Leftback
0 Goals
18 Appearances (as of the end of 2008-2009)
Signed from Boca Juniors in 2007 for only 100,000 pounds! *read here for more info about this fee*
BACKGROUND BEFORE LFC
Emiliano Insua was an up-and-coming talent at Boca Juniors when Rafa snapped him up, so there really isn’t all that much to tell. He never played for Boca’s first team, but has had action with Argentina’s youth ranks, and often very impressively. Insua was the leader of the Argentina side that won the U-20 World Cup, alongside the likes of Sergio Aguero. Insua was on loan during the 2006-2007 season with us, and made the move permanent in the summer of 2007.
SIGNING FOR, AND SETTLING INTO, LFC
Insua took a while to settle into Liverpool, but mainly because of his age. He was impressing everybody with the reserves during 2006-2008, and by the end of the 2007-2008 season, it was clear that we had a decent talent on our hands. With Fabio Aurelio being often injured, and with Riise being let go to Roma, Insua would now get a chance to make an impact after only five appearances in his first two seasons with us. In 2008-2009, Insua played 13 matches, often times being thought of by the Liverpool supporters as our best option in the future on the left.
STYLE OF PLAY
Emiliano Insua is from the Roberto Carlos school of defending, to say the least. Attack first, defend second is the motto in which he lives by, but wow… what a fun player to watch in full flow. Insua gives us that extra dynamic edge to our attack, and we seemed to score when he played (in fact, we were never “blanked”). Though Insua does like to attack, he isn’t a bad defender. What he needs to work on, though, is keeping his concentration. He is prone to the occasional mistake or lapse in positional judgment, which was highlighted in a goal that Hull City scored on us in our 3-1 victory at the KC Stadium. Overall, though, Insua’s attacking play is worth it and we like to see him out there!
BEST MOMENTS
Insua’s best moment was when he got a stretch of starts in December of the 2008-2009 season, including a start against Arsenal at the Emirates in a 1-1 draw. That Rafa trusted Insua ahead of Dossena was a major boost for the player, and the supporters (myself included) felt that he was just as good out there as Fabio Aurelio, and definitely better than Dossena. Another great moment for Insua was being awarded a contract instead of just a loan.
TOUGH TIMES
Just when Insua was getting a great run in the side, he was asked to come to the U-20 World Cup qualifiers in January of 2009. With Fabio Aurelio out injured, this would have been the perfect time for Insua to cement the leftback slot as his own. Instead, Fabio Aurelio came back from injury and became our first choice, where he excelled and kept Insua out of the side (with the exception of non-Champions League matches in April). Other than that, and the unfortunate lapse of concentration that led to Hull City’s goal in our 3-1 win, Insua really hasn’t had any tough times as of yet.
2008-2009 SEASON VERDICT
Insua nearly tripled his career appearances in 2008-2009, and became the fans’ favorite for the leftback slot in the team. His attacking style won fans all over, and the fact that he is so young is a major bonus for us. We can bleed him in with Fabio Aurelio, with Dossena certainly on his way out… unless things go a direction I’m not expecting. He definitely helped us attack from the back, something that we’ve improved so much on over the years rather than just send long balls and hope for the best. Players like Insua are crucial in this development.
LFC CAREER VERDICT
After his first two seasons, Insua was in danger of becoming yet another young player signed by a big 4 team that would become unused and fade into oblivion. With just five appearnaces in two seasons, there weren’t many signs that he’d break through. But in December of 2008, Insua changed his fortunes with some sensational performances and reassuring displays that had Rafa pleased (which is VERY hard to do) and the supporters pleased (slightly easier, but not by much…) with how he was progressing. Insua has a bright future ahead of him at Liverpool, as long as he keeps his head down and works hard at his game.
