Match Pricks has no choice but to interrupt its summer-long smacking of Jintao in the face to actually get back to business and post something today. Yes, you've forgotten about us, but thanks to Twitter and Facebook, those of you who could be bothered to remember we exist during the Summer of '09 are back here reading this today. And there's a good chance you're as jacked into the stratosphere as I am because you heard Fabio Aurelio hurt his knee pretty seriously while playing with his children back home in Brazil.
Why is a serious injury to Aurelio being greeted so warmly? Why am I positively giddy about a loyal, effective servant looking at a long stretch out of action? It's all about the balls, baby.
Type in the term "Insua" on our handy-dandy Match Pricks search engine here, and you're going to to find buckets of high praise for Emiliano Inusa, who is by any definitiion, the balls when it comes to exciting possibilities for Liverpool out of the left back position. Insua blew doors off the League at times and offered thrilling attacking possibilities when pressed into duty last season in December while Aurelio was hurt and Dossena was playing like he was wearing the opposition's shirt.
In short, I'm hopeful Aurelio loses his spot in the first team. Yeah, that sounds awful, but I have seen the way and the light, and its name is Insua. He was unfairly ripped from the team in January to go play in some U-20 hooey-phooey tournament for Argentina. He never got all the way back into the lineup – mostly because Aurelio in the second half of last season was so amazing. Still, Blackburn at Anfield as spring was sprung featured Insua and Riera performing an Astaire-like showstopper of movement and one-touch passing up and down the Liverpool left flank that looked like professionals giving some good-natured business to a group of giggling schoolchildren.
Fabio, you're amazing. We love you. We really do love you. The free kick at Old Trafford last year is seared into my memory. Your second-half play was a jolt of energy to a nervous bunch of fans clinging to a title chase that didn't pan out. I hope your health returns and you live a happy life that includes much more football.
I just want to see Insua charge out this season and blow the dicks off the Premier League. The kid is incredible. And I'm certain given an extended run with the first team, we're going to see even more great stuff. With Johnson and Insua out there, well, whaddya know, Liverpool will feature a pair of attacking fullbacks. Who knew?
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4 comments:
It is frustrating when these things happen outside the heat of the battle royal that is the EPL. If I were you though, I'd be more worried about Xabi Alonso turning into a finance expert and figuring out that his wages are down 30% due to the fluctuation of the pound against the Euro. Combine this with the new 50% high earners tax set to take effect next year, Alonso's departure would weigh more heavily on my mind if I was a Liverpool fan.
Alonso's status bugs me to no end. But there's nothing I can do about that until June 19. He wants it sorted out by then, and we'll see what happens. All we can do is wait and hope.
But this Insua news ... love it. Insua is so, so much better than anyone realizes. He's under the radar for most folks. Liverpool has always, always been criticized under Benitez for lacking attacking threats from the fullback position. Who knows what Glen Johnson will do, but he'll be better than Arbeloa going forward.
And Insua up the left flank, jack: Look out.
I mean July 19 on that Alonso comment. But you probably already knew that.
Insua is awesome. Love the kid. I'd rather Aurelio be healthy and still have Insua beat him out, because then we could sell Dossena, but now that looks less likely (despite Rafa's one-month comment re: Aurelio's injury).
Let's just hope he's gotten the mistakes out of his system; the goal that we gave up to Hull was 100% on Insua and it was a real shocker.
But I'm excited - easily our best young prospect. And to think we got him in a straight swap for Paletta!
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