Lucas

[red g]

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.

tis true, scholes was only become a midfielder when he was 23 and he scored 14 goals in his premiership season when he was 21 as a striker

[Man71]

Lucas lacking confidence don't make me laugh - he can only pass the ball sideways or backwards. Is 9 times of 10 1-2 seconds late on the tackle. Lucas if your a member of the forum please do the honourable thing and get injured so Rafa stops picking you!!!!

[Kenneth]

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!!!!

You're mental.

[lickedlollipop]

i think that lucas has potential. but he must be gone for loan for 2-3 seasons.

[Baldemort]

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.

That's a fair point. If Rafa does let his shackles off and he starts really pulling the strings, then i'd be happy be reassess my opinion of him.

[FatTony]

He did ok, but I really think he needs to go back to school and learn:

A: how to tackle
B: when to tackle

His distribution and passing is average, but he does occassionally show something, but then I've seen very little improvement since he came here, if at all.

[Baldemort]

He did ok, but I really think he needs to go back to school and learn:

A: how to tackle
B: when to tackle

His distribution and passing is average, but he does occassionally show something, but then I've seen very little improvement since he came here, if at all.

That's a pretty fair summation.

[DannyMan2006]

I think Lucas is decent and have always defended him, I think he gets a lot of unnecessary stick because he does the unspectacular stuff and because he makes mistakes because he's young and inexperienced.

Spearing and Plessis are nowhere near his class, Spearing can't get anywhere near the England U21 team, Lucas captained Brazil. Massive difference in ability.

Spearing gets nowhere near the under 21 team because he plays in the reserves. The quality of the England U21s is also of a very high standard, full of lads playing regular premiership football or for top level championship sides.

Lucas got into the Brazilian U20 team due to being voted the best player in his country, prior to us signing him.

There is no doubt Lucas is full of potential, but at present he is not showing it. I wouldn't say he has been especially poor, but he has been very average. And to be honest I can not see why he keeps getting games. Surely Spearing or Plessis deserves a game ahead of him? He's had his chance and not impressed. Maybe it's time to take him out the limelight for a few weeks or so.

[hamshanks]

potential this, potential that... the one question that needs to be asked is - is he better than Mascherano? If not, Mascherano should be playing and he should be on the bench. Play your best effing team Rafa

[the rev leeroy brown]

lucas is too slow in the brain. his passes only go sideways or backwards. he's afraid to try a bigger and more positive pass for fear of losing possession.
he dwells so long on what to do with the ball that he gets caught in possession more than any other player in our squad.
he awaits the ball coming to him instead of going looking for it. count how many times in a game lucas either gets passes intercepted when being passed to him or how many times a simple pass to him becomes a 50/50 tackle to retain possession. he is sorely lacking confidence and it shows.

[Baldemort]

I could understand the whole 'lack of confidence' case for lucas' poor form if at some stage in his career he had already shown us just what an amazing player he is. But he hasnt, probably because he isnt. If nando or stevie have a dip in form, of course we can put it down to lack of form or confidence as we know they can deliver for us based upon actual previous performances. Not so with lucas.

[Ben_Itez]

lucas is too slow in the brain. his passes only go sideways or backwards. he's afraid to try a bigger and more positive pass for fear of losing possession.
he dwells so long on what to do with the ball that he gets caught in possession more than any other player in our squad.
he awaits the ball coming to him instead of going looking for it. count how many times in a game lucas either gets passes intercepted when being passed to him or how many times a simple pass to him becomes a 50/50 tackle to retain possession. he is sorely lacking confidence and it shows.

You really believe that?!?!?!?

Personally i think, out of our squad, he dwells on the ball amongst the least and plays the first time ball more than most.

[lickedlollipop]

plessis had a chance too, but he was worst then lucas. unfortunately i don't know how is spearing playing. i'd like to see him one day. at least he's our production. xD

[Assassin]

Rafael Benitez today insisted Lucas has his "100 per cent support" as the young midfielder reflects on the most difficult week of his career.
After conceding the penalty which gifted Wigan a point at the JJB Stadium, the 22-year old was sent off for two bookable offences against Everton in midweek, ruling him out of today's trip to Portsmouth.

Despite enduring a torrid few days in his Anfield career, Lucas retains the full backing of his manager.

"We will miss him. We have some problems and he is a player who could have been really important for us," said Benitez.

"I can't speak for every single fan, but every member of staff knows he is a very good player and his teammates know he is a good player.

"Against Wigan, for me, Lucas was the best player on the pitch. Then the other day at Everton he was also playing well and the ref made three mistakes. He gave one foul against him which wasn't, showed one yellow card which was wrong - and then the second yellow could be, but the player went over easily.

"I will support Lucas 100 per cent, always. He is a fantastic player, he is a nice boy and a very good professional. He has quality, he is learning and is improving all the time.

"It is not difficult for me to say that I support him 100 per cent."

[Shanks]

"We will miss him. We have some problems and he is a player who could have been really important for us," said Benitez.

"I can't speak for every single fan, but every member of staff knows he is a very good player and his teammates know he is a good player.

I think that was the Robbie Keane quote.