Liverpool FC Forum

[maypaxvobiscum]

his lack of athleticism is a big concern for me, once someone goes past him he hasnt got the pace to get goal side again.
he`s probably one of the reasons why luis is so open to the idea of staying though, they are best mates.

Agree with this. He's no Sissoko. I loved that fella. Was such a dynamic player until his eye injury.

[Stu the Red]

Yet another nothing performance!

[Ben Patrick]

While Lucas did ok yesterday if Rodgers is now going to start playing Gerrard in the deep position he played yesterday then for me there is no place in the side for him.

He is in no way good enough to play higher up the pitch for me. I think he will have to be happy with being a squad player again as when Allen is fit I would have him back in for his energy over Lucas all day.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

While Lucas did ok yesterday if Rodgers is now going to start playing Gerrard in the deep position he played yesterday then for me there is no place in the side for him.

He is in no way good enough to play higher up the pitch for me. I think he will have to be happy with being a squad player again as when Allen is fit I would have him back in for his energy over Lucas all day.

I think Gerrard is the square peg in the round hole here Ben, when he is in the side our pressing game practically disappears. I'm not convinced by Lucas's athleticism but he does seem to know almost instinctively when to back up the likes of hendo and sterling when they are pressing aggressively. when Gerrard is in there teams always seem to have an out ball to relieve the pressure.
Gerrard is far better on the ball than Lucas but I think our pressing game going to f##k is too high a price to pay for his inclusion in the team. Gerrard is good enough to learn the position and if he does master the positional side of that deep lying role he would be a tremendous asset as his passing is as good as anyone's but atm when he is in there the balance of our midfield doesn't seem right.
If Rodgers is adamant that gerrard is starting then I'd rather see hendo and Allen beside him, I don't think Lucas and Gerard in the same midfield works.

[Ben Patrick]

Agree with you mate.
The pressing isnt as effective with Gerrard in the side as what it was when it was Henderson Allen and Lucas.
But being honest the captain if fit has always played under Rodgers and by the comments both made yesterday he is going to have a run of games in that deep lying position.
It's one that for me he will have to improve his decision making a bit. In that I mean when to go long and when to keep it simple.
Allen shows for a pass better than Lucas though and has better movement so gives more options on the ball.

[maypaxvobiscum]

Why can't it be Gerrard in the deeper role, and Henderson and Coutinho in the middle?

[devaney]

While Lucas did ok yesterday if Rodgers is now going to start playing Gerrard in the deep position he played yesterday then for me there is no place in the side for him.

He is in no way good enough to play higher up the pitch for me. I think he will have to be happy with being a squad player again as when Allen is fit I would have him back in for his energy over Lucas all day.

I think Gerrard is the square peg in the round hole here Ben, when he is in the side our pressing game practically disappears. I'm not convinced by Lucas's athleticism but he does seem to know almost instinctively when to back up the likes of hendo and sterling when they are pressing aggressively. when Gerrard is in there teams always seem to have an out ball to relieve the pressure.
Gerrard is far better on the ball than Lucas but I think our pressing game going to f##k is too high a price to pay for his inclusion in the team. Gerrard is good enough to learn the position and if he does master the positional side of that deep lying role he would be a tremendous asset as his passing is as good as anyone's but atm when he is in there the balance of our midfield doesn't seem right.
If Rodgers is adamant that gerrard is starting then I'd rather see hendo and Allen beside him, I don't think Lucas and Gerard in the same midfield works.

I agree with everything you both say. I like Lucas but he creates virtually nothing and to allow him the opportunity to get in to the box with Gerrard lying deeper is not the answer. Allen has been doing ok recently and I would certainly start him instead of Lucas. At the moment I would almost prefer to see Gerrard playing full back and I have no preference which one he replaces because at the moment they are both very weak links in the tea. Cissoko is just awful and Glen's confidence is in the bin.

[Stu the Red]

While Lucas did ok yesterday if Rodgers is now going to start playing Gerrard in the deep position he played yesterday then for me there is no place in the side for him.

He is in no way good enough to play higher up the pitch for me. I think he will have to be happy with being a squad player again as when Allen is fit I would have him back in for his energy over Lucas all day.

I think Gerrard is the square peg in the round hole here Ben, when he is in the side our pressing game practically disappears. I'm not convinced by Lucas's athleticism but he does seem to know almost instinctively when to back up the likes of hendo and sterling when they are pressing aggressively. when Gerrard is in there teams always seem to have an out ball to relieve the pressure.
Gerrard is far better on the ball than Lucas but I think our pressing game going to f##k is too high a price to pay for his inclusion in the team. Gerrard is good enough to learn the position and if he does master the positional side of that deep lying role he would be a tremendous asset as his passing is as good as anyone's but atm when he is in there the balance of our midfield doesn't seem right.
If Rodgers is adamant that gerrard is starting then I'd rather see hendo and Allen beside him, I don't think Lucas and Gerard in the same midfield works.

I agree with everything you both say. I like Lucas but he creates virtually nothing and to allow him the opportunity to get in to the box with Gerrard lying deeper is not the answer. Allen has been doing ok recently and I would certainly start him instead of Lucas. At the moment I would almost prefer to see Gerrard playing full back and I have no preference which one he replaces because at the moment they are both very weak links in the tea. Cissoko is just awful and Glen's confidence is in the bin.

Hopefully he'll replace Lucas in that position. Should make us slightly strongerwhen Allen comes back.

As for Johnson's "confidence" being in the bin I'd disagree... I'd say its his ability. I was slagged off at the start of the season for calling him an embarrassment to the shirt, would have been nice to be wrong.

