THE Lucas thread

[Kenneth]

'One of the most feeble footballers I've ever seen wear the shirt. A woeful, woeful player.'

....and we go back to the start.

[red g]

All of this is my opinion and not fact clearly but there you go, out of the other 'big 3' plus City and Spurs -
Lucas is better than Anderson, Diaby, Denillson, Song, Huddlestone, Palacios, Penis he isn't better than Essien, Mikel (about par) Fletcher, Barry , Ireland and is a completely different player to the likes of Carrick, Fabregas, Lampard, Ballack.

So of his type there are only a couple better than him imo in the PL and those players wouldn't sign for us and we probably couldn't afford them.
Also he is miles, miles better than Spearing or Plessis

If spearing had 48 games for liverpool he maybe as good or better than lucas at this stage though.

[The Birdman]

Penis?

Jenas

[red g]

Jenas

[The Birdman]

If spearing had 48 games for liverpool he maybe as good or better than lucas at this stage though.

No chance, I'm sorry but there are number of reasons why Lucas was the captain on Brazil's U21 team and has recently made it back into the full squad while Spearing can't get anywhere near the England set up.
The main reason being is that Lucas is a miles better player than Spearing otherwise he would be playing ahead of him.
Wilshire from Arsenal has made the England U21's without featuring regularly for the Arsenal 1st team so Rafa not picking Spearing more often doesn't wash.

[Craig_H]

No chance, I'm sorry but there are number of reasons why Lucas was the captain on Brazil's U21 team and has recently made it back into the full squad while Spearing can't get anywhere near the England set up.
The main reason being is that Lucas is a miles better player than Spearing otherwise he would be playing ahead of him.
Wilshire from Arsenal has made the England U21's without featuring regularly for the Arsenal 1st team so Rafa not picking Spearing more often doesn't wash.

He wasnt saying Spearing is better, he was saying that, with the benefit of 48 first team appearances, he may have developed into a better player than Lucas. He hasnt had those 48 games though, so he obviously hasnt had the opportunity to use that kind of first team experience to develop.

[red g]

He wasnt saying Spearing is better, he was saying that, with the benefit of 48 first team appearances, he may have developed into a better player than Lucas. He hasnt had those 48 games though, so he obviously hasnt had the opportunity to use that kind of first team experience to develop.

thankyou craig, thats exactly what i was trying to say

[memzey]

For the last two seasons Alonso was here. Both Rafa and Lucas have commented on Lucas' new responsibility now that he is gone so it's not inconceivable to suggest that Rafa sees him as more than just a utility player, particularly given his constant efforts to raise his profile in the press.

clearly being an estaished player while a new player beds in is a step up in responsibility. One would hardly expect Rafa to say anything different, especially given the stick Lucas has had off the fans.

Of course Aquilani looks the most likely candidate to replace Alonso but it's fast becoming apparent that Lucas is perhaps more likely to be rotated with Mascherano than he is a fit Aquilani (or you would hope so, anyway).

Possibly. We'll see how Rafa plays it but I wouldn't be so quick to judge. The main thing is Rafa clearly trusts Lucas to do a job for him when called upon, which could lead him to being rotated with either.

Either way, I don't think it's as clear cut as you make it out to be. My hope is that you're right, and Lucas is simply filling in in the absence of the superior Aquilani but I wouldn't be surprised see Rafa persist with him this season.

I think it is exactly that clear cut. When Aquilani is up to speed he'll be partnered with Mascher in our first choice central midfield and Lucas will fill in here and there unless his game improves sufficiently to press for a starting birth.

[The Birdman]

He wasnt saying Spearing is better, he was saying that, with the benefit of 48 first team appearances, he may have developed into a better player than Lucas. He hasnt had those 48 games though, so he obviously hasnt had the opportunity to use that kind of first team experience to develop.

Without wishing to labour the point the reason Lucas has played 48 times and Spearing hasn't is because Lucas is the better player, Spearing hasn't been good enough to warrant selection 48 times Lucas has so both your arguements don't make sense.

Rafa can't just pick Spearing 48 times for the hell of just to see if he gets any better, he isn't playing regularly because he isn't good enough and isn't better than Lucas

[Shaggy]

Thought Spearing had a pretty poor game last night. It's clear he's not as good a player as Lucas. Don't think Spearing will make it.

[Craig_H]

Thought Spearing had a pretty poor game last night. It's clear he's not as good a player as Lucas. Don't think Spearing will make it.

I thought he had a decent game last night.

[Reece]

I thought he started of ok, but then trailed off in the second half.

I agree that I don't think he'll ever make it, and that's not on the basis of that one game as I've watched a lot of reserve games. It's a shame as I like the lad.

[The Erectile Banana]

Lucas was great last night.

His most effective game of the season so far.

[Scratch]

Thought Spearing had a pretty poor game last night. It's clear he's not as good a player as Lucas. Don't think Spearing will make it.

I thought he had a decent game last night.

I think if Lucas had put in the same shift as Spearing did last night, he would be slated...people would ignore the good (crisp passing on occasion, bustle and hustle) and focus on the negative (giving the ball away on many occasions, shooting instead of passing, losing every aerial battle due to his height). But Spearing is a local lad, so he will be looked upon in a favourable light.

Me, i think he was ok...not brilliant, but not poor...but not above Lucas in the pecking order, not even close. Yet.

[Craig_H]

I think if Lucas had put in the same shift as Spearing did last night, he would be slated...people would ignore the good (crisp passing on occasion, bustle and hustle) and focus on the negative (giving the ball away on many occasions, shooting instead of passing, losing every aerial battle due to his height). But Spearing is a local lad, so he will be looked upon in a favourable light.

Me, i think he was ok...not brilliant, but not poor...but not above Lucas in the pecking order, not even close. Yet.

The difference is that Lucas is a Brazilian international - so people expect more from him, than they do from a kid who has barely played in the first team. Nothing to do with Spearing being local.

If Spearing had been fully capped for a strong international side, i'd expect more from him too.