Analysis: How Lucas controlled the game

[Rotpeter]

Our midfield is poorer than the players in it.

[stringvest]

righto.

[Dani Pacheco]

It's ok guys, he has a good attitude and loves the club. Because nobody better would be mad enough to take him.

 

Shame, because he seems to have regressed quite a bit since his injury in that carling cup game at Chelsea.

[ODZ]

I think he's always been overrated. I think defensive midfielders in general, everywhere in the league over the last few years, have been overrated. From an "unsung" position, they've become "oversung" and their impact on the game has been blown out of proportions. It's a position that doesn't require nearly as much as others on the pitch. Seems like players are getting praised for putting their foot in and staying in position just because they're defensive midfielders.

[Gnasher]

I think he's always been overrated. I think defensive midfielders in general, everywhere in the league over the last few years, have been overrated. From an "unsung" position, they've become "oversung" and their impact on the game has been blown out of proportions. It's a position that doesn't require nearly as much as others on the pitch. Seems like players are getting praised for putting their foot in and staying in position just because they're defensive midfielders.

I agree with this. Being a defensive midfielder is often used as an excuse when a player does fuck all else, a cop out. I thought if Lucas job was just to cover the defence he could of done better with arsenals two goals. He just dos'nt offer enough in big games.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

It's strange how people thinks the DM role is a cakewalk, yet everyone else we try there of any reasonable ability fails to usurp the apparently piss poor Lucas.

 

We'd benefit from a better DM, there's no arguing about that, but if we're talking about positions that need upgrading then there are far more pressing concerns.

[Gnasher]

It's strange how people thinks the DM role is a cakewalk, yet everyone else we try there of any reasonable ability fails to usurp the apparently piss poor Lucas.

 

We'd benefit from a better DM, there's no arguing about that, but if we're talking about positions that need upgrading then there are far more pressing concerns.

Ramsey was supposed to be playing a defensive midfield role for arsenal as flamini was out. It didnt stop him contributing in other areas.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Ramsey was supposed to be playing a defensive midfield role for arsenal as flamini was out. It didnt stop him contributing in other areas.

 

He was allowed to contribute in an attacking sense because we didn't give him a reason to worry much about his defensive responsibilities. They had width and fullbacks, we had...

[Jairzinho]

Pretty much entirely his fault we lost today. Everyone else was exceptional.

[TheHowieLama]

Pretty much entirely his fault we lost today. Everyone else was exceptional.

 

There were 8 midfielders out there today - more than half were exceptional.

[ZonkoVille77]

Lucas was on his own in midfield today.

[Jairzinho]

Lucas was on his own in midfield today.

 

Yep, against probably the best midfield in the country.

[mni]

Lucas was poor today, but our best midfielder on pitch. That says a lot about the rest of them.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheHowieLama]

Yep, against probably the best midfield in the country.

 

I posted this on the other side of the fence but know you can't see it. Interested in your take.

 

Do any of our CM's make that side?

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

Lucas was poor today, but our best midfielder on pitch. That says a lot about the rest of them.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

More or less agree with this.

[Jairzinho]

I posted this on the other side of the fence but know you can't see it. Interested in your take.

 

Do any of our CM's make that side?

 

Probably not. The formation, and combination, of our midfield is probably worse than the personnel though.

 

Coutinho would thrive in that side, obviously.

 

We don't do ourselves any favours by playing 3-5-2, or whatever its meant to be, playing a 33 year old Gerrard as deep as he is, and having a midfielder who's best attribute is `running around` as effectively our number 10.

 

I think Rodgers is a really good coach, as well as a decent manager, and therefore its even more baffling the team he is putting out at the moment.

[TheHowieLama]

Well, you are honest. As for three at the back - ironically, this game is the type where we could have got a lot of joy with it.

Certainly, Johnson and Enrique make it a different ball of wax.

As for rogers, I agree, he is a quick study. My feeling is if he had known 7 days ago that he would not have either for this, things might have looked different.

[DirkDiggledinho]

I think he's always been overrated. I think defensive midfielders in general, everywhere in the league over the last few years, have been overrated. From an "unsung" position, they've become "oversung" and their impact on the game has been blown out of proportions. It's a position that doesn't require nearly as much as others on the pitch. Seems like players are getting praised for putting their foot in and staying in position just because they're defensive midfielders.

 

Nah, that's like saying bassists are pointless musicians. They may not be the most obviously important member of the band but in many ways they are for more fundamentally needed than you think. Mascherano was an absolutely huge part of why we were so good the season we finished second.

 

I do agree though that Lucas is overrated. He's often one of those players that can be simultaneously judged as playing shite by some and putting in performance of the year by others because, well, it's quite hard to notice him unless you really pay attention. When Suarez plays well it's obvious because he's scoring a hat-trick and nobody can be in any doubt, with Lucas it makes a more subtle difference and you have to look closer.

 

I feel like when he was playing absolutely shockingly in his early days under Rafa certain people desperately wanted him to succeed because of the whole weird Benitez obsession cult that developed and never really went away. To his credit he did really improve and played very very well for a while but I'm not sure whether long-term he's the kind of quality that we need and think we might be better off replacing him. I thought he was quite poor today in part due to his complete lack of pace, which I think is one of his biggest weaknesses.

[TheHowieLama]

Arteta is a big reason why Arsenal can play with two, imo very dodgy CB's

[stringvest]

Lucas was poor today, but our best midfielder on pitch. That says a lot about the rest of them.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I thought they were all poor, but Lucas was the worst. Gerrard and Henderson stunk the place out as well. In fact, I would say the 11 were all a bit shit today.

 

[stringvest]

Arteta is a big reason why Arsenal can play with two, imo very dodgy CB's

I wish we had him.

 

[Aldonose]

Lucas is a victim of being part of a midfield 3 that doesn't work. He's not mobile enough to play in a 3. Good sides who move the ball quickly will expose us time and time again.

[stringvest]

Lucas is a victim of being part of a midfield 3 that doesn't work. He's not mobile enough to play in a 3. Good sides who move the ball quickly will expose us time and time again.

How many other midfielders does he need? There is a max of 9.

 

[Fi!]

A better DM is desperately needed. Lucas can be a backup DM or rotate as a box to box guy.

 

But face it, we are never going to get the Alonso/Mach/Gerrard midfield ever again. Those were the best in the world at that time and on par with any greatest midfield in history

[Hades]

Lucas is a strange one. He would be an incredibly useful squad player in a title winning squad, bit like Darren Fletcher, but isn't good enough on current form to be a starter for a top 4 team. Actually, none of our midfield are, but that's certainly not helped by our inconsistent tactics.