[devaney]

Stu - you must fkg hate always being right !!!!!!      At the time that you castigated Johnson, and were understandably questioned about your scathing assessment both by myself and several others, he certainly was not playing at the awful level that he is currently. His last two games have possibly his worst since he joined the club. I agree that he is overrated but not to the extent that justifies his most recent performances. If that is not down to confidence then I don't know what is. No doubt you will enlighten me 

[7_Kewell]

Lucas hasn't been the same since his injury, in my book. Has looked off the pace and lacking on all fronts, which probably explains BR dropping him in favour of Allen a few weeks back. However, if he's saying he'll play Gerrard deeper, then perhaps Coutinho will take up a central role alongside Henderson.

[damjan193]

It's true that Lucas hasn't been the same since his injury but I also think that the dynamic style of play that we have doesn't suit him at all. Lucas likes to sit deep and wait for his opponent rather than go straight at him. The "get the ball back in 10 seconds" thing is just not for him. His offensive and creative abilities are also nonexistent, which is unaffordable if we want the current philosophy to work.

Similar things could be said about Gerrard unfortunately. He's got the creative and offensive abilities alright, but he just overdoes it sometimes with his Hollywood long-balls that often lead to nowhere and we lose possession. That way we just lose the momentum and we can't deal enough pressure to our opponents.

Neither Lucas or Gerrard are bad players, but our current style just doesn't suit their abilities. I guess you can have one of them on the field to offer variety (preferably Gerrard) but by playing both of them at the same time we'll just end up with a system that won't work at all.

[Stu the Red]

It's true that Lucas hasn't been the same since his injury but I also think that the dynamic style of play that we have doesn't suit him at all. Lucas likes to sit deep and wait for his opponent rather than go straight at him. The "get the ball back in 10 seconds" thing is just not for him. His offensive and creative abilities are also nonexistent, which is unaffordable if we want the current philosophy to work.

Similar things could be said about Gerrard unfortunately. He's got the creative and offensive abilities alright, but he just overdoes it sometimes with his Hollywood long-balls that often lead to nowhere and we lose possession. That way we just lose the momentum and we can't deal enough pressure to our opponents.

Neither Lucas or Gerrard are bad players, but our current style just doesn't suit their abilities. I guess you can have one of them on the field to offer variety (preferably Gerrard) but by playing both of them at the same time we'll just end up with a system that won't work at all.

The difference is, while Gerrard doesn't suit the system, he's still a good player who can influence a game.

Lucas doesn't. He's had one good game this season against West Brom, unfortunately, he's either been dog average, ***** poor or a complete passenger in the rest of the games.

Nowhere near upto being in the first 11 every week! Never has been, never will be.

[damjan193]

It's true that Lucas hasn't been the same since his injury but I also think that the dynamic style of play that we have doesn't suit him at all. Lucas likes to sit deep and wait for his opponent rather than go straight at him. The "get the ball back in 10 seconds" thing is just not for him. His offensive and creative abilities are also nonexistent, which is unaffordable if we want the current philosophy to work.

Similar things could be said about Gerrard unfortunately. He's got the creative and offensive abilities alright, but he just overdoes it sometimes with his Hollywood long-balls that often lead to nowhere and we lose possession. That way we just lose the momentum and we can't deal enough pressure to our opponents.

Neither Lucas or Gerrard are bad players, but our current style just doesn't suit their abilities. I guess you can have one of them on the field to offer variety (preferably Gerrard) but by playing both of them at the same time we'll just end up with a system that won't work at all.

The difference is, while Gerrard doesn't suit the system, he's still a good player who can influence a game.

Lucas doesn't. He's had one good game this season against West Brom, unfortunately, he's either been dog average, ***** poor or a complete passenger in the rest of the games.

Nowhere near upto being in the first 11 every week! Never has been, never will be.

The main thing that I wanted to emphasize was that these two should never play together. I still think that Lucas can still do a job even in this system and the same goes for Gerrard but if we play both of them together at the same time it's equal to suicide.

[Stu the Red]

It's true that Lucas hasn't been the same since his injury but I also think that the dynamic style of play that we have doesn't suit him at all. Lucas likes to sit deep and wait for his opponent rather than go straight at him. The "get the ball back in 10 seconds" thing is just not for him. His offensive and creative abilities are also nonexistent, which is unaffordable if we want the current philosophy to work.

Similar things could be said about Gerrard unfortunately. He's got the creative and offensive abilities alright, but he just overdoes it sometimes with his Hollywood long-balls that often lead to nowhere and we lose possession. That way we just lose the momentum and we can't deal enough pressure to our opponents.

Neither Lucas or Gerrard are bad players, but our current style just doesn't suit their abilities. I guess you can have one of them on the field to offer variety (preferably Gerrard) but by playing both of them at the same time we'll just end up with a system that won't work at all.

The difference is, while Gerrard doesn't suit the system, he's still a good player who can influence a game.

Lucas doesn't. He's had one good game this season against West Brom, unfortunately, he's either been dog average, ***** poor or a complete passenger in the rest of the games.

Nowhere near upto being in the first 11 every week! Never has been, never will be.

The main thing that I wanted to emphasize was that these two should never play together. I still think that Lucas can still do a job even in this system and the same goes for Gerrard but if we play both of them together at the same time it's equal to suicide.

You probably have a point. Gerrard isn't good enough to carry Lucas through games any more so I would also go with one or the other, I know which one I'd go with though... and it wouldn't be the fake brazilian.

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

At this juncture in time Lucas's importance to this team should be irrefutable after that fucking shambles today.