Lucas

[Count Morfeo]

Conversely, he "outmuscled" Scholes and set up a chance for Dirk. Did you see that bit, or were you sitting in the wrong place?

 

Even to someone as critical of the Brazilian spud as the undead, the Count really enjoyed that moment.

 

Lucas is well suited to playing against non combative midfielders like Scholes and Carrick. That's where he excells - pressing - which perhaps explains Rafa's faith in him and players like Kuyt. First and formeost Benitez thinks about pressing. The Count enjoys pressed apples.

[Delmar]

Lucas is well suited to playing against non combative midfielders like Scholes...

 

Interesting way of describing Scholes. But then again, the opinions of the undead belong in the underworld, in the shadows, where the light of wisdom is seldom seen...

[goatboy59]

Just because he's a boss-eyed snide doesn't make him "Combative".

[Delmar]

Just because he's a boss-eyed snide doesn't make him "Combative".

 

Sure he's no Roy Keane, but he most certainly has been able to hold his own ground against much bigger guys. Carrick, yes, he is somewhat of a pushover, Scholes, I don't think so. Scholes is a snide, you are right, but he's not 100% pure snide like Neville...

[Code]

Harsh, very very harsh.

 

And wrong too. Christ he was shit.

 

He was not exactly bought for his technique I guess, but in 34 starts (37 in total) he scored 7 PL goals so at least he contributed with something.

 

Lucas on the other hand has scored 1 PL goal in 35 starts (53 in total).

[dave u]

I would say Lucas is better than Leonhardsen, but Leo may argue that as Lucas has not played most of his games out of position on the left wing it's an unfair comparison.

[Count Morfeo]

Interesting way of describing Scholes. But then again, the opinions of the undead belong in the underworld, in the shadows, where the light of wisdom is seldom seen...

 

This Scholes isn't combative. The 25-year-old Scholes was. He's still a great player but would you call him dynamic?

[Troubadour]

I wouldn't call him a great player. He was a great player, but I've seen him be truly woeful too often in the last two years for him to be a great player. Not sure he was ever combative, just niggly.

 

You can't compare Leonhardsen with Lucas. Except if you're trying to work out which Liverpool player has longest name beginning with L. Leonhardsen was a winger, Lucas is an, er, well, not a winger. I think shit is probably pushing it for Leonhardsen, too. He was a product of his time, and he was normally quite good value for a goal. I'd prefer subpar.

[Guest TK-421]

Man Utd could be a watershed performance for Lucas in terms of building confidence and helping win over the fans. I really hope he pushes on from here; if he does it will make 6m look like a bargain. In fact if we were to sell him in the next two transfer windows I think we'd easily make a profit on the transfer fee.

 

I agree that he is more likely to excel, as he did, against a relatively lightweight duo such as Scholes/Carrick but I also think he is more than capable of holding his own against more robust opposition.

 

The real test will come when Aquilani is fit. If Aquilani holds down a first team place it could be at Lucas' expense. However, I have my doubts that Lucas will automatically lose his place, as I think he's good enough to stay in the team.

[dave u]

Leonhardsen wasn't a winger, he was a box to box central midfielder, but for reasons known only to himself, Roy Evans prefered to use him on the left wing. In preference to Patrik Berger, which pissed me off greatly.

[Delmar]

This Scholes isn't combative. The 25-year-old Scholes was. He's still a great player but would you call him dynamic?

 

Probably not anymore. I think he was the midfield for ManU, and with his decline and Ronaldo's departure they are in more trouble than it looks like right now.

[BexBissel]

Hope the lads fit for Fulham.

[aws]

I think the best comparisons are with the young Murphy and Fletcher. I think Lucas is as good as either of them at the same age.

[silverlining]

 

I also think he is more than capable of holding his own against more robust opposition.

 

 

As evidenced when he was fucking monstered by Cana, Cattermole, Essien, Palacios and even Nigel Reo-fucking-Coker this season.

[Troubadour]

Leonhardsen wasn't a winger, he was a box to box central midfielder, but for reasons known only to himself, Roy Evans prefered to use him on the left wing. In preference to Patrik Berger, which pissed me off greatly.

