18 Sept 2013

VIDEO: Luis Alberto's 'quality' hat-trick against Sunderland. Aspas threat...?

New Reds signing Luis Alberto has barely featured in the Liverpool first team so far this season, but after his hat-trick for the U21s last night, he's knocking on the door, and Brendan Rodgers - who attended the game - will have another interesting attacking option to consider for this weekend's Premier League encounter with Southampton.

With Iago Aspas still settling-in, and Victor Moses a little short of match-fitness, Alberto has possibly put himself in the frame for some game-time this Saturday.

Here is Alberto's hat-trick against Sunderland:



After the game, U21 boss Alex Inglethorpe offered some muted praise for Alberto. He told LFC.com

"I'm sure next time that happens, he'd like the Kop to be full, and it to be in a Premier League match. He has qualities, and he showed that quality"

I'm sure Aspas will come good once he adapts to the Premier League (and Rodgers actually plays him in the right position) but with Moses and Alberto doing the business, the Spaniard has some major competition for his place in the team.



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43 comments:

  1. I watched it live on LFCTV and 2nd half he played very well as did all of the players, at 10 men Sterling played right-back and was superb, much better than on the wing!!!

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  2. Die anyone actually watch the full match? Was there anybody on the pitch who you would call outstanding? Albertos goals look a bit lucky to be honest ... How was Ilori?

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  3. In the BPL sterling would get bullied at RB position ..

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  4. That second goal was absolute class, reminded me of Suarez's goal vs Newcastle (Suarez one was obviously better). But the guy oozes class and should be given a chance. He gives another dimension in midfield as he is very good on the turn and can bring the Attackers into play, these things cannot be taught as we can see that we struggle for creativity with players like Hendo and Allen.

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  5. You sure Aspas will come good? Don't think gamma radiation will bulk him up enough!

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  6. which goal was lucky?
    the first one was a good strike from the penalty area, sterling created the space for him and the second one showed his terrific technique, control and composure. Don't see how it was lucky.

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  7. Alberto was very quiet 1st half (with the exception of two brilliant passes that should have been put away) but was outstanding 2nd half. Sterling very good second half from wing back, but yes could get bullied there in the first team. Ilori was very good on the ball, and is very quick, but maybe out of position a couple of times. Proper attacking centre half, at one point drove into the box and stayed there for a couple of minutes waiting for a cross! Impressed again with Rossiter (and branagan for that matter) but he needs more confidence at this level to play the kind of passes he did at u18 level.

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  8. If we all can compare performance between F.Borini and V.Moses,we can say that Moses are more much better than Borini.V.Moses can score the goal with only first appearence debut. F.Borini need more than 1 season but can score below 5 goal.Very poor about that.Big mistake when LFC want to get sign F.Borini.Next season i hope LFC will not to keep F.Borini and ship out to Sunderland with permanent deal.Maybe 15 milion enough to secure his service.

    After P.Coutinho get a rest because injured,i think now is the right time for give Luis Alberto to prove and improve his performance.He have good future and LFC must develop him properly.I sure he will become the best player and will be regular player for LFC squad soon.But very important is alway keep him playing because he still young and maybe take longer times to adaptation new life at BPL.I suggest Luis Alberto to be replacement for Iago Aspas position who look like struggle until now to shining with LFC team.Aspas also good signing but he look like lost passion and position with new team.LFC coach, please do something to let him shining up again.

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  9. I saw a video of his involvement in the match and there were a lot of sloppy passes I thought. He does look a great talent though and would like to see him given some game time towards the end of the Southampton match. I won't be expecting to see any hattricks from him though ;) If Coutinho is injured for the weekend he might not be the worst option we have.
    I wouldn't be blaming Rodgers for playing Aspas out of position. With Sturridge in the form of his life he deserves that spot so Aspas will just have to make do with what he can get. Look at how Kuyt performed on the right when Torres was on top form. When Torres was out Kuyt was usually next in line.

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  10. Is it just me or is Sterling not living up to his early promise? When he came off the bench against Swansea, I wasn't thinking 'here comes the game' changer. I may be being a bit harsh on him, but he looks a bit lightweight and not the sort of impact player we need in the last half hour to try and turn the result our way, or am I being unkind?

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  11. Against Notts County he went to right-back, as he did lastnight, on both occasions we were down to 10 men. He seems better coming from deep like Johnson does, maybe he is a wing-back not a winger, like Ashley Cole in his younger days???

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  12. Exactly!!!...............It's all about the squad now!!!

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  13. Errmm...nearly misses the penalty, is lucky for his second after some poor poor finishing at the first try and we knew he could score in the reserves anyway. So far, Aspas and Alberto are exactly as underwhelming as I thought they would be as was Sakho.

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  14. Some people are never happy are they???

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  15. What is there to be happy about? You tell me.

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  16. I rate Alberto above Aspas, With Alberto you'd have no problem starting him while Aspas is more of a bench player. If Philippe is unable to start on saturday, let luis take his place.

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  17. Then why comment in the first place? It seems to me that some people are just very easy to please.

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  18. Have you nothing to say about his overall play or first goal? I guess you just watched the highlights while sucking on a lemon.

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  19. thanks a lot mate :)

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  20. I had that feeling too. I used to get it last season, but not anymore. He's still very raw, and needs to work on his composure.

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  21. We have 10 points from 4 games without playing anywhere near the level the players are capable of for a whole game, without (like him or not) one of the leagues best players.

