22 May 2015 10:40:33
I'll be sad if Lucas leaves, just as I was when Agger left. Both are/were good servants to the club who seemed to embrace being Liverpool players. But football shouldn't be sentimental, Agger was too injury prone to be a solution at CB. Similarly Lucas isn't good enough to be a future first 11 player if Liverpool want to compete with the big 4. I'll concede that I'd rather see him play than Allen but I expect contracts, work permits and a number of other factors mean it makes more sense to have Allen over Lucas.
The team should evolve, try new things and discard the ideas that haven't worked. Lucas has had his chance and never cemented his position. If Rodgers has a better idea then it's his right to try it, if that means Lucas leaves then we say goodbye and wish him well.
22 May 2015 11:09:51
Souness had a BETTER idea on how to run the club when he managed us. He now acknowledges that his attitude was a mistake and that it was not appropriate for the club. BETTER IDEAS can ruin clubs and impact on long term futures.
I understand and sympathise with what you say to a certain He's had three years to implement his ideas and FAILED. He has wasted a tremendous amount of money. When he left Swansea the players were generally happier with the philosophy Laudrup brought in. It had purpose and they felt that BR played possession football with slightly less purpose. Last year his possession football was given purpose by two players who seemed to want to score to outdo each other. but this year their absence shows the truth.
We must stop feeding a bad idea hoping it becomes a good idea. sometimes it's better to move forward with a new manager rather than new players who will probably continue to mark the problem rather than correct it.
22 May 2015 11:23:12
Lucas. not good enough to cement his place? It's not that he is not good enough, it's that rodgers is too stupid to realise it. Look at the results with and without Lucas in the team. For me he would get into any of the top four sides excelt Chelsea's as matic is exceptional
{Ed001's Note - Lucas only dropped out when he picked up an injury, results nosedived and yet still Rodgers didn't put him straight back in when he was fit! He deserves a place.}
22 May 2015 11:27:35
I absolutely disagree, I think Lucas is easily, easily good enough to play consistently if he is fit. I think he would've been a better solution than Gerrard in the DM position this season but I understand that it would be very very hard to drop Gerrard in his last season.
I think he is a fantastic DM, I think the only reason he hasn't been a consistent starter is the numpty managing the club.
22 May 2015 11:35:17
Lucas, when fit, would walk into any team in the league except Chelsea. Matic is the only holding player who is better than him at what he does.
If you want to dispute my claim, then first you'll have to come up with a legitimate argument as to why our win ratio is so much better with Lucas in the team.
Trouble with modern fans is they get bored of consistency. Lucas is an old face so it's no longer exciting. My only issue with him is his fitness. He is a model pro, an excellent player, an incredibly hard working and passionate player etc. If he wants to stay we'd be absolutely stupid to force him out. Rodgers biggest mistake in his tenure has been dropping Lucas to try and shoe horn Gerrard into the team based on sentiment; and you're correct. There is no place for sentiment in football.
I'll happily debate this all day if you want and against as many people who want to disagree with me. Lucas is class in every definition of the word.
{Ed001's Note - Lucas should be first name on the team sheet, I fully agree with you on this EMS, he is far better than he is ever given credit for. People moan about him giving away dangerous free kicks, when that is part of his job!}
22 May 2015 11:54:05
Agree totally ems and ed he should be in that team everytime when fit
22 May 2015 11:55:56
Agreed with ED001.
Lucas would be my first name on the team sheet as well. Absolutely fantastic player for us. You only have to look at the records when he plays against when he doesn't.
I'm speechless that a man who get's paid to do his job, can't see how important he is to this team.
Also the moaners who go on about the free kicks he gives away, it breaks up the play and the flow of the game.
It's only picked up on because of our poor organisation on set pieces and the defensive line as a whole. Matic does it all the time for Chelsea.Just it doesn't concern them as they can deal with it.
22 May 2015 11:57:58
The great Makalele, Mascherano, Matic actually all of the decent defensive midfielders need a rash side to their game. If the defence push up slightly then the free kicks being given away by the defensive midfielder should be in further out/less dangerous area (in a ideal world). A good demolition player needs a organised defence behind him in order for it to truly benefit and work.
22 May 2015 12:13:28
Like I said previously Henderson captain, Lucas vice captain. Only because Henderson won't be injured as often. A midfield of Lucas, Henderson and Coutinho would rival any midfield in the league but unfortunately Lucas is forever injured.
I reckon we'd have got top 4 easily if Studge and Lucas were fit all season.
Red Rum
22 May 2015 12:42:15
Feel I may have misrepresented myself here. I'm a huge fan of Lucas and I'd love him to stay. I also prefer him in the team to Allen. I don't know why he's not played since he returned from injury and don't really want to speculate why that is. What I do think though is that he's not a defensive midfielder of the class of Matic, Mascherano or the other DMs who have excelled in the Champions League. I think Rodgers has a plan in place for next season which he thinks is an improvement over Lucas (if that plan turns out to be Allen I will join the anti-Rodgers brigade), Lucas has been told this and would rather leave than be second choice, I respect that.
