Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 12/13

rossc007

MD1990 wrote: »

the games i saw he wasn't great
i remember he was very good against Portsmouth
so i prosumed he wasn't great in alot of the other games too since he wasn't kept for the 10/11 but seems i was wrong

Huh? That makes literally no sense.

Melion

MD1990 wrote: »

the games i saw he wasn't great
i remember he was very good against Portsmouth
so i prosumed he wasn't great in alot of the other games too since he wasn't kept for the 10/11 but seems i was wrong

That's the problem with presuming things.

Mr Alan

Leiva wrote: »

Put an acceptable price on the transfer, so I know what point not to engage if we have been buggered again .:P

£10m-£12m

£15m wouldn't be a disaster or over-payment of Carroll-esque proportions, but it'd be more than I'd be willing to pay.

Leiva

Mr Alan wrote: »

£10m-£12m

£15m wouldn't be a disaster or over-payment of Carroll-esque proportions, but it'd be more than I'd be willing to pay.

IF his wages are the reported £40k a week then that's under £2 mil a year.

Over say a four year contract that could be a saving of over £4 million when compared to the wages other young potential crap on the books .

I could live with that .

mike65

opr wrote: »

Good source on RAWK says the Allen deal is done.

Opr

You're a page late! :mad:

Francie Barrett

No one is questioning that Aquilani doesn't have some kind of ability. I mean he's been called up the Italian national team for a reason.

The problem with Aquilani is more with his mentality than anything else. That is way 4 Liverpool managers have over looked him and why Milan and Juventus didn't take up their option to buy him permanently.

Kess73

MD1990 wrote: »

how many did he get?
i did miss quite alot of games during that season so he must have played well in those games?

7 assists from 26 games (13 starts and 13 from the bench with 7 of those sub appearances coming in the 80 minutes or later)


Not a bad return for a guy who did not get a lot of game time.

Guess who else did well in terms of assists that season? Insua. Another guy who was unfairly criticised, imho of course.

Melion

Francie Barrett wrote: »

No one is questioning that Aquilani doesn't have some kind of ability. I mean he's been called up the Italian national team for a reason.

The problem with Aquilani is more with his mentality than anything else. That is way 4 Liverpool managers have over looked him and why Milan and Juventus didn't take up their option to buy him permanently.

4 Liverpool managers? I count 3

Kess73

Mr Alan wrote: »

£10m-£12m

£15m wouldn't be a disaster or over-payment of Carroll-esque proportions, but it'd be more than I'd be willing to pay.

Would rate him around the £10m mark myself. As you say anything over that would not be a crazy overspend, but it would be an overspend.

Francie Barrett

Melion wrote: »

4 Liverpool managers? I count 3

Benitez, Woy, Kenny, Rodgers.

missingtime

TouchlineDrama ‏@TouchlineDrama
Nevertheless, with the departure of Aquilani, added to Aurélio, Kuyt and Rodríguez, Liverpool will save in excess of £15m per year in wages.

That's probably going towards Allen.

Melion

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Benitez, Woy, Kenny, Rodgers.

How exactly did Rafa overlook him? By signing him, playing him when fit and actually have him looking like a £20m player? If Rafa had kept his job that summer there's no way we would be having this discussion because Aquilani would be a more important player for us than Lucas.

tok9

With all this talk of saving money on wages to get Allen, does this mean we blew our budget on Borini at only 10 million!

Have we any money to spend?

Edit: That is me exaggerating but I think a lot of us will be disappointed by our transfers come the end of the window.

murpho999

Melion wrote: »

How exactly did Rafa overlook him? By signing him, playing him when fit and actually have him looking like a £20m player? If Rafa had kept his job that summer there's no way we would be having this discussion because Aquilani would be a more important player for us than Lucas.

Some people have short memories. He was definitely overlooked by Rafa for a lot of games when he was fit.

Francie Barrett

Melion wrote: »

How exactly did Rafa overlook him? By signing him, playing him when fit and actually have him looking like a £20m player? If Rafa had kept his job that summer there's no way we would be having this discussion because Aquilani would be a more important player for us than Lucas.

Melion

murpho999 wrote: »

Some people have short memories. He was definitely overlooked by Rafa for a lot of games when he was fit.

I remember it being very well known that he wasnt fully fit until March that season. He also played him in our most important game that season and Aquilani got man of the match.

