Lucas

[Scratch]

He has about the best tackling stats in our team, don't talk rubbish.

Because he stays on his feet and doesn't resort to the type of studs up, ball and man, challenge that Gerrard and Mascher like to employ, that means to some folk that he "can't tackle". Whereas, like you say, the stats would say otherwise.

[badpiggy]

He has about the best tackling stats in our team, don't talk rubbish.

haven't seen them but that doesn't surprise me. he's still learning but it's amusing how people think you can be a midfielder and not give away frees i think he suffers from people noticing everything he does wrong and nothing he does right.

[Kenneth]

But let's not go overboard, he is still a limited player who cannot be played in a midfield alongside a defensive only minded player like Mascherano. And he isn't a good enough destroyer to be THE defensive midfielder. Not top four quality in an position really. But fair play, he's doing well in the circumstances.

[badpiggy]

oh yeah - if he continues to be our best player then we're in trouble but he's really stood up to a huge amount of **** this season

[BrianF80]

It would be interesting to see how many fouls Lucas gives away compared to Mascherano, as I bet there isn't a lot of difference. There still appears to be some people who completely refuse to give the lad any credit whatsoever.

Player / Fouls per Start

Lucas 2.3
Javier Mascherano 2.4
David Ngog 2.4
Ryan Babel 2.4
Alberto Aquilani 2.3
Andriy Voronin 2.3

[Kenneth]

Player / Fouls per Start

Lucas 2.3
Javier Mascherano 2.4
David Ngog 2.4
Ryan Babel 2.4
Alberto Aquilani 2.3
Andriy Voronin 2.3

How come you have, with the exception of monster, only quoted player who have barely started a game?

[BrianF80]

How come you have, with the exception of monster, only quoted player who have barely started a game?

I just chose those with the highest #'s!

If it makes you feel better:

Dirk Kuyt 1.3
Jamie Carragher 0.7
Emiliano Insua 0.9
Lucas 2.3
Steven Gerrard 0.7
Javier Mascherano 2.4
Yossi Benayoun 0.9
Glen Johnson 1.0
Fernando Torres 1.5
Daniel Agger 0.8
Martin Skrtel 1.7
Fabio Aurelio 1.1
David Ngog 2.4
Alberto Riera 0.6
Philipp Degen 1.4
Ryan Babel 2.4
Alberto Aquilani 2.3
Sotirios Kyrgiakos 1.3
Andrea Dossena 1.3
Andriy Voronin 2.3
Jay Spearing 0.3
Sotirios Kyrgiakos 0.5
Stephen Darby 0.5
Damien Plessis 1.0
Martin Kelly 0.0

[el matador]

But let's not go overboard, he is still a limited player who cannot be played in a midfield alongside a defensive only minded player like Mascherano. And he isn't a good enough destroyer to be THE defensive midfielder. Not top four quality in an position really. But fair play, he's doing well in the circumstances.

is probably the most accurate statement on lucas ever written.

He isnt top draw (ie good enough for arsenal, chelsea or uniteds midfield) but as a sub midfield player he isnt too bad. Not as good as masher defensively and not probably not as good as aquilani going forward.

If he played at the same level but added 10 goals per season to his game then the debate about lucas would be altogether different.

[Scratch]

is probably the most accurate statement on lucas ever written.

He isnt top draw (ie good enough for arsenal, chelsea or uniteds midfield) but as a sub midfield player he isnt too bad. Not as good as masher defensively and not probably not as good as aquilani going forward.

If he played at the same level but added 10 goals per season to his game then the debate about lucas would be altogether different.

He is no worse...in fact better...than the likes of Flamini, Fletcher, Obi Mikel, Park, Diaby, Eboue...all of whom are/were mainstays in their respective teams (arsenal wanted to keep Flamini, if you recall)...Lucas us looking a good player now, even with the team playing **** football all around him...imagine how good he would be in a team playing fluid, attacking football, with players making the right runs and playing the right passes...All this **** about "he only looks good cos everyone else is playing so poor" is complete crap.

[Kenneth]

He is no worse...in fact better...than the likes of Flamini, Fletcher, Obi Mikel, Park, Diaby, Eboue...all of whom are/were mainstays in their respective teams (arsenal wanted to keep Flamini, if you recall)...Lucas us looking a good player now, even with the team playing **** football all around him...imagine how good he would be in a team playing fluid, attacking football, with players making the right runs and playing the right passes...All this **** about "he only looks good cos everyone else is playing so poor" is complete crap.

He is not at the level of Flamini (pre move). He's nothing like Fletcher or Park either.

[the rev leeroy brown]

He is no worse...in fact better...than the likes of Flamini, Fletcher, Obi Mikel, Park, Diaby, Eboue...all of whom are/were mainstays in their respective teams (arsenal wanted to keep Flamini, if you recall)...Lucas us looking a good player now, even with the team playing **** football all around him...imagine how good he would be in a team playing fluid, attacking football, with players making the right runs and playing the right passes...All this **** about "he only looks good cos everyone else is playing so poor" is complete crap.

He is not at the level of Flamini (pre move). He's nothing like Fletcher or Park either.

nor is he at the same level as fletcher and diaby. he is on a par with obi mikel and eboue though. park is just utter ****e.

[paulc]

He is good but he is not good enough for LFC and not what we need IMO. We have Mash to do the defensive work in the middle. We need an Alonso to play with him who can dictate the attack and not have to worry about defending as mash has that covered. Oh what a midfield that would be

Maxi-----Alonso-------Mash-----Riera

Oh what could have been

What? Someone who plays well every 3rd season?

[Tribute]

Lucas has been excellent in recent weeks, reminds me of what Carra said on Sixty Minutes about Danny Murphy - that he might not be the best known or the most talented person in the side, but he should be given more credit than he gets for always giving 100%, even when he's having an off day, he always wants the ball.

I noticed Lucas had his head up and his energy high throughout on Saturday... he looks up for it, which is a damn site more than some of the more experienced players at the moment.

[Shaggy]

Lucas has been excellent in recent weeks, reminds me of what Carra said on Sixty Minutes about Danny Murphy - that he might not be the best known or the most talented person in the side, but he should be given more credit than he gets for always giving 100%, even when he's having an off day, he always wants the ball.

I noticed Lucas had his head up and his energy high throughout on Saturday... he looks up for it, which is a damn site more than some of the more experienced players at the moment.

[el matador]

Lucas has been excellent in recent weeks, reminds me of what Carra said on Sixty Minutes about Danny Murphy - that he might not be the best known or the most talented person in the side, but he should be given more credit than he gets for always giving 100%, even when he's having an off day, he always wants the ball.

I noticed Lucas had his head up and his energy high throughout on Saturday... he looks up for it, which is a damn site more than some of the more experienced players at the moment.

his fitness levels look much better and his pecs are almost bursting out of his shirt.

But operation is correct. He is a limited player and we shouldnt be going crazy over a some who probably wouldnt be at anfield if we had a decent budget.

However, I do think a season or two in spain plaing for villareal or somebody half decent would define him as a player. He would discover for himself his own strengths and determine whether he prefers to be more defensive ala marcos senna or more attacking..

I think one of his problems is that he trying to combine both to suit benitez's 4231 system and he isnt excelling in either dept. Versatility is only important as long as the player can perform in any position to an acceptable standard.