Liverpool FC Forum

[RedBlood]

as far as im concerned Lucas hasnt shown anything during his time here to make me think he'll become anything special in the future... maybe a solid CM (a Barry or Fletcher)  but thats about it...

if he wants to leave then thats fine by me.. shouldnt be a problem getting a replacement who is better than him with the money we get from him... id rather it be someone with plenty of experience rather than another unproven youngster...

thing is would an experienced player be happy to be forth choice i doubt it and when you talk of 3rd 4th choice players i would much rather have younsters who could develop and save us millions then someone just wanting to see his carrer out on a high wage
if lucas is sold i would be dissapointed but i would much prefer spearing to be given a chance and use the money from lucas to help buy a top class right winger to play with torres, gerrard and babel who i believe can be a very good player

[Owzat]

use the money from lucas to help buy a top class right winger to play with torres, gerrard and babel who i believe can be a very good player

We'd have to sell Lucas, Babel, Dossena and probably one or two more to buy a top class right winger. And it would leave gaping holes in our squad. Probably why Rafa has gone for a few bosmans and kids, to plug the gaps but the problem is a lot of them aren't likely to be instant hits so we spend all our time dreaming talking about selling these players and signing "quality".

Point being our squad isn't very strong, people talk about selling the rubbish and buying a quality player or two - how is that going to solve our real problem of squad depth?

[loopyliverpool]

He did have a fair game on Saturday but I still don't think he is a good enough player. The same applies to Dossena. What perplexed me a touch on Sat was that Rafa demoted Babel to the bench for Reira, who was again average personified. I thought Babel was very good against Real..... Anyway I would personally welcome any news of Lucas leaving. He is too slow, his tackling is dubious, he gets knocked off the ball, he's not a goal scorer... in fact his only redeeming factor is that he can pass a ball twenty yards, no he's not for me, any team needs more from a centre midfielder. I do think it's a disgrace that he was booed though, no player deserves that from their home supporters and I find it hard to believe that our fans did that. That is not the Liverpool way - shameful - even if he is .

[GYBS]

Any team wants more from a starting first choice Midfielder as opposed to someone who is 4th choice . As a 4th choice midfielder he certainly does well enough .

[Richj]

Sell him and start using Jay Spearing instead, Use the money we get form him for a Winger/Forward.

[aCe']

use the money from lucas to help buy a top class right winger to play with torres, gerrard and babel who i believe can be a very good player

We'd have to sell Lucas, Babel, Dossena and probably one or two more to buy a top class right winger. And it would leave gaping holes in our squad. Probably why Rafa has gone for a few bosmans and kids, to plug the gaps but the problem is a lot of them aren't likely to be instant hits so we spend all our time dreaming talking about selling these players and signing "quality".

Point being our squad isn't very strong, people talk about selling the rubbish and buying a quality player or two - how is that going to solve our real problem of squad depth?

Well let me ask you something then... how much money do YOU think we'll have available for us in the summer without having to sell any of our players ? i'd say around 20-30 mill (going by what we'v been spending in past seasons..

players who can be used as squad players who in my mind are good enough:

cavalieri
insua
Agger
Hyypia
Arbeloa
Babel
Benayoun
Kuyt
NEW BACKUP FORWARD
add a couple of youngsters and maybe a bosman (CM?) to that list and u have plenty of depth in the squad imo

that would leave us needing:

new rightback
new righ winger
backup forward


we'd get money from:

Dossena
Lucas
Voronin
keane deal ??
Others (n'gog?, Elzhar?...wouldnt mind)


that would leave us with around 40-50mill depending on how you look at things... surely enough to bring in a quality right winger, a good right back and a backup forward?

Owen, Joaquin, A.lopez ?
Gudjohnsen, Maxi, Rafinha ?
etc etc

point is.. as long as we keep the good players put and we add quality to that then we should have a squad and starting 11 that are good enough to compete over the course of a season... i dont think Dossena and Lucas are good enough, i dont think N'gog is anywhere near ready... i think that the likes of Kuyt, Babel, Benayoun, Arbeloa are good enough to be backup but not starting 11 material... i think we'v always had problems in the transfer market ... both buying and selling... and hopefully if Rafa is still around for next season he'll get it right this time around...for a change...

