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Senior Pro
| Joined: 06 Sep 2007 |
| Posts: 3392 |
| Location: Warrington . . . . . . . Supports: Liverpool . . . . . . . . . Favourite Player: Sami Hyypia |
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 Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 9:32 am |
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INSUA: MY KOP DREAM
With Liverpool's quest for silverware over for another year, thoughts are turning to summer strengthening and who we may see in a red shirt next term.
Supporters who read the newspapers will see more names than the phone book being linked with a move to Anfield over the coming months, but one man desperate to play in front of the Kop won't have to travel too far.
Argentina starlet Emiliano Insua has been quietly earning nods of approval for Gary Ablett's title-winning reserves all season – and now he has his sights set on a first-team breakthrough.
After a substitute appearance at St Andrews last week, the 19-year-old is desperate for a home debut against Manchester City on Sunday as he looks to stake a claim for a regular place in the squad next term.
Insua said: "I really enjoyed the Birmingham game. It was great to be involved because when you are in the reserve team you always want to play for the first team and I was really happy to be given my chance.
"I have not played at Anfield yet and that is something I really want to do. It would be a dream for me to play at that fantastic stadium with the whole ground full and the supporters singing their songs.
"If it was to happen this season I would be really happy.
"I have watched many games there as a fan and the atmosphere is fantastic, so if I was given a chance to play at Anfield in the Premier League it would be a really big thing for me."
Insua, a product of the Boca Juniors youth team, impressed with his brand of attacking full-back play as the reserves strolled to Barclays Premier League North glory.
If he does make his Anfield bow on Sunday, he won't have to wait long to follow it up, with the reserves taking on Aston Villa in front of the Kop on Wednesday night in a bid to be crowned national champions.
After that Liverpool's second string will compete against Manchester United in the final of the Lancashire County Cup.
It's been quite a season for Gary Ablett's inexperienced side, and Insua claims there is now a real belief among the squad that many of them could follow in the footsteps of Damien Plessis by making the step up.
The left-back said: "The reserves have done very well this season and we have won our league, so all the players in the team have a lot of confidence.
"Quite a few new players were brought in last summer and we have improved a lot since then.
"It has been a great year for us and now we are all looking forward to the final.
"My aim is always the same though – to play in the first team. There are a lot of great players at Liverpool but my job is to show that I can play with them.
"To do that I have to work hard in training, in games and when I get a chance to play in the first team – like against Birmingham – I have to make sure that I am ready.
"Plessis played really well when he was picked against Arsenal and he also did well against Birmingham.
"When he made his debut against Arsenal all of his teammates in the reserve team were pleased for him, especially as he played so well.
"It also gave us hope because it showed that if you do well in the reserve team you have a chance of playing for the first team."
Having monitored Insua's development closely all season, Ablett is in no doubt that the teenage defender has the ability to make it at Anfield.
But he also believes his protégé will have to show much more than raw talent if he is to make the grade.
"I think that's up to Emiliano," he said. "He has the ability. He's just got to make sure that mentally he is right and he's prepared.
"The language can be a bit of a problem at times but he is coming along with his English. The manager can speak Spanish to him but I sometimes find it hard to communicate with him, but I do have the help of Angel (Vales) and Antonio (Gomez) to do that.
"He can go as far he wants to go, it's up to him. He has unquestionable ability – we've just got to make sure his mentality and his attitude are right before he goes and plays."
Fans' favourite Javier Mascherano is currently blazing a trail for Argentineans in the Liverpool side and Insua believes his compatriot's all-action style is typical of the South American country.
"We have a very determined way of approaching football and go into every tackle as if it's the last one we'll ever make," he said. "We really live for the game and give our all. It's total commitment and we absolutely hate losing.
"It's the way we are brought up – football in Argentina is viewed in a different way to most other countries.
"Both the players and the fans have that special feeling for it, an intensity I suppose you'd call it, and that shows when we take to the field."
Now Insua wants to live up to the high standards set by Mascherano by taking his chance at Anfield.
He said: "Signing for Liverpool was a fantastic moment and one I didn't expect at such a young age.
"Every Argentinean footballer sets out to play in Europe.
"I just want to make the most of the opportunity. I know how fortunate I am to be at one of the biggest clubs in the world." |
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PLESSIS DREAMING OF KOP BOW
Damien Plessis admits it would be 'a dream come true' if he were to be handed his Anfield debut against Manchester City on Sunday.
The French midfielder, who has enjoyed an eye-catching first season as part of Gary Ablett's all-conquering Reserves side, made a huge impression on his full Reds bow against Arsenal at the Emirates before following it up with an assured display at Birmingham City.
His rapid rise to the fringes of the first-team is something that he admits, has surprised him, and although he is taking nothing for granted, the thought of running out in front of the Kop against City on Sunday is one he is relishing.
"It would be a dream come true to get a chance to play in front of the Kop in a kind of mythical, famous stadium known all over the world," Plessis told Liverpoolfc.tv in an exclusive interview.
"Since I first saw the Stadium when I signed for the club, I've always harboured a desire to play in front of that crowd. It's something I'm preparing for.
"I'm hoping I get the chance. It would be great to play in the game against Manchester City or the final match of the season away to Tottenham, but I've got to be patient and wait and see.
"I've got the reserve final against Aston Villa coming up next week, so I'm also looking forward to that."
The 20-year-old was a surprise inclusion when Liverpool drew 1-1 with Arsenal in a league match at the Emirates last month.
Many youngsters would have been daunted by the prospect of going head-to-head with the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Gilberto - but not Plessis, who rose to the occasion to produce a superb display at the heart of the Reds' midfield.
"It was fantastic news and obviously I was very, very happy to start," said Plessis.
"I suppose it was the culmination of all the hard work that we put into a season and coming towards the end of it was great to see the fruit of all your efforts really and fantastic to have a chance to play in the first-team.
"I learned a lot from playing alongside the likes of Jamie Carragher, Lucas Leiva and Peter Crouch.
"You don't realise how fast the game is at that level and you can't miss a pass because there is no margin for error in the first-team.
"You've got to be concentrated for the whole 90 minutes and you see how hard they work, so it was good for me to learn from them."
Many observers were surprised at Plessis' inclusion against both Arsenal and Birmingham, and while he admits he did not expect to make it into the first-team so quickly, he believes it is something that young players must always be working towards.
"I suppose it was a surprise but the aim is to make progress at the club," he said.
"I'm not going to be happy just settling for playing in the reserves, you want to play in the first-team so although it is a nice surprise it is something you are aiming for all the time and that is your goal."
The youngster's tough tackling style and imposing frame have already seen some fans draw comparisons between him and Patrick Vieira, but while he admits it is flattering, he insists he has a long way to go before he can be mentioned in the same breath as one of the finest French midfielders of his generation.
"I'm flattered obviously," said Plessis.
"He's had a long, fantastic career and I'm just starting out in the game - my career is short in comparison.
"But he's Patrick and I'm Damien and at the end of the day, I've got to make my own path in football and hopefully that's what I'll do and be known for my own ability."
With the finish line within sight, the 2007/08 season has certainly been a memorable one for Plessis on a personal level.
But what are his hopes for next season?
More first-team action?
"That would be nice," he said.
"But first and foremost, I want to have a good pre-season and prepare well. Then I want to have a good season and put in some good performances like in this one. That would be great." |
If i were to make a bet on the pair featuring, i'd suggest Insua will start (with Aurelio injured) whilst Plessis may make the substitutes bench. That's the most likely scenario i think.
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