There are not many teams out there that demand and divide opinion as much as Liverpool Football Club do and included in that are the players of Liverpool FC. One man who is still technically a Liverpool player and who tends to provoke debate is Alberto Aquilani. The Italian has spent the season at Juventus where he has done okay, but most importantly has stayed fit. The reasons behind his departure in August 2010 remain a bit of a mystery to me. Only two weeks prior to his leaving, Roy Hodgson had pin-pointed the midfielder as ‘looking good’ (along with Lucas). Whether Aquilani had asked for a move, unable to settle, hasn’t been made clear. He has always played his cards quite close to his chest; saying he loves it at Juventus while reminding people that he still belongs to Liverpool.
Aquilani has been a talking point seemingly all his professional life. Blessed with obvious talent and a great footballing brain, to use an old cliché. Injuries, however, have been his downfall. Heralded as the successor to Francesco Totti, perhaps unfairly, ‘Il Principo’ failed to take the crown off the legendary Roman. Injuries, often to his ankles, prevented his progression and when Rafa Benitez decided he could rebuild and re-mould the player, Roma took the bait. His first season at Liverpool started off as we all knew it would, with him injured. For some reason this didn’t stop people criticising him. In some quarters, he was unbelievably branded a flop before even kicking a ball. Which is ridiculously as what defines a ‘flop’ has changed over the years it seems. A flop used to be someone who couldn’t hack it at a certain level, now it’s whoever hasn’t made an instant impact.
Of course, some people couldn’t handle the fact Rafa had just replaced the popular Alonso with a player deemed crocked. I always felt criticisms were unfair though, and a lot depends on the standing of the manager on how much faith the fans give. Kenny Dalglish just spent £35m on an injured player, but no fan will question him, not that I disagree with the decision, but comparisons can be made.
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I rather think it vital for next year’s team depth that Aquilani returns.Never should he have been sent. He oozes class and reads games with a deal of intelligence. That was why he was bought ( even injured)as our medical team could banish his ankle problems. This they did but he must be given time to bed into KD’s tactical plans.. Once back.. Keep him!!!!
What are you talking about?!! Dictates games? He doesn’t do that in Italy, he would have no chance in the Premiership. This player would not get in the squad in front of Shelvey, Spearing and Cole. He is an average player who needs time and space on the ball. He has no pace, no tenacity and doesn’t score many goals. Please tell me what he would add to the team. Lucas dictates the play. He doesn’t score enough goals but he tackles, heads and covers every blade of grass. Mereiles does the scoring and offers an attacking threat. Gerrard is Gerrard. Shelvey has some of his captain about him. Joe Cole is an alternative in the Mereiles role. Spearing is an alternative in the Lucas role. Aquilani offers nothing.
So Warren you want us to bow to Juve and accept £5mill for him. I say bring him back and if he doesn’t work in the pre season games then sell him and we’d still get more than that pathetic offer. It’s time these clubs realise it’s no longer Hodgson at the helm to be pushed around.
I find it intesting that you feel Joe Cole is a viable alternative to Meireless but at this point in time he has not done anything that proves he is better than Aquilani who came to liverpool injured and was playing in England for the first time.
Unless Joe Cole comes up with 5 assists in his next 7 games, he would invaribly have performed worse than Aquilani.
Needless to say Joe Cole ought to have done better being an English man who has played his entire professional career in the premiership and came to the club very fit due to little game time at Chelsea.
Joe Cole at 30 may not have the time to improve while a 27 year old Aquilani can step up because time is on his side.
Meireless similarly struggled due to poor management and adjusting to the premiership in his earlier games but has since slot in brilliantly and its of course helped by a positive thinking manager so why cant people see the manager doing the same to Aquilani’s Liverpool career?
If both players are given time, we would be better and have strength in depth for all competitions we go for.
In my analysis, I used Joe Cole as an example of certain players being given more room to show their ability than others by fans and the media that are too quick to judge. It doesnt mean I am attacking Joe Cole but I see in Aquilani and Joe Cole, 2 liverpool players who are at a similar crossroads and should both be treated the same. Aquilani come back involves zero transfer fee and improved strength in depth and for that reason I cant understand fans who want him gone yet go on and mourn that City,Chelsea and United have big squads and use too much money for that when fans advocate liverpool trim squad quality players that may need time to show their ability.
United bought Anderson for £19mln years ago but he has not been a regular and has already extended his contract, same with Nani who is beginning to come good.
rant over.
Just keeping my fingers crossed that he’s our player next season!
very very well said.
It is getting increasingly likely that Juventus won’t be able to afford the 13m that will make Aquilani’s move permanent there is a big chance he’ll be back at Liverpool although other Italian clubs might come in for him.
Just because Raul is playing well at the moment for us doesn’t mean there’s no place for a player of Aquilani’s quality. His technical ability and game intelligence is excellent and we saw that towards the end of last season. Aquilani is a quality passer and would fit in well with the likes of Raul and Suarez. We have good players in his position right now but squad depth is what we lack. His return would also increase the competition for places in midfield which would send a message to other midfielders that their place in the starting XI is no longer guaranteed.
