Rafa: Why I Back Lucas 100%

[ToxtethTerror]

So praise everyone equally or praise no one at all? Bullshit. Lucas has had a hard week, Rafa decides to back Lucas publically, its not fucking kindergarden.

 

What about other players in the past who have needed that though? I can think of a few players who have needed an arm around them and Rafa hasn't done in it - in fact some have said that "players are grown men being paid loads, they don't need encouragement"...

 

Just wanted it to be objective thats all.

[Xherdan]

When Premiership matches are played at Melwood we will be unbeatable. Players should be judged by what they do in competitive matches, not by how hard they run in training.

 

Players should be judged on a variety of factors including both how they perform in training and how they perform in competitive games.

 

 

 

Players are judged by the general public on how they perform in competitive matches, but ideas are developed on the training field and those who work best with particular tactics will also be in contention. Especially with an ubertactical coach like Rafa.

[SpeedyG]

Well we don't see them in training do we?

 

I'd assumed Hermes was alluding to Benitez's judgment of who should start games.

[ScottyT]

It's a well know fact that Benitez picks his teams based on how they perform in training, along with other fitness related data, ignoring basic human attributes like form and confidence.

 

If he had his way I doubt Gerrard would figure as much as he does.

[Xherdan]

What about other players in the past who have needed that though? I can think of a few players who have needed an arm around them and Rafa hasn't done in it - in fact some have said that "players are grown men being paid loads, they don't need encouragement"...

 

Just wanted it to be objective thats all.

 

 

This idea of an arm around is ludicrous. It was a myth that Gerrard was one of these players and didnt get it from Rafa. Doesnt seem to have done him any harm.

 

Lucas has had a really hard season. Boocusgate from earlier in the season was one of the lowest points of the season for me, then in the space of 14 days he gives away a pen to throw away 2 points and gets sent off in a cup game which we go on to loose against our biggest rivals. This press release from Rafa is more to temp fans to actually support rather than lament the next time he appears.

[ToxtethTerror]

If he had his way I doubt Gerrard would figure as much as he does.

 

Rubbish - Gerrard plays virtually every game. Rafa gave up trying to live without him in some games ages ago.

[Randy Marsh]

why ?

 

why would ANYONE think that ?

 

he did nothing (as usual) above the basic minimum requirement of a professional footballer, at any level, which is to be able to pass the ball 10 yards to your nearest teammate

 

he tried one long pass to Torres like the one at Newcastle that has apparently made him as a Liverpool player in some people's books (doesn't take much these days does it, one fucking pass) but it was overhit

 

that's all he did

 

the rest of it was a litany of fouls, 4 or 5 niggly ones that he was WARNED about before he picked up his first yellow, that got him sent off

 

I see nothing in there to warrant any suggestion that he had a "very good game" or even a "good game"

 

the more games he plays, the more this club will edge toward dropping out of the top 4 and losing the manager that chooses to play him. He is literally a liability and he's the only player in the squad that I think genuinely deserves that tag.

 

I felt he did. I am not the lad's biggest fan by any means by the way, I've been as critical as any about him. But credit where it's due, i felt he played well. He didn't give the ball away as much, he didn't hide as he's been critical of in the past, his distribution was good and and the game didn't pass him by as has happened many a time in the past. That ofcourse is ultimately outweighed by his suicidal habbit of giving away game changing needless fouls.

 

It's all about opinions though so you're more than entitled to yours.

[Dicko]

I never thought that this would be used as a stick to beat the manager with apparently I was wrong.

[cracker]

I have no problem with Rafa saying something in public that he does not believe in order to take the pressure off players and most of us hope that this is the case here, but the worrying thing is he still continues to play Lucas and so he must also believe it at least to some extent. Many of us would want to see Jay tried on the basis of 'he can't be any worse and probably would be better given how much he would want it'.

 

When Masch the Argentina captain was on the bench in the FA Cup game and Lucas played that is the type of team selection that gets many of worried - and look how it turned out!! - good job he was suspended today as otherwise he'd have probably played again. Today Agger showed that he could be more comfortable in a more midfield/forward role - better than Lucas anyway!!

 

And another thing while I am on it - Rafa was quoted in the paper today as saying something like he was really pleased with Babels recent form. What!! - he must be the only one who is - hopefully that too was making a comment he did not mean to take the pressure off the player but I am not so sure!!

[drewy]

I defy anybody to tell me he has what it takes to make it as a Liverpool player, his display today was shocking. He can't tackle and his distribution is utter garbage.

