Lucas

[Assassin]

Yaya Toure on par with Lucas. Heh.

It's funny that every central midfielder who is clearly a better player than Lucas by being more well rounded as well as being excellent defensively is immediately labeled with a different tag from Lucas ("Attacking midfielder", "Box to box", "Central midfielder")

So I'm only allowed to compare Lucas to similarly limited players ("Defensive midfielders") who can only do a job at one end of the pitch? Central midfielders are central midfielders, if you can't do a job going forward, someone has to to do it for you, there are only 11 players on the pitch.

When you look at top sides, they don't have a place for such a player in their starting line ups, and when they do, they hinder themselves. Look at what has happened to City's midfield once they've dropped De Jong, who's basically Lucas with pace and strength, moved Barry into a holding role (yes, watch the games) and paired Yaya Toure with a more well rounded midfielder (Milner/Nasri). Their transition and passing game improved tremendously.

When was the last time the mancs had a place in the team for such a player? Was it when Phil Neville had a run of games there in that one season a few years ago?

Top sides have deep lying midfielders who are great at distributing the ball. You pick the ball from your defence and you move it with purpose and conviction, something that Lucas has never been able to do in this league. When you have no purpose and no conviction, you can make 100 tackles every game, you'll still be a liability with the ball, which counts more when you're a top side trying to win a game.

Lucas is a limited player. He hinders our passing game and slows it down. His defensive contributions are massively overrated since he's hardly a rock defensively being slow and weak (He gets passed by frequently, Mascherano for example, never allowed that) and as I've mentioned, he's non existent when we're faced with a team sitting deep and waiting for us to break them up.

Overrated beyond words.

You are allowed to think what you want, its a free world. However, with regard to Lucas you have got it all wrong.

When you find yourself in a hole......stop digging

[Ben_Itez]

Yaya Toure on par with Lucas. Heh.

It's funny that every central midfielder who is clearly a better player than Lucas by being more well rounded as well as being excellent defensively is immediately labeled with a different tag from Lucas ("Attacking midfielder", "Box to box", "Central midfielder")

So I'm only allowed to compare Lucas to similarly limited players ("Defensive midfielders") who can only do a job at one end of the pitch? Central midfielders are central midfielders, if you can't do a job going forward, someone has to to do it for you, there are only 11 players on the pitch.

When you look at top sides, they don't have a place for such a player in their starting line ups, and when they do, they hinder themselves. Look at what has happened to City's midfield once they've dropped De Jong, who's basically Lucas with pace and strength, moved Barry into a holding role (yes, watch the games) and paired Yaya Toure with a more well rounded midfielder (Milner/Nasri). Their transition and passing game improved tremendously.

When was the last time the mancs had a place in the team for such a player? Was it when Phil Neville had a run of games there in that one season a few years ago?

Top sides have deep lying midfielders who are great at distributing the ball. You pick the ball from your defence and you move it with purpose and conviction, something that Lucas has never been able to do in this league. When you have no purpose and no conviction, you can make 100 tackles every game, you'll still be a liability with the ball, which counts more when you're a top side trying to win a game.

Lucas is a limited player. He hinders our passing game and slows it down. His defensive contributions are massively overrated since he's hardly a rock defensively being slow and weak (He gets passed by frequently, Mascherano for example, never allowed that) and as I've mentioned, he's non existent when we're faced with a team sitting deep and waiting for us to break them up.

Overrated beyond words.

So all defensive midfielders are limited then?

Best team in the world - Busquets. Second best - Alonso etc etc

Mancs pretty much always play with a defensive mid - Did you watch the game against us at anfield? They played three FFS! Phil Jones is obviously much better than Lucas but i didnt mention that as everyone knows it. Carrick has played that role for them for the past few seasons. This season when they havent played a specialist def mid theyve conceded more shots on target than most teams, strange that.

In regards to the bit in bold, au contraire Rodney. Our passing game relies on him these days - when he's not there our passing and shape are noticably worse. His ball retention is superb - take the blinkers off. Did you not see our second goal against West Bodge last week?

Anyway dont feel the need to respond, although your contribution in thsi thread in the last few days has been very entertaining. Everyone's entitled to their view i just cannot fathom why you think he's ****.

[fidget]

I know a couple lifelong manure fans who you can actually have a decent football conversation with and both said that they'd love Lucas in their team.

[Shaggy]

Of course they would - they don't have one decent DM. It's arguable they have a proper one at all and every single United fan I know wants a proper holding midfield player. Lucas would be in that side every week.

Just like he's in ours every week.

[JohnDoe]

So all defensive midfielders are limited then?

Best team in the world - Busquets. Second best - Alonso etc etc

You don't seem to grasp that the above two are excellent distributors of the ball while Lucas is not.

[RedReet]

I know a couple lifelong manure fans who you can actually have a decent football conversation with and both said that they'd love Lucas in their team.

That surprises me, I didn't think other fans rated him much yet, nevermind United fans.

And please resist the temptation to type an obvious reply John...

[BringbackBiscan]

Rumours that PSG are interested for £20m. Surely not, another club interested in him!

One of the first names on the teamsheet now & rightfully so.

[Shaggy]

He is a mere 2 weeks older than Luis Suarez. Lucas will obviously be coveted by big teams over the coming months and years.

He's already been coveted (and signed) by a very big club. Some people tend to forget that.

[BringbackBiscan]

Two Liverpool managers, two Brazil managers & the bodge has played him numerous times. Neither Rafa nor Kenny have tried to sign anyone to replace him. That says it all really.

[RedReet]

I’d love to see or hear Comolli’s assessment of him and see how his stats match up to those he has outlined for a DM.

[Shaggy]

Two Liverpool managers, two Brazil managers & the bodge has played him numerous times. Neither Rafa nor Kenny have tried to sign anyone to replace him. That says it all really.

I think you'll find John "15 minutes" Doe is far greater authority.

[Neil Young]

I think you're being unfair on John Doe. Busquets and Alonso are better defensive midfielders than Lucas IMO in my opinion.

That he isn't one of the two best players in his position in the world is a damning indictment in itself. Not good enough. Sell.

[Shaggy]

I think you're being unfair on John Doe. Busquets and Alonso are better defensive midfielders than Lucas IMO in my opinion.

That he isn't one of the two best players in his position in the world is a damning indictment in itself. Not good enough. Sell.

[Arn]

Is Lucas one of the best central midfielders in the world? No.

Is he one of the best holding midfielders in the world? Yes.

We don't know how good Lucas would be if he was asked to play as a box to box player week in week out. He played as that in some games and showed that it would be no problem.

I would say that if Lucas replaced Busquets at Barcelona then he would play as good as him in that position.

He is the best tackler in the PL, not the second best, he is the best. How many believed that he would be that a few years ago? I did that of course and no one believed me. He is one of the best passers in the league. He don't make long Hollywood style passes. He do the easy short passes that is his job excellent in every game.

He don't have and dips in form, he ALWAYS deliver. You know that he will play a very good game, maybe not excellent but a very good game. How many other players can you say deliver in every game?

It is a big strength to always deliver.

[Fredo]

He's not as good as Xabi or Busquets YET but he's not far behind. I'm pretty sure if you put him in either of these teams, he'll do very well. Without a doubt.