Probably get to watch him a lot. All he has to do is beat a couple of Jamaicans and he's in.
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[ENG] Premiership 2009/2010 (41 Viewers)
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Thursday 6 August, 2009
Blog: Myth of Aquilani
Alberto Aquilani is on the verge of joining Liverpool in a move which, as Antonio Labbate writes, is as risky as they come
So Liverpool think they’ve signed a great player? Possibly, but for now all they have acquired is potential – and at quite a price. In the long run it may turn out to be a masterstroke by the Merseysiders, but at present the only winners in Alberto Aquilani’s move to Anfield are Roma.
Netting around £20m for an individual who has spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch during his career so far is some shrewd piece of business by the capital giants. He’s undoubtedly a good player, but he’s not proved himself – physically, tactically or mentally – to warrant such a fee.
One has to question the wisdom of Rafa Benitez. He may have got £30m from Real Madrid for Xabi Alonso, but the Spaniard is the finished product and Aquilani, much to the disappointment of Azzurri fans, is not.
In some ways Alberto is a myth of the Italian game. Tipped for stardom from a young age, he was the latest born and bred Roman to follow in the footsteps of talismanic captain Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, thus expected to play in that same shirt for life.
It just hasn’t happened for AA though. He’s been dogged by injury problems for years, so much so that he hasn’t played in more than 25 championship games in one season since 2004-05. And at the age of 25, he has just 11 international caps to his name.
Yet, in my mind at least, it isn’t his misfortune with injuries which forces me to question Aquilani as the top class footballer that he is reputed to be. Giallorossi boss Luciano Spalletti gave the impression that he was never really convinced by him. Offered a choice between Alberto and David Pizarro, Spalletti would, more often than not, go for his former Udinese pupil.
Roma, as a club, must also have not been totally convinced that Aquilani was the star who they have been raving about for years. Their financial position has meant that they’ve had to sell one big name player every summer to keep the books in some sort of shape, but surely not their latest prodigal son?
After all, they only recently offered him a contract renewal, one which took an age to complete. We have to cynically ask whether that new deal was born out of the club’s belief in his talents or designed to ensure that his market value remains high before he fell into the Bosman affected last year of his contract.
Football Italia
Blog: Myth of Aquilani
Alberto Aquilani is on the verge of joining Liverpool in a move which, as Antonio Labbate writes, is as risky as they come
So Liverpool think they’ve signed a great player? Possibly, but for now all they have acquired is potential – and at quite a price. In the long run it may turn out to be a masterstroke by the Merseysiders, but at present the only winners in Alberto Aquilani’s move to Anfield are Roma.
Netting around £20m for an individual who has spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch during his career so far is some shrewd piece of business by the capital giants. He’s undoubtedly a good player, but he’s not proved himself – physically, tactically or mentally – to warrant such a fee.
One has to question the wisdom of Rafa Benitez. He may have got £30m from Real Madrid for Xabi Alonso, but the Spaniard is the finished product and Aquilani, much to the disappointment of Azzurri fans, is not.
In some ways Alberto is a myth of the Italian game. Tipped for stardom from a young age, he was the latest born and bred Roman to follow in the footsteps of talismanic captain Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, thus expected to play in that same shirt for life.
It just hasn’t happened for AA though. He’s been dogged by injury problems for years, so much so that he hasn’t played in more than 25 championship games in one season since 2004-05. And at the age of 25, he has just 11 international caps to his name.
Yet, in my mind at least, it isn’t his misfortune with injuries which forces me to question Aquilani as the top class footballer that he is reputed to be. Giallorossi boss Luciano Spalletti gave the impression that he was never really convinced by him. Offered a choice between Alberto and David Pizarro, Spalletti would, more often than not, go for his former Udinese pupil.
Roma, as a club, must also have not been totally convinced that Aquilani was the star who they have been raving about for years. Their financial position has meant that they’ve had to sell one big name player every summer to keep the books in some sort of shape, but surely not their latest prodigal son?
After all, they only recently offered him a contract renewal, one which took an age to complete. We have to cynically ask whether that new deal was born out of the club’s belief in his talents or designed to ensure that his market value remains high before he fell into the Bosman affected last year of his contract.
Football Italia
I don't think that Aquilani is that bad at all. When fit he's one of the classiest midfielders around IMO.
As for he's injuries i think Roma medics play a major role in that. The guy is definately more vulnerable to injuries than other players but they're medics made it even worse IMO.
Benitez is a pretty smart guy and am sure that he knows all about Alberto's injuries. I don't think he'd pay that much for a player unless he's certain that he'll be 100% fit to play there.
As for he's injuries i think Roma medics play a major role in that. The guy is definately more vulnerable to injuries than other players but they're medics made it even worse IMO.
Benitez is a pretty smart guy and am sure that he knows all about Alberto's injuries. I don't think he'd pay that much for a player unless he's certain that he'll be 100% fit to play there.
