Liverpool FC Forum

by **metalhead** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:10 pm

He is alright Lucas, did well against Birmingham, nothing exceptional, won the ball a couple of times and covered alot of ground. He is a hard worker like Kuyt is, but he also has limited abilities.

Would be a really good squad player, nothing more.

by **redbeergoggles** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:45 pm

Lucas has proved the dissenters incorrect by a string of commanding performances in centre mid ,and is now showing the combative qualities that are more akin with Didi Hamann than some would give him credit for ,afterall some fans, and I include some of my mates in that equation ,were simply oblivious to the brilliant Germans contributions ,and this aspect of the game would often lead to heated debate after the match...

I expect Lucas to become one of them unsung heroes that never gets the plaudits of some ,but they are precisely the players that every team needs ,never missed until they actually leave the club .....

If Mascherano ups and leaves for pastures new in January, then Lucas will be more than a little relevant in our midfield and probably develop into the mainstay of our team as did Didi ,and these last two games I have seen have provided enough proof to draw the conclusion he will always give 100% to our cause

by **kunilson** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:53 pm

wasn't too long ago we were singin "we have the best midfield in the wooorld".

miss those days. ah well :;):

by **Rush Job** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:20 pm

When your in the sh!t you need players who are willing to fight for ya and he`s one, considering the stick he has had hear from his own "support" I`d say mentallity wise you`d be hard pushed to find better all things considered. Seems like a popular lad on the training feild too.
Are best middfeild doesnt include him though.

by **made in UK** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:55 pm

andy_g wrote:
bigmick wrote:Lucas has improved there's no question about it, but lets be honest from his early season form that isn't hard. As Fowler says in the previous post, usually when you are mid table and have lost six out of eight or whatever it is there is a reason for that. The main reason for that as far as we are concerned is that our central midfield is disfunctional.

don't agree with you there, mick. while i'll admit that our central midfield isn't as good as it was last season, despite the fact that lucas is doing a much better job than most give him credit for, i think our problems are at either end.

the attack without torres is pretty toothless even if we create a hatful of chances. the game against birmingham was the perfect example - we spent the whole game camped in their half mounting attack after attack. the number of times we got into their box and behind them was amazing (thanks at times to lucas who passed forward, into the box, contributing to attacking moves) but as soon as it fell to anyone in a goal scoring position it all went t!ts up... air kicks, slices, misses and various other forms of comedy.

at the other end they get a couple of chances and score a couple of goals thanks to a largely disfunctional defence. this is the more worrying aspect as we can't attribute it to the lack of one influential player - though if anyone knows where the real jamie carragher is i'd like to know.

so no - i don't think the centre midfield is the real weak link, and i don't think lucas is doing especially poorly as a part of it.

Spot on Andy G!

by **Igor Zidane** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:29 pm

well dunga thinks he's alright like
ps i'm doing this from my wii are'nt i clever

by **Sabre** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:39 pm

I agree Andy about that an attack without Torres is toothless.

But that doesn't explain why we were one of the most secure teams defensively and now we are not. Sid Lowe the other day said in Gol TV that Carraguer's cracking tackles become fouls with age, and that he reaches later than he used to, to the ball. But I think there's more than that.

In fact I think I also agree Mick because I think we have problems everywhere this season and that includes the midfield. But I do think that our midfield will be quality with the Italian, the little chief and Gerrard. As much as he's done decent games and even good games so far, despite what the stats say, I think he's not good enough for a team of the size of Liverpool. Not to be a regular starter anyway or as a consistent answer to a key player not available.

Sometimes stats are relative, and so are player's "good performances". Take Arbeloa. No problem with him no? Everybody admitted he was useful no? Good games we commented of him. But when you increase significantly the quality in the position with a man like Johnson, you notice it. And even in a bad Johnson day you're happy he's there playing for you instead of Arbeloa.

Similarly, when Gerrard, Mascherano are out, and you don't have a Xabi Alonso, if you play Lucas you'll downgrade the quality quite much.

Just like in the Johnson case, but in the other way around. Then stats will tell you he has done ok, with lots of good passes. But quality is quality and naked eye gets it better than cold numbers.

by **stmichael** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 1:54 pm

bigmick wrote:The Birmingham game was a good example in many ways. True, we "battered" them, but how many actual cast iron clear cut chances did we create? How many desperate saves did their keeper have to make? Most of our half chances were hurried snap shots from ricochets inside the box, and it says it all really that by far our most potent player in the build up was our right back. Then we conceded two goals. True it would be hard to pin the blame on the midfield for that, but they did slice us up on a couple of occasions, the fella Benitez got himself one on one with Reina not five minutes before they scored.

For me our passing and movement in the central area is too considered, not fizzy enough. There is insufficient appreciation of angle, little subtlety of direction, and for those who are screaming at the monitor "you mean like Alonso used to provide you c... when you never appreciated him !!!!!!", precisely. It will be interesting to see if Aquilani can go some way towards filling the hole, but our middle duo at the moment are absolutely nowhere near managing it. Like I say, you don't keep getting beat for no reason.

Well Aquilani to me looks like a player who should be further up the pitch and playing balls in for the strikers. The thing is, the only way I can think of getting him there is to drop Kuyt, and stick Gerrard there. The media would have a field day with him out there, but he's shown he be more than effective out there. We all know Kuyt won't be dropped though.

by **Owzat** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:25 pm

metalhead wrote:Would be a really good squad player, nothing more.