 

Didn't see enough of him at Wimbledon to judge him centrally, so i will admit my ignorance. He played in the middle a few times for us, I think, but I remember him solely as a decent, unspectacular winger, who Villa then overpaid for, as per the agreement we had with them at the time.

 

But Patrik Berger, now there was a player. Liked getting injured, but that apart, he had the shot, the trickery, the vision, the fit wife, the luxuriant hair... The free kick at Old Trafford, the ball that won the cup final. What a player. What a man. What a boost for alice band sales nationwide.

[Paul]

I think the best comparisons are with the young Murphy and Fletcher. I think Lucas is as good as either of them at the same age.

 

Really? I hope you're right (although I see them as quite different footballers from each other). If Lucas can do for us what Darren Fletcher does for The Mancs, he'll be a very valuable player.

 

I suspect the issue with Lucas is as much about the context as it is about his own game. If we had enough class around him, his deficiencies would not be so glaring.

[Brownie]

I still think Darren Fletcher is shite.

[Code]

Leonhardsen wasn't a winger, he was a box to box central midfielder, but for reasons known only to himself, Roy Evans prefered to use him on the left wing. In preference to Patrik Berger, which pissed me off greatly.

 

This is right, he was never a winger and he would never become a winger either, because of his somewhat lacking technique.

 

The Norwegian coach at the time Egil "Drillo" Olsen, called Leo the best player in the world without the ball because of his great engine and his ability to make he right runs at the right ime without the ball and he used him to perfection as a box to box midfielder in the system Norway was playing at the time.

 

Leo scored 19 goals for Norway, a great return for a midfielder and he has scored his fair share of goals at every club he has played for during his career.

 

I did not really understand why we bought him as we did not play 4-5-1 and I certainly did not understand why we played him out wide.

 

I would say he would contribute more to the team than Lucas though, because in reality they are both box to box players where one would get goals for the team while the other will not.

[BexBissel]

As evidenced when he was fucking monstered by Cana, Cattermole, Essien, Palacios and even Nigel Reo-fucking-Coker this season.

I think you will find that his midfield partner was either non-existent or fucked up big time in most of them games.

[The Dude Abides]

Yes, we'll have to see him play as well as he did Sunday against mid-field that going to exert a lot of pressure.

 

We've seen him have good days before then be anonymous for the next ten.

 

I think you will find that his midfield partner was either non-existent or fucked up big time in most of them games.

 

Christ. Perfect example of someone going too far in their defence of a player. Because yes, in all those games, Lucas's anonymity was down to someone else's anonymity? Of course.

[Hooch]

I still think he's a bit shit.

[Count Morfeo]

Really? I hope you're right (although I see them as quite different footballers from each other). If Lucas can do for us what Darren Fletcher does for The Mancs, he'll be a very valuable player.

 

I suspect the issue with Lucas is as much about the context as it is about his own game. If we had enough class around him, his deficiencies would not be so glaring.

 

Concurred. It's the same with Kuyt. The problem is, though, that more often than not our midfield will contain Kuyt, Masch and Lucas - three of the most limited passers in the Premier League.

[t1971]

Leo was shit.

[Aldonose]

I would say Lucas is better than Leonhardsen, but Leo may argue that as Lucas has not played most of his games out of position on the left wing it's an unfair comparison.

 

In fairness to Lucas I think before he signed for us he was spoken about as a 'box to box' midfielder who liked to get forward. Unless he is given a role that allows him to do that we'll probably never see the best of him. Same can be said of Benayoun, the more centrally he plays, the better his performances are. He looked shite when he was played on the left tbf.

[BexBissel]

Yes, we'll have to see him play as well as he did Sunday against mid-field that going to exert a lot of pressure.

We've seen him have good days before then be anonymous for the next ten.

Christ. Perfect example of someone going too far in their defence of a player. Because yes, in all those games, Lucas's anonymity was down to someone else's anonymity? Of course.

No, just pointing out that in every game mentioned his midfield partner was either out of their depth (Spearing v Sunderland), played shite (v Spurs) or fucked up big time (Masherano v Chelsea, Gerrard v Villa). Of course, you can say that Lucas was anonymous in these games, or even partly culpable (og v Villa), or even shite. I've no problem with that. But if Lucas got 'monstered' in these games, how did his midfield partner do in these same games? Did they get 'monstered' or did they play well?