Topic: Aquilani passes medical and signs 5 yr deal - official

[Tonyh]

For me Torres was never a risk as he was always going to retain his value in Spain regardless.

This is totally different, there is no questioning Rafa has seen something and that he has ability but the facts say something else in terms of fitness. 73 games for Roma in the last 3 years and no game played for 7 months by the time he is ready is a huge risk.

Personally I don't care about the next 5 years, I just want us to win our 19th this season, and having a gaping hole in your midfield is not the best way to start the first 8 weeks of the season.

Its all well and good us saying its ok the Club spending money with little regard but the odds aren't in our favour. If someone offered you even money putting your home on Torres getting 20 goals you might think about it. If someone offered the same bet on Aquilani playing 25 times this season you would run a mile.

I really hope I am wrong but the match facts over the last 3 years say otherwise and he will need a full pre season training having been out since March.

[aristeia]

Aristeia I would also like to have that game, it would be very appreciated, will it be in audio/video thread if u find it?

Definitely.  I think I may just have the 1st leg, but I'll keep looking.  I should probably label crap better.  :/

[Misholino108]

The more I think about this, the more it seems like yet another masterstroke from the genius mind that is Rafa:

Back in May, Xabi makes it plain that he wants to leave. After thinking that Alonso will get £20 million at a push because he couldn't get £16 million for him last year, Rafa's Hawking like brain quickly performs a million calculations, processes 1000's of scouting reports and watches 100's of hours of Macedonian Red's youtube files.

"Aquilani is the man for me" says Rafa, so he phones up Roma. "I'll happily pay the £17 million, but what? He's just had an op and he'll be out for weeks? Fuck! Oh hang on a minute, that'll give me time  to fuck Perez and Valdano about and I might make a few bob as well.

"Benitez, £22 million is our final offer. No sorry, make that £24 million. Hello ...  hello?" Perez rings back "OK £25 million is our final offer. Did I say £26, I meant £28 million." and all Perez can hear is Rafa whistling the tune from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
 
Rafa then sits in his chair at Melwood stroking his white Persian cat for a couple of weeks and thinks "£28 million! Fuck me! Now if I can just get Alonso to hand in a request, I'll make an extra £3 million!"

Alonso goes home to Spainto sulk for a couple of days and eventually phones Rafa up. "OK Benitez you win! I'll give you your fucking transfer request. Damn you Rafa! Damn you to hell!" Rafa responds "OK then, tell Perez to call me tomorrow."

In the meantime, Rafa phones Roma "Is Aquilani ready to step up his rehab physio? Good, send him over. Nice doing business with you!"

Next day, Perez phones up. "So we have a deal at £28 million?"
"Do we fuck!" says Rafa. "I said £30 milion."
"You thieving fucking bastardo!" screams Valdano on the conference call. Rafa hangs up.

Brrrnng Brrnnng.

""OK £30 million it is." says a dejected Perez.
"And don't forget the add ons, fuck face!" laughs Benitez into the phone. "And you will forever rue the day you crossed swords with Don Rafael Benitez."

Rafa turns in his chair to face a picture of Rick Parry, raises a glass of Cava, smiles and says
"To you Rick. A Man who couldn't sell Alonso for £15 million. Well I managed to get a player who is a better version of the Barry style more attacking midfielder I wanted last year, who fits into my style of play better, for only £17 million, sell Alonso for twice what you couldn't get for him last year, save an extra £3 million on the loyalty bonus AND make Perez and Valdano look like a bigger pair of tits than Jordan. How do you like them fucking apples Rick?"

That made me laugh like hell

Top post

[phoenician]

Should we really read anything about him passing his medical?

These are the people who gave Philipe Degen the all clear after all...

Gonna nail my colors to the mast here. I think this is the biggest gamble Rafa as ever taken. He's replacing one of our untouchable first 11 starters by a man of undoubted talent but also fragile health.

He's doing it in the full knowledge that man may miss the first 2 months of the season and will in all likelyhood (no pre season) not be fully match fit and used to the English game until Christmas.