After last season, Aquilani has adapted to the rigours of English football and knows perfectly that he has less time on the ball and opposition players are more physical and aggressive. He has worked with most of the players here before and his technical ability, game intelligence and creativity is what Liverpool lack at times.
Of course, Roy is a fool to have let him leave on loan but that’s the past. If Juventus fail to pay the 13m then I’d be more than happy to see him return to Anfield. However, if he’s not in Kenny’s plans then sell him to some other Italian club for no less than 13m.
IF YOU REALLY KNEW LIVERPOOL FC, THEN YOU WOULDNT WANT THIS BLOKE ANYWHERE NEAR A NOW TIGHT WELL BALANCED, GOOD TEAM SPIRIT DRESSING ROOM.
FOR ALL YOU MUGS THAT THINK HE IS THAT GOOD, WELL I MA TELLING YOU I HAVE WATCHED 5-6 GAMES LIVE AND HE IS SLOW, HE HIDES WHNE THE GOING GETS TUFF. HE HATES WORKING HARD, HE CANT TACKLE, HE CANT RUN FAST OR PAST ANYONE.
THE GUY CAN PASS AND THATS ABOUT IT, PLEASE TAKE INTO THA FACT THE LEAGUE HE PLAYS IN IS SO POOR.
ALSO WHY ARE SO MANY OF YOU SKY SPORT NEE GENRATIN FANS SO THICK, THIS GUY WNATED TO JUMP ON THE 1ST PLANE BACK TO ITAY, WE GOT HIM FIT, PAY HIS WAGES AND GIVE HIM HIS MOVE BACK TO HIS HOME LAND, AND YOU WANT THIS TURN COAT INA RED SHIRT,,,, NO THANKS, NOT FORM MY MONEY ,,, NO WAY, I AM NOT HAVING ANOTHER TORRES STORY, WE HAVE ALREADY HAD MASCHERANO AND ALONSO, THEN TORRES, I WANT PLAYERS ARE WANTING TO BE HERE, NO MONEY GRABBING,NOT GOOD TIME CHARLIES’S
WAKE UP LFC FANS(OR SO CALLED) YOU TAKE THIS GUY BACK, WHY,,, HE IS S***E AT BEST AND HIS ATTITUDE IS A JOKE, SELL THE WAPP…
say again?
How many times does Xavi run with the ball or go past players for Barca?
Simple – he doesn’t!
Aquilani is similar in that his vision & excellent technique allows him to play one & two touch football…this fits in perfectly with the pass & move football we are currently playing under the King…
STOP SHOUTING!!!!
I’m not quite sure why you’re shouting sam…but anyway…
to go back to one of your “points”.. I wanted to remind you that Alonso left because Rafa kept trying to sell him…and ultimately, RB’s lack of communication skills and intent to get rid of Xabi, left him in a position where he felt he had to leave.
Do not compare Xabi with the likes of Masch, Owen and FT
and Warren needs to learn more about football. Fair enough, he does need time and space on the ball, but it’s fair to say that he hasn’t had enough match-time to adjust to the fast-paced game that we entertain over here 😉 to say he’s average is not only an unfair claim, but it’s also ludicrous. At Juve, Melo breaks up play and Aquilani distributes (he dictates the play). Other examples include gattuso & pirlo (few years back), busquets & xavi, mascherano & alonso, de rossi & pizarro etc. He will end up eating his words if Aquilani comes back.
YNWA
no doubt he’s talented but is he suited to the rough and tumble of the premier league..??
and who wud he replace?? and if he plays with meireles like u say, there wud be no place for a winger, and width is our biggest problem…and his wages are too high to be a benchwarmer, it wud be a waste of money…
i wud sell him, but for no less than £11m…
So fans want to keep Cole on 100 grand a week and Aquilani on 85 grand a week for squad depth-do you fans remember that NESV are the people who remarked on how high the wage bill is? I thought this club was wanted by the fans to take the youth system seriously but yet certain fans want the likes of Aquilani and Cole taking up spaces on the bench. Aquilani after a supposedly promising start is now even struggling in Serie A. Liverpool should ask Roma for their money back and ask Benitez for the wages Liverpool paid this player last season.
all, aquilani is a good footballer . . .fact. you don’t have to be built like a brick s**thouse to survive in the EPL, thats total rubbish. The first 4/5 match that Meireles played he was so lightweight it scared me . . .but you could see the class shining . . . .he still gets knocked off the ball easily, but only when he’s dwelled a little longer than he should . . .although he is ‘dwelling’ less and less and thats why he’s becoming an incredible buy for us. Aquilani can learn the same as raul has done.
but to the major major problem, he doesn’t want to play for us or play in the EPL so with that in mind . . . . 15 million and F**k off. YNWA
Agree with “meireles”. Unlike Babel, we really haven’t given this guy a chance to prove himself. Anyone who says that he didn’t play well when he did played needs to watch him again. He has goal scoring ability and we shouldn’t write him off now. We’re liverpool fans fgs, COME ON !!
YNWA
Yap,yap,yap …..it’s all down to the king!Personally, AQUA is talent not many believed but I do!Hope the king will think so too…