Aquilani - stay or go?

[Lee]

Have a word yourself. The ****ing Italian is going home. Flog him for a case of chianti, done.

Why the **** do you keep quoting me when countless others in this thread are saying what I am?

Have a read through the thread and then have a little think about what you've posted. Good chap.

[BobTheCharmer]

When everyone one is fit I really do think it is that simple, I think we need like for like replacements rather than having to re-arrange the whole midfield just because one player is out.

You may think so but I don't think the boss will. It's a view come about from playing the likes of football.manager. a logical view granted. But I think gerrard and Adam will be the central 2 on occasions. If Henderson isn't playing wide then he be moved inside. given that dirk is nailed on to play, I can't see where aqualini would get a game.

[Exiled_red]

If you want to see the best of Aquilani you'll have to play him regularly. He's not a type of player that will be able to impress with 20 minutes left on the clock.

I think he only need a chance and few string of games and Kenny's belief in his skills and imo he can be a very good player for us.

I think at the moment he's behind Gerrard in the pecking order, so he has a fight on for his place, like many in midfield do now. I think he and all the others will have to make the most of any opportunities they are given if they want to keep being picked.

Gerrard's injury and seemingly slower than hoped recovery perhaps gives Aquilani a cnace to show what he can do in the early games of the season.

[dww]

I don't have anything against Meireles, he did well last season and seems to be a decent all round player without really excelling in any one area. The reason I have touted him for the exit for most of the summer is that the majority of his games have been as a narrow wide player. Having signed Downing and Henderson as well as having Maxi and Kuyt who can play those roles I can't see him gettting many games there this season. He's not going to get games in the centre of midfield and for me Aquilani is the better attacking midfield option, which seems to leave Meireles out in the cold. His stock is high it just seems to make sense.

If he does leave he can do so with his head held high.

The thing about Meireles is though that his defensive work in terms of interceptions and work rate has been good wherever he has played. When Gerrard played behind Torres that aspect of his game was key to how the team worked. I wonder whether this means that Meireles might be the better option off Suarez or Carroll depending.

I think we have to assume that Kenny will either have an opinion now or will form one after friendlies about who bests suits what we want to do. Not really sure that the games we have seen so far in pre-season are very informative.

[BobTheCharmer]

Why the **** do you keep quoting me when countless others in this thread are saying what I am?

Have a read through the thread and then have a little think about what you've posted. Good chap.

Isn't it obvious lee, I want your cock. Are you not a little paranoid? Besides I'm still smarting over that ****ing bet you won.

[Exiled_red]

You may think so but I don't think the boss will. It's a view come about from playing the likes of football.manager. a logical view granted. But I think gerrard and Adam will be the central 2 on occasions. If Henderson isn't playing wide then he be moved inside. given that dirk is nailed on to play, I can't see where aqualini would get a game.

I'm not saying that players won't play more than one position, I just think that there are benefits to a settled system, and being able to swap an injured Gerrard for Aquilani rather than swapping half the midfield around is IMO a better option.

I think it's equally simplistic to assume that we could play any 2 (or 3) from 8 central midfielders. For example I could never see us playing Gerrard and Aquilani as a central pair in a 2 man midfield as they lack defensive qualities, we nee a balance.

[BobTheCharmer]

For example I could never see us playing Gerrard and Aquilani as a central pair in a 2 man midfield as they lack defensive qualities, we nee a balance.

Me neither since one of them won't be here.

[Frenchie]

send Shelvey on loan and keep both, options no?

[Exiled_red]

The thing about Meireles is though that his defensive work in terms of interceptions and work rate has been good wherever he has played. When Gerrard played behind Torres that aspect of his game was key to how the team worked. I wonder whether this means that Meireles might be the better option off Suarez or Carroll depending.

I think we have to assume that Kenny will either have an opinion now or will form one after friendlies about who bests suits what we want to do. Not really sure that the games we have seen so far in pre-season are very informative.

