Lucas

[Fosterbloke]

I'd love to see Ilori as 4th choice.

[danperkins]

Can't Matip play DM too?

looks better there IMO.

[Irishnev]

Can't Matip play DM too?

[BubbaZanetti]

Can't Matip play DM too?

[BigChief]

Can't put two non-headerers of the ball together. Would have to partner Lucas with Caulker or Toure from our current squad.

[frank the tank]

I wouldn't mind seeing a Lucas - Sakho partnership for half a dozen games or so. It has to be worth trying anyway. If Lucas excels at that role, then for me it could save a good few million in the tranny market this summer (Matip on a free might end up being the only defender we need to sign then)

Put it this way, if we were playing the CapOne Cup final tomorrow, then I would probably prefer to see Lucas - Sakho than any other partnership right now.

[BigChief]

I like Lucas in that role. Mascherano and Blind have shown the evolution of defenders and why this is the way forward. Good to see Klopp keeping up with trends. One of Lucas' (and Mascherano and Blind for that matter) real strengths is very good positioning in midfield. As well as good ball control and awareness. Easy to bring this level of intelligence into a traditionally brainless area - defence.

[Assassin]

Lucas Pezzini Leiva

[Buzzo]

He was great wasn't he? That block he did from Valencia's shot

Honestly, it just shows what a state our squad is in post-Rodgers when a player like Lucas was close to leaving

Lucas nearly getting sold when he was literally the only defensive player in the squad was close to one of the worst decisions in Rodgers tenure. And thats a close run race.

I think Lucas showed what a difference it can make when you have a decent organised, positionally astute, calm presence at the back.

That said, we did let in 2 goals...

Lucas has been fantastic this season. I like what he brings to the club, and he seems a completely unaffected guy as well.

[Maxiedge]

He was great wasn't he? That block he did from Valencia's shot

Honestly, it just shows what a state our squad is in post-Rodgers when a player like Lucas was close to leaving

[danperkins]

It wasn't a free kick though, if you mean the one when we conceded the goal? It was never one.

It was soft but it was a bit silly. Lucas had given away two or three identical ones and gets booked in almomst every game. It's part and parcel of his nature to get stuck in.

It is not going to magically disappear & we don't want hi to lose his edge. We have enough wimps on our team as is... I love that Lucas has a hard edge to him.

He should be our captain.

[BigChief]

It wasn't a free kick though, if you mean the one when we conceded the goal? It was never one.

Can't bare to look at replays so can't be sure, but West Ham players were diving left, right and centre all night. After a while even West Ham fans sounded embarrassed. When you're in a game and you see this happening (as the senior intelligent one in the squad) you act accordingly. I.e. don't touch him unless you absolutely need to!!

Easy for me to say sitting here but there you go.

[Fredo]

It wasn't a free kick though, if you mean the one when we conceded the goal? It was never one.

[danperkins]

Most players commit fouls if they're exposed. We have a tendency to make enforce errors, out of sloppiness and lack of concentration, which puts pressure on the defence. Utmost priority for next season is to eradicate those silly errors and if Klopp can achieve that, we'll be halfway from being an excellent team.

Lucas has been like this throughout his career and is not going to change now & it's what has made him a very effective DM. If we are to move him back to CB... we have to expect that he is going to give away free kicks in deep lying areas.

[Assassin]

Most players commit fouls if they're exposed. We have a tendency to make enforce errors, out of sloppiness and lack of concentration, which puts pressure on the defence. Utmost priority for next season is to eradicate those silly errors and if Klopp can achieve that, we'll be halfway from being an excellent team.

He is primarily a midfielder. A big part of his game is breaking up play with these type of niggling fouls. It stands to reason that when you move a player into a different position for a game or two, he will always revert to his normal game plan