Lucas Leiva reserves or first team?

[Liverta 78]

What are the chances of Leiva breaking in to the first team next season? I'd hate to see such a talent lost in our reserve side. I hope he gets his chance and puts some pressure on our midfield ranks.

[paulcooper4]

for 9 mill fella i wanna see him tearin the back out of everyone

[PLY]

He'll be in the first team squad but will be given time to adapt to a new language / continent / pace of football.

[Liverta 78]

So not another South American flop then?

[Rich]

I think he'll be knocking on the door to the first team fairly soon, if he can get over the culture and pace barrier - we wouldn't have spent the money on someone that wasn't potentially excellent.

[Diego]

we'll see on Wednesday how he plays in the libertadores final against Boca...

[Liverta 78]

Will the libertadores final televised?

[akjs123]

He will probably be in the reserves for the first half of the season acclimatising to the weather, culture, style of football and depending on how he does in the reserves, he could be brought in the first team sooner or later.

[CAD]

Defo first team.

[paulcooper4]

he could be brought in the first team sooner or later.

you have splinters in your arse there fella. As insightful as andy townsend

[Liverta 78]

Just wondering where he would fit in to our midfield and who would be dropped?

If he does break in to our set up then come Jan transfer window we could see someone leave. But then Mascherano is only on loan, or is he? Never quite understood his situation.

[dww]

Just wondering where he would fit in to our midfield and who would be dropped?

If he does break in to our set up then come Jan transfer window we could see someone leave. But then Mascherano is only on loan, or is he? Never quite understood his situation.

I think the best way to look at is that it is a loan but with a first option and agreed price at the end of it. Although legally it is a bit more complex from what I have read.

[Taffy]

As has already been said, I expect Lucas to start out in the reserves having a few games to get used to the pace over here.

He'll probably have been involved in the pre-season friendlies though so I expect him to be pushing for selection into the first team matchday squad by Christmas time.

I'm excited at the prospect of him playing for us and I believe he'd offer us something different to what we already have, and with some South American flair and hard work should win the fans over pretty early on.

[dww]

Just wondering where he would fit in to our midfield and who would be dropped?

If he does break in to our set up then come Jan transfer window we could see someone leave. But then Mascherano is only on loan, or is he? Never quite understood his situation.

From what has been posted on here from another forum he seems capable of playing deep and creative like Pirlo or bursting forward like Vieira. Which would make it likeley he would play with either Alonso or Mascher in the holding role beside him. So really he puts pressure on whichever of those two looses out, Gerrard and Sissoko for the seond CM role but it is failr obvious that the only one of those who is in any real danger of loosing a squad place during next year is Sissoko.

Long term I could see us choosing him over buying Mascher if he fulfils his potential or us selling Sissoko to give a more creative look to our CM positions.

I imagine it will be at least January before we see anything of him anyway.

[captainfog]

He will be backup for SG. If he does well early doors then we will see a lot more of him, however, I suspect Rafa wants to ease him in gently, like he did with Agger.