Lucas

[Fredo]

What outlay? Not done the maths but we've spent about £20m net.

Probably to make net spend as close to zero as possible.

[Darkon]

Lucas is a good player, but I think he's a bit to limited to what Rodgers seems to want from a midfielder. I would ideally like to see him stay, but I also understand the need for him to leave, if he get limited game time and perhaps not where he is totally suited.

Ideally we would sell lucas and get in a more versatile DM - but that could turn tricky!

[Exiled_red]

Probably to make net spend as close to zero as possible.

Hopefully we can do that by getting rid of Borini, Balotelli and Enrique

[Shaggy]

We'll never do anything if we keep having summer net spends of circa £0 - £20m.

[BigChief]

Yeah, this is a joke. Plus Allen being ahead of Lucas - weren't there also talks of a new deal for him? And Lovren ahead of Sakho. Madness. From the outside looking in, it does look like Rodgers has his favourites (signings?) and would rather go with them. If that is the case then there is no point in having a committee or director of football or anything of that ilk and it must really piss the players off. I know it would me.

Lucas would be ideal to battle it out with Can for the spot that Can finished in vs Stoke - with Rossiter getting game time as a gradual integration. A new player would want to come in and be first choice.

I'd look to jettison Allen first (although not possible at the moment due to injury). We have Tex, who could have a great season given a chance, as one of the more advanced midfielders if Henderson or Milner were injured, with Can behind. Allen is a jack of all trades, but master of none and I didn't realise that he is only 3 years younger than Lucas, so no spring chicken himself. I'm also not sure why Rodgers likes Allen so much - the signings this year have all pretty much added strength and power to the team (also a reason given for a possible Moreno exit), which is a major weakness of Allen's. Weird.

Normally a supporter of Rodgers, but this time I agree, I can't see why he has this affinity with Allen. Little Joe in three years has proven he's just as injury prone as Lucas, not as good at reading the game, no pace or power and does not create many goalscoring chances. Also misses sitters just like our other, better, players.

Must be that Allen is happy to stay quietly on the bench for long periods and Lucas isn't. Can't blame Lucas at his age. Hope he doesn't go because with Lucas we have a decent shot at winning Europa IMO.

[Mattshark]

We'll never do anything if we keep having summer net spends of circa £0 - £20m.

We'll never do anything if the manager thinks Allen is better than Lucas in any way.

[Exiled_red]

We'll never do anything if we keep having summer net spends of circa £0 - £20m.

[Fredo]

I think we'll have to wait to see us start spending as much as we'd like, like waiting that the stadium build has completed and our revenues are going up.

If we don't get back in the CL this year, then I'm afraid we'll have to sell before buying again.

[Lee]

Normally a supporter of Rodgers, but this time I agree, I can't see why he has this affinity with Allen. Little Joe in three years has proven he's just as injury prone as Lucas, not as good at reading the game, no pace or power and does not create many goalscoring chances. Also misses sitters just like our other, better, players.

Must be that Allen is happy to stay quietly on the bench for long periods and Lucas isn't. Can't blame Lucas at his age. Hope he doesn't go because with Lucas we have a decent shot at winning Europa IMO.

I think you're probably right.

Sadly it's obvious where Lucas is in the pecking order - whether it's to do with Rodgers not rating him or Lucas' injury record and therefore Rodgers' subsequent reluctance to field him as a regular - so it's doubtful that he'll get as much football as he wants this season.

Perhaps it's more of a case of "We can't offer you the minutes that you want, you've been a great servant, you're 28 years old, so we won't stop you from leaving", rather than him being pushed out of the door.

Bit **** though as he's a very good player.

[Fierce]

Probably to make net spend as close to zero as possible.

We'll never do anything if we keep having summer net spends of circa £0 - £20m.

Why would we ever need to?!

[dww]

I wouldn't blame Lucas for wanting to move on, clearly Rodgers doesn't rate him as a starter (rightly or wrongly) so he needs to play football every week, he's 28 and a very good player.

However, I would question the logic of us appearing to be happy to allow a vastly experienced defensive midfielder to depart without having a similar type of player in the squad.

In Rodgers we trust.

You would have to hope given the speculation over the summer that we had at least a couple of prospective options in mind should he leave.

[S-RED]

Wouldn't surprise me if he went to RM; Rafa always admired his work.

[dww]

Normally a supporter of Rodgers, but this time I agree, I can't see why he has this affinity with Allen. Little Joe in three years has proven he's just as injury prone as Lucas, not as good at reading the game, no pace or power and does not create many goalscoring chances. Also misses sitters just like our other, better, players.

Must be that Allen is happy to stay quietly on the bench for long periods and Lucas isn't. Can't blame Lucas at his age. Hope he doesn't go because with Lucas we have a decent shot at winning Europa IMO.

My suspicion is that Rodgers prefers more mobile players. Lucas is good because of his positioning rather than the amount of ground he covers. Which is why I like him but I can see that he perhaps doesn't suit Rodgers vision. I think Rodgers is wrong but he will stand or fall this season on his vision which is admirable.

[The_weatherman]

My suspicion is that Rodgers prefers more mobile players. Lucas is good because of his positioning rather than the amount of ground he covers. Which is why I like him but I can see that he perhaps doesn't suit Rodgers vision. I think Rodgers is wrong but he will stand or fall this season on his vision which is admirable.

Lucas may not be mobile, but with him in the team the ball moves faster forward from the defence. Gerrard and Henderson don't resolve pressure like he does, they don't shield the defence like he does and they don't do the little passes like he does, although Henderson comes close in that regard, but IMO Lucas is a quicker passer.

[dww]

Lucas may not be mobile, but with him in the team the ball moves faster forward from the defence. Gerrard and Henderson don't resolve pressure like he does, they don't shield the defence like he does and they don't do the little passes like he does, although Henderson comes close in that regard, but IMO Lucas is a quicker passer.

I agree. I guess that Rodgers feels more mobile players give the person they pass too more options and or allow quicker defensive transitions with a high press.