Lucas

[EwarWoo]

Huh? Then you don't disagree, that's basically what I was saying, and that this IMO had more impact than moving Gerrard to DM

[DannyMan2006]

Huh? Then you don't disagree, that's basically what I was saying, and that this IMO had more impact than moving Gerrard to DM

Sorry, having re-read I see your point & in part I agree.

I think both lack the required energy levels of what would really make a Rodgers team tick. Only one could work which is the pont you make. I think most accept that.

But both offer something different. If you didn't watch them play, you'd think it'd make sense that a more attacking player would work better in a team that's struggling to score goals, and a more defensive one would work better with a team freely able to score goals. But it simply isn't the case.

Putting Gerrard at DM in this team (this season) struggling to score goals wasn't helping, it was a nightmare. He didn't help us because there wasn't enough cutting edge up top to supply the ball with. All it did was make a team struggling to score goals one that couldn't stop them going in either.

But last season it was genius. He helped stretch the play with killer through balls and long driven passes to turn defence into attack. When teams dared to attack they scored but also got killed on the counter. Throw in his for once brilliant delivery at set pieces and his nerveless penalties and he truly was one of the players of the season. He'd still look great in a top side now.

[EwarWoo]

I don't disagree, Gerrard had a fantastic season, but Lucas didn't really get the chance to fly solo so we can't really say he wouldn't have worked just as well.

[Darkon]

I wouldn't mind Lucas leaving if/when we have found a replacement for him. I still think Lucas is fairly limited in his ability, and he fits a bit wierdly in our system. The problem right now seems to me, that we don't have a better defensive midfielder, that could be more available in the attacking phase as well. He fit our team better under Rafa than he does now.

He is our only (Henderson??) balance player right now and we need him, but if we should return to our former system at some point, or if we should find a bit more cultured defensive midfielder I seriously doubt he would get much game time again. I understand why he wants to leave as well because he's been told once that he doesn't fit the vision, and he is only there because he solves an immediate problem.

If we get a better fit replacement I have no problem in Lucas leaving.

[Darkon]

I don't disagree, Gerrard had a fantastic season, but Lucas didn't really get the chance to fly solo so we can't really say he wouldn't have worked just as well.

I think we safely can. Lucas would never have set up the attacks Gerrard did last season. His passes to Sterling, Suarez and Sturridge were supreme, and Lucas never in his 7 years showed the ability to be a playmaker. He is more limited in his approach, and he wouldn't have fit our setup last season. Lucas needs a different approach for him to be really effective than what Brendan wants to implement.

[The Birdman]

It's not that complicated, in the summer we told Lucas he could leave, he didn't. For whatever reason, no-one wanted him, he didn't want to go or something else.

Now it's halfway through the season and we have top 4 to aim for, still in the Capital Cup, FA Cup and Europa League we don't want him to leave because he's got back in the team and we've been getting results.

All the club has to do is turn everything down, it's not difficult, all this "the club don't want him to go bollocks" from this Jay Riley on twitter makes it sound as though Lucas makes the decision and the club is begging him to stay.

He doesn't, the club decides, what Lucas wants is irrelevant.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Inter have a number of good midfielders and defenders. If we could get one or two of them for Lucas + cash, then would not be against Lucas going to Inter.



Even try to see if we could use Borini as part of a deal to get Icardi

[Shaggy]

How's that Kovacic progressing?

[Doc_Piptorious]

How's that Kovacic progressing?

Looks to be a bit more rounded than Can is at present and a fair bit more polished.


Different style of player of course but used Can as a comparison as they are close in age.


Kovacic looks to be turning into a very versatile player though, much like Can on that score, who seems to have a nice mix of attacking flair and defensive ability. From the bits I have seen of him he is very good playing in a deep midfield role as he can pick the play from there or make bursts forward to arrive late in and around the box.


Hard player to pigeonhole in terms of style. One game he could be dribbling around players like a brazilian then you watch another game and he is picking passes and setting up play like a veteran playmaker.


Not a DM yet though despite him reading the game pretty well when played in the deep role. But would not put it past him to excel in that sort of role as he seems to be able to fit in all over the pitch and make it look like he is a natural in whatever position he is used in.


I imagine he would not be cheap though if Inter would sell him.



Their big centre back, Ranocchia, looks very useful as well. Best compliment I can pay him is that he plays like the stereotype that many had/have of quality Italian defenders. Reminds me a bit of how Sami was for us if Sami had a bit more of a cynical streak to his play. Big powerful guy who is dominant in the air and who can mix it up when things get rough.

