pipnasty

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He's a funny bugger, isn't he?

And yet today your back to the 'Rafa is a c***' persona.

Jim Boardman is playing a blinder

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Pass and move, pass and move Good game, Alberto

It was a gamble to buy him in the first place but Rafa and co obviously saw enough in him to warrant the gamble. He's a very talented footballer. The fitness issue has, for whatever reason, been badly misjudged and it has clearly affected our season. But like Leo, I still think that there is a lot to come from him yet. I would be very surprised if he leaves in the summer.

I remember joking about that at the time

I don't see any problem with being biased in favour of your own club.

I think that in some quarters, Aquilani was written off before he had even kicked a ball for us.

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And what makes you know for a fact that he is completely unsuitable for this role? How many games have Aquilani, Masch and Gerrard actually played together? And before you say 'ah, that proves my point' do I need to point out that at least one of them has been injured for the vast majority of the time together? So, what makes their brief time on the pitch together prove that basically Aquilani is a dud? And, as I said earlier, we play much better and have more balance with Aquilani in the team. If you still think that he was a 'panic buy' then your opinion and lunacy are hardly exclusive.

Aquilani came to the attention of most of Europe possibly 4 or 5 years ago when he began playing for Italy. I presume that a lot of managers would have been aware of him since 2001. You said he was a 'panic buy' - if Rafa (and scouts) had known of him since the early part of the decade (and I would be astonished if they didn't), then all concerned would have their own opinions on the various merits of the player himself over a quite long period of time. A 'panic buy' suggests the complete opposite.

You said he was a 'panic buy' - if that isn't sensationalist bulls*** they I don't know what is. Obviously? Really? And what role was he signed for exactly?

[quote name='Earl Hafler' date='11 February 2010 - 08:25 PM' timestamp='1265919935' post='2559575' When do you think Aquilani was scouted as a replacement for Xabi ? I would guess at when he was fit and playing. Aquilani came to the attention of most of Europe possibly 4 or 5 years ago when he began playing for Italy. I presume that a lot of managers would have been aware of him since 2001. The idea that he was only scouted with a view to replacing Xabi and therefore cannot be considered to play anywhere else is nonsense. I'm sure that Rafa hasn't got a f***ing clue why he signed him either.

This you mean; "Aquilani ? Couldn't scout him during close season so he was signed either by speaking to contacts and watching videos, or he'd been scouted the season before when Rafa was intending to replace Xabi with Barry." But you are saying that Rafa had scouted him to replace Xabi? And therefore, he hadn't been scouted to play 10 yards further forward = a panic buy?

Again, you are almost saying that Rafa did not even have a hint that Alonso was going to leave, probably picked up the newspaper to find that he had been sold to Real and then said "s*** we need to sign somebody quick - anybody!" and then pulled the name of Aquilani out of the air having never seen or scouted the player and then decided to buy him????? You've lost the plot.

I presume you think that we didn't scout him before we bought him? If so, that is an utterly ridiculous viewpoint. Do you think they picked his name out of a hat or something? I know you don't like Rafa, but that is bordering on the lunatic.

What makes you think that?