Melion

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Sorry but I never "get" things like that

Mr Alan

Melion wrote: »

How exactly did Rafa overlook him? By signing him, playing him when fit and actually have him looking like a £20m player? If Rafa had kept his job that summer there's no way we would be having this discussion because Aquilani would be a more important player for us than Lucas.

In fairness, I really like Aquilani as a player & think people know my feelings on Rafa, but there was spells when Aquilani was fit & Rafa didn't play him toward the end of that season.

Personally I don't think it was because he didn't rate him, I just think Rafa kind of had his back to the wall & the team & Rafa was under immense scrutiny & at the receiving end of huge levels of criticism - Rafa likely didn't see that as an ideal way to bring Aquilani into the fold & expose him to that as well as wanting to stick by the players he knew best & who'd had his back in previous similar spells.

Personally I think it was one of Rafa's biggest mistakes as when he did play, Aquilani was generally very impressive.

Leiva

Melion wrote: »

Sorry but I never "get" things like that

He basically called you a sad one balled gimp that loves the cock.



I wouldn't take that shít .

Who's trolling now Mother fúcker

Melion

Mr Alan wrote: »

In fairness, I really like Aquilani as a player & think people know my feelings on Rafa, but there was spells when Aquilani was fit & Rafa didn't play him toward the end of that season.

Personally I don't think it was because he didn't rate him, I just think Rafa kind of had his back to the wall & the team & Rafa was under immense scrutiny & at the receiving end of huge levels of criticism - Rafa likely didn't see that as an ideal way to bring Aquilani into the fold & expose him to that as well as wanting to stick by the players he knew best & who'd had his back in previous similar spells.

Personally I think it was one of Rafa's biggest mistakes as when he did play, Aquilani was generally very impressive.

That is exactly my feelings on the situation. Rafa knew he was fighting for his job, I don't look at it as a negative thing towards Aquilani in any way.

Kess73

Melion wrote: »

I remember it being very well known that he wasnt fully fit until March that season. He also played him in our most important game that season and Aquilani got man of the match.

In fairness Murph has a point as well. Aquilani was an unused sub for 11 or 12 games that season, and as I said earlier 7 of his 13 sub appearances did come in the 80th minute or later.


I do remember being quite puzzled and annoyed at times when I saw him being brought on in the 88th or 90th minute of games.


Aquilani's abilities were wasted at our club imho as over the past two seasons he would have been a better option in CM or in AM than some of what we had, but he has also turned out to be a massive waste of money by the club.

The loan deals were a joke and there should really only have been one simple thing said to each manager regarding the player.

Play him or sell him.

Kess73

Leiva wrote: »

He basically called you a sad one balled gimp that loves the cock.



I wouldn't take that **** .

Who's trolling now Mother fúcker

He did suggest that he would look spiffy in a monocle though, so it is not all bad.


And you know where to shove your white text.

Melion

Kess73 wrote: »

In fairness Murph has a point as well. Aquilani was an unused sub for 11 or 12 games that season, and as I said earlier 7 of his 13 sub appearances did come in the 80th minute or later.


I do remember being quite puzzled and annoyed at times when I saw him being brought on in the 88th or 90th minute of games.


Aquilani's abilities were wasted at our club imho as over the past two seasons he would have been a better option in CM or in AM than some of what we had, but he has also turned out to be a massive waste of money by the club.

The loan deals were a joke and there should really only have been one simple thing said to each manager regarding the player.

Play him or sell him.

Like I said, he never stood a chance under Hodgson who preferred Christian Poulsen ffs. Kenny wanted Adam to play instead of Aquilani, speaks for itself really. I stand by what I said earlier, if Rafa keeps the job in 2010, Aquilani becomes a huge player for us.

Knex*

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Funnily enough, i seem to remember Reina giving Enrique a bollocking in every other game for a large part of last season. Reina was poor enough himself but Enrique hung him on a fair few occasions.

The sight of Enrique annoys me, when you see him with the ball you know something really stupid is going to happen.

True actually, I can remember him roaring at him a couple of times alright.

Also, when Reina was talking about his team mates before one of the finals, he got to Enrique and said, "Enrique...He's a nice guy". :pac:

It's preseason so I wouldn't be so quick to throw Enrique out quite yet, give him some time and hopefully he can produce the performances again. His current level is a worry though.

BorneTobyWilde

noodler

All the Enrique bashing is justified but isn't amazing how our opinions of him have chnaged in just one year?

What a fall from grace.

Kess73

Melion wrote: »

Like I said, he never stood a chance under Hodgson who preferred Christian Poulsen ffs. Kenny wanted Adam to play instead of Aquilani, speaks for itself really. I stand by what I said earlier, if Rafa keeps the job in 2010, Aquilani becomes a huge player for us.