In theory he will be if Aquilani is fit enough to displace him. Won't get some fans off his back though

by **7_Kewell** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:53 pm

Owzat wrote:
metalhead wrote:Would be a really good squad player, nothing more.

In theory he will be if Aquilani is fit enough to displace him. Won't get some fans off his back though

sad really, especially when you see those wanting Spearing in our first 11.

Spearing isn't even good enough to replace Lucas.

by **redbeergoggles** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 3:03 pm

7_Kewell wrote:
Owzat wrote:
metalhead wrote:Would be a really good squad player, nothing more.

In theory he will be if Aquilani is fit enough to displace him. Won't get some fans off his back though

sad really, especially when you see those wanting Spearing in our first 11.

Spearing isn't even good enough to replace Lucas.

True, but why it escapes people who claim to know about football is actually quite disconcerting ....

by **Sir Roger** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:38 pm

redbeergoggles wrote:Lucas has proved the dissenters incorrect by a string of commanding performances in centre mid ,and is now showing the combative qualities that are more akin with Didi Hamann than some would give him credit for ,afterall some fans, and I include some of my mates in that equation ,were simply oblivious to the brilliant Germans contributions ,and this aspect of the game would often lead to heated debate after the match...

I expect Lucas to become one of them unsung heroes that never gets the plaudits of some ,but they are precisely the players that every team needs ,never missed until they actually leave the club .....

If Mascherano ups and leaves for pastures new in January, then Lucas will be more than a little relevant in our midfield and probably develop into the mainstay of our team as did Didi ,and these last two games I have seen have provided enough proof to draw the conclusion he will always give 100% to our cause

A little OTT to be fair
Hamman was class and a commanding, cool and influential player. If Lucas wants to be seen in the same light he must stop giving pathetic free kicks away like he did on Monday.
Not good
:no

by **Dazzer** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:07 am

Liverpool FC more stressful to play for than Brazil says Lucas Leiva

Nov 13 2009 by Ian Doyle, Daily Post
Lucas Leiva

Lucas Leiva

LUCAS LEIVA admits the pressure of playing for Liverpool at present is worse than that turning out for Brazil.

Lucas, who is in Qatar preparing for his country’s showpiece friendly against England tomorrow, has been one of Liverpool’s most impressive performers during a troubled start to the campaign.

Monday’s 2-2 home draw with Birmingham City means Rafael Benitez’s side have won just one of their last nine games, a spell during which they have been knocked out of the Carling Cup and stand on the brink of Champions League elimination.

And with the beleaguered Benitez having to deal with his team’s poor form and an ever-growing injury list, that tension is being felt on the pitch by the available players.

“Right now the pressure of playing for Liverpool is worse than for Brazil,” said Lucas. “In Brazil we have already qualified and we will of course have pressure in playing a big team like England, but at Liverpool now it is worse.

“We are in a difficult situation right now. We have to fight to qualify for the Champions League and the Premier League too. First of all we have to get into the top four.”

Lucas added: “At Liverpool we are playing well, maybe we need something more but anyway I hope we will turn the bad situation around.

“Against Lyon, United and even the last game against Birmingham we played well but we conceded some goals. They came from our mistakes.

“We have to keep going and keep working and hopefully the international break has come at a good time for us. Some players are injured so hopefully they will be okay and be fit for the next game.”

However, most of the injury news emanating from Melwood yesterday was negative, with Benitez confirming both Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun could be sidelined for up to a month.

And there was a further blow after it emerged Fabio Aurelio was cut from the Brazil squad because of his calf injury.

Riera and Benayoun suffered torn hamstrings on Monday, with Benitez fearing Riera may face a longer spell out after aggravating a previous injury.

And Benitez admits to keeping his fingers crossed over the fitness of Glen Johnson who, after missing three games with groin and calf problems, then suffered a hamstring injury while training with England earlier this week.

“Both Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera have muscle problems and will be out for three to four weeks,” said the Spaniard. “It depends on each player, but for Riera this is the second time with this injury.

“We will have to wait and see how they progress but hopefully in three weeks they could be available. Both players are wingers and for them to be out at the same time is bad news for us.

“Glen Johnson’s was a strange situation because he finished the game on Monday and then travelled to London to be with England.

“He felt something in his hamstring and came back to us for a scan. Hopefully it’s not too serious and he could be available again in a week.”

Denmark centre-back Daniel Agger also withdrew from international duty, but Liverpool are hopeful his back injury will have cleared up in time for the visit of Manchester City a week tomorrow.

And Fernando Torres is expected to resume running shortly as he recovers from an ongoing groin complaint.

“With Fernando Torres we are talking about two or three weeks of treatment and working with the physios,” said Benitez.

by **LFC2007** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:24 am

That's partly because he doesn't usually play for Brazil.

by **Ben Patrick** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:44 am

ah one of those carefully selected questions that tries to make the answer from the player look like they are slaggin someone off.
Playing for liverpool now must be massive pressure but he didnt say that it was an unwelcome pressure.
I think he has stepped up personally and looks a better player than i gave him credit for.

Fair play to him so far this season i say.

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