Aquilani goes for Placenta treatment

[Guest]

I was impressed by that move Aquilani did on the floor to keep the ball early in the Wolves match. I'm not sure that strength is always the answer but players do have to know how to use there body well to keep the ball and Aquilani did that well.

He took a few too many touches at times but that would seem natural for a player who is both coming back from injury and to a new, faster league.

When ever i saw him for Roma he looked awesome. I have high hopes for him if he can get over his injury worries.

I think he did fairly well. His passing was tidy and he picked up decent positions. He'll do better with more games.

It's easy to understand why Rafa wouldn't play him whilst in the middle of our 'slump' as it wouldn't have done him any good and it would have put too much pressure on him.

[ronanm]

I think he did fairly well. His passing was tidy and he picked up decent positions. He'll do better with more games.

It's easy to understand why Rafa wouldn't play him whilst in the middle of our 'slump' as it wouldn't have done him any good and it would have put too much pressure on him.

Where's your logic behind that? That he played against Wolves when we'd undoubtedly emerge from our slump?? I have seen this "fact" pedalled around here for a while and guess if everyone keeps saying it it'll be taken as gospel. He either hasn't fit or needs time to adjust ("the game was a lot faster than I expected" vs. Wolves as he said himself). The thought that RB didn't introduce him as we were in the midst of a slump just doesn't make sense. My logic is that we're still in a slump. One win doesn't end it.

[Guest]

Where's your logic behind that? That he played against Wolves when we'd undoubtedly emerge from our slump?? I have seen this "fact" pedalled around here for a while and guess if everyone keeps saying it it'll be taken as gospel. He either hasn't fit or needs time to adjust ("the game was a lot faster than I expected" vs. Wolves as he said himself). The thought that RB didn't introduce him as we were in the midst of a slump just doesn't make sense. My logic is that we're still in a slump. One win doesn't end it.

It could break his confidence, that's the logic. The team were getting poor results (and is still very inconsistent), so by my definition, he would have been bracketed as '****e', bracket that the anti-Rafa brigade seem to be quick to dish out in here.

[ronanm]

It could break his confidence, that's the logic. The team were getting poor results (and is still very inconsistent), so by my definition, he would have been bracketed as '****e', bracket that the anti-Rafa brigade seem to be quick to dish out in here.

I'm still not convinced, but who cares?

[Guest]

I'm still not convinced, but who cares?

It's easy to see the logic though, it's no rocket science. Put a player who is far from 100% from being at the peak of his powers in a team struggling and having trouble putting two results together on the trot and you have a player who is battling out desperately to even look average.

Still, he does get his chance to build his fitness now, as circumstances have dictated Mascherano is going through a 4 match ban. That's what football is. Even in a winning team he would have had trouble fitting in. It's about waiting for your chance and as you get it, take it with both hands. Football isn't different from life, you've got to make the most out of it.

[ronanm]

I can see the logic, but do not believe it eg. I can see the logic behind Max wanting to kill Freeway in Heart to Heart, but I don't believe he did it

[dww]

I'm not sure it isn't a bit of a case of a little from column A, a little from column B. If Aquilani was fit enough to be on the bench then I think had we been playing better he would have played more and longer cameo roles and thus become closer to match fitness. You can see clearly why risking a player who wasn't fully fit makes less sense if a/ we are playing badly and b/ there is more pressure on the change to impact the game.

That said it is pretty clear that the major factor in when he played and didn't was his fitness (and possibly the availability of Mascherano).

[Guest]

I can see the logic, but do not believe it eg. I can see the logic behind Max wanting to kill Freeway in Heart to Heart, but I don't believe he did it

You said in your initial post that you didn't 'understand the logic'. Well I've given you food for thought and you retorted you now 'could see the logic'. Independently of what Max does or doesn't, I think the matter is closed now.

[ronanm]

You said in your initial post that you didn't 'understand the logic'. Well I've given you food for thought and you retorted you now 'could see the logic'. Independently of what Max does or doesn't, I think the matter is closed now.

Hmmm... I can see the logic, just don't believe it. Let's leave it there.

[Guest]

I'm not sure it isn't a bit of a case of a little from column A, a little from column B. If Aquilani was fit enough to be on the bench then I think had we been playing better he would have played more and longer cameo roles and thus become closer to match fitness. You can see clearly why risking a player who wasn't fully fit makes less sense if a/ we are playing badly and b/ there is more pressure on the change to impact the game.

That said it is pretty clear that the major factor in when he played and didn't was his fitness (and possibly the availability of Mascherano).

Some young players who aren't ready for the first team are 'plunged' at the deep end based on the circumstances. By being 'on the bench' doesn't imply a player is 'ready' for duty, he's just being put there in a case of emergency, that's why Aquilani was present there as far as I can understand it.

In any case, it can be a catch 22 situation, when the team is winning and he doesn't get a look in. His signing in the first place was to fill the gap left by Alonso's leaving but in the grand scheme of things he's been bought to provide competition to our squad, that's what any player being signed is supposed to bring in when first signed. If it can raise the levels of other players then it's beneficial to the team in the long run.

What I can't understand is people adopting a short sighted viewpoint, as if Aquilani was destined to warrant a place in the first team based on a cameo in the League cup.

[dww]

Some young players who aren't ready for the first team are 'plunged' at the deep end based on the circumstances. By being 'on the bench' doesn't imply a player is 'ready' for duty, he's just being put there in a case of emergency, that's why Aquilani was present there as far as I can understand it.

If you were worried about injury though then you wouldn't be on the bench unless you are fit enough to play, even if that were to be only in an emergency. The young player situation is not a perfect analogy but the comparison is that Aquilani must have been felt to be a better bet than say Pacheco by Rafa to be of use or to get game time.

In any case, it can be a catch 22 situation, when the team is winning and he doesn't get a look in. His signing in the first place was to fill the gap left by Alonso's leaving but in the grand scheme of things he's been bought to provide competition to our squad, that's what any player being signed is supposed to bring in when first signed. If it can raise the levels of other players then it's beneficial to the team in the long run.

What I can't understand is people adopting a short sighted viewpoint, as if Aquilani was destined to warrant a place in the first team based on a cameo in the League cup.

I'm not even sure what point you are arguing here to be honest.

[Guest]

If you were worried about injury though then you wouldn't be on the bench unless you are fit enough to play, even if that were to be only in an emergency. The young player situation is not a perfect analogy but the comparison is that Aquilani must have been felt to be a better bet than say Pacheco by Rafa to be of use or to get game time.



I'm not even sure what point you are arguing here to be honest.

I'm saying that independent of the fact a player is playing or not (or on the bench), if it makes another player improve it would still make the signing worthwhile.

I'm not saying Aquilani is a case in point, far from it.