Plessis

[el matador]

I thought Nunez was a really good performer for the reserves but it only proves a player can hold his own at a reasonable level, not the PL/CL level.

I don't agree with your view of Plessis' performance at the Emirates either.

Leto too was decent for the reserves but didnt look great whenever he was called up.

I hope that all our young lads go on to play for us so the likes of lucas and plessis forge great careers at anfield but they both look like average players to me and average players wont get into our first team.

I sincerely hope im wrong because if not £6m is a lot of money to throw away on lucas.

[wiw]

Reserves won the league last year ahead of 'Arsenal's amazing kids'. Plessis was brilliant for them and showed he can be a class act on his debut at the Emirates. Give the lad a chance for ****s sake. Fans are fickle

Lucas btw scored the winner on tuesday incase you lot didnt notice. Young players adapting to the english game and the new surroundings.

I will add - people underestimate the step up to the 'highest level' far far far too much

[The Birdman]

I'm going to buck the trend here and say Lucas will have a long Liverpool career, he was keeping Alonso (rightly) out of the team last season and if we regularly go back to 4-2-3-1 I think Rafa will go for Lucas and Masher not Alonso as the '2'
Just because Lucas doesn't play holywood passes and shoot from his own half doesn't mean he isn't a good player.

[Matt]

I'm sticking to my guns on Plessis but I think people are writing off Lucas a bit too quick.

I slated him earlier for his performance against Crewe and rightly so IMO but there is obviously more to his game than he's shown thus far. He's a Brazilian footballer of the year after all. He's also mostly played in an unfamiliar role (i.e described himself as a box to box player but has had to learn to play the holding role like Xabi did) and he's been in and out of the side. Can't be easy for him.

[calvoboy]

I thought Lucas looked like a fantastic potential when he first came into the side, and he played well in patches last season, but if he's not showing any consistency after 35 first team games then surely it makes you wonder if he ever will?

You can't put it down to inexperience any more, and surely he's had long enough to settle into the side. I don't want hollywood goals, or anything spectacular, just a bit of composure and consistency that I think he should be delivering by now. How many free-kicks does he give away in our defensive third for starters?

[el matador]

I thought Lucas looked like a fantastic potential when he first came into the side, and he played well in patches last season, but if he's not showing any consistency after 35 first team games then surely it makes you wonder if he ever will?

You can't put it down to inexperience any more, and surely he's had long enough to settle into the side. I don't want hollywood goals, or anything spectacular, just a bit of composure and consistency that I think he should be delivering by now. How many free-kicks does he give away in our defensive third for starters?

it all adds to the rafa debate in that if lucas was brazil's player of the year whilst playing as an attacking midfielder why does rafa play him as a defensive midfielder ?

If you want a defensive midfield player buy one but dont try to convert an offensive one.

[Woobus]

I thought Lucas looked like a fantastic potential when he first came into the side, and he played well in patches last season, but if he's not showing any consistency after 35 first team games then surely it makes you wonder if he ever will?

You can't put it down to inexperience any more, and surely he's had long enough to settle into the side. I don't want hollywood goals, or anything spectacular, just a bit of composure and consistency that I think he should be delivering by now. How many free-kicks does he give away in our defensive third for starters?

Lots of foreign players show no consistancy in there first 35 matches, just look at Ronaldo and the United fans would have been more than happy to sell him after his first and second season. Nani has not looked the best for them in a lot of games but I doubt Fergi would be stupid enough to sell him just yet.

[Mike]

Plessis plays better with the reserves as the team play as a unit, the are amazing.

I agree with Slinky ( i think it was i cant be arsed looking back) when he said if we played a bunch of our youngsters like Arsenal did, we would of rubby hammered them.

Give Plessis time, like we have done with Lucas.

[Matt]

I thought Lucas looked like a fantastic potential when he first came into the side, and he played well in patches last season, but if he's not showing any consistency after 35 first team games then surely it makes you wonder if he ever will?

You can't put it down to inexperience any more, and surely he's had long enough to settle into the side. I don't want hollywood goals, or anything spectacular, just a bit of composure and consistency that I think he should be delivering by now. How many free-kicks does he give away in our defensive third for starters?

35 games equates to roughly half a season.

And I'd wager that most of those weren't starts.

[calvoboy]

Lots of foreign players show no consistancy in there first 35 matches, just look at Ronaldo and the United fans would have been more than happy to sell him after his first and second season. Nani has not looked the best for them in a lot of games but I doubt Fergi would be stupid enough to sell him just yet.

I wouldn't sell him yet, he's not that bad. I'm just saying that after a season in the first team he is showing signs of being an average sort of squad player for the future rather than a future star. I don't think he's coming on as much as I hoped he would.

35 games equates to roughly half a season.

And I'd wager that most of those weren't starts.

35 games is more than most of our squad will play in a season allowing for injuries and rotation. He had 23 starts in all competitions, and 12 sub appearances last season, according to soccerbase.

I'm not saying he's ****e, just that at the moment he isn't looking like a future star to me. I hope he proves me wrong.

[Matt]

35 games is more than most of our squad will play in a season allowing for injuries and rotation. He had 23 starts in all competitions, and 12 sub appearances last season, according to soccerbase.

I'm not saying he's ****e, just that at the moment he isn't looking like a future star to me. I hope he proves me wrong.

Fair enough, I'd have lost my money then

[barnes10]

it all adds to the rafa debate in that if lucas was brazil's player of the year whilst playing as an attacking midfielder why does rafa play him as a defensive midfielder ?

If you want a defensive midfield player buy one but dont try to convert an offensive one.

rafa gives him time as a defensive midfielder since he is weak on that area of his game. so he's making him an all rounded midfielder which is what he should be doing with young players.

anyway this season, i've noticed him get forward more already. Cos of that I think last season was about bedding in and working on his composure/DM skills. time will tell tho and it all depends on how much actual game time he gets this season. 2nd season is make or break for any new signing IMO.

but im an optimist and I think he'll improve

[Woobus]

rafa gives him time as a defensive midfielder since he is weak on that area of his game. so he's making him an all rounded midfielder which is what he should be doing with young players.

Yup Gerrard said recently that Rafa has made him a far better player as he can now play anywhere over the park. Most people slaughtered Rafa for playing him in different positions but the player himself knows it has done him a world of good. Think the same will go for Lucas, in the future he will be a lot better player having a better knowledge of defending from midfield.

[hamshanks]

would he get into the Arsenal team that beat Sheff U, that is the standard he should be compared to ?

I disagree I think he would. I was at the game at Arsenal and he completely ran the show. He's been brilliant for the reserves, fabulous passer for a defensive midfield player but he was poor the other night - he's a young lad he'll have off games, Gerrard did when he was his age.

[Kenneth]

I disagree I think he would. I was at the game at Arsenal and he completely ran the show. He's been brilliant for the reserves, fabulous passer for a defensive midfield player but he was poor the other night - he's a young lad he'll have off games, Gerrard did when he was his age.

I wasn't at the game but I think that's a massive exaggeration.