He's placing an awfull lot of trust in Aquilani and Lucas' talents. I hope to God he turns out to be right, as he's often been, because if not the knives will be out and rightly so.

Nothing to worry about. A Roman will thrive in this kind of atmosphere. è un punto di forza dei Romani.

[gritsvanilla]

Welcome Alberto. Not seen a lot of him but from what i have seen i've always felt that the quality is undoubtedly there, seems like a decent, genuine bloke too so he'll fit right in at Anfield, can't wait to see him play for us, be interesting to contrast his style with that of Xabi, whilst i feel we may miss Alonso's calming influence in the middle of the park i've no doubt Alberto will offer more penetration going forward than Xabi, he's quicker too which can only be a good thing.

Might also help the Doss too, having someone he can communicate freely with.

[CHOPPER]

If he turns out to be shit am gonna fuckin gob someone.

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

If he turns out to be shit am gonna fuckin gob someone.

Hope its someone hard,and they batter ya

No doubt you'll end up crying like Rodrigo from BB and run off like a tart,looking for shelter.sucking ya thumb like the baby you are

[Stussy]

I don't know if he'll be a hit, but I'll make a guess and say that he will.

If Dossena stays they and their ladies can become friends and cook pasta and listen to opera or Italian soft-rock together, it will be great, dead cosy.

In all seriousness, he looks like something of a mosquito in that midfield, zig-zag and busy, with the ability to drop malaria infections on other teams.

I also reckon Rafa, the crafty old fox, has overestimated his recovery time, so we can all be delighted and relieved when he comes back quick. He knows how to play us that man.

[phoenician]

For me Torres was never a risk as he was always going to retain his value in Spain regardless.

I'm sure Benitez's replacement would have taken some comfort from that.

[CHOPPER]

Hope its someone hard,and they batter ya

No doubt you'll end up crying like Rodrigo from BB and run off like a tart,looking for shelter.sucking ya thumb like the baby you are

If he's any good I'll gob you then...so there!...with knobs on   

[SadRed]

Should we really read anything about him passing his medical?

These are the people who gave Philipe Degen the all clear after all...

Gonna nail my colors to the mast here. I think this is the biggest gamble Rafa as ever taken. He's replacing one of our untouchable first 11 starters by a man of undoubted talent but also fragile health.

He's doing it in the full knowledge that man may miss the first 2 months of the season and will in all likelyhood (no pre season) not be fully match fit and used to the English game until Christmas.

He's placing an awfull lot of trust in Aquilani and Lucas' talents. I hope to God he turns out to be right, as he's often been, because if not the knives will be out and rightly so.

FFS Degen has had one bad season. Besides it was never going to be as stringent.

[blah]

Is it true that he is out for the next two months for his surgery to heal?

[jim.]

Is it true that he is out for the next two months for his surgery to heal?

No. He's making his debut today, only last ten mins mind. Just had a text to confirm this...

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

If he's any good I'll gob you then...so there!...with knobs on   

 

[blah]

No. He's making his debut today, only last ten mins mind. Just had a text to confirm this...

I hope you're not pulling my leg. If this is true I am calling a 30 yard injury time screamer to start off his Liverpool career

[Carraghercules]

I also reckon Rafa, the crafty old fox, has overestimated his recovery time, so we can all be delighted and relieved when he comes back quick. He knows how to play us that man.

Was thinking the same thing. I'll bet it's between 3 - 4 weeks

[Kopout]

Is it true that he is out for the next two months for his surgery to heal?

4 to 8 weeks. ofcourse press will make it as 2 months for certain.

[Kennys from heaven]

its up on the site.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N165347090807-1933.htm

BREATHE PEOPLE AND GET DRUNK!!

This should dispel the injury thing - you don't sign players for this sort of fee unless you've done your homework. Good on yer 'Berto.

Hope you and David Silva settle in as quickly as each other :-) :-) (just in case some of you start saying we've not signed Silva, etc... That was a hopeful and tongue in cheek remark...!)

