Rafa making Alberto wait

Patience is a virtue and all good things come to those who wait.

Yes we have been waiting 19 years

I'm really starting to worry about Aquilani, since playing against Arsenal in the Carling Cup all he has had is a few minutes against Birmingham. I'm just wondering if he's had any sort of relapse since then or if simply Rafa isn't seeing very good stuff from him in training? I wouldn't have had him in the derby today, its a full blooded affair and the potential for injury is far greater. As well as that, I think these are the games that a more defensive midfield pair are needed but how he hasn't really featured against Fulham, Lyon, City or Debrecen is beyond me. I know he came on against Debrecen but I'm not sure if he even got to kick the ball.

Anyone else think its a bit peculiar?

I thought we would have seen him give 20 mins here and there, my beliefe now is that Rafa has his team already penciled in around Aquilan, and all he's waiting for is Torres. If he playes him now someone like Stevie will have to make way but with Nando back maybe Gerrard will play just behind Nando with Aquilani taking up a central position maybe, whatevers keeping him on the bench, won't be for that much longer, I can't wait for him to get his LFC season going.

Its very frustrating from a fans point of view but I think the manager has valid reasons like lack of match fitness that are holding him back from playing Alberto.

I am not down with this it was a tough pitch and the opposition was rough, he is a footballer we paid good coin for him and should be ready to get in there and get stuck in.

Some people on here think they are the best manager since Bill Shankly or something? Jaysus.

Look, Rafa is not the almighty. He baffles me sometimes with his selection. But, he knows better than anyone what his squads abilities and shortfalls are. Therefore we should trust in him that his selections are what is best for the team at the time. And my thinking is maybe he has seen shortfalls still in Alberto's strength as far as the injury goes in the last couple weeks that he has thought if i don't have to use him, i won't. And the last few games have been tight but we have won them, and maybe he was just being cautious with him. Because the last thing we need is him coming on and going down injured straight away due to still being a bit underdone in that area. Because we all know that the fans and the media will then attack Rafa for bringing him back before he was ready.
I'm sure Alberto would have relished the derby, he seems a footballer who has a good head on his shoulders and would have handled the argy bargy out there. But until i know better, i will trust Rafa. He frustrates me sometimes, but he also has turned this team around multiple times. I trust he will do it again.

The pressure building on alberto is getting huge by every game he doesnt play. cuz now every eyes will be on him and expecting him to to turn our season around. i just hope that the pressure doesnt break him.

i wouldn't be surprised if the shitty press comes up with 'kop flop' tag on him at the end of the season..

he certainly heading towards it.

I wouldn't be surprised if the shitty press comes up with 'kop flop' tag on him at the end of the season..

he certainly heading towards it.

How is he heading towards it? A player can only be a flop if he plays like sh*te IMO.

He will start against Fiorentina as we will be playing for pride only.

Some people on here think they are the best manager since Bill Shankly or something? Jaysus.

I guess this would be an awfully boring forum if everyone shared the same view and had blind faith in all Rafa's decision making. 

I'd rather choose us being the best supporters with the worst forum, rather than best forum full off glory hunters & posers.

But luckily, we 're currently the best supporters with the best forum 

How does a player get match fit?  He plays football.  Aquilani is not playing football, for the reserves or full team.  I'm not claiming to be some great master tactician, a better coach than Benitez, etc., but something odd is happening here

I'm really starting to worry about Aquilani, since playing against Arsenal in the Carling Cup all he has had is a few minutes against Birmingham. I'm just wondering if he's had any sort of relapse since then or if simply Rafa isn't seeing very good stuff from him in training? I wouldn't have had him in the derby today, its a full blooded affair and the potential for injury is far greater. As well as that, I think these are the games that a more defensive midfield pair are needed but how he hasn't really featured against Fulham, Lyon, City or Debrecen is beyond me. I know he came on against Debrecen but I'm not sure if he even got to kick the ball.

Anyone else think its a bit peculiar?

Glad he wasn't put on the pitch today for his proper debut.

Bunch of dirty fuckers them lot.

It'll be soon guys.

Exactly my sentiments, they'd boot the F**k out of his ankle and get away with it.  Then he'd be left even longer.