[Norbs]

Jay Riley @Jay_78_ · 4m4 minutes ago
#LFC don't want Lucas to leave for Inter in this transfer window

Jay Riley @Jay_78_ · 3m3 minutes ago
@alanlfc1973 I heard he was due to fly to Milan today, but his agent delayed it. #LFC don't want him to go.

Jay Riley @Jay_78_ · 1m1 minute ago
@jambags @SteveMcVeigh123 He was told last summer to find a new club. Now it appears he has, we don't want him to go.

TnnClstz @MGMcls 1m1 minute ago
@Jay_78_ You said he was off the other day.. Is he going?

Jay Riley @Jay_78_ · 2m2 minutes ago
@MGMcls The deal is in limbo mate.

You gotta love Twitter

[Daffy Duck]

How's that Kovacic progressing?

Just signed a new contract until 2019.

[Norbs]

Good news

[marcus50bucks]

Lucas is staying at Anfield: Brendan Rodgers says Brazilian will be at Anfield until summer at least

Jan 15, 2015 22:30 By Andy Kelly

Liverpool boss issues hands off warning to midfielder's Italian suitors

Lucas Leiva will be staying at Anfield until the summer at least – as Brendan Rodgers issued a firm ‘not for sale’ message to his Italian suitors.

Both Rafa Benitez at Napoli and more persistently Roberto Mancini at Inter Milan have been linked with a possible move for the Brazilian midfielder, with figures starting in the region of £8m being quoted in Italy.

But Rodgers today issued a clear message that the 28-year-old would remain as part of his Reds squad for the second half of this season at least.

“No, he is not one that we would want to lose in January,” said Rodgers. “There will be speculation over the course of the month on a lot of players. It is not something I would be willing to do in January. Of course at the end of the season everything is looked at again but the team is in a good momentum.”

Rodgers said he had spoken to Lucas about his future but confirmed the club had not received any bids for him: “We have had nothing from them (Inter). I think he’s just enjoying playing and he’s playing very well.”

Lucas’s return to the starting line-up has coincided with a strong upturn in Liverpool’s form this season, with their only defeat in the last 12 coming when he was an unused substitute at Old Trafford in mid-December.

His defensive stability has allowed Rodgers to employ a new 3-4-2-1 formation with the likes of Lazar Markovic, Alberto Moreno and Javier Manquillo employed as attacking wing-backs.

The Ulsterman is keen not to disrupt that new found momentum.

“The team is in a good flow, we are starting to find our feet and players are starting to adapt and work really well so I don’t need to disrupt them,” he said.

“The two central midfielders have been vital for us because it requires a lot of work for the two of them. It requires Jordan (Henderson) and Lucas or whoever is in there having to fan out to wide areas of the field to block, while others were covering, so him and Jordan were outstanding last week. That gives the flair and creative players the chance to play”.

And Rodgers believes it was Liverpool’s attacking intent last year that contributed to Lucas’s struggles – his best displays have always been when employed as a midfield ‘sitter’ – and led many to believe his future might lie away from Anfield. In his 29 appearances last season he was used as a substitute twice as many times as he had been in Rodgers’ first season.

“It was just the set up of the team,” said Rodgers.

“Last year we were a team that was set up with a playmaker from behind. We never played with a defensive midfielder really and we played with a playmaker. Steven (Gerrard) was called a defensive one but that wasn’t the case.

“We had fast players running behind that needed to play off longer passes so we played him there. In advance of that we had two midfield players who could go and join in.

“When we flipped to a diamond, it was a similar idea, start the game from behind.

“When you move system and change, not the style, but the system it of course requires different things and when you need a defensive midfielder, he (Lucas) has come in and done that.”

The news will come as a relief to many fans who had expressed concern that a move away for the popular Brazilian would leave Liverpool woefully short of defensive midfield cover.

Lucas, who only turned 28 last week, signed a new Liverpool contract in April 2013 after returning from serious thigh and cruciate knee ligament injuries in previous seasons. Described at the time as “long-term” it is understood to stretch until 2017.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lucas-staying-anfield-brendan-rodgers-8456513

Very good news that he won't be leaving this window. Interesting comments about the need to have a defensive midfielder like Lucas in this system. It's exactly the type of midfielder we need to buy in the summer imo.

[BigChief]

Excellent, what a good team we're already looking second half of the season. At least the comments from Rodgers in the last few weeks are beginning to make sense, i.e. he doesn't see Gerrard as a 'defensive' mid for a start. I don't mind Stevie getting minutes further up front, behind Sturridge.

[Myo]

It freakin took Rodgers THIS LONG to figure that out???

anyway, glad lucas is staying...now that we have the gerrard issue put to bed him being off and all..lucas has to start in that DM holding role for the rest of the season..