[RedBlood]

use the money from lucas to help buy a top class right winger to play with torres, gerrard and babel who i believe can be a very good player

We'd have to sell Lucas, Babel, Dossena and probably one or two more to buy a top class right winger. And it would leave gaping holes in our squad. Probably why Rafa has gone for a few bosmans and kids, to plug the gaps but the problem is a lot of them aren't likely to be instant hits so we spend all our time dreaming talking about selling these players and signing "quality".

Point being our squad isn't very strong, people talk about selling the rubbish and buying a quality player or two - how is that going to solve our real problem of squad depth?

i dont mean sell him and use that money to buy a world class winger i mean use the money from his sale towards signing a worldclass winger

add it to the kitty whitch as some people have mentioned is usaully between 20 ad 30 million

i dont believe our squad is weak i just think weve had alot of injurys this season

[aCe']

Last i heard was that Lucas wants to stay with us even if that means he doesnt get called up for the World Cup with brazil...
Why oh... WHY ?!

[tubby]

He will change his tune once he doesn't get picked. Problem is Rafa keeps playing him.

[Alex G.]

Last i heard was that Lucas wants to stay with us even if that means he doesnt get called up for the World Cup with brazil...
Why oh... WHY ?!

It shows how devalued is the national team of Brasil.

Leiva playing for Brasil is a sacrilege. He´s not good enough even for Uruguay.

[tubby]

Yeah he is not good enough for the Brazil first team anyway so I don't know what he is moaning about.

[Alex G.]

Yeah he is not good enough for the Brazil first team anyway so I don't know what he is moaning about.

I suspect if he were not nephew of Leivinha he never would have won the golden globe of Brasil to the best young player and never would have been called by the national team.

I just cant see anything brilliant on him apart of running all around and his blonde hair.

[Dundalk]

Hopefully this will put a stop to the booing of this kid


Steven Gerrard has told the Liverpool supporters to stop criticising under-fire midfielder Lucas Leiva.

The Brazil international, 22, has been booed by his own fans this season as he has struggled to find his best form and recently admitted that ‘some people don't trust me yet’.

However, he has already received the full backing of boss Rafa Benitez, and Gerrard has now called on the Liverpool fans to get behind the player as he develops.

“The criticism he receives does get to me,” he said in the Daily Star Sunday.

“I think people forget he’s 22 years old. He’s not 27 or 28.

“I remember what I was like at that age and I look at where I am now.

“I know that I’m a one-million-percent better player now. I got better with experience.

“I made mistakes and learned and it has helped me become the player I am.

“Lucas is a good player and I know he’ll continue to get better.”

Gerrard has also called for critics to recognise the contribution of the rest of the squad after the team’s recent impressive run.

Gerrard and Fernando Torres have taken most of the plaudits after the impressive victories over Real Madrid, Manchester United and Aston Villa, but the club captain feels it has been a team effort.

"It's an absolute privilege to captain this football club at any time, but especially when the team is playing the way it is," he said.

"It makes my job an awful lot easier when you don't have to talk too much to players because they are just doing their jobs without that being needed.

"Confidence is really high right now and we're certainly enjoying playing together. We are playing without fear and without anxiety and I think you're seeing some superb football from us in the last couple of weeks.

"I'm playing with magnificent players. Torres and myself have had a lot of pats on the back of late, but it's important to acknowledge our teammates who have been fantastic.

"That's from the goalkeeper and the defence right through to the front.

"The two full backs have been magnificent lately, the centre backs have been the same. I could go right through the team and everyone is doing their job properly.

“Long may that continue and hopefully it will right up until the end of the season.

"If we keep playing the way we have been over the last three games then it's going to be an exciting finish."

[Kukilon]

Can't believe that we have fans booing our own players.

[bunglemark2]

Agreed Kukilon....Was at a match a while back and some donkey behind me stood up every time Lucas got the ball and booed him...I felt like decking him, then again, I'd have been kicked out of the ground...