To be honest I pretty much ignore the months the journeyman manager was in charge.


Kenny, imho, should have used Aquilani as I think he would have been a player that could have worked well with the runs that Suarez makes.

He is also a player that does not lose the ball a lot despite his light frame nor does he misplace a lot of passes. He is quite mobile and is very good at finding space to receive the ball, but he is also very good at being able to receive a pass whilst being closely marked.

I do think he would have offered more last season than Adam, or Henderson, and by some distance.

But that is done and dusted now and if Rodgers is not going to play him, despite seemingly looking at players with similar skillsets, then the best thing is just to sell the player and put the whole mess to bed.

BorneTobyWilde

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

jesus_thats_gre

kingshankly wrote: »

There were people on her going mad we got rid of insua(I wasn't one of them) looks like they were right

Aye, wasn't happy about how he was treated.

Knex*

Francie Barrett wrote: »

The clubs physio couldn't find anything wrong with him, which led Benitez to question is injury in public.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/03/alberto-aquilani-liverpool-mental-physical

Which ties in with what I've mentioned on here a few times with regard to my conversation with Molby.

amiable

Melion wrote: »

How exactly did Rafa overlook him? By signing him, playing him when fit and actually have him looking like a £20m player? If Rafa had kept his job that summer there's no way we would be having this discussion because Aquilani would be a more important player for us than Lucas.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/03/alberto-aquilani-liverpool-mental-physical

Rafa Benitez has shown the first signs of exasperation with Alberto Aquilani by suggesting the Liverpool midfielder's latest problem is not merely physical but psychological.

The Italy international has started only eight times for Liverpool since his €20m arrival from Roma and is sidelined with an ankle injury sustained in training on Wednesday. Aquilani has complained of discomfort in the same ankle that required surgery last May and which forced him to miss the first three months of this season, although scans have so far failed to identify the cause of the problem. Benítez admits he is at a loss as to when the 25-year-old will be fit but indicated that a history of injury problems is affecting Aquilani.

"He was complaining of pain in his ankle and said he couldn't train," the Liverpool manager said. "We will have to talk with the doctors to see what's going on because at the moment we don't know."

There are concerns that the Italian, ear-marked as the natural replacement for Xabi Alonso in a season that opened amid high expectation at Anfield, will be absent for the rest of this campaign should he undergo exploratory surgery. But Benítez said: "We don't know if he needs an operation. He has some pain and we will just analyse that with the doctor. It's the same ankle he did before. Some players maybe can manage with the pain, some players when they have pain cannot. When you talk of pain you never know, it depends on each individual and that makes it really difficult."

Another Liverpool midfielder aggravating Benítez is Albert Riera, whose proposed move to Spartak Moscow has stalled over his demands to be paid almost double what he earns at Anfield. The Spanish winger effectively announced the end of his Liverpool career when he spoke out against Benítez and the club last month, having become marginalised and adamant he had to move to salvage a World Cup place.

Liverpool were "a sinking ship", according to an interview Riera gave to a Spanish radio station, only to be described by the player this week as "one of the best clubs in the world" following Spartak's refusal to offer over £60,000 a week in wages. The U-turn represents a further headache for Benítez, who sent Riera home from training three times for poor behaviour before his radio outburst and, contrary to the midfielder's claims of aloofness from his manager, spoke to the £8m signing on several occasions.

Benítez was told a deal to take Riera to Russia was in place before the player went public with his criticism and, though a permanent transfer to CSKA failed to materialise and the Spartak loan has stalled, he still hopes an exit can be arranged before their transfer window closes next week.

"We still have some time until the end of the Russian transfer window so we will see what happens," he said. "I didn't see his latest comments but for me, when he was talking this way on the day before a massive game [against Lille] was disappointing. It was especially so when he was saying things that weren't true, so I was really surprised. He also said he wants to play, that's why he had to go, but our fans are not stupid and they will know what's going on. We'll see what happens now."

Benítez he will consider the fitness of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard before finalising his starting XI at Birmingham City tomorrow. The influential duo were substituted due to tiredness against Benfica on Thursday, when Liverpool played for over an hour with 10 men, and with the pitch at St Andrews attracting criticism from Arsène Wenger last week, the Liverpool manager is wary of its potential impact.

