Liverpool FC Forum

[jimmy brighton]

We must have watched different games mate..... with Lucas on, we were much more stable and under less pressure I thought.

Yes we must have. I've always been a big fan of Lucas but he didn't particularly have a great game today.

[tubby]

I thought Lucas was awful today tbh and Henderson should have started in place of him.

Yes with hindsight you'd have picked Hendo first but you didin't know Lucas was gonna have a bit of a stinker now did you? 

Sure I did, as he was in the last game. 

[metalhead]

We must have watched different games mate..... with Lucas on, we were much more stable and under less pressure I thought.

Lucas was ok mate, I thought he defended well but as usual concedes silly freekicks, it was a good substitution to take him off int the 2nd half because he looked like he was going to get sent off!

Henderson had a good game when he came on, should have scored, but he kept the ball and passed it around really well

[parchpea]

Lucas was really poor today and well off the pace. Henderson improved matters in that area and if United did press a bit more it was because they made several attacking substitutions. I would sit Lucas on the bench for a period personally now Gerrards back and try something new in midfield. Lucas only gets in because his competition for that role is Spearing. Henderson will offer more mobility an speed that Lucas who to me looks very ponderous in posession not to mention wasteful. Hes not good enough.

[burjennio]

Henderson so unlucky with his lob but should have at least tested De Gea with his free header.

Just to chime in on the argument above I thought today was Lucas worst performance in about 18 months. He was shocking, giving the ball away time and again and conceding a load of silly, unnecessary fouls in our half. But then every player has a stinker every now and again, just seems that alot of us tend to be much more vocal about it when its Lucas, Kuyt or Carroll!

[aCe']

He made an impact when he came on which is all you can ask of him really. I thought he did very well with the long effort but the header was terrible (getting in the position he was at was great though with Suarez lurking outside the box rather than attempting to get on the end of it).

I dont really understand the comparisons with Lucas because they played entirely different positions when on the pitch. Henderson was given a more advanced role (behind Suarez) while Lucas played in front of the back 4 and for me did what he was asked to do. The only reason he was subbed as far as I can tell was the risk of the red card with him having to cover Young cutting inside especially with Evra pushing further forward.

Back to Henderson, I'd like to see him coming off the bench a few more times before throwing him into the starting 11 again if he continues to impress. I think the midfield trio of Gerrard-Adam-Lucas needs to be given time to gel (when we play 4-5-1) and having him on as a wide player couldnt possibly do him any favors given his attributes.

[ethanr]

Hendo did really well for the time he was given today.  Unlucky with the lob shot... Tho I bet he wishes he could have it back so he could hit it that much harder. 

I thought Lucas was really bad today.  Worst performance from him I've seen in quite a while.. He seemed really nervous and lost.  So many times he seemed to be getting tied up with our other CMs.  Maybe he's just not used to having 3 together.  He wasn't challenging much in the air, had some bad passes and just didn't seem to get things right today.  I don't know if he was tired or if it was just one of those days, but I like Lucas and expect him to be in the starting 11 next week.

Back to Hendo tho, it's good to see him play well.  He seemed to have a bit of confidence in him, and that's not easy to find against mancheater united.  Kudos to the kid.

[Kharhaz]

P.S. however............it must be bad when fans are clamoring for Kuyt - It wasn't that long ago since he was public enemy number 1 !

Its not a case of the situation being bad, its more a case of having very fickle fans.

If you was brighter than you looked you would have deduced I was saying as much ! 

Thats right up there with my "I killed a moth" moment. I was at my brothers, sneaking up to the shelf with a shoe in hand to kill this moth and SPLAT ! got the bugger !

Only to be told afterwards it was already dead, only now it was more spread out !

Im not proud of these moments you know ! 

[ConnO'var]

He made an impact when he came on which is all you can ask of him really. I thought he did very well with the long effort but the header was terrible (getting in the position he was at was great though with Suarez lurking outside the box rather than attempting to get on the end of it).

I dont really understand the comparisons with Lucas because they played entirely different positions when on the pitch. Henderson was given a more advanced role (behind Suarez) while Lucas played in front of the back 4 and for me did what he was asked to do. The only reason he was subbed as far as I can tell was the risk of the red card with him having to cover Young cutting inside especially with Evra pushing further forward.

Back to Henderson, I'd like to see him coming off the bench a few more times before throwing him into the starting 11 again if he continues to impress. I think the midfield trio of Gerrard-Adam-Lucas needs to be given time to gel (when we play 4-5-1) and having him on as a wide player couldnt possibly do him any favors given his attributes.

I guess I should have made this point a little clearer. aCe got it spot on. I didn't think that Lucas was all that bad.... he did the job asked of him.....

My point was that, I felt that with Lucas in the team, our midfield looked a lot more stable then when Hendo came on....

Not because Hendo was not playing well (I thought he did good) but because he was asked to play a different more advanced role which made us a little susceptible in the middle of the park...

[Thommo's perm]

Henderson looked good yesterday and really should have scored. The whole team looked better once Lucas was out of the way.

[jacdaniel]

Quite like this kid.  Think been left out of the first 11 on a couple of occasions has helped take the pressure off him a bit.  He definitly has potential though.

[Thommo's perm]

We are a work in progress and I am as frustrated as anybody
But we have to be patient and let the new aqcuisitions get their confidence as well as accepting they will make mistakes

[The Good Yank]

Well with Stevie injured and some big games coming up this month, I'd have to think Henderson will get a big chance to make a statement.  Really hoping he takes it well.  There is alot of potential in him and he's shown some glipses of what is to come. 

I know he's been bought for the future, but with others not being here ( Water Boy, Meireles) this is a big chance for Jordan to step up and have an impact.

[aCe']

Well with Stevie injured and some big games coming up this month, I'd have to think Henderson will get a big chance to make a statement.  Really hoping he takes it well.  There is alot of potential in him and he's shown some glipses of what is to come. 

I know he's been bought for the future, but with others not being here ( Water Boy, Meireles) this is a big chance for Jordan to step up and have an impact.

Its a funny one ... On the one hand, I fully expect him to feature in all our big games given the amount of football hes gotten so far this season. Its gotten to the point where it is no longer relevant whether he performs well or not, he'll always be in the starting lineup and thats that.

On the other hand, against the likes of ManCity and Chelsea, we'll almost certainly have to play a 3man central midfield to shore things up if we are to have any chance of avoiding another 4 or so nil drubbing like the one we received against Tottenham. It leaves us with one of 2 options: play Henderson down the middle and risk him and Adam not covering the defense enough (alongside Lucas), or play him down the right side and bench the proven Kuyt in the games hes best suited for. If it came down to one of the two options, Id certainly go for the first and hope for the best.

The way I see it, we should be benching Henderson starting this game (against Swansea) and trying to get the setup we'll use in our upcoming big games prepared for the challenge. I'd go for Spearing in the middle of the park alongside Lucas and Adam, with Kuyt and Downing supporting Suarez down the flanks. Offers us the best balance, and with Gerrard out, its probably our best lineup against strong opposition.

[SouthCoastShankly]

Well with Stevie injured and some big games coming up this month, I'd have to think Henderson will get a big chance to make a statement.  Really hoping he takes it well.  There is alot of potential in him and he's shown some glipses of what is to come. 

I know he's been bought for the future, but with others not being here ( Water Boy, Meireles) this is a big chance for Jordan to step up and have an impact.

I'll put money on Gerrard being available to start after the international break