[nobluff]

Its going to be fantastic to have someone in midfield that can use either foot and still leave you wondering which one he prefers! 

[Kennys from heaven]

For me Torres was never a risk as he was always going to retain his value in Spain regardless.

This is totally different, there is no questioning Rafa has seen something and that he has ability but the facts say something else in terms of fitness. 73 games for Roma in the last 3 years and no game played for 7 months by the time he is ready is a huge risk.

Personally I don't care about the next 5 years, I just want us to win our 19th this season, and having a gaping hole in your midfield is not the best way to start the first 8 weeks of the season.

Its all well and good us saying its ok the Club spending money with little regard but the odds aren't in our favour. If someone offered you even money putting your home on Torres getting 20 goals you might think about it. If someone offered the same bet on Aquilani playing 25 times this season you would run a mile.

I really hope I am wrong but the match facts over the last 3 years say otherwise and he will need a full pre season training having been out since March.

You think we have a "Gaping hole" in our midfield!!!???!!!!

Jeez... Come on lad. Get a grip.

[Kennys from heaven]

That made me laugh like hell

Top post

Fucking brilliant...

[FernandoTorrestieri]

The more I think about this, the more it seems like yet another masterstroke from the genius mind that is Rafa:

Back in May, Xabi makes it plain that he wants to leave. After thinking that Alonso will get £20 million at a push because he couldn't get £16 million for him last year, Rafa's Hawking like brain quickly performs a million calculations, processes 1000's of scouting reports and watches 100's of hours of Macedonian Red's youtube files.

"Aquilani is the man for me" says Rafa, so he phones up Roma. "I'll happily pay the £17 million, but what? He's just had an op and he'll be out for weeks? Fuck! Oh hang on a minute, that'll give me time  to fuck Perez and Valdano about and I might make a few bob as well.

"Benitez, £22 million is our final offer. No sorry, make that £24 million. Hello ...  hello?" Perez rings back "OK £25 million is our final offer. Did I say £26, I meant £28 million." and all Perez can hear is Rafa whistling the tune from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
 
Rafa then sits in his chair at Melwood stroking his white Persian cat for a couple of weeks and thinks "£28 million! Fuck me! Now if I can just get Alonso to hand in a request, I'll make an extra £3 million!"

Alonso goes home to Spainto sulk for a couple of days and eventually phones Rafa up. "OK Benitez you win! I'll give you your fucking transfer request. Damn you Rafa! Damn you to hell!" Rafa responds "OK then, tell Perez to call me tomorrow."

In the meantime, Rafa phones Roma "Is Aquilani ready to step up his rehab physio? Good, send him over. Nice doing business with you!"

Next day, Perez phones up. "So we have a deal at £28 million?"
"Do we fuck!" says Rafa. "I said £30 milion."
"You thieving fucking bastardo!" screams Valdano on the conference call. Rafa hangs up.

Brrrnng Brrnnng.

""OK £30 million it is." says a dejected Perez.
"And don't forget the add ons, fuck face!" laughs Benitez into the phone. "And you will forever rue the day you crossed swords with Don Rafael Benitez."

Rafa turns in his chair to face a picture of Rick Parry, raises a glass of Cava, smiles and says
"To you Rick. A Man who couldn't sell Alonso for £15 million. Well I managed to get a player who is a better version of the Barry style more attacking midfielder I wanted last year, who fits into my style of play better, for only £17 million, sell Alonso for twice what you couldn't get for him last year, save an extra £3 million on the loyalty bonus AND make Perez and Valdano look like a bigger pair of tits than Jordan. How do you like them fucking apples Rick?"

Amusing but not funny

...

until it reached the persian cat. I died.

[gritsvanilla]

Fucking brilliant...

He is one of the more entertaining posters on this site.

[conman]

well said Macca.

[lfc_bhoy]

For me Torres was never a risk as he was always going to retain his value in Spain regardless.

