Source: SKY_Sports
Rafa - Aquilani needs time
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has urged Reds fans to give fit-again Alberto Aquilani time to adapt to English football.
Aquilani, who joined the Reds in the summer from Roma, made his first appearance in a Liverpool shirt on Wednesday night for the reserves as he continues his recovery from ankle surgery.
Pressure is on Aquilani's shoulders to help fill the void in Liverpool's side left by Xabi Alonso's departure to Real Madrid.
But Benitez has called on the club's followers to be patient with the Italian as he tries to find his feet after a long spell out of action
"Alberto is intelligent, he likes football and he has been watching our games," said Benitez.
"He can see the pace is different here and the physical approach.
"There is a difference between what you see and how you play but when he gets out and feels the atmosphere here, it will be something special for him.
"When will he play? It depends on how he is physically.
"He has got very good levels of stamina but now he has to improve his sharpness. To get match fitness he needs to play games and what we have to do is analyse carefully which game is the best and how long he will play for.
"Always with a new player we talk about the problems they have settling down because the Premier League is very quick and it is more physical.
"So for a new player who has been injured, like Alberto, it will be even more difficult. It is a question of keeping him training and when he is fit, we have to support him.
"We will have to choose the right moments to put him on the pitch. But he is learning all the time and we are looking forward to playing him."
