:

 

Tonight - scored and was brilliant in the first half.

Burnley - assists.

Fulham - Most likely player to score before being dragged off.

Portsmouth - scored, MOTM.

 

He's a really good player, but Benitez just doesn't rate him.

 

There could be another explanation - that Benitez knows what his fitness levels are like and is trying to build those levels up and use him sparingly.

 

Aquilani's performance in the first half was nothing short of fantastic last night - in the second half fitness let him down and prevented him from being as effective. It wasn't anything to do with Benitez not liking him as a player.

[zigackly]

I disagree Kenny, I don't see how he can possibly get match fit with the sparing use of him we've seen this season. If he'd played more since overcoming his injury there is no doubt he would have lasted a lot longer last night. It's science!

[Kennys_spell]

I disagree Kenny, I don't see how he can possibly get match fit with the sparing use of him we've seen this season. If he'd played more since overcoming his injury there is no doubt he would have lasted a lot longer last night. It's science!

 

 

It's not science - it's flawed logic. They do go to train at Melwood you know. Fitness is gained there - when he's fit enough to last a full game at full throttle then the match fitness thing kicks in.

 

The science bit is not flogging him to death match after match but giving him time to recover and get stronger in a controlled environment and not pick up another injury. I would imagine that his level of fitness would have been a massive surprise to everyone at Anfiled.

[zigackly]

If you're correct, then he's had more than long enough training at Melwood to be able to last a full match! Hoist by your own petard there, I'm afraid.

[Kennys_spell]

If you're correct, then he's had more than long enough training at Melwood to be able to last a full match! Hoist by your own petard there, I'm afraid.

 

More flawed logic - of course you're basing that claim on the fact that you know exactly how fit he was when he arrived - No?

 

The fact that he's only played something like 70 games in 3 seasons (Prior to arriving) MUST tell you something about how unfit he was, the fact that in any run of games he had he stalled due to another injury, the fact that he kept getting these injuries suggests that his fitness was very very poor and was being rushed back too soon.

 

Given that he's been at the Club for approx 8 months, two of which was spent with him getting over the ankle injury he came with, another month of which was spent with him getting over another injury he picked up with being rushed back. Another two months spent getting a BASIC level of fitness after recovering from these injuries leaves him Five months (split over two periods) to get fit enough for the Premiership - the most physically demanding league in the world.

 

And you suggest that's enough time for him?

 

Really?

[zigackly]

Yep.

[ste1998]

I agree that none of us know the ful extent of his fitness or lack there of. But my issue is that tere have been times when he has been on the bench and with 25 minutes to go we could have really used his abilities to openj up a defense and instead of him being able to do that, he spent his time rooted to the bench.

 

I really dont think he needs to adjust to the Premier League. I think the Premier League needs to adjust to him because he is just that talented. When he has started, when has he ever looked weak or slow?

Every time he starts, he looks like he is 5 yards ahead of everyone because those first 5 yards are in the head.

[Kennys_spell]

I agree that none of us know the ful extent of his fitness or lack there of. But my issue is that tere have been times when he has been on the bench and with 25 minutes to go we could have really used his abilities to openj up a defense and instead of him being able to do that, he spent his time rooted to the bench.

 

I really dont think he needs to adjust to the Premier League. I think the Premier League needs to adjust to him because he is just that talented. When he has started, when has he ever looked weak or slow?

Every time he starts, he looks like he is 5 yards ahead of everyone because those first 5 yards are in the head.

 

Like you, I agree - none of us know the full extent of his fitness. I can only make guesses at why he stayed on the bench and what I would suggest is that he and his fitness is being managed very carefully by Benitez so we can see the best of him in seasons to come. I would imagine the thinking behind him being on the bench in the first place was that if we were to go two or three goals up then he could be introduced for the last 20 mins to get the pace/match fitness needed. The vast majority of those games you talk about we haven't had the lead needed to allow Benitez to do this.

[ste1998]

I would imagine the thinking behind him being on the bench in the first place was that if we were to go two or three goals up then he could be introduced for the last 20 mins to get the pace/match fitness needed. The vast majority of those games you talk about we haven't had the lead needed to allow Benitez to do this.

You do that for youngsters and players who arent quite up to the challenge though, dont you think? I mean thats how I expect Pacheco to be dealt with next year.

 

With Aquilani, he has looked like the real deal every time out. So I think you could have taken that risk and introduced him for 20-25 minutes in the games where we were desperate of just having another player on the pitch that could play pass-move type of football.

 

Games like: Wolves away after he had a great game vs Spurs. Or, Blackburn away.

Yes, both teams are roughhouses but I really think he can deal with that. He has no fear of bully boys, its makes him look even better because he is smarter than them.

[Brownie]

I've now come to the conclusion that no matter how bizarre a situation becomes, there will always be someone who will see the logic and try to explain it away. To say that Benitez has been using Aquilani effectively by using him sparingly is so fucking wrong that it almost defies belief.

