John Barnes On Lucas & The Liverpool Squad

[Craig_H]

You are entitled to your opinion, likewise, I am entitled to mine. I do not agree with your opinion on Lucas.

I am sure, personally, you will find it strange that I dont agree with your thoughts, as in your opinion you are always right

Not at all, plenty disagree with me and that's not a problem.

I dont insist that they cant have those opinions though, that's different.

[Zapater]

The thing with Lucas is that you don't splash 10m on a "player every club needs. He won`t produce magic every week but he will give you an honest performance." You spend that kind of money for special talents. For players that do the dirty work and play once ever so seldom guys like Plessis, Spearing and other youth players (or cheap backup signings) should be able to step in and do that. Comparing him to Fletcher is a bit different because Fletcher came from their youth system. Given money paid and pre-Liverpool reputation I think we'd be better off comparing him to someone like Anderson (alas Anderson was much more) just an to state and I must say i think that we're much worse off.

Although that's all history, Lucas is here and even though he pisses me off big time and I think he was a waste of money it's quite clear that Rafa is going to persist with him for the foreseeable future, so we might as well just hope he can improve on his performances. He put in a good shift on the weekend and hopefully he can build upon that. He'll be starting the CL game because Mascherano will be suspended, so hopefully he can work up a head of steam.

[Craig_H]

Lucas wasnt £10m though.

I agree with your points on a general note, but £10m isnt accurate, as he cost us £6m-£7m.

[nbryan1764]

I'd go back to asking the question - if you're picking a team for a Champions League final tomorrow, you're not going to pick Lucas. And there's a reason for that.

yes, there are three world class midfielders in front of him, doesn't make him a bad player. Not the worst place to be if you are fourth choice behind those three. Tevez probably would not be in united's either but all bias aside, he aint bad

[Flight]

P'raps Digger didnt see the game at Wigan this season.

He's not disliked or hated by fans, nor singled out. He's simply produced ineffective and poor performances for the majority of his Liverpool career. Consequently, fans point this out and indicate a preference for someone to play instead of him, because they feel this would be more beneficial to LFC and their results.

Nowt more to it.

Absolutely not true. And there is more to it - some of our fans are whinging cunts and need a scapegoat. Not so many years ago it was Carra that was the scapegoat.

Lucas has given some poor displays this season, but he isn't the only one. Nor is he the only player whose mistakes have cost us two points in games we should have had wrapped up - Skrtel, Carra and Xabi, to name three.

[Craig_H]

Absolutely not true. And there is more to it - some of our fans are whinging cunts and need a scapegoat. Not so many years ago it was Carra that was the scapegoat.

Lucas has given some poor displays this season, but he isn't the only one. Nor is he the only player whose mistakes have cost us two points in games we should have had wrapped up - Skrtel, Carra and Xabi, to name three.

The majority of Lucas' displays for LFC have been largely ineffective or poor - that is a fact mate. Forget 'he isnt the only one' and other passing the buck, my point is about him, not others.

[Flight]

The majority of Lucas' displays for LFC have been largely ineffective or poor - that is a fact mate. Forget 'he isnt the only one' and other passing the buck, my point is about him, not others.

Thats your opinion and its massively biaised. I don't agree with it.

Digger doesn't agree with it - he says Lucas had an excellent game against the Mancs. Still what does he know about football.

Oh and the stats don't agree with it either - he made more accurate passes than anyone in the match, more tackles than anyone in the match and the same number of missed passes as Gerrard or Reira.

[Craig_H]

Thats your opinion and its massively biaised. I don't agree with it.

Digger doesn't agree with it - he says Lucas had an excellent game against the Mancs. Still what does he know about football.

Oh and the stats don't agree with it either - he made more accurate passes than anyone in the match, more tackles than anyone in the match and the same number of missed passes as Gerrard or Reira.

Why is it biased? Am i anti brazilian or something? Maybe i hate Aurelio then? Oh no, i actually rate him. There goes another weird theory.

Digger also ****ed up his managerial career at Celtic - but still, he must know everything there is to know about football and cant ever be wrong, can he? Doesnt really matter what he thinks, i doubt he thought we'd win 4-1 at OT. I can form my own opinions ta.

If Carra releases a sequel to his autobiography in a few years, i suspect he'll write about how little he rated Lucas, same as he did about Diao, Cheyrou, Diouf etc.

As for the stats, he had a decent game at Man Utd, without doubt. That's not what i was disputing, so why you've brought it up, i dont know.

The majority of his games for us havent produced good, effective performances.

[wiw]

The majority of Lucas' displays for LFC have been largely ineffective or poor - that is a fact mate. Forget 'he isnt the only one' and other passing the buck, my point is about him, not others.

That is not fact (thanks for not saying facht )

[Craig_H]

That is not fact (thanks for not saying facht )

It is a facht

Seriously, can you name more than 5 games where he's been very good?

Be honest

[wiw]

It is a facht

Seriously, can you name more than 5 games where he's been very good?

Be honest

That's not what you said is it?

[Craig_H]

That's not what you said is it?

I said in the majority of his games for us, he's been ineffective or poor - which is true. He's had more ineffective/poor games than he has had effective/good ones.

[dww]

I said in the majority of his games for us, he's been ineffective or poor - which is true. He's had more ineffective/poor games than he has had effective/good ones.

I though he was actually very effective at the end of last season.

[Flight]

It is a facht

Seriously, can you name more than 5 games where he's been very good?

Be honest

This term, he was Man of the Match at Newcastle, (ahead of Gerrard - the teams best performance this term, up until recently) and had good games against Villa away, Crewe in the Cup (scored the winner too), Portsmouth (home), Marseilles away and played very well against the Mancs.


Nearly all of his other appearances, up until January, were as a sub. Also worth bearing in mind he was away at the Olympics over the summer and the first month of the season


He had a few poor games, culminating in losing us two points and then the sending off (which was two harsh yellows). However, during that entire time, the whole of the team was poor.

[RedReet]

I said in the majority of his games for us, he's been ineffective or poor - which is true. He's had more ineffective/poor games than he has had effective/good ones.

Exaggeration for effect is all well and good, but it somewhat neglects to focus on the actual facts.