I was very surprised to see Liverpool Alberto Aquilani left off the subs bench for the second game in a row yesterday. I thought it would be an ideal opportunity to show Reds boss Roy Hodgson what he can do on a football pitch. It seems likely now though that the Italian midfielder will not get his chance to shine in English football. Roy believes the Italian’s best interests would be served by returning to Italy to play matches and increase his match sharpness. He was not going to be guaranteed a place in the starting eleven and from this point of view I totally understand Roy’s decision.
Rumours from the Dutch press have also speculated that Dirk Kuyt could be on his way to rejoin Rafa Benitez at Inter Milan. He was also left out of the squad to play Trabzonspor yesterday and we were told that he was being “rested” but Kuyt’s agent Rob Jansen told Voetbal International:
“Yes, there is real interest from Inter, but Dirk has not decided yet whether he does want to leave Liverpool. He must think carefully before leaving. This is also a complicated transfer. Dirk Kuyt is a Liverpool player. He has an ongoing contract and was recently in the World Cup final. There will be a transfer fee involved. The deal can not simply go ahead. Regardless of the choice Dirk must first consider himself. He can move to Inter or just stay at Liverpool. This is a good position to be in.”
OK, I understand the need for Roy to put his own mark on the squad. If he his willing for the pair to leave I can completely go along with the fact that he believes that the future of the club lies elsewhere in terms of first team players. What I don’t understand though is the timing of these potential departures. While Aquilani looks certain to leave before the end of August probably to Juventus on loan, Kuyt’s departure does look less definite, but nevertheless why are these potential transfers taking place so late in the window?
On the Kuyt situation it is more understandable, he arrived late from the World Cup and Roy has only probably had a couple of weeks with him. Inter have only just got the £24million from Mario Balotelli’s transfer to Manchester City and so a bid might have been expected to come late in the window. On Aquilani though, Roy has been training with him since early July, couldn’t this have been done earlier?
It leaves us in a difficult position for our squad is not the biggest as it is, and the loss of one or perhaps three midfielders, if Mascherano does also depart, is problematic to say the least. I hope Roy has got some potential transfers lined up. If there is any truth to Kuyt’s departure from the club, it maybe due to the fact that if Masch doesn’t leave, there is little money to spend on new players and Kuyt could be sacrificed to fund new acquisitions.
If by the end of the transfer window though, the only other activity is that Aquilani has departed on loan then I would feel our squad could be much weaker. Christian Poulsen is a holding midfield player, and if Mascherano does stay it leaves us with three defensive players in Lucas, Poulsen and Mascherano while being one light in the attacking third with the Italian’s departure. I trust Roy to make the right decisions but the potential departure of first team players is worrying if there are not some quality players coming in to take their place. There was an interesting quote from Jansen about Kuyt’s transfer though:
“It is also an option that a player from Inter will be involved in the deal with Kuyt.”
I wonder who that could be?
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I knew Aquilani would be sold. He will never adapt to the Premier League and is homesick. Please let us not sign another homesick Italian.
Dirk Kuyt would be a surprise if he is sold but for me I would be glad. I respect Kuyt’s efforts but he is nothing but a workhorse. He lacks skill and technique and if you want to be a title winning club a player like Kuyt could only be a squad player. Benitez loves workhorses so let him have him for the right price.
Pity we let Steven Ireland go to Aston Villa, he would be a good replacement for Aquilani.
Oh stop moaning about the yanks Davie, this is RH’s decision, i’m sure he feels since he signed Cole we don’t need Aqua man which in my opinion is wrong if not naive because Cole won’t be the saviour everyone seems to think he’ll be, and what’s all this nonsense about Aquilani not adapting to english footie? he set up 4 goals and scored 2 in about 10 prem games at the end of last season what more can u ask for from an attacking midfielder, PLEASE TELL ME?
Another thing, everyone keeps going on about how home-sick he is when just this summer he came out and pledged his future to the club and vowed to show us LFC fans what he can do on the pitch and some of you still come out with “he’s home sick”, really???
I’m not at all happy with these rumours of our 1st team players leaving at this late stage of the transfer window, please Mr Hodgson I hope you have a plan because I can’t take another season like the 2009/10 season.
Davie,
Before you decide on another random outburst write the entire squad down 3 Goalkeepers, 4 Fullbacks, 4 centre halfs, 4 wingers, 4 centre midfielders, 4 forwards and select another 2 for your chosen position! Then in that 25 you must select 8 players classed as home based!
Some big decisions have to be made! Personally I thought the 3 to go where Lucas, Soto and there was a toss up between Babel and Aquilani.
Guess Babel is staying! Kuyt and Aquilani going!
Lucas is not a defensive midfielder, Benetiz made us defensive so he was made to play there! Poulsen Masch gerrard and lucas will not play at the same time! If gerrard is rested Lucas will play if Masch is rested Poulsen will play, simples really
He wants Ashley young no doubt about it
kuyt will not be sold but benitez will lose friends fast if he does not put a stop to disrupting lfc over two of our players – it only takes a bid or a not interested to do that
WHO RECCOMENDED THE TWO ITALIANS WE BOUGHT AND INSUA – PLEASE TELL ME HE’S GONE WITH RAFA
you can call roy hodgson a lot of things but stupid isn’t one of them! mark my words, old woy has something up his sleeve, perhaps rafael van der vaart!
as for dirk, please don’t make this a long drawn-out affair, don’t keep us in suspense, worrying ourselves sick and losing our fingernails…..JUST BLOODY GO MAN!
dirk kuyt is a fantastic player underated by people, he is our best hold up player, a great link up man, with great close control he makes goals, he scores goals, and works like a trojan, roy would never sell him, i will show my backside in lewis’s window if roy sells kuyt
stan howard you’ve fallen for it. the media has bought and sold you. turning fans against rafa? the chief scout macia is still employed by lfc.
have we bought anyone of any note yet? will joe cole be able to play in the hole? has roy really done such a wonderful job or have things just fallen into place for him? have you seen signs that our style of footy is going to be any better?
@stan, kuyt’s first touch is always so bad that his second is always a tackle, he can’t beat a man and his crosses very seldom get past the first man! yes he works hard, always giving 110%…..so does robbie savage and he’s a cabbage! we need more than SWEAT!
Questions
Can anybody point out anyother creative Central Midfielder in d squad aside gerard?
Can Poulsen, lucas, masch(if he stays) stand in if gerard is injured or rested?
Which other player can play in d hole behind d striker aside j.cole if steven g. is played in d preffered CM?
As j. Cole not be overhyped.
? 2 matches gone, are we noticing?
Can anyone ans?
Jonjo anybody?