I still trust Rodgers and I have positive expectations for next season, if next season is a disaster then I'll probably change my view but I'm a Rodgers fan for now.
22 May 2015 12:58:31
Hi Ed
Totally agree, with the players at our disposal Lucas should play when fit. Evidence is there for all to see that when he is fit Liverpool concede less goals. Unitil the Man City game last year he was our best palyer. i think it was you who said Pirlo looks good only when he has a defensive midfieder alongside, that is what we should have done with Gerrard and Lucas. When Allen, Gerrard or Henderson play in his position teams just walk through us.
One of Rodgers biggest mistakes is that he overlookes the improtance of a good defensive midfielder, and Lucas is the best we have at the club and should play when fit.
Evered
22 May 2015 13:05:45
For me it is one of the most damning indictments of br's quality as a manager that he was totally unable to see just how important lucas is to the teams success, and he was willing to let lucas go up till xmas.
All of us amateur managers could see lucas should be the first name on the teamsheet when fit.
Not playing lucas and forcing him out of the club might be one of the most damaging things that has been done to lfc in the whole of this arrogant and blinkered man's tenure as manager.
Lucas is a player of rare quality in his position, and if he goes he will be really hard to replace.
Can is good in defence, but i think he still has some progress to make in the dm position. Lucas learned his trade the hard way at lfc, and he is the finished article.
22 May 2015 13:23:33
The fact that he is injury prone is NOT a reason to sell him. You get him a back-up which we already have potentially in Can. Our best results are when he and Hendo played in midfield which solidified us when we had those cleansheets this year so don`t see why you want him gone, really. The fact that you compare him to Allen shows how low you actually think of him. And the fact that BR prrefers Allen, SG or even Delph to Lucas shows you how incompetent he is as well.
22 May 2015 12:32:23
Ed001, sry but you are wrong. Lucas was in the starting 11 against Arsenal right after getting back from injury, but failed miserably to protect the backline.
{Ed001's Note - that was not the first game he was fit for though was it? He was fit to face Man Utd and he didn't pick him. So he didn't get straight back in and it is a bit unfair to suggest he failed miserably against Arsenal when he was left to cover 4 midfielders on his own. Typical of the kind of boo boys that get on the backs of Lucas for no reason, you blame him for everything. Ridiculous to suggest he failed miserably, kind of comment that shows why he should leave and why we can't keep hold of the likes of Sterling. What is the point with fans like you who only want to jump on their back if they aren't scoring a hattrick every week? Miserable failure is your assessment of Lucas's role in that match.}
22 May 2015 16:15:03
Ed001 agree 100% on Lucas. Brilliant player and you only realise how good he is when you watch him at the ground. Brilliant reading of the game which enables him to gain a greater amount of possession for the team. As I said earlier, 2nd only to matic as a defensive midfielder in the premier league and matic probably only looks slightly better a he has a better organised team around him.
22 May 2015 16:30:55
Let me be clear, i love lucas as a player. When fit, he protects the back line, breaks down play and recycles the ball really well. An old school battler. However, if we isolate te Arsenal game, he looked tired, out of pace and couldn't handle the speed of the game. He failed to deliver in that game.
To call me a bad fan for giving a fair analysis is a bit harsh. Friends?
22 May 2015 17:17:56
But for you to give Lucas a harsh analysis after a fair effort is ok?
Sounds like you can dish it but can't take it. Lucas should be the first name on our team sheet. He should also be our captain. He is a credit to our club and supporters.
{Ed001's Note - sorry dwarf I didn't pick up your reply, I do feel you were harsh, if you look at that game he was overrun because he was left to pick up the entire Arsenal midfield on his own. Apologies for going off on one though, as it is just a general moan at the way the lad has been treated rather than you in particular and I should not have accused you of being one. Lucas should have been vice captain the moment Agger left, in my opinion.}
22 May 2015 18:21:28
Sorry to say that is lucas past his best, unfortunately his own fellow country man(Ramirez) took him off the pitch, he was emerging as the best DM during his 2010,2011 seasons, where he was bossing against chelsea and Manc Midfield.
After that injury to knee he never got back to his old self and often got injured. However I will take him any day over Welsh Xavi.
Emre Can should take the place and Lucas should be used as cover, (good first team members for that position.)
22 May 2015 20:02:44
It makes no football sense to keep Allen over Lucas.
Allen has been abysmal since he arrived and its fair comment to say that the team looks weaker when he is in it.
That BR thinks Allen is a superior footballer to Lucas says exactly how clueless he is, it has nothing to do with work permits as Lucas has EU status.
Lucas, when fit, is one of the most effective defensive midfielders in the league, Allen isn't effective at anything.
23 May 2015 00:03:31
Agreed, D!