Liverpool FC Forum

[we all dream...]

Was browsing recent topics and came across this.

In recent events... i.e. Lucas playing well i though I would make a comment.

If you watch the youtube clip of Lucas, up the top posted by S@int, it may surprise a few people, he looks very threatening going forwards, strong on the ball and what stands out the most is the forward positions he has finds himself in. I no this is 3 n a half min clip of his whole career and therefore even I could be made to look good but still...Maybe Rafa has pulled the reigns on him, he looks like he could have come good and I hope he does.. he looks like he should be a winger and I wish he was.

I at the moment wouldnt want either fo them on the pitch in the situation offered in the start of the thread... Masch becasue he offers nothing going forwards and Lucas becasue he isnt doing enough at the moment to me confidence he could change a game... i would rather have benayoun on the right and push kuyt up top... if that is how we were originally set up, of course.

[bigmick]

Not too sure about this "Masherano offers nothing going forward" angle which is becoming the accepted truth around here. I don't always agree with sabre, but he was absolutely on the money when he predicted seven or eight months ago that people would tire of Masherano and he would begin to cop flack.

When we play 4-5-1 (which we generally do) Masherano is given the role of defensive sitter. At it, he is without question one of the best in the World, and IMHO the best. Like Makeleli, he doesn't rampage forward and bust the net from 30 yards, he concentrates his efforts on protecting the back four. That's his job.

Now if we were to play 4-4-2, and move Gerrard to the right (just a thoughT like ) then although he would be the more defensive of the two central midfielders, you would definately see more of him going forward. At that he ain't the best in the World, but he ain't no mug either. I actually would play this way (surprise surprise) because with the resurgence of Alonso's form, previous reservations about he and Mash "holding hands" wouldn't apply. It would also allow us to get our best right sided player out onto right midfield, and allow us to play Keane with Torres. If Gerrard was on the right, Keane up top would score goals. Mind you, with Gerrard on the right so would I but that's a seperate point.

DISCLAIMER-I'M NOT SERIOUS ABOUT THE LAST BIT. NOT LOTS OF GOALS ANYWAY.

[we all dream...]

Not too sure about this "Masherano offers nothing going forward" angle which is becoming the accepted truth around here. I don't always agree with sabre, but he was absolutely on the money when he predicted seven or eight months ago that people would tire of Masherano and he would begin to cop flack.

When we play 4-5-1 (which we generally do) Masherano is given the role of defensive sitter. At it, he is without question one of the best in the World, and IMHO the best. Like Makeleli, he doesn't rampage forward and bust the net from 30 yards, he concentrates his efforts on protecting the back four. That's his job.

Now if we were to play 4-4-2, and move Gerrard to the right (just a thoughT like ) then although he would be the more defensive of the two central midfielders, you would definately see more of him going forward. At that he ain't the best in the World, but he ain't no mug either. I actually would play this way (surprise surprise) because with the resurgence of Alonso's form, previous reservations about he and Mash "holding hands" wouldn't apply. It would also allow us to get our best right sided player out onto right midfield, and allow us to play Keane with Torres. If Gerrard was on the right, Keane up top would score goals. Mind you, with Gerrard on the right so would I but that's a seperate point.

DISCLAIMER-I'M NOT SERIOUS ABOUT THE LAST BIT. NOT LOTS OF GOALS ANYWAY.

I agree with you, he does offer things going forwards and I agree wholeheartedly with your opinions on his DM skill, he is awesome. I am a massive masch fan and dont want to see him get abuse. He is coming in for slack becasue we are not getting the goals or performing in an attacking sense to the extent people want. This is not his fault, we have been playing with one up top and therefore maschs role is more defensive and he does a sound job, one of the best in the world in that opinion.

I have been talkin about the same argument 442 virsus 451 in the owen thread I think. In discussing whether owen would compliment torres it came about that it wouldnt matter... as we play 1 up top and therefore when torres is back keane is even further downt he pecking order.

I want our captain at the forefront of everything which is why I think he has to play throught the middle and in my opinion we ahould then play 442, sopecially against the lesser teams.

I am going on here but basically if we had a quality right winger or a quality 2nd choice striker (disclaimer: not saying keane isnt, its just that at the moment he isnt cutting the mustard) Gerrad could play in the middle of  a 442 and we could drop eithr masch or alonso... with two up top for a more attacking thread...

which one is once again another topic entirely.

The flip side is play 451 Gerrard behind torres but we need a real attacking threat one that can rip defenses apart playing down the right. I duno who tho once again another topic.

Its such an interesting debate because there are so many options....

[bigmick]

God its such an interesting debate because there is so many options....

.....not to mention the "possibilities".

[we all dream...]

Its such an interesting debate because there are so many options....

.....not to mention the "possibilities".

oh the posibilities are endless... not to mention the diagreements. This place has been very glum recently... whats it gona be like if we lose on saturday.

I realise now that i came across as a right loser with that statement. Tried to claw back some credibility by taking out the god part...

Oh well... passion for the game is seldom scorned upon haha

[HacksawJimDuggin]

Mascha or Lucas is not a debate.

Mascha might not have been his usual best of late but he is the one that makes us tick in the MF when he's on his game. His protection of the back four is immense and he even ventures forward at times. A great buy by Rafa.

Lucas is not yet ready for us and needs to be farmed out another club for a season.

[Madmax]

mascha no question asked.

[babu]

I just don't rate Lucas at all and don't see him ever being 100% of the player he was in the Brazilian league for Liverpool.

Is there a Liverpool in the Brazilian LEague ?

did you fail your english or did i miss the sarcasm?

Ironic that the post is basically neither bad English or sarcastic. It's more of a direct question if you look at it again.

what JBG meant was that he doesnt see Lucas playing for Liverpool the way he played in Brazil when he won the awards.

You might need to define 'irony' for him Emerald.

[Rorschach26]

Id keep Lucas on (at 100% hes was the best player in the brazilian league) hed be far more likely 2 contribute 2 a goal the mascherano

[heimdall]

So people really think it would make more sense to leave Lucas on the field rather than Mascha, wow!! I guess though it would help if you knew who you would replace them with.

I agree with the posters asking why Lucas is on the field in the first place, he is not good enough yet, maybe he'll come good in the end but I doubt it.

[Petar]

I would never ever play Lucas Leiva in Liverpool side. Against Villa he was joke,just like in 98 percent of other games. Mascherano is kwalitee