    From last nights game, the kids came back from 2-0 down to win 5-2 against one of the best u21 teams (won all their matches this season and beat the senior team 3-1 last week), with 10 men for the last 25 mins. Alberto's first touch and rounding the keeper for the 2nd was brilliant (as someone pointed out not dissimilar to Suarez v Newcastle). His overall play in the second half was great as well. Sterling, Kelly, Ilori, Ibe and the kids rossiter and branagan all had good games.

    Sakho is a centre back playing his 1st match in 4-5 months, by his nature he clearly likes to step out, but he's not match fit / used to the prem so he got caught out a few times and it cost us. It won't happen when he is fully fit and adjusted. Not many players captain their side at 17, or play centre half for their country at such a young age. Give the guy time.

    Plenty to be positive about if you choose not to be miserable..

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  22. It's a reserves game for crying out loud. How many more Newbys, Mellors, Lindfields and Morgans should there be for people to understand it's a whole different level and doing well at it means nothing for the future? Had he taken his goals well, there would be at least a sign that he can finish but he didn't even do that. Keep on walkin' folks, nothing to see here.

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  23. We were talking about Alberto scoring three goals in the reserves, not everything else that has happened so far this season. And even if we were, you can hardly deny Alberto, Aspas and Sakho had very little to do with us being in the position we're currently in. I'm not writing them off, I'm saying I didn't expect much and that is what they have done so far. I don't see the point of acting all positive and like these guys are superstars when they have done nothing to merit that so far. Not many players captain their side at 17 but you forget that PSG at that time was not the club it is today. In the land of the blinde, one eye is king.

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  24. Coutinho injured until end of October, so somebody has to step up.

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  25. You totally miss my point, i'm not commentating on his goals, its his overall play. But you didn't see the game, so we must all bow down to your superior knowledge.

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  26. I have a feeling that if we don't sign 3 attacking players in January....wingers/attacking midfielders....season will end in a disappointment. We have no player who can make an impact from the bench. We need some good players.

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  27. Aspas from the bench is even more useless.

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  28. You didn't have a point to begin with. His overall play, his goals, it's all irrelevant as long as he only delivers in the reserves. So many have gone before him who did really well in the reserves but never cut it when they had to step up. That is the point. You can get excited about reserve matches all you want but at the end of the day it's the PL that matters and only that.

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  29. Whatever troll, go on back to supporting the mancs.

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  30. You can only beat what's infront of you though. Yes, he got lucky with the finish, but his all round play was class. An argument that 'because he scored 3 goals he should be in the team' is a bit daft.. but similarly there's no point discounting him just because he took goals scruffily (if so where would frank lampard be!). The goals alone last night are not the reason he should be in with a shout of a first team place while coutinho is out, his passing, control and vision however should be. (The reserve players you mention below all did very little but score goals, pacheco might have been a better example :P) .

    I guess it's personal preference, but I for one will give our players the benefit of the doubt until they settle in and get a chance to prove themselves. Alberto and Sakho have played 1 game each and Aspas none in the correct position..

    I'm not forgetting PSG's recent turnaround, but even for a low to midtable team to play a 17 year old centre back takes balls, and the french league isn't THAT bad. He has something about him. I'm just saying give them time before you judge them as underwhelming (or the most exciting player ever for that fact).

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  31. Seems it was the result of the way he fell after that oaf William's challenge. Was a foul but the fall was theatrical with the way he moved his arms in a swimming fashion prior to hitting the ground. Maybe if he had concentrated on just landing, instead of trying to make the most of the foul during flight, he might not have gotten injured.

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  32. Alberto and Aspas Liverpools answer to laurel and hardy only without the laughs

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  33. i take it when you say bench you mean park bench

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  34. How good are our under 21 players?

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  35. Strongly agree. Although Alberto is as skinny as a stick, he can't be more easily bullied than Aspas at the moment.......

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  36. Aspas is playing in the correct position, that hasn't changed since the last time you wrote about it. Aspas is playing a slightly deeper role than Sturridge, they otherwise cover almost identical areas of the pitch.

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  37. That's the whole point - in years gone by, players of that quality would have been starting for us, whereas now they are there just to provide depth. They don't need to be game-changer quality - they just need to be capable of filling in for a few games as need be, and allowing the legit match-winners to rest/recover.


    The better players are in the regular starting 11. As long as we can avoid significant injury problems, we'll be fine.

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  38. did i say he was bad? hes a quality player and i´m happy to have him at the club... i´m just saying those goals look a bit fortunate for me - nevermind it´s always nice when a player does the hattrick - gives huge confidence. i´d be glad to see him in the first team more often... still it´s my right to say he was quite lucky...

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  39. Ya well. I don't wanna see Aspas coming in for Coutinho again. That's where the frustration comes from. He sould be throwned out there Alberto. He has it in him, just need the platform to be put out. Southhempton are not a very fisicaly strong side and so it's a great game for him to take over. My opinion. Sterling for Hendo also and Hendo for Either Gerarrd or Lucas. Kelly or Toure for Wisdom ASAP. Wisdom a joke - far from ready yet.

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  40. I don't know. But If Suarez would have scored that goal you would have said "Great Great goal". Talking about Alberto and not about happiness, he showed great skill. Second goal was not easy to secure with two defenders all over him and he coming from the line and a sprint. He did well, just well.

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  41. Right about that surly. I will be the first to tell you. BUT, Alberto hadn't got his chances. That's what frustrating about writing him off or over staring his goals, which suggest room for improvement out of our main coach who introduced Aspas on monday over him, and played Sterling too Late . . . . .

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  42. I didn't write them off - I said they have been as underwhelming as I expected them to be. When they were signed a lot of people used the Hyypia type signings to justify us signing unknown players from small clubs (or even a reserve team...). So far I've seen nothing to suggest we've signed Hyypias in their respective positions.

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