Yes I saw the stats you posted somewhere about him being one of the best defensive wingers. I don't really know how he compares to Gerrard or Aquilani for his defensive work playing off the striker. I have to also say (and perhaps some might consider this unfair) that I don't see Meireles as an attacking midfielder he did well as a stop gap, but it's not really his natural position, and I do wonder how he would perform in it long term. He got a few goals playing there but I have my doubts if he could play that position at that level regularly.

As I say I don't see there being too many opportunities for him this season. But it all depends on the system we use. I guess the best opportunity for him would be if Kenny wants to play a very fluid central midfield three where rather than having a set holding player, a set box to box player and a set attacking player, you just have 3 players that do whatever as the situation arises (e.g. if there is space for Lucas and Gerrard to move into Meireles covers, or if there is space for Meireles and Lucas to move forward Gerrard covers, etc).

[Lee]

Isn't it obvious lee, I want your cock. Are you not a little paranoid? Besides I'm still smarting over that ****ing bet you won.

[dww]

Yes I saw the stats you posted somewhere about him being one of the best defensive wingers. I don't really know how he compares to Gerrard or Aquilani for his defensive work playing off the striker. I have to also say (and perhaps some might consider this unfair) that I don't see Meireles as an attacking midfielder he did well as a stop gap, but it's not really his natural position, and I do wonder how he would perform in it long term. He got a few goals playing there but I have my doubts if he could play that position at that level regularly.

As I say I don't see there being too many opportunities for him this season. But it all depends on the system we use. I guess the best opportunity for him would be if Kenny wants to play a very fluid central midfield three where rather than having a set holding player, a set box to box player and a set attacking player, you just have 3 players that do whatever as the situation arises (e.g. if there is space for Lucas and Gerrard to move into Meireles covers, or if there is space for Meireles and Lucas to move forward Gerrard covers, etc).

It's a fair point about Meireles not necessarily having played the role a lot. I thought he looked best when higher up the pitch though. In areas closer to the opposition his passes look more purposeful to me.

I really don't like the term of box to box midfielder. It's a bit up there with 'free role' as describing the actions of a player who either a/ has no idea about tactics or b/ is instructed by a manager incapable of working out how to use flair within the constraints of an overall tactical plan. The covering plan you suggests sounds much too much like the England plan to get Gerrard and Lampard into the same team. I think a structure with Lucas as the deepest of three would be fine in a lot of games.

[BobTheCharmer]

send Shelvey on loan and keep both, options no?

Kenny loves shelvey though.

[Fernandinho]

Agree with DWW here. I hate the idea of "one go and one stay" it never works. you will find yourself always being caught out with both players going often. At least one player needs to always hold with the other going when he can.

[Exiled_red]

It's a fair point about Meireles not necessarily having played the role a lot. I thought he looked best when higher up the pitch though. In areas closer to the opposition his passes look more purposeful to me.

I know what you mean with that, but I don't know how him playing there compares with Gerrard or Aquilani playing the same role. My worry is about how often he could reproduce the form he showed in the few games he played there last season, presumably much of that run came when he was high on confidence (having just got his first goal for us, then going on a good goalscoring run). I don't recall him really creating that many chances, compared to Gerrard or Aquilani (towards the end of the previous season). So that's why I'd prefer those two, although maybe that's just my perception.

I really don't like the term of box to box midfielder. It's a bit up there with 'free role' as describing the actions of a player who either a/ has no idea about tactics or b/ is instructed by a manager incapable of working out how to use flair within the constraints of an overall tactical plan. The covering plan you suggests sounds much too much like the England plan to get Gerrard and Lampard into the same team. I think a structure with Lucas as the deepest of three would be fine in a lot of games.

Like I say that's the best way I could see us accomodating Meireles on a regular basis, but I'm not sure how well it would work as a system.

[Exiled_red]

Agree with DWW here. I hate the idea of "one go and one stay" it never works. you will find yourself always being caught out with both players going often. At least one player needs to always hold with the other going when he can.

I don't particularly like it as a system either, but it's the best way I can think of to include Meireles on a regular basis. Obviously we need to pick a system that works best for all the players.