Lucas

[Assassin]

The bottom line is there is not another midfielder in our squad that has the level of positional awareness that Lucas has. It's all well and good people saying Can could do a job but you're kidding yourself if you're expecting him to be as effective as Lucas at this stage of his career. He's still developing. imo we would need to replace Lucas with a player that has his level of positional sense if not better.

This

[danperkins]

The bottom line is there is not another midfielder in our squad that has the level of positional awareness that Lucas has. It's all well and good people saying Can could do a job but you're kidding yourself if you're expecting him to be as effective as Lucas at this stage of his career. He's still developing. imo we would need to replace Lucas with a player that has his level of positional sense if not better.

absolutely mate

[Kenneth]

I'm not convinced he can play 90 mins, which rules him out as an automatic starter, but if he's happy to be used as part of a rotation process with Can/Henderson/Milner and even Rossiter then fair play.

[Fosterbloke]

I'm not convinced he can play 90 mins, which rules him out as an automatic starter, but if he's happy to be used as part of a rotation process with Can/Henderson/Milner and even Rossiter then fair play.

The hard part is keeping him match fit. Loads of games coming (three cups to content) so players will get their game time and possibly claim a stake in the first team -

* Markovic
* Lallana
* Ibe
* Ings
* Origi
* Rossiter
* Texeira
* Moreno

We don't seem to have many defenders to replace

[topscorer]

I don't mind seeing some rotation for the cup games but I hope not too much and not trying to be too clever fielding too many youngsters to blood them but no old pros at the side for them to learn from.

The cups need to be taken seriously this year, especially the Europa Cup which gets you a Champions League spot.

No messing about giving excursions to all the kids and then we have no cup competitions left to play in come January.

Lucas could be the perfect Cup Captain with the odd outing for Premier League games that need more defensive tactics such as the away games against top 4.

[Exiled_red]

I don't mind seeing some rotation for the cup games but I hope not too much and not trying to be too clever fielding too many youngsters to blood them but no old pros at the side for them to learn from.

The cups need to be taken seriously this year, especially the Europa Cup which gets you a Champions League spot.

No messing about giving excursions to all the kids and then we have no cup competitions left to play in come January.

Lucas could be the perfect Cup Captain with the odd outing for Premier League games that need more defensive tactics such as the away games against top 4.

I expect there to be a completely different 11 for the league cup and probably only 3 or 4 regular players in the Europa League at least in the group stages. I assume there will be a mixture of youngsters and experienced players, you would imagine the likes of Toure, Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Allen, Markovic, Ings and Origi. There is a fair amount of experience in there.

[dww]

Can is clearly no holding mid, his marauding runs forward are a big part of his game. Not sure what Rodgers was on about calling him a "controller".

I think people fixate on his bursts forward. I've not seen nearly enough to evaluate him but just because one aspect is eye catching doesn't make it the most influential. He needs work wherever/whatever role he ends up playing.

[poorscousertommy]

Another know all - **** all who scans the news feeds then pretends he is a source.

Tbf a lot of people within the club believed he was off to Besiktas on Tuesday.

Then the same people found out he was staying after Arsenal game and obviously put that out.

He can only share what he has been told.

[dom9]

Yeah Kev.

[marcus50bucks]

Sky Sports reporter Amy Lewis has just said that Besiktas president has confirmed a deal for Lucas is now off as the price is too high

[marksared]

I expect there to be a completely different 11 for the league cup and probably only 3 or 4 regular players in the Europa League at least in the group stages. I assume there will be a mixture of youngsters and experienced players, you would imagine the likes of Toure, Sakho, Moreno, Lucas, Allen, Markovic, Ings and Origi. There is a fair amount of experience in there.

And rightly so, we have to bear in mind the type of game Rodgers wants to play will not allow players to play at their highest level for 90 minutes twice per week, it just wont happen.

[Bender]

Sky Sports reporter Amy Lewis has just said that Besiktas president has confirmed a deal for Lucas is now off as the price is too high

Besiktas president Fikret Orman said: "Liverpool do not want Lucas Leiva to go. The transfer can only go ahead with their say."

[Slinky Skills]

I am being told he is staying now. Don't know how true this is but I hope it is.

He was fantastic last night.

Yessssssssssssssssss!!!!!!

[Saveloy]

Yeah Kev.

[Saveloy]

Besiktas president Fikret Orman said: "Liverpool do not want Lucas Leiva to go. The transfer can only go ahead with their say."

That sounds different, and better, than the marcus quote above about it being about price.

We don't want to sell