Liverpool FC Forum

[Ben Patrick]

The bottom line is that he's just not good enough for the important position he's been tasked to occupy.

And what is that position in your view exactly?

Honestly, it appears some cannot/will not recognise his role in the team because he rarely scores or plays the killer final ball. We've got other players in the side to do that.

It actually makes me wonder what this lad needs to do to get people off his back.

how about offer some sort of goal threat or make an assist? theres a lot more to playing central midfield that shielding the back four. Lucas has shown time after time after time after time after time that he is an average footballer and he will never be anything more than that.

To be fair how many goals or assists did Mascherano get ?
Not saying Lucas is as good, but he is dont a decent job for the team.

[jacdaniel]

Lucas is a decent player and he can certainly do a job until the summer.  I havent a bad word to say about him but if a decent offer comes up in the summer id take it and look for an upgrade.

We need someone at the same level as Hamann or Mascherano.  (when they were with us).

Or he could stay on as a squad player and battle for a position.

[supersub]

Lucas is a good player....unfortunately there are certain individuals who will never see his contribution because they have little nous about football

[stmichael]

so on one level we have people saying we need someone on the same lavel as hamann or mascherano and then in the same breath say they want him to provide more of a goal threat or assist more. well the two mentioned above did little of both apart from score the occasional screamer.

lets face it he's not fashionable. however he's far better than mikel in my oponion who's a regular at chelsea. anderson at united doesn't score or assist. he just looks fancy because he has a lot of energy. how many international caps has anderson got?

at the end of the day it's not about individuals it's about the team. within the team framework lucas is vital. you won't find a better replacement in this day and age for under £10m.

[metalhead]

I think Lucas is doing a really good job this season. However, he isn't brilliant, or great as many are saying, nor he is shyte cr@p or very average. He is in between the two, decent and doing his job.

[only me]

so on one level we have people saying we need someone on the same lavel as hamann or mascherano and then in the same breath say they want him to provide more of a goal threat or assist more. well the two mentioned above did little of both apart from score the occasional screamer.

lets face it he's not fashionable. however he's far better than mikel in my oponion who's a regular at chelsea. anderson at united doesn't score or assist. he just looks fancy because he has a lot of energy. how many international caps has anderson got?

at the end of the day it's not about individuals it's about the team. within the team framework lucas is vital. you won't find a better replacement in this day and age for under £10m.

You are correct on the Hamman/Masch comment ,and they were indeed weak in supporting Attack or scoring but you can't argue that they weren't fierce on Defence ,Masch was strong quick and ruthless at times - Lucas doesn't have those abilities as well as attacking ones. You could find players as Lucas in the dozens all over the world.

And you aren't really argueing that Lucas should be starting for ManU or Chelsea? Lucas isn't offering nothing special he is in a critical junction connecting Defence and Attack and you just can't see him effecting the game whatsoever. He is avarage and can be used for tactical purposes at best. Liverpool needs better.

[jacdaniel]

so on one level we have people saying we need someone on the same lavel as hamann or mascherano and then in the same breath say they want him to provide more of a goal threat or assist more. well the two mentioned above did little of both apart from score the occasional screamer.

lets face it he's not fashionable. however he's far better than mikel in my oponion who's a regular at chelsea. anderson at united doesn't score or assist. he just looks fancy because he has a lot of energy. how many international caps has anderson got?

at the end of the day it's not about individuals it's about the team. within the team framework lucas is vital. you won't find a better replacement in this day and age for under £10m.

I said id like a player thats on the same level as Hamann or Masch...not that i want Lucas to start creating assists or banging in goals.  His job is to do the dirty work    

I just personally think we could do a bit better.  I haven't a bad word to say about him though, he is doing a good job and even if we sign another DM in the summer, perhaps he could stay and fight for his position.  (might make him better again).

[metalhead]

Hamann was a very different midfielder than Mascherano. Mascherano is too one dimensional and doesn't really offer a lot in the attacking sense, but his defensive and positional abilities are excellent. Hamann was a better footballer all around. He was better at keeping possession and passing the ball around. He wasn't one dimensional too and contributed a lot to our momentum and our build up plays, something that Lucas and Masch never do. Ok, he didn't get too many goals, but at least he had his contributions by starting a play at the back, similarly to Alonso (although Alonso had better vision and passing).