I reckon next week he'll definitely be making an appearance, we need some extra flair in the middle now, we're 13 points behind the top for fucks sake.

I guess this would be an awfully boring forum if everyone shared the same view and had blind faith in all Rafa's decision making.  

That is not what I was saying. I said in my post that I do not believe Rafa is without faults, but that was more so directed at the people just blatantly saying Rafa is plain out, black and white, in the wrong for not playing him. Who are we to know what is going on behind the scenes? I just like to place my faith in the manager until I know the full story. I do not believe that he would be treading so carefully with him unless he still held some concerns. Alberto himself has not come out and said, "Hey im fit and ready" either, so just trying to say not to push it so much.

All will be revealed regarding why Rafa has not played Aquilani on Jeremy Kyle this morning 10am, when he takes his long awaited DNA test over being Lucas's biological father.

That is not what I was saying. I said in my post that I do not believe Rafa is without faults, but that was more so directed at the people just blatantly saying Rafa is plain out, black and white, in the wrong for not playing him. Who are we to know what is going on behind the scenes? I just like to place my faith in the manager until I know the full story. I do not believe that he would be treading so carefully with him unless he still held some concerns. Alberto himself has not come out and said, "Hey im fit and ready" either, so just trying to say not to push it so much.

I understood totally what you were saying bigv, i usually do. I was just pointing out that people/forum members will always fill a vacuum with their opinions. Rafa has told "us" that all Aquilani lacks is "match fitness" and the "only way to gain match fitness is through playing in matches" - that being the case, the question, naturally, follows: why hasn't he been played?

In the absence of any further explanation, (the vacuum if you like), from Rafa it give us all a licence to speculate and debate. Aquilani has become a 'hot topic' on the back of some poor, poor displays and has made for some very interesting reading. The sort of topic that makes one enjoy logging on to read. That's all i was trying to hint at.

i think a cover up is going on here,people are getting upset and suspicous of what the real story is. this is a 20 mill player with all sorts of skills. perhaps he will be another kewell who is to know

i think a cover up is going on here,people are getting upset and suspicous of what the real story is. this is a 20 mill player with all sorts of skills. perhaps he will be another kewell who is to know

I wonder what sort of cover up is even possible in this matter!

I understood totally what you were saying bigv, I usually do. I was just pointing out that people/forum members will always fill a vacuum with their opinions. Rafa has told "us" that all Aquilani lacks is "match fitness" and the "only way to gain match fitness is through playing in matches" - that being the case, the question, naturally, follows: why hasn't he been played?

In the absence of any further explanation, (the vacuum if you like), from Rafa it give us all a licence to speculate and debate. Aquilani has become a 'hot topic' on the back of some poor, poor displays and has made for some very interesting reading. The sort of topic that makes one enjoy logging on to read. That's all I was trying to hint at.

Ah, 10 4 big fella I know what you mean, i was more frustrated at the posts just plain were saying "Rafa is an idiot for not playing him," you know what i mean? Im all for discussion, i just hate immature attacks and name-calling with no basis of argument which got to me after reading a few. Bunch of bas**rds

I am a little bewildered with the situation myself. But i just think Rafa is a VERY smart man, i mean he has won La Liga, he knows what he is doing. I don't think he would be holding him back without having any concerns. We may never know, but thats what i think.

 Rafa in echo today
RAFA BENITEZ today moved to defuse the mystery surrounding Alberto Aquilani’s prolonged absence from Liverpool’s starting line-up – saying he won’t risk players who are not fully fit.

The Italian midfielder has been limited to just 21 minutes of action since joining the Reds in a £17m deal from Roma in August due to a major ankle problem.

Aquilani, though, has been a constant figure on the bench in the past month yet, much to the curiosity of supporters, Benitez has not given him any significant time on the pitch.But when you have a player who is not fit, he is always going to need time to settle in to a game; if the game is tight and he makes mistakes, then you have a problem.

“We want to protect the player but, at the same time, we want to keep winning games; he understands that he needs to be a little bit fitter before he can play.”

While sightings of him in a Red shirt have been few and far between, Aquilani is clearly a player of ability and, when he is introduced, he will give Liverpool an extra dimension.

