Lucas

[Cormack74]

Thought Lucas did a decent job keeping it tidy last night apart from the stupidity of his second yellow.

[Scratch]

I think the last few games have shown us that posession is not a problem. Doing something dangerous with it is. If we got points for time in posession, or number of sideways passes then Lucas is a goog prospect. We don't so he isn't.

Bollocks, he gives the ball on, keeps the ball moving, doesn't dwell on it or take an age to pass it, and he passes it to a fellow LFC player, thereby forcing the opposition to chase it. His role isn't to be the dangerous play maker, he brings other players into the game instead, keeping it simple in mdifield.

So if he ain't doing something dangerous, then it would appear no one else is either, so why not slate them as well? Is it cos Lucas is just an easy target perhaps?

[Scratch]

Thought Lucas did a decent job keeping it tidy last night apart from the stupidity of his second yellow.

Agree with that comment. Thought his first yellow was a bit harsh on seeing the replay, but at full speed it did look worse. But his second yellow was easily avoidable. But i do think that's something to do with not having enough continuos game time. You can't play one match here, one match there and be expected to be on the pace straight away.

[The Birdman]

To perhaps open another can of worms Xabi has been absolutely woeful recently, his passing (which is the only part of his game really) has been terrible, over hit all set pieces and generally back to being ****e, he deserved to be sent off last night and if the ref hadn't already sent Lucas packing then he would deffo have gone.

[memzey]

To perhaps open another can of worms Xabi has been absolutely woeful recently, his passing (which is the only part of his game really) has been terrible, over hit all set pieces and generally back to being ****e, he deserved to be sent off last night and if the ref hadn't already sent Lucas packing then he would deffo have gone.

Que?

Maybe it wasn't up to his high standards last night but to say that his passing has been absolutely woeful recently strikes me as being a bit over the top.

[Skillz]

That's one of the things I don't get - he has clearly improved physically this season yet he still gets stick for being weak etc. There are some valid criticisms of his recent performances - his decision making defensively in particular has been poor but I can't help but feeling people have prejudged him.

Don't think there is any doubt there. They might prove to be right though.

Agree with that comment. Thought his first yellow was a bit harsh on seeing the replay, but at full speed it did look worse. But his second yellow was easily avoidable. But i do think that's something to do with not having enough continuos game time. You can't play one match here, one match there and be expected to be on the pace straight away.

It's a great point considering it is clear it is the pace of the game he needs to come to grips with. I think he has great potential and am happy to back him for a while longer

[ufc43]

Lucas plays a different role from that of Gerrard. Gerrard is our driving force, the man who makes things happen. Lucas holds the midfield, gets the ball and moves it on, keeping the opposition chasing...if they don't have the ball, they can't hurt us. And very rarely do you see Gerrard trying the simple pass.

And as for Gerrard taking free kicks and corners, i wish he ****ing wouldn't. Lucas delivers a better set piece than Gerrard, but instead Lucas is in the box and Gerrard is taking the kicks and rarely beating the first man.

Leave these to Alonso with Gerard at the edge of the box to smash home any lose ball.

[Kenneth]

Bollocks, he gives the ball on, keeps the ball moving, doesn't dwell on it or take an age to pass it, and he passes it to a fellow LFC player, thereby forcing the opposition to chase it. His role isn't to be the dangerous play maker, he brings other players into the game instead, keeping it simple in mdifield.

So if he ain't doing something dangerous, then it would appear no one else is either, so why not slate them as well? Is it cos Lucas is just an easy target perhaps?

He looks around and generally passes it 2 yards sideways or backwards.

"His role isn't to be the dangerous play maker" - When did the idea of there being one player creating things come from? Is that a new thing?

I've not been slating Lucas, I just don't think he is very good and offers little. Short laboured passing to Liverpool players is not enough when you're sat in the middle of the park. Carra could do the job as well if not better.

No witch hunt, and i'm not saying we should get rid now, but he's just very ordinary and in such a key position it isn't good enough for us. He is an easy target because he's our weakest midfielder. He may improve but should probably do that outside of the 1st team in important matches.

[Kenneth]

[/B]

Leave these to Alonso with Gerard at the edge of the box to smash home any lose ball.

Unfortunately Xabi seemed to think high balls to Yossi at the back post was a good approach on a few occasions yesterday.

[Baldemort]

Lucas plays a different role from that of Gerrard. Gerrard is our driving force, the man who makes things happen. Lucas holds the midfield, gets the ball and moves it on, keeping the opposition chasing...if they don't have the ball, they can't hurt us. And very rarely do you see Gerrard trying the simple pass.

And as for Gerrard taking free kicks and corners, i wish he ****ing wouldn't. Lucas delivers a better set piece than Gerrard, but instead Lucas is in the box and Gerrard is taking the kicks and rarely beating the first man.

I think you missed my point maybe, scratch. I am not comparing lucas to stevie directly but just making the point that other players, stevie included, offer the simple things that lucas does but an awful lot more in addition. I doubt there is a man on the planet who doesnt think that stevie could easily do what lucas does. What he does in itself does not take an awful lot of 'ability'. It doesnt need technical skill, strength, pace, game intelligence etc etc etc. He makes very simple passes to keep the ball moving. But he does nothing of real attacking intent. No wonder passes or defence splitting balls, bar one. Our whole problem as a team is **** loads of possession with little end result. Lucas personifies that. He makes those nice tidy passes which a lot of players could pull off. There are many players who could pull off the same passes and offer a whole lot more in addition. In a team with title aspirations, we need more than lucas at the heart of our team.

[ufc43]

Unfortunately Xabi seemed to think high balls to Yossi at the back post was a good approach on a few occasions yesterday.

That was one game, Alonso's delivery is usually top class.

[IanTatt]

Out of our 10 midfielders and forwards we have
Lucas, Riera, Kuyt, Ngog, Benayoun, Babel are garbabge/ nowhere near good enough

Gerrard, Torres, Mascher, and Alonso are top class, but with Torres injured and the lack of form of Mascher and Alonso (now), it;s now wonder we struggle to create chance let alone score, we played EFC three times, twice at home and we created about 3-4 chances, that's a joke in anyones language. We need class wide men to support torres not second rate ****e like we have now. It's a joke!!!!

[Man71]

only Rafa could sign a Brazilian who can't pass or dribble and an Italian who can't defend.

In Rafa I don't trust!!!

[wiw]

Someone elsewhere commented that he's like Scholes, which is something I've never thought of before but I agree with it. How good was Scholes when he was 21? He's obviously got a long way to go but he's still very young

[The Erectile Banana]

Someone elsewhere commented that he's like Scholes, which is something I've never thought of before but I agree with it. How good was Scholes when he was 21? He's obviously got a long way to go but he's still very young

I don't think that's a valid comparison. Scholes started as a striker and was scoring goals for United at that age.

Lucas is a completely different type of player. I think he has the ability to be a good player for us long term. What he is lacking is confidence to try something other than the safe pass nine times out of ten, unless of course he is under instruction to play it safe.