If he wants to play around with Gerrard there, that's fine. Against the weaker teams, he'll excel with that amount of space given to him to find the passing (very rusty last game, needs to be much better and will be with games) but the top teams will just close him down. The top teams will also ghost past him as he's not a naturally disciplined player and never has been. The worst part of it all is if Lucas is still played but higher up. It's not what he's good at and it's a huge waste of what he can do. That leaves us with either Gerrard, Allen and Henderson (in that order from back to top) or Gerrard, Henderson and Coutinho. Despite the disapproving on this site for Lucas's form, I still think he's a big player for us and rate his performances.
doubt it. i think we still need to look to the regista and two box to box players... if rodgers think lucas can go box to box??? doubt it.
I think we sometimes forget the Lucas Leiva we actually bought..... He used to be the player that got forward, so the capability is there but maybe the legs aren't quite there? Still would like to see us bring in stability in the midfield this window, but now, not so sure.
i think most are looking at even this season... not t mention how bad he looked at it v stoke. i am not forgetting it, just that i don't think it is relevant at all. he looked really off the pace of that kind of role. hell gerrard looks better at it, just he never comes back or ball watches
Let's be fair, it got BEAT out of him by Rafa and probably a reason he struggled so in the beginning. How is it not relevant when you just asked: The point was at one point he was that player. If you have a certain style before, or a certain position, you tend to not forget it, maybe the finer details but the general idea should still be there, especially for a professional at this level. Still think we need two CM's and agree with that but you can see that Rodgers is maybe trying to add more legs and harrassing in the midfield to make up for maybe the lack of creativity in it? ( also, thus dropping Gerrard to not only destroy but playmake quickly?) Another stat from the game against Stoke: Gerrard won the ball 16 times in that game...... This season Lucas has yet to win the ball back that many times in any of the games he has played.
yes thats fair it's just last weekend he certainly was not that type of player so to my mind its not going to suddenly re-emerge ergo... by virtue of a manager being able to take a box to box and coach them to be holding you cannot coach a player without the ability to suddenly run up and down at pace... thats why i feel its irrelevant. I think i am going by rodgers wanting a CM triangle. somethings one holding sometimes two. where we play a big game i could see lucas and gerrard. where we play villa at home..... no lucas thanks. finally in fairness to to gerrard and lucas.. both... stoke were bloody awful and gave it away and such but also hull we just as bad and lucas didn't real test is a game like everton who are on our level bar suarez realistically.. city and chavland are just too high a level for either player realistically. I'd love us to won 3 world classers like 2008/09
It is interesting timing as Lucas is still trying to get those legs back from the injuries he has had. Part of the stat with Gerrard was I think Adam alone gave the ball away 26 times, scored a great goal ya, but was also part of their demise. Ya, I am one who really wishes our strength of our team was still through the middle. Imagine if we had a midfield trio who could consistently keep the back four protected yet provided even better service for Suarez and Sturridge to thrive off of. Would be something.
how long does it take really to get pace and ability to run 50 yards back though? adam is indeed a donkey. If we had alonso gerrard and masch from 2009 and SAS upfront who would be the last name in a 4-3-3? who would you pick?
An interesting one, pre ACL Lucas was everywhere, closing down any and everything. Now, he can do it in spurts but getting back is a worry. Gerrard when played further up didn't/couldn't/wouldn't whichever you prefer get back. Hmm, good question. Would probably go to Coutinho as were we still playing Gerrard on the right then or was he behind Torres? I feel Coutinho would like up well. You could almost turn that into a 4-2-3-1 as we do have Johnson and Enrique who like to get forward to provide width. If you wanted an out and out winger then probably Sterling I guess at the moment, in terms of wing play no is really stepping up above him yet.
i agree he was everywhere, really lean and fit. was his secret. in 2009 gerrard was a no 10 for want of a description minger johnson toure sahko enrique gerrard masch alonso suarez sturridge coutinhio 4-2-3-1.... maybe so. too.. maybe it jus twould be with gerrard
Think we should test Valencia resolve with Feghouli and Banega before this rich guy buys the club and offers them a **** ton of cash.
Apparently about to buy and offer 50 mil for this window as Valencia are right behind Villareal for fourth. Also to note..... Sociedad are struggling big time. Griezmann for the wings? Chips in with goals too. Inigo Martinez as a CB? Carlos Vela has been in some good form too but that team is struggling in the league heavily.
Looks like Matic is on his way to Chelsea then. Confirmed he's played his last game for Benfica today. Sell him as well as £25m for Luiz, then buy him back for another £25m
Don't you know that players increase in value just by not playing for Chelsea? That's why we can't afford Mata.
We have been linked with Fernando Reges from Porto. Available for a fee in the summer. Great business if we can persuade him.