Benitez, like supporters, is anxious for that time to arrive as quickly as possible but until he is certain that the 25-year-old can cope with the intensity of the Premier League, he will continue to do a fine balancing act.

“It has not been easy (to not play him) but we are giving him more encouragement in training sessions and he is getting much, much better,” said Benitez.

“We know he is a top class player and we want to do the best for him and the team; but the best for the player and the team sometimes means he cannot play.

“Think about this example. We were winning 1-0 (against Debrecen) the other day and me and Sammy (Lee) were talking about playing him.

“But if we played him for the last 20 minutes, when they were attacking a little bit more and he is not settled, maybe it will be the situation will become worse. It is not easy finding the balance but he is getting better all the time.”


It has left many wondering if Aquilani will get his first start this side of Christmas but Benitez insists there is nothing sinister behind his lack of involvement.

Quite simply, the manager has explained that, so tight have some recent games been, it would have been a gamble to pitch an unfit player into battle with the stakes so high.

“It’s more simple than people think,” said Benitez. “He has been out for longer than we expected and, because he has been injured during the summer, he couldn’t train properly.

“Now it is much better and it is a case of improving his match fitness. We want to play him and we thought we might have been able to do that with the reserves at Wigan.

“That was called off (last week) but we had some games at Melwood and he played 45 minutes against our reserves last week. We are trying to improve him as quick as we can
But when you have a player who is not fit, he is always going to need time to settle in to a game; if the game is tight and he makes mistakes, then you have a problem.

“We want to protect the player but, at the same time, we want to keep winning games; he understands that he needs to be a little bit fitter before he can play.”

While sightings of him in a Red shirt have been few and far between, Aquilani is clearly a player of ability and, when he is introduced, he will give Liverpool an extra dimension.

Benitez, like supporters, is anxious for that time to arrive as quickly as possible but until he is certain that the 25-year-old can cope with the intensity of the Premier League, he will continue to do a fine balancing act.

“It has not been easy (to not play him) but we are giving him more encouragement in training sessions and he is getting much, much better,” said Benitez.

“We know he is a top class player and we want to do the best for him and the team; but the best for the player and the team sometimes means he cannot play.

“Think about this example. We were winning 1-0 (against Debrecen) the other day and me and Sammy (Lee) were talking about playing him.

“But if we played him for the last 20 minutes, when they were attacking a little bit more and he is not settled, maybe it will be the situation will become worse. It is not easy finding the balance but he is getting better all the time.”



sorry rafa i'm more confused with this article. he's an italian international for GOD's sake. He's no kid. He's supposed to replace alonso or he was until u decided lucas is a  better replacement. No doubt lucas has improved but he can never be alonso, that is for sure. lucas can play instead of mash not alongwith him always. I know rafa has been cautios with aqua due to his injuries, but i dont think it helps his confidence now to be unused sub more than a month. To be honest i dont see him being a permenant fixture until lucas gets injured.. C.mon rafa give aqua atleast 15 mins on saturday and starting vs florentina... not  reserve games

Am I the only one who trusts Rafa in not rushing Aquilani back? If he says he's not ready, he's not ready! What would you prefer, we rushed Alberto back and aggravated his injury putting him out for months, or he was eased back into things, not provoking further injury. I also see what he's saying about not being able to bring him on when we're in the lead, as clearly Alberto is a more attacking player than Lucas, and bringing him on would weaken the defensive aspects of the team.

As long as Alberto isn't getting too downhearted with sitting on the bench constantly, then what Rafa is doing is what should be done.

It'll just make that first start even sweeter.

The article begins with the premise that "much to the supporters curiosity" the manager has not rushed Aquilani into a significant time on the pitch! Why is anyone curious? much less a supporter of the club.
Mr. Benitez will field him when in his considered professional opinion the lad is ready,he was signed with a major injury that is taking longer to deal with than was anticipated and if it were not for the associated injury you can be sure the fee would have been considerably more.                                                                 Whether the manager is protecting the investment,the player or just being cautious will no doubt be borne out when the lad recovers fully and displays the talent we all know he possesses.

We can wait, hopefully he should get some time against blackburn.