Lucas

[RedReet]

Surely not?

[Bender]

Liverpool are allowing midfielder Lucas Leiva, 29, to join Internazionale on loan for the rest of the season. (Guardian)

[ame]https://twitter.com/LiverpoolFF/status/813494180152508416[/ame]

[SB]

Top man Lucas. Pogba would probably have asked for a fee.

[Tee]

What a lovely thing to do, well done Lucas.

[Shaggy]

Such a top bloke.

[shanks69]

Thought I would share this just to show what a great lad Lucas is,there is a lad I know who sadly has terminal cancer he's only 45,anyway just over a week ago Lucas turned up at the hospice that he is in and gave him his shirt that he had worn the previous match (Leicester I think)and it wasn't a quick hello and goodbye Lucas stayed talking for an hour

[labourRed]

I'm unsure as you say there's some context here in that we had a CB crisis at this time and we were playing dead rubbers in the league so Klopp rightly was trying out some youth options.

To make the jump that Stewart is preferred to Lucas on that basis has its flaws. But i'll certainly cede that Klopp seems to prefer more mobility in that area and that's not something Lucas has at this stage obviously.

That said, Lucas performed above expectation at the back and is now a genuine makeshift there if need be.

All that said, i don't rate Stewart (yet).

[RedReet]

Why because as demonstrated last season when Lucas plays in midfield he offers stability to the team that few in the squad can provide. The type of defensive cover that i haven't seen from Stewart, that's for sure.

I'm not talking about your preference, or my preference for that matter, but Klopp's and he's clearly had a soft spot for Stewart from day 1.

Klopp used Lucas quite a lot when he first joined, but second half of the season, we barely seen him in midfield. As much as we may all disagree, he's not the type of player Klopp wants in there.

You dispute that Stewart is ahead of him in the midfield pecking order, so let's look at the 8 games Stewart was involved in in the PL*:

WBA- Lucas played CB, Stewart CM.
Watford- Lucas played CB, Stewart CM
Swansea- Lucas on the bench, Stewart played CM.
NUFC- Lucas on the bench, Stewart played CM
Everton- Lucas played CM, Stetwart on bench.
Bournemouth- Lucas played CB, Stewart CM
Stoke- Lucas on the bench, Stewart played CM
Villa- Stewart sub appearance, no Lucas.

*(quick research, so stand to be corrected).

So bar the Everton game, Stewart played in midfield ahead of Lucas every match. Now factor in the fact that we were basically letting Lucas move to Turkey on a free before our CB injury crisis, I think it's pretty evident that Klopp prefers having Stewart as back up, over Lucas.

Now this could change (and I hope it does), Lucas has been leaving every year, only to force his way back into first team plans, but as it stands, I don't think Klopp fancies hi at CM/DM.

[labourRed]

Why because as demonstrated last season when Lucas plays in midfield he offers stability to the team that few in the squad can provide. The type of defensive cover that i haven't seen from Stewart, that's for sure.

[RedReet]

I suspect that Lucas is as much defensive cover as he is midfield cover. I feel that Klopp wants a bigger physical presence as the midfield shield. Still think Lucas is a good option for some games and is decent in the air despite not being tall.

Klopp was letting Lucas go until matip got injured.

I'd be amazed if that was the case!

Why?

[Harv]

How have you come to that conclusion?

He's hardly played any games for us.

Ive seen enough of him already. He's championship caliber

[Harv]

Thank god you're not our manager Harv.

I know right!

I'd have got us Griezmann with the Suarez money.

[labourRed]

I'm fairly certain that Klopp has Stewart above Lucas in the midfield pecking order.

Not something I agree with, but Stewart has had a very good pre-season, so let's see if he kicks on this year. We don't play with a DM anyway, so someone like Stewart is perfect for the role as their main job will be to come on late in games to add some fresh legs and solidity to the midfield.

I'd be amazed if that was the case!

[Rich]

Maybe Klopp has suddenly realised that Kevin Bloody Stewart is absolutely awful and we simply can't rely on him to be our defensive mid through the season. Lucas is crap, but he's a far better footballer than Stewart. Plus he seems a great lad for team spirit. No point selling him for beans. You know Lucas can come in and produce a solid if unspectacular performance and anchor the side if we need to go defensive.

Thank god you're not our manager Harv.

[dww]

I suspect that Lucas is as much defensive cover as he is midfield cover. I feel that Klopp wants a bigger physical presence as the midfield shield. Still think Lucas is a good option for some games and is decent in the air despite not being tall.