 

I like Rafa, my opinion that he's not up to the task aside, how can he rate this player so highly? It baffles me as well as 40 odd thousand fans every time he's picked.

 

There was a theory about Biscan years ago, in training he was unbelievable but when it came to actually transferring his undoubted talent to match day he just couldn't do it.

 

There has to be some explanation along these lines for Lucas.

[ScottyT]

Sorry to bring up RAWK again, but check out a poster over there called G14(nob)Jockey. It's hilarious stuff.

 

It's got to be Lucas's girlfriend or agent. He rates him above Gerrard, no shit.

[Josef Svejk]

Biscan was better.

 

I'm not in the Spearing fan club. Quite simply because I haven't seen enough of him. But could he possibly be worse?

[drewy]

Biscan was better.

 

I'm not in the Spearing fan club. Quite simply because I haven't seen enough of him. But could he possibly be worse?

 

I agree, I don't know enough about Spearing but would he have been any worse, I don't think so.

 

Do we really need to play average Lucas and the chief together at home in a game we had to win?

[Lucky Pierre]

(Fuck off Lucas)

[Kevin D]

I defy anybody to tell me he has what it takes to make it as a Liverpool player, his display today was shocking. He can't tackle and his distribution is utter garbage.

 

I like Rafa, my opinion that he's not up to the task aside, how can he rate this player so highly? It baffles me as well as 40 odd thousand fans every time he's picked.

 

There was a theory about Biscan years ago, in training he was unbelievable but when it came to actually transferring his undoubted talent to match day he just couldn't do it.

 

There has to be some explanation along these lines for Lucas.

 

Who came up with this theory? I want a name and an address. Simply put talking about the great Igor that way is not acceptable.

 

As far as Lucas goes , well it says a lot that in Aurelio's last display in CM; he put in his best Lfc performance and even scored; in Lucas last two starts he was sent off and cost us another match; so who started today?

[drewy]

Who came up with this theory? I want a name and an address. Simply put talking about the great Igor that way is not acceptable.

As far as Lucas goes , well it says a lot that in Aurelio's last display in CM; he put in his best Lfc performance and even scored; in Lucas last two starts he was sent off and cost us another match; so who started today?

 

Somebody told me it was the weight of his massive cock that slowed him down, I can't verify that story of course but I think Tom Ross may be able to.

[stringvest]

He smelt today, but he wasn't the only one. Mascherano wasn't very good. Kuyt saved himself a right chinese burn on here by scoring, and Torres was anonymous for most of the game. Reira, Benayoun put in midtable strugglers performances.

 

Lucas really needs to find a big performance from somewhere though. Rafa seems to think he has it, but it won't be the first or last time Rafa's been proved wrong on such matters.

[Funkasy]

Mascha had a shocker game and they blame lucas for it.

[aladdinsane]

I just can't understand why Benitez didn't play Aurelio instead of Lucas. He played Aurelio there against Portsmouth obviously and Benitez praised the job he did, his good passing, his creativity etc. With Gerrard and Alonso out, isn't that exactly what we needed?

 

Although to be fair, Mascherano has been just as shite for large parts of this season, although you could argue he's earned the slack far more than Lucas.

[JK1980]

I have a theory- My theory is this- Lucas has a hard time performing infront of our moaning, booing fans and quite frankly who the fuck can blame him?

 

He always plays better away from home and he's clearly not a shit footballer- OBVIOUSLY its not Rafa's cold stance with the players because as SO MANY "fans" have pointed out, he gets TOO MUCH praise from Rafa.

 

Hey I have an Idea, stop being shit fans- not that it'll make a fucking difference now with Lucas.

 

But hey, maybe when Spearing starts getting games you'll remember poor Lucas and put your fucking slaughtering knives away. No wait- Spearing is a reserve level boss of a player- when Rafa, the cunt, finally gives him a chance, he'll be better than Zidane, and the fans will all go back to their Liverpool homes telling tales of Jay, the magical scouse kickass Midfielder.

[RedKnight]

That isn't Lucas' problem, not by a long way. Fans may have lost patience with him now but that's because of his painfully average appearances over the last year and a half.

[Sangria]

He is average and not suited to the premier league.

[RedKnight]

That's probably true as well, I reckon he'd be a very good player in Italy or Spain.

[RSM]

He played okay today, the above is just prejudiced bollocks. I guess we need a scapegoat for this draw, so Lucas will do. As always.

[Kevin D]

Agreed , a scapegoat is clearly the reason. Although I'm curious as to why Torres,Reina,Carragher,Skrtel,Gerrard and Xabi are never scapegoats? Funny that.