 

He's been an unused sub on plenty of occasions; how is 0 minutes any good whatsoever for someone's match fitness? Training at Melwood is nothing compared to actually playing games. Here's some games he's been an unused sub for:

 

Woves A

Everton H

Unirea A

Blackburn H

Lille A

West Ham H

Atletico A

 

In several of those games, we either drew or lost and needed goals yet he was totally ignored. Last night, Burnley, Portsmouth, Fulham etc makes an absolute fucking mockery of the Benitez's use of Aquilani this season. An absolute mockery.

 

The truth is, he prefers a pairing of Mascherano/Lucas and that should be the final nail in his coffin because it's a fucking joke of a situation.

[The Acolyte]

Maybe you guys should do a bit of research on how Roma fucked this kid up. Thats the main reason we got him on the cheap. Here's another theory, maybe Rafa knows what he's doing especially when it comes to players with long term injuries. I seem to recall any hopes he had of getting out of the Real Madrid B' team back in his playing days were wrecked due to piss poor management of an injury he sustained. Maybe this is a rare case of Rafa caring too much.

[zigackly]

Certainly worked for Kewell.

[hobbit]

It's not science - it's flawed logic. They do go to train at Melwood you know. Fitness is gained there - when he's fit enough to last a full game at full throttle then the match fitness thing kicks in.

 

The science bit is not flogging him to death match after match but giving him time to recover and get stronger in a controlled environment and not pick up another injury. I would imagine that his level of fitness would have been a massive surprise to everyone at Anfiled.

I'm really glad we're getting him fit for pre season.

[dirty_sanchez]

I can see what Kenny's Spell is getting at, but I think it's more likely one of two things:

 

1) Rafa doesn't know how to accomodate him in the side.

2) Rafa is worried about his fitness to the extent that he has no faith in his ability to complete the required number of minutes in a game.

 

Probably a bit of both to be honest.

[zico]

Fantastic first half, but exposed as a defensive liability in the second, hence he was subbed....

 

A good player that Rafa does not trust due to his defensive flaws.... Which should have been sniffed out by our scouts.... But then again we had no money and Roma owed us money...

 

Can be a grerat player for us next season if Rafa/new manager trusts him to play in front of Gerrard and Gerrard plays in midfield.....

[Kennys_spell]

You do that for youngsters and players who arent quite up to the challenge though, dont you think? I mean thats how I expect Pacheco to be dealt with next year.

 

With Aquilani, he has looked like the real deal every time out. So I think you could have taken that risk and introduced him for 20-25 minutes in the games where we were desperate of just having another player on the pitch that could play pass-move type of football.

 

Games like: Wolves away after he had a great game vs Spurs. Or, Blackburn away.

Yes, both teams are roughhouses but I really think he can deal with that. He has no fear of bully boys, its makes him look even better because he is smarter than them.

 

I'm not disagreeing that Aquilani looks the part - I think he'll be a massive influence for us when we win the League next year. I just think that managing him now in the short term will reap dividends in the long term.

 

I would think that the management have said something along the lines of 'Look let's be realistic - this season has been shite, complete and utter shite so what will we gain by risking Aqui man in these games. Let's just manage him and his fitness to the micro level and that will give us a much better return in seasons to come'.

 

I can understand that approach - I may not like it when we get results like we got at Wolves and others but I think I can understand it.

 

Of course if Aquilani fails to deliver I want all of them stood against a wall and to throw tennis balls dipped in shit at them.

[Kennys_spell]

A good player that Rafa does not trust due to his defensive flaws....

 

What did he do wrong defensively?

 

Which should have been sniffed out by our scouts.... But then again we had no money and Roma owed us money...

 

Can be a grerat player for us next season if Rafa/new manager trusts him to play in front of Gerrard and Gerrard plays in midfield.....

 

I don't get this 'Lack of trust' claim - don't you think it could simply be that they are taking care of him?

[Kennys_spell]

I've now come to the conclusion that no matter how bizarre a situation becomes, there will always be someone who will see the logic and try to explain it away. To say that Benitez has been using Aquilani effectively by using him sparingly is so fucking wrong that it almost defies belief.

 

He's been an unused sub on plenty of occasions; how is 0 minutes any good whatsoever for someone's match fitness? Training at Melwood is nothing compared to actually playing games. Here's some games he's been an unused sub for:

 

Woves A

Everton H

Unirea A

Blackburn H

Lille A

West Ham H

Atletico A

 

In several of those games, we either drew or lost and needed goals yet he was totally ignored. Last night, Burnley, Portsmouth, Fulham etc makes an absolute fucking mockery of the Benitez's use of Aquilani this season. An absolute mockery.

 

The truth is, he prefers a pairing of Mascherano/Lucas and that should be the final nail in his coffin because it's a fucking joke of a situation.

 

I don't agree with you.

[zigackly]

I don't agree with you.

 

Ditto ;)

 

Brownie is absolutely spot on though.

[Red Nick]

Aqualani proved again today (whilst we had a competitive football match) that he can cut it at the top level

 

My only reservation is you Need a Player like Mascher in the 3 and not a Lucas.