Lucas - 150 games not out - well done!

[Red-Ed]

And an 89% pass completion rate last night.

 

The boys come good I'd say.

[Joe Le Taxi]

Code just killed a kitten.

[Soleilrouge]

would rep you if i could

 

this guy will only get better with better players around him

[moof]

Our most consistent player this season by far, really humble and down to earth it seems too. Cracking fella

[Son of L8]

And in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

 

*looks around*

 

Hmm, he's late.

[Chairman Meow]

Really didn't rate him at first but he has grown and improved immensely. Just unfortunate more people won't admit they have been proved wrong about him.

 

Spot on attitude and seems a genuinely decent bloke too.

[Tyler Durden]

Really didn't rate him at first but he has grown and improved immensely. Just unfortunate more people won't admit they have been proved wrong about him.

 

Spot on attitude and seems a genuinely decent bloke too.

 

I think it's more to do with the fact that we have been spoiled with midfielders until recently, I'd say he has learnt to do the simple things alot better but because he isn't spectacular in one area he will always get stick.

[NLW2010]

Really didn't rate him at first but he has grown and improved immensely. Just unfortunate more people won't admit they have been proved wrong about him.

 

Spot on attitude and seems a genuinely decent bloke too.

 

I admit I was wrong about him too, we could still do better, but he has been one of our stand out players so far .

[JohnnyH]

Fair play to him. Has really come on and anybody that knows their football, knows that the lad is now a good footballer and is holding his own in the middle of the park.

[King Emlyn]

Still don't rate him but he's definitely improved, i think his attitude is superb.

[goatboy59]

Water carrier.

 

Team of Cantona's would be fucking shit.

[Einch]

He had a lot of space last night and the one thing he needs to improve upon is using the time and space better. OK the movement ahead of him needs to improve and it will in time but he needs to be able to force the tempo more. That said we saw flashes of that with him getting into the box and the one touch move leading to Dirk taking the shot. He has it in him I think but has got to bring that presence to a game that makes other acknowledge him as being a powerful player who can hurt you.

Strong in the tackle, positionally sound again and winning headers against the likes of Carew are great aspects to have in the role he plays and he better than most of the dross floating around in this division in his role.

[redsoxs]

There was a couple clubs Biding for him over the Jan transfer window (Think boca juniors(?) & Villarreal), Kenny is now looking at extending his contact, he'll be down to 12 months in the summer, he turned all offers down as he wanted to stay.

[Hades]

I want to see us win things before I praise him. I'm still not convinced he's the type of midfielder who plays in trophy-winning sides.

[silverlining]

He had a lot of space last night and the one thing he needs to improve upon is using the time and space better. OK the movement ahead of him needs to improve and it will in time but he needs to be able to force the tempo more. That said we saw flashes of that with him getting into the box and the one touch move leading to Dirk taking the shot. He has it in him I think but has got to bring that presence to a game that makes other acknowledge him as being a powerful player who can hurt you.

Strong in the tackle, positionally sound again and winning headers against the likes of Carew are great aspects to have in the role he plays and he better than most of the dross floating around in this division in his role.

 

Most of the dross in his role? Who?

[TE-23]

I want to see us win things before I praise him. I'm still not convinced he's the type of midfielder who plays in trophy-winning sides.

 

Currently, who do you think's better in the Mancs' centre midfield?

[redsoxs]

Currently, who do you think's better in the Mancs' centre midfield?

 

Why choose the Mancs? Why not Chelsea or Barca.

[TE-23]

Why choose the Mancs? Why not Chelsea or Barca.

 

Because unfortunately they're likely to beat us to 19 this year and they don't have a better centre midfielder than Lucas, hence defeating his argument.

 

For my part, I also think he's better than Mikkel.

[Strontium]

A top professional with an unfussy style who does all the simple things really well. Every team needs a player like that.

[llego]

Wasn't he out two games ago with an ankle injury?

[TheResonator]

It's funny that Barca should be mentioned, because of players at top clubs I think - from what I've seen of him - is that Busquets is the most comparable in the role he fulfils.

That isn't to say Lucas is as good as Busquets, but that Barca often play with a DM who is more comparable to Lucas than to an out-and-out destroyer.

 

Makes me laugh how people say 'we need to be doing better' than players like Lucas, when he's nearly always there or thereabouts in people's MOTM tables after the game. Over the course of the last season and a half he's turned into a very good footballer.

 

Part of the problem (in terms of him getting the proper credit for his performances) is that the perception of good football in this country is almost pornographic. We always want to see the spectacular: the 40 yard passes, the shots in the top corner, the last ditch sliding challenges, and a lot of what is in between goes unnoticed.

 

I think that as far as some perspectives are concerned, Lucas will always be a victim of not being a definable modern midfielder: i.e he's not an attacking-mid, he's not a destroyer, and he's not a playmaker. A question that's often asked is 'what exactly does he do?'

 

His strengths, really, are showing for the ball, breaking up play, covering, and keeping possession ticking over. During the game against Stoke last night, the amount of touches he had on the ball was ridiculous. Every time our defenders had it, he dropped deep to collect it. He doesn't always do the spectacular, but he seldom panics. His pass completion rate must be up there with the best and he is always one of the first helping out the defence when the other team attacks.

 

I think that because what he does looks so simple, people think 'oh well anybody can do that'. The fact is that they can't, or don't. You only need to look at how Poulsen attempts to deputise for him, or how scant the centre of the park is, when he's not in the team. Our ability to retain possession also suffers when he is not on the pitch, because when he plays he is always offering for the ball.

 

The lad is a quality footballer, and I really hope we get him on a new deal. Has a spot on mentality and has really grown as a player where others would have crumbled. If he can add a bit more confidence to his game and maybe work on playing a few more killer balls, we will have a top player on our hands.

[silverlining]

Hilarious.

[Hades]

Because unfortunately they're likely to beat us to 19 this year and they don't have a better centre midfielder than Lucas, hence defeating his argument.

 

For my part, I also think he's better than Mikkel.

 

For me players on top sides have one or two outstanding qualities that help complement other players. They're not necessarily better at ALL aspects of the game.

 

Scholes/Carrick are better passers than Lucas.

Fletcher is a better tackler and scores more goals.

Mikel is also much stronger and better tackler than Lucas.

Gibson draws defenders out with his shooting ability.

 

I just don't see what Lucas offers that opposition teams would be wary of. Even yesterday Stoke stood way off Lucas and let him have the ball, knowing he'd do nothing with it.

[aws]

Great attitude and developing from a squad level player into someone who deserves to be a first team regular. Keeps the ball moving quickly and (usually ) accurately and is integral to the pass and move style we're moving to. If someone moves into space Lucas finds them.

[Kopite]

On LFC TV last night a caller from Great Yarmouth rang up slating him. The following callers all took issue with this and said Lucas is developing into a very good footballer who does a lot of the unsung defensive work protecting the back four.

 

As Shankly said you need 8 people to carry the piano, and three to actually play "the bloody thing." Lucas is definitely one of the eight.