He said: "It's always difficult when the pitch isn't good enough, so we will have to see. After a couple of days rest we will check with the players and see how each one is. If we have to rest someone we will see because we want to keep the performance at the same level."

amiable

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/aquilani-completes-fiorentina-move

Thank Fook

Leiva

now official

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/aquilani-completes-fiorentina-move

Knex*

Another Liverpool midfielder aggravating Benítez is Albert Riera, whose proposed move to Spartak Moscow has stalled over his demands to be paid almost double what he earns at Anfield. The Spanish winger effectively announced the end of his Liverpool career when he spoke out against Benítez and the club last month, having become marginalised and adamant he had to move to salvage a World Cup place.

Liverpool were "a sinking ship", according to an interview Riera gave to a Spanish radio station

In fairness, he got that part spot on.

Kess73

Leiva wrote: »

now official

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/aquilani-completes-fiorentina-move

Well that is that then.

Mr Alan

Us getting rid of Insua was really really stupid, him & Enrique at LB & we'd have great options all across the back. As it stands we need to start moving players around if we want any change at LB, it's not ideal, not even nearly.

amiable

Ben Smith says Aqua earned £5 million per year.

Morzadec

amiable wrote: »

Ben Smith says Aqua earned £5 million per year.

That's just under £100,000 a week.

Madness.

FernandoTorres

mike65

FernandoTorres wrote: »

:pac:

Like a bit of grit in one of your socks when hiking up a mountain.

On to the next bit of business.

Melion

amiable wrote: »

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/03/alberto-aquilani-liverpool-mental-physical

Sorry but how does that show Rafa didn't "fancy" Aquilani? Because he was injured? Nobody knows how sore his ankle was bar AA himself so I don't know what point you were trying to make

Sappy404

Morzadec wrote: »

That's just under £100,000 a week.

Madness.

We did buy him from his home-town club, bring him to a foreign country where he didn't speak the language and all when we hadn't won anything in 3 years. We had to do something to tempt him.

Crazy business altogether. The Hicks/Gilette hangover continues.

Leiva

Lol

Jose Enrique with a classic Freudian slip....

@jose3enrique3: We wanna miss you aquilani amigo!!! ((((((((((

Kess73

Mr Alan wrote: »

Us getting rid of Insua was really really stupid, him & Enrique at LB & we'd have great options all across the back. As it stands we need to start moving players around if we want any change at LB, it's not ideal, not even nearly.

It was stupid moving Insua on. He would have made for an excellent understudy/competition to the senior left back much as Kelly does for Johnson at Right back at present.

noodler

Leiva wrote: »

now official

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/aquilani-completes-fiorentina-move

And there goes the biggest disaster signing in the club's history.

At least until we sell Carroll.

Fowler87

Morzadec wrote: »

That's just under £100,000 a week.

Madness.

Adding to the madness, he earned over 178k for each of his 28 first team appearances.

murpho999

Fowler87 wrote: »

Adding to the madness, he earned over 178k for each of his 28 first team appearances.

And he got a free holiday last year in Asia & US this year.

Melion

noodler wrote: »

And there goes the biggest disaster signing in the club's history.

At least until we sell Carroll.

Ridiculous post

Knex*

Kess73 wrote: »

It was stupid moving Insua on. He would have made for an excellent understudy/competition to the senior left back much as Kelly does for Johnson at Right back at present.

Plus, regardless of how he performed in 09/10, and I think he did quite well until he ran out of steam towards the end, it was invaluable experience for him.

He always looked like a good threat going forward and had a great cross on him. You mentioned earlier that he marked high on the assists that year, and if memory serves me correctly, it was 6 in the league. That's fantastic for a young left back.

It's been mentioned that we still own 50% of him, hopefully that means we may see him at the club in the future. Although, I agree with amiable, I think Jack Robinson looks like the real deal and I wouldn't want to hinder his progress.

Kess73

amiable wrote: »

Ben Smith says Aqua earned £5 million per year.

Not a hope of that. The £100k to £125k figure has just been latched onto in a big way by British journos of late.

If Aquilani signed a contract of that size back in the summer of 2009 he would have been the second highest player at the club, and p[ossibly the highest if Bascombe's BS gets swallowed by folk.


People seem to forget that Torres got a new contract that summer of £110k a week that was announced as the second highest deal in the club's history up to hat summer with Gerrard on more.


Do people really think that Aquilani joined the club on a basic wage that put him in as potentially the highest paid player at the club?

It is nowt more than journo bs, just like when a few of the usual journo names tried to make out that Glen Johnson was on £140k a week when they needed something to use to bash Johnson with.