So, what of Aquilani?

[wiw]

No matter how good or bad we think he is, I think, like Dossena, he is too like a fish out of water when not in Italy. They just don't travel at all. He'd want out soon enough anyway

[RichC]

I think that is nonsense, Rafa played him near enough completely through the tail end of last season.

Roy imo, is a terrible judge of players.

you think that then! He played very few games for us and how many games did he actually finish ? Good technical player but not right for this league, not the first and not the last that this will happen to.

[saj]

Agreed he did but you have to ask why 2 managers in a row (rafa and roy) both seemed to not rate him?

Well Aquilani said Inter were in for him this summer so clearly Rafa rates. Roy not rating him is not really valid. Unless you're tall, blonde and Danish or Bald, English and of a Polish descent, Roy will not rate you.

[Mattshark]

you think that then! He played very few games for us and how many games did he actually finish ? Good technical player but not right for this league, not the first and not the last that this will happen to.

He had fitness issues, that was obvious, it is not like he had a pre-season with us though.

Why was he not right for this league? That is a simplistic and meaningless statement. He barely got the chance and when he did he started to look good.

[saj]

you think that then! He played very few games for us and how many games did he actually finish ? Good technical player but not right for this league, not the first and not the last that this will happen to.

You don't have to be physical to succeed in the premiership. Look at half of Arsenals team. In fact Meireles is hardly physical at all. He runs around loads but other than that, you won't see him flying into many 50/50's.

[RichC]

He had fitness issues, that was obvious, it is not like he had a pre-season with us though.

Why was he not right for this league? That is a simplistic and meaningless statement. He barely got the chance and when he did he started to look good.

Don't insult me with comments like that! There have been plenty of better players than Aqualani that haven't been up to it in this league, the physical side of things can also be down to mentality if you've got concerns over injuries (because you've been beset by them over a few seasons) then it's going to be hard to put yourself about as you potentially can.

He looked ok at best, I'll remind you we finished 7th last season the only player who looked good all season was Pepe IMO.

Also I seem to remember Rafa coming out saying he'd spoken to Aqualani about using him sparingly in the run in, not exactly a great endorsment is it?

[RichC]

You don't have to be physical to succeed in the premiership. Look at half of Arsenals team. In fact Meireles is hardly physical at all. He runs around loads but other than that, you won't see him flying into many 50/50's.

No you're completly right you don't have to be but then you have to use the attributes you do have as best you can, for me Aqualani didn't do that, someone like Fabregas does

[Mattshark]

Don't insult me with comments like that! There have been plenty of better players than Aqualani that haven't been up to it in this league, the physical side of things can also be down to mentality if you've got concerns over injuries (because you've been beset by them over a few seasons) then it's going to be hard to put yourself about as you potentially can.

He looked ok at best, I'll remind you we finished 7th last season the only player who looked good all season was Pepe IMO.

Also I seem to remember Rafa coming out saying he'd spoken to Aqualani about using him sparingly in the run in, not exactly a great endorsment is it?

Don't make such meaningless comments then. He played well at the end of the season, after he had actually been given some to time to adapt. To write him off the way you have is simplistic.

Yes, Pepe did look good all season, that shouldn't take away from Aquilani's performances at the end of the season.

He was new to the league and recovering from injury.

[saj]

No you're completly right you don't have to be but then you have to use the attributes you do have as best you can, for me Aqualani didn't do that, someone like Fabregas does

Well you are aware he was voted man of the match 5 times on the offcial website in the limited number of games he played?

[RichC]

Don't make such meaningless comments then. He played well at the end of the season, after he had actually been given some to time to adapt. To write him off the way you have is simplistic.

Yes, Pepe did look good all season, that shouldn't take away from Aquilani's performances at the end of the season.

He was new to the league and recovering from injury.

I've written him off as he's irrelevant this season - he's at Juve for the season at least and didn't for me do anthing near enough whilst here, if he comes back and proves me wrong great!

These are my views not meaningless , if you choose to have simplistic views on his end of the season form then fair enough, you keep to your simplistic views I'll keep to mine!

It was his 2nd full season and still spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch -

[RichC]

Well you are aware he was voted man of the match 5 times on the offcial website in the limited number of games he played?

I am, he still didn't play enough games for us over 2 seasons, I don't think he's someone we could rely on over a course of a season - he is a talented footballer no doubt about that I just don't the premier league suits him.

Shame but that is my opinion.

[Mattshark]

I've written him off as he's irrelevant this season - he's at Juve for the season at least and didn't for me do anthing near enough whilst here, if he comes back and proves me wrong great!

These are my views not meaningless , if you choose to have simplistic views on his end of the season form then fair enough, you keep to your simplistic views I'll keep to mine!

It was his 2nd full season and still spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch -

What else are we supposed to judge him on except the period where did play and he played well.

What else do you want to call saying "he just isn't suited to this league"? That isn't even a analysis of the games he played in last season. It is not accepting that he may need time to adjust to a new league, it is ignoring the fact that he had to recover from a serious injury and then get match fitness.

No, it was his only season with us. Where'd you get that tripe from.

[Mattshark]

I am, he still didn't play enough games for us over 2 seasons, I don't think he's someone we could rely on over a course of a season - he is a talented footballer no doubt about that I just don't the premier league suits him.

Shame but that is my opinion.

He wasn't with us for 2 seasons!

We signed him in summer 09!

Sorry but you are showing that you clearly don't know what you are on about here.

[RichC]

He wasn't with us for 2 seasons!

We signed him in summer 09!

Doh!! No you are correct there

[Zapater]

No matter how good or bad we think he is, I think, like Dossena, he is too like a fish out of water when not in Italy. They just don't travel at all. He'd want out soon enough anyway

Bollocks. Dossena has proved to be average or maybe marginally above at best when Aquilani is a real player with pedigree. You're going to judge him by a handful of performances and say that he's no good outside of Italy where he showed promise. He never said anything about wanting out, he even said that if Roy didn't tell him to leave and organise this deal he wouldn't have. He had his agent reject all of the talk about him leaving where he was constantly linked with moves back to Italy with numerous clubs previously.

Okay, by that same logic Joe Cole is a fish out of water when not in London. He's knows nothing about football outside of a London club and thats the reason he's been ****e for us.