Lucas

[Mattshark]

Lucas didn't have his best game but he wasn't the issue yesterday. The three players that really let us down were firmino, Milner and benteke.

Allen's passing in midfield didn't help, both him and Milner gave the ball away 25% of the time.

[BigChief]

The two balls Lucas passed... Into touch.

[Maxiedge]

Allen's passing in midfield didn't help, both him and Milner gave the ball away 25% of the time.

Joe Allen has a certain threshold of performance which he just about passed.

The others I mentioned should be doing a lot better.

[Lecter]

Having Milner and Allen with him make him look a bit of a plodder as well.

Playing with Can and Allen in midweek and they looked dynamite against a good Soton midfield.

I think they left him too exposed

[Lecter]

Allen's passing in midfield didn't help, both him and Milner gave the ball away 25% of the time.

They also didnt win enough possession and that added to Lucas' issues

We barely pressed on Sunday, it was a very Rodger-esque type performance

[Fernandinho]

They also didnt win enough possession and that added to Lucas' issues

We barely pressed on Sunday, it was a very Rodger-esque type performance

I hadn't realised it till I read your post but it really was. Real lack of pressing, no sense of urgency or pure desire from the players off the ball and no rhythm/ideas on the ball.

The midfielders struggled to move the ball because the game was played at such a slow pace and there were far too many times when Lucas/Allen picked up the ball and looked up to see a bunch of players watching but very few running. We ran out of ideas so quickly and started opening up huge spaces around the pitch because we didn't move the ball intelligently and started dribbling too much.

[Lecter]

I hadn't realised it till I read your post but it really was. Real lack of pressing, no sense of urgency or pure desire from the players off the ball and no rhythm/ideas on the ball.

The midfielders struggled to move the ball because the game was played at such a slow pace and there were far too many times when Lucas/Allen picked up the ball and looked up to see a bunch of players watching but very few running. We ran out of ideas so quickly and started opening up huge spaces around the pitch because we didn't move the ball intelligently and started dribbling too much.

We also passed the ball too often backwards and sidewards

[Fernandinho]

We also passed the ball too often backwards and sidewards

Which I think stems from the lack of rhythm/creativity to our play. It was either hold the ball too long because a good passing option wasn't available so players passed back, or they dribbled forwards into a blind alley and turned it over.

Hopefully it was just an off day and nothing more.

[DannyMan2006]

Everytime I start to come round to Lucas he loses the plot. Been abysmal v Newcastle & Had a poor first half v Watford. The main stay for us under Kloop was that midfield two of Lucas & Can. But I can tell after about two minutes how good Lucas is going to be. And if he's off form we have a shocker.

A player of his experience should not go from hot to cold so easily.

[fidget]

Grind that axe Danny

[calvoboy]

Everytime I start to come round to Lucas he loses the plot. Been abysmal v Newcastle & Had a poor first half v Watford. The main stay for us under Kloop was that midfield two of Lucas & Can. But I can tell after about two minutes how good Lucas is going to be. And if he's off form we have a shocker.

A player of his experience should not go from hot to cold so easily.

I don't think that he does go from hot to cold. I think he's very good at what he does as a stopper in front of the back four, but lacks the pace and creativity to do any more. So he shines against passing teams that put you under pressure (e.g. in Europe, against the better sides in the Prem), but looks poor against pure counter-attacking teams where he neither has the creativity to help break them down with all the posession we have, nor the pace to live with the counter.

[danperkins]

Lucas is one of the most consistent players we have. We just don't have good enough players in the midfield to compliment his game IMO. I would agree though that he does lack pace and alot of the time he ends up getting booked for exactly that reason.

[DannyMan2006]

Last season under Rodgers & this year when Klopp firs came in Lucas looked full of energy & was a monster in that midfield for us. Now he's looking garbage. Maybe it's tiredness, I don't know. But I can tell straight away whether or not he's on his game.

Was watching him Sunday & he was leaving it totally to Can & Hendo to come back & try and make a bit of space. He looked like he didn't want to be there. It sounds like I'm moaning about a lack of effort, but that's not the case. I know he puts in everything. But sometimes it just doesn't happen for him.

[DannyMan2006]

I don't think that he does go from hot to cold. I think he's very good at what he does as a stopper in front of the back four, but lacks the pace and creativity to do any more. So he shines against passing teams that put you under pressure (e.g. in Europe, against the better sides in the Prem), but looks poor against pure counter-attacking teams where he neither has the creativity to help break them down with all the posession we have, nor the pace to live with the counter.

I think you could be right there.

[Kenneth]

So do I.