Lucas Leiva

[Pablo]

In the same way you can tell he thinks Kuyt is useless?

Haha, yes in EXACTLY the same way.

[calvoboy]

Reminds me of a young Gerrard more than Xabi. He doesn't just sit deep, he gets involved in attacks and looks to score himself more often than Xabi does.

Passes the ball well, reads the game well, tackles well, rarely gives the ball away, and can score goals. He just needs to improve his decision making and develop a bit of authority, but that will come with time. He's one of the major reasons to be cheerful at the club for me, along with Babel who I initially had doubts about. I can see both being fantastic players in a couple of seasons time if they are given the chance to develop properly (i.e. as they are now, playing every couple of games, and not having too much expected of them).

He's not the finished article yet, so we shouldn't build him up too much only to slate him when he inevitably has a bad game. The potential is definitely there though.

[PTP]

I remember this. I seriously believe that this is A very good attribute of stevie, especially towards the younger players. He also did it last night to babel. Straight after they played a good one two to put gerrard through in the box, he clapped babel, who wasnt looking. He then , shouted him, making sure he saw him commenting on his good play.

It is exactly what players like lucas and babel need. CONFIDENCE!!!!

ay - he does it when it's deserved tho and not just for the sake of doing it cause he's captain - which is a good thing,

when i played footie at uni i signed for a pretty good team - i was the youngest in the squad at about 19/20 by a few years - the captian was a semi pro and played at weekends for someone like bromsgrove or something - he was like roy keane in midfield and i was ****ing **** scared off him in training he always seemed to fix it so we were on opposite sides and he ****ing booted me everywhere, he rarely spoke to me and i got the impression he didn't think i was good enough. If i made a mistake he would be all over me like a rash giving me ****. Then one day in training i was playing well and ****ing megged him about 3 times in a row, the week after i scored a hat trick against a **** team - he didn't say much but i noticed that his attitude was changing towards me - then in one game i played really well and we were winning and i was subbed of towards the end of the game - he jogged over to me, shook my hand and clapped me off the pitch and said "i was a credit to the club" - **** me i jizzed my pants - But the confidence and lift i got from it was huge - it was a big learning curve for me in football cause i always thought i was a good player and as a kid usually always in the first team, until i signed for this team and i was (in my first season anyway) prob the worst player they had.

At the time I used to think he was being harsh on me but the difference it made to me getting praise when i deserved it was huge

anyway bit of ramble there

I have also seen gerrard turn away in disgust when players **** up

[Shaggy]

I have also seen gerrard turn away in disgust when players **** up

He does it all the time.

[Dhav]

In one of lucas first games - i was sitting with my dad in the centenary and lucas, new young lad in the team - took the ball off Gerrard - stevie was running away from goal with the ball in his stride and Lucas was running forward in a better position and he just took it off him and played a good ball out wide to some one and started an attack.... Me and my dad just looked at each other in amazement - it was the type of thing you see gerrard do every game but you never see anyone do it to the captain - esp a new young lad. - Later on in the game lucas was subbed off and gerrard went out of his way to shake his hand, give a well done and clapped him off. Something you rarely see from our captain unless it is deserved.

[Maxiedge]

Georgie's simple but effective play reminds me of some other great midfielders finding their feet in the Prem.

As others have mentioned before, to put in a performance like that, bearing in mind all factors, was a fantatstic display. Well impressed sofa.

Georgie

[The Birdman]

He isn't unlike Fabregas in the simple way he keeps the ball moving. I'm not saying he is anywhere near as good yet but he passes early, generally a simple effective ball and very rarely gives it away. Good continuity player who helps break up play then contributes to sustaining attacks.
Plays with his head up all the time and knows what he is going to do before he receives the ball.
Will be a brilliant player, agree with what was posted above, if Wenger had signed him the press would be having a wank fest over him

[anfieldanfield]

He's average.

[Reece]

He's average.

He's back

[rage]

He's average.

indeed, we've talked up kuyt, pennant and lucas. if riise got 5 minutes last night he would have been described as a solid quality left back no doubt.

[Gazzla]

indeed, we've talked up kuyt, pennant and lucas. if riise got 5 minutes last night he would have been described as a solid quality left back no doubt.

Compared to how Aurellio was playing how probably would have been

[Nic83]

He's average.

You're right. He has potential though.

Put it this way, if he played for any team bar LFC noone on here would be talking about him. Except if he played for Everton, then they'd be saying how **** he is.

[Parm]

Maybe not a replacement for Xabi but he does have alot of ability the boy although he's not your typical Brazilian player.
Maybe not as silky on the ball but he gets up and down the pitch well and has a good footballing brain on him.
I'd continue to ease him into the team but Xabi should still be ahead of him in the pecking order in my view.
Big talent though, a future first teamer.

so true, really hope he just develops into a Seedorf type player for us.

[Howard_lfc]

Lucas, the new Pirlo or Xavi. The same type of player.

give the lad a chance AFII !

[el matador]

can we have a sense of perspective here.

Alonso is one of the best midfielders in the world. He has proved it many times over. Lucas has great potential and showed some of it last night but lets not get carried away. He's still young and central midfield is one of the hardest to play at a young age. Im sure he's got a great future ahead of him.

Xabi is having a tough season through injuries and bad form but class is permanent. He will be back. Might not be for us though.