Alberto Aquilani

[EastStandBlue]

About to be loaned back to Italy.

So, that's £20m for 14 starts at just under £1.5m per start.

And Benitez wondered why they'd no longer give him any money...

 

[number11]

About to be loaned back to Italy.

So, that's £20m for 14 starts at just under £1.5m per start.

And Benitez wondered why they'd no longer give him any money...

Always seemed an absurd signing. Irrespective of his ability (looked like he had talent but too lightweight for the Premier) as an attacking midfielder he was never going to get much of a run out with Gerrard at the club and Rafa's liking for playing two holding midfielders. With them now signign Joe Cole as well I think they are best rid of him. Complete and utter waste of £20mil though, money they could have better spent on a decent back up striker for last year or some genuine width.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Always seemed an absurd signing. Irrespective of his ability (looked like he had talent but too lightweight for the Premier) as an attacking midfielder he was never going to get much of a run out with Gerrard at the club and Rafa's liking for playing two holding midfielders. With them now signign Joe Cole as well I think they are best rid of him. Complete and utter waste of £20mil though, money they could have better spent on a decent back up striker for last year or some genuine width.

There was an interesting article around the time Owen signed for United that highlighted Liverpool's plight under Benitez. With this 4-5-1 formation, Gerrard playing off Torres, you have the club's two focal players, who are only absent through injury, occupying the two most important positions in that system. What International-class striker would happily sign up to play second-fiddle to these two? One that's either hugely unambitious, a youngster cutting his teeth (Ngog, Babel) or a seasoned professional... Michael Owen would've been perfect for that particular squad title, was on a free transfer, and his reacquisition would've cannonised Benitez within the Kop.

 

[Richard T]

EastStandBlue

'Michael Owen would've been perfect for that particular squad title, was on a free transfer, and his reacquisition would've cannonised Benitez within the Kop '

Liverpool saw Michael Owen at his best but his injury record and form since he left although on a free would not have made him an ideal signing IMHO.
Also Owen lost a lot of his support on the Kop by leaving to Madrid in the way he did so was not really wanted back by most fan's.
Rafa did make himself popular by resigning Robbie Fowler though who was and still is a fan's favourite....

 

[EastStandBlue]

EastStandBlue

'Michael Owen would've been perfect for that particular squad title, was on a free transfer, and his reacquisition would've cannonised Benitez within the Kop '

Liverpool saw Michael Owen at his best but his injury record and form since he left although on a free would not have made him an ideal signing IMHO.
Also Owen lost a lot of his support on the Kop by leaving to Madrid in the way he did so was not really wanted back by most fan's.
Rafa did make himself popular by resigning Robbie Fowler though who was and still is a fan's favourite....

He's proven himself pretty handy for United in precisely the same role... Coming off the bench to score some vital goals. His injury record is a worry, but that's not necessarily a concern when all you exepct from him is to deputise for Torres.

 

[Richard T]

He's proven himself pretty handy for United in precisely the same role... Coming off the bench to score some vital goals. His injury record is a worry, but that's not necessarily a concern when all you exepct from him is to deputise for Torres.

Owen has scored just three goal's in the PL for United albeit two were crucial goal's.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Owen has scored just three goal's in the PL for United albeit two were crucial goal's.

2 more in the League cup and 4 in Europe... 9 goals from a substitute striker is hardly anything to grumble at.

 

[Richard T]

The irony of this thread is that you suggest Benitez was wrong for signing Alberto Aquilani which although he is talented was a risky transfer given his recent injury problems.
You may well be right in that as unless he returns to Italy and rediscover's his form ultimately this could well prove to be a signing that did not work out well.

Then you suggest he should have signed Michael Owen who although ' free ' is even more injury prone and upset a large number of the club's fan base in the manner he left Liverpool.

Who'd be a manager....................

 

[Pubey]

OPTA stat:

"Alberto Aquilani set up a goal every 136 minutes - the best assist rate in the top five leagues in Europe in 2009-10"

 

[EastStandBlue]

The irony of this thread is that you suggest Benitez was wrong for signing Alberto Aquilani which although he is talented was a risky transfer given his recent injury problems.
You may well be right in that as unless he returns to Italy and rediscover's his form ultimately this could well prove to be a signing that did not work out well.

Then you suggest he should have signed Michael Owen who although ' free ' is even more injury prone and upset a large number of the club's fan base in the manner he left Liverpool.

Who'd be a manager....................

That's precisely my point, Rafael Benitez was wrong to spend £20m on an attacking midfielder to play second fiddle to Steven Gerrard, when he could've got Owen for free to play second fiddle to Fernando Torres.

Not to mention the army of left-backs and goalkeepers Wafa assembled in his spell on the Mersey...