Writer: Chubby 
Date:Friday November 27 2009
Time: 1:34PM
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Liverpool: It Must Be Time?
Rafa keeps telling us that he signed Alberto Aquilani for the long term, the Spaniard also tells us that we have to be patient before we see more of the Italian. However it's got to be time to put the Italian international in on Sunday for the must win match against Everton?
We've had this discussion before I know, however if the midfielder really is that far behind in his match fitness the only way he can improve this is by playing, and 30 second appearances, like the one against Debrecen aren't really going to help are they? We'd be better off sticking him in the reserves and letting him play football with them at that level to work on his fitness rather than naming, yet rarely using him, as a substitute in the first team.
I think it was Klutch that pointed out recently that "risks" are taken with Stevie Gerrard and Fernando Torres, and both are more valuable and important to us as we at least know exactly what they can do, so why is a little risk or faith being placed in Aquilani?
Far be if from me to tell Rafa what to do, and if I was more capable or qualified then I'd be sat in his office now and maybe he sat where I am, but he knows the importance of this match against Everton. Rafa signed him as he feels that he'll make a difference so why not give him the chance to make that difference on Sunday?
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Your Comments
That’s a good point Chubby, why not let him get match fitness in the reserves? I surely think its time to play the lad but I doubt he will even be used as a sub in a derby, so instead of getting myself all worked up during the game about him not playing I’m just going to come with terms with the fact that he won't be playing.
Klutch
I personally think Chubby that Aquilani is a signing Rafa feels he needs to get right for a few reasons, firstly he has cost £20m+, secondly he was bought with a known injury, and lastly he is seen as Xabi's replacement. I feel that Rafa wants him at his optimum best and has therefore decided to be mega cautious. I would have played him in Europe earlier this week, and rested him against the 'Dogs of war' on Sunday.
WestDerbyRed
For me I think the Alberto's fitness is the main concern for Liverpool and he should be 100% before we play him in any Merside Derbies. However, I would play him in the Europa League and in league games so as to let him get his match fitness and technique back. From what i have seen so far and from his time with Roma he is a top quality player and i think if we can get him fully fit quickly then our season will take a definite turn for the better.
anfieldhero
Yeah I tend to think he should be in the reserves. It doesnt make sense not to play him in the reserves if we're not going to play him in the league either. Rafa cant win with the guy though, if he brings him back and he re-injures himself because he wasnt ready, he'll get slated. If he doesnt play him, he gets slated. If he plays him and he's amazing, he'll get slated for not playing him sooner. If he plays him and he isnt amazing, he'll get slated for buying him. There isnt a single way Rafa can win with the press. So stop listening to them and use your own brain.
Superhans
very much agree with him getting match fit in the reserves there is no point having him on the bench and putting him on for 20-30seconds like during the week.... i have seen a fair few articles saying that he will be starting on sunday but i cant see it myself i think rafa will want to start well so we make sure we get the 3 points first....
muffdaddy1983
Honestly muffdaddy, do you not understand why he was bought on for that long? He was taken as an emergency option, if the game needed changing. It didnt. It was an awful pitch where he could easily have been re-injured. So when he was bought on it was PURELY to waste time. I think Rafa made a mistake in bringing him on, simply because the press were always going to call him up on it. It didnt matter if he bought on Aquilani, Spearing, Skrtel or Cavalieri to play in CM. None of them were going to have a remote impact on the game, it was a time wasting measure. So again, stop listening to the press and start using that brain!
Superhans
Superhans, if Aquilani is available for the first team (via the bench) then surely that tells us Rafa feels that he's very much near to a starting place?! Rafa bought Aquilani as a direct replacement for Xabi... we are missing Xabi's quaility so it's only natural for fans to expect Rafa to give Aquilani a starting role. If Aquilani is not ready for first team action then surely he should be playing regularly in the reserves to prepare him for a more involved role in the first team!! The issue about him possibly being injured by Rafa starting him is totally irrelevant... If there's a risk then he simply shouldn't be playing yet!!
Liverpool_lad
I suspect Rafa has a little bit of a better idea about his fitness than us. He's spent £20 million on him. If he was ready to be starting, he'd be starting. Rafa isnt going to risk him just to please 'fans' who dont know what they're talking about. He's putting him on the bench in case we can get a good lead and bring him on. Against Citeh we got two injuries in the first 15 minutes, so we couldnt use him. Against Debrecen the pitch was awful, so we didnt use him for too long. How is this difficult to understand? When he is ready he will play. This isnt some clever little game Rafa is playing. He paid big money because he thinks he can be a very good player for us....WHEN. HE. IS. READY.
Superhans
although liverpool desperately needs him right now, i too think he should only play when he is 100% fully fit. most of us know how great a player he can be for liverpool but i cant help but think we are building such expectations on him. keane's situation was similer, we expected a lot from him but he didnt deliver and the inevitable happend. aquilani's situation is i think alot more complicated though. we still had torres before, during and after keane's departure but this time round we have no saviour if aquilani doesnt live up to many's expectations. i just hope all the talk surrounding him doesnt affect his full potential on the pitch.
chopstah
If Rafa puts the player on the first team bench then I think it's safe to assume that HE IS READY to play... if Aquilani is a 'risk' then he should not even be on the bench, regardless of whether we need him. If it's a case of match sharpness then surely a prolonged run out in the reserves is what's called for... this will go a long way in proving whether Alberto is ready to play competitive first team football. Torres and Gerrard have not had the kind of injury that Aquilani has suffered so I don't feel they are comparable.
Liverpool_lad
SH - as you said he didnt play for long against Debrecen because the pitch was terrible thats fair enough but Debrecen were still trying to get a goal whats saying rafa's time wasting (as you put it) by putting didnt lead to a Debrecen player sliding taking ankle out or Aquilani goes on a little run and slip which result in him twisting his ankle. i know it was only 30seconds he was on but surely spearing or skrtel would have been better option to use for the time wasting rather than someone who isn't ready..... at the end of the day if he is ready then he should be playing despite his history with his ankle thats his job nothing to do with the pitch.... if there are fears over the pitch and his ankle then that just tells us he is not ready and should have been at home and playing 20-30mins in a reserve match.
muffdaddy1983
also how many weeks ago is it now since he played 15mins against arsenal in the carling cup..... 4 or 5 weeks if he is not fit now then he never will be....
muffdaddy1983
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