This is totally different, there is no questioning Rafa has seen something and that he has ability but the facts say something else in terms of fitness. 73 games for Roma in the last 3 years and no game played for 7 months by the time he is ready is a huge risk.

Personally I don't care about the next 5 years, I just want us to win our 19th this season, and having a gaping hole in your midfield is not the best way to start the first 8 weeks of the season.

Its all well and good us saying its ok the Club spending money with little regard but the odds aren't in our favour. If someone offered you even money putting your home on Torres getting 20 goals you might think about it. If someone offered the same bet on Aquilani playing 25 times this season you would run a mile.

I really hope I am wrong but the match facts over the last 3 years say otherwise and he will need a full pre season training having been out since March.

No, no he wouldn't.  Were he to fail here Atleti would be his club of choice to return to, and they certainly couldn't afford to pay enough to make it anything but a failure.  Saying Torres was never a risk is easy, in hindsight, but he was very much a gamble especially considering his scoring record and how he looked while playing for Atleti.  Still, Rafa saw something, something which a majority of people didn't see, and that is the potential to to well in our team.  He's seen the same thing here, and I'm more then inclined to side with him, over your simple-minded scepticism.

[mig]

Gave out a huge sigh of relief after this was done fairly quickly. Good luck lad, and welcome to Liverpool.

Just make sure your wife doesn't want to go back to Italy...

[mayday]

brilliant, just heard the news. onwards and upwards.

[JerseyKloppite]

Any squad number news?

[Zaffarious]

In all seriousness, he looks like something of a mosquito in that midfield, zig-zag and busy, with the ability to drop malaria infections on other teams.

Made me lol that ;P

[Helsinki Red]

Any squad number news?

They are just numbers. More important is who wears them.

[NeverWalkAlone96]

Made up with this news , i can now sleep a little better tonight

[Emlynevermore]

I had a fair bit to drink, am also

Made up with this news , i can now sleep a little better tonight

[phoenician]

No, no he wouldn't.  Were he to fail here Atleti would be his club of choice to return to, and they certainly couldn't afford to pay enough to make it anything but a failure.  Saying Torres was never a risk is easy, in hindsight, but he was very much a gamble especially considering his scoring record and how he looked while playing for Atleti.  Still, Rafa saw something, something which a majority of people didn't see, and that is the potential to to well in our team.  He's seen the same thing here, and I'm more then inclined to side with him, over your simple-minded scepticism.

07-08 was make or break. The prospects of Rafa getting the can were ever present (Hicks & Gillette anyone?). And that was with the season Torres was actually having. It's only because he was a success from day one that it's possible to forget how big a gamble it was. Agree with you entirely on that.

As I posted earlier in response to TonyH, it's fine to say Torres' resale value wouldn't have been effected by a failure to cut it, but I'd say the really significant and likely upshot of that would have been Benitez losing his job.

Context is important. As opposed to two years ago, Rafa is now seen by the puppet masters as the fulcrum of football operations at LFC. Parry's history and Rafa now calls the shots on decisions large and small. Crucially, he's seen as key to providing the stability and continuity H & G require for the management of outside perception of the club and the knock-on this has in terms of business in general and re-financing (11 months and counting) in particular.

And, footballing-wise, I'd argue that Aquilani is joining to contribute to an existing excellence rather than - as Torres was - arriving to inaugurate it.

[MidwestWool]

Can't wait to see him in action!

[Mad Men]

Can't wait to see him in action!

Oh yes, neither can WE.

[fowlerisgod96]

How did he pass a medical then? I thought his leg had fallen off?

[MidwestWool]

How did he pass a medical then? I thought his leg had fallen off?

His medical was at Liverpool after all.

[fowlerisgod96]

I wonder if he requested that the medical was performed by the same guy that did Kewell and Degens?

[Finn Solomon]

Can't wait for this guy to get fit and terrorise English midfields.

[dnkw]

"And don't forget the add ons, fuck face!"

That's fucking hilarious!