[stmichael]

Hamann was a very different midfielder than Mascherano. Mascherano is too one dimensional and doesn't really offer a lot in the attacking sense, but his defensive and positional abilities are excellent. Hamann was a better footballer all around. He was better at keeping possession and passing the ball around. He wasn't one dimensional too and contributed a lot to our momentum and our build up plays, something that Lucas and Masch never do. Ok, he didn't get too many goals, but at least he had his contributions by starting a play at the back, similarly to Alonso (although Alonso had better vision and passing).

At the end of the day Lucas is in there to do a job. He's there primarily to break up opposition attacks and launch our own which he does superbly. In terms of ball retention he's probably the best player we have. And as for these fans who say "well he passes sideways or backwards" all the time, well Barcelona do it all the time and they don't seem to do too bad. Watch the 30 man move that led to our third goal at the weekend, Lucas had 5 or 6 touches in that move.

The thing about Lucas is that you have to watch him closely and you need to understand what he does and how effective he is at it. He is capable of getting forward as he showed at the weekend with that chance he set up for Poulsen. However as it stands I'm happy to see him doing what he is doing and letting the other players in the side create more, including Adam when he arrives. In no way shape or form is Adam a replacement for Lucas.

[tonyeh]

The bottom line is that he's just not good enough for the important position he's been tasked to occupy.

And what is that position in your view exactly?

Honestly, it appears some cannot/will not recognise his role in the team because he rarely scores or plays the killer final ball. We've got other players in the side to do that.

It actually makes me wonder what this lad needs to do to get people off his back.

how about offer some sort of goal threat or make an assist? theres a lot more to playing central midfield that shielding the back four. Lucas has shown time after time after time after time after time that he is an average footballer and he will never be anything more than that.

To be fair how many goals or assists did Mascherano get ?
Not saying Lucas is as good, but he is dont a decent job for the team.

To be honest, I wouldn't say that Masherano was all great shakes either. Incredibly over-rated, if you ask me.

He was a one trick pony, who admitedly did that trick very well. But, he was a thick as shit and a real liability at times.

[SouthCoastShankly]

A couple of Opta stats on Twitter stood out for me today, showing how well Lucas is doing -

89.7% - Paul Scholes has the best pass completion of any Englishman in the PL this season.

83% - Lucas has completed 83% of his passes for Liverpool in the PL this season.

Not bad considering how bad his previous seasons were, no one can deny the improvements he has made. This seasons stats only go to show he is developing his game to be more reliable. I definitely see a change in his decision making when it comes to passing.

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

Mano Menezes's has just  included Liverpool's influential midfielder in the Brazilian squad for the friendly v France .....

A full Brazilian  International ...The Lads stock is rising by the hour ...delighted the Lad is wearing our colours

[LittleHobo]

i have an argument at work constantly about lucas and anderson

of course anderson is more talented but not as consistent

who has done better so far in their time at liverpool and united?

the united fans at work just wont have it that lucas has done better

[tonyeh]

A couple of Opta stats on Twitter stood out for me today, showing how well Lucas is doing -

89.7% - Paul Scholes has the best pass completion of any Englishman in the PL this season.

83% - Lucas has completed 83% of his passes for Liverpool in the PL this season.

Not bad considering how bad his previous seasons were, no one can deny the improvements he has made. This seasons stats only go to show he is developing his game to be more reliable. I definitely see a change in his decision making when it comes to passing.

Whats the length of those passes?
What was the direction?
What did they contribute to the overall game?

Pass completion is a nonsense stat, with the greater context.

Billy passback can complete every single pass back to his goalie and look great on paper, but it'll be feck all use to anyone.

[SouthCoastShankly]

A couple of Opta stats on Twitter stood out for me today, showing how well Lucas is doing -

89.7% - Paul Scholes has the best pass completion of any Englishman in the PL this season.

83% - Lucas has completed 83% of his passes for Liverpool in the PL this season.

Not bad considering how bad his previous seasons were, no one can deny the improvements he has made. This seasons stats only go to show he is developing his game to be more reliable. I definitely see a change in his decision making when it comes to passing.

Whats the length of those passes?
What was the direction?
What did they contribute to the overall game?

Pass completion is a nonsense stat, with the greater context.

Billy passback can complete every single pass back to his goalie and look great on paper, but it'll be feck all use to anyone.

I guess you are one of those who refuses to credit Lucas this season. I hated him but this season he has been a revelation.

His passing has been far more than sideways and safe, he has developed an attacking instinct and an eye for an imaginative pass. Anyone who watches a game will see that.

Considering his passing is far more diverse this season, 83% I'd bloody good. But obviously some can't be pleased.