Lucas has not improved.

[RobbieOR]

Englands Scotty Parker.

 

Says all you need to know really. Good player but because he's 'Arrys boy and he's English the media love him.

[ChrisM]

SUCKING SATANS PECKER

 

[Gym Beglin]

Pass, advance to a position you can help him out, and keep the momentum of the move going.

If your defence has half a brain, it'll step a few yards up the pitch at the same time to lessen the gap if the team loses the ball.

If it doesn't, then you end up with a massive hole between midfield and the defence, in which case everyone blames the DM for leaving his position.

 

Barca are one of those teams who worked this out and actually made the DM contribute to the offensive side of things, in fact Busquets is integral to it, even if he doesn't touch the ball. The mere presence of another body sucks in the opposition to try and cover him.

There comes a time you have to trust the man on the ball, he is, after all, earning £80,000 per week (give or take), you should be able to trust him with the ball at his feet and be the last man. Pick a pass, play some football, but don't launch it when under the slightest bit of pressure, it's a total cop-out.

 

And we don't need to change from a 4-4-2, Jason Roberts was mentioning it the other day on 606, there's so much to be said for the 4-4-2, having two strikers up there and having two wide men, and the middle two juggling the defence and attack aspect of the game. I'd have two all-rounders in the middle, like Henderson, Gerrard or Adam. They need to make decisions in the game and you have to let them, attack or defend, your call, but you have to talk and you have to cover each other, you have to use some game intelligence. Lucas offers so little going forward, for me, it's a waste of a shirt having someone like him in there. By committing less players forward, the chances are your moves will break down quicker and the opposition will be back at you. It's Catch 22 in some ways, we pick him to shore the defence up, but in picking someone like him we actually leave ourselves open to more pressure at the back.

[dirk grout]

Pass, advance to a position you can help him out, and keep the momentum of the move going.

If your defence has half a brain, it'll step a few yards up the pitch at the same time to lessen the gap if the team loses the ball.

If it doesn't, then you end up with a massive hole between midfield and the defence, in which case everyone blames the DM for leaving his position.

 

Barca are one of those teams who worked this out and actually made the DM contribute to the offensive side of things, in fact Busquets is integral to it, even if he doesn't touch the ball. The mere presence of another body sucks in the opposition to try and cover him.

There comes a time you have to trust the man on the ball, he is, after all, earning £80,000 per week (give or take), you should be able to trust him with the ball at his feet and be the last man. Pick a pass, play some football, but don't launch it when under the slightest bit of pressure, it's a total cop-out.

 

And we don't need to change from a 4-4-2, Jason Roberts was mentioning it the other day on 606, there's so much to be said for the 4-4-2, having two strikers up there and having two wide men, and the middle two juggling the defence and attack aspect of the game. I'd have two all-rounders in the middle, like Henderson, Gerrard or Adam. They need to make decisions in the game and you have to let them, attack or defend, your call, but you have to talk and you have to cover each other, you have to use some game intelligence. Lucas offers so little going forward, for me, it's a waste of a shirt having someone like him in there. By committing less players forward, the chances are your moves will break down quicker and the opposition will be back at you. It's Catch 22 in some ways, we pick him to shore the defence up, but in picking someone like him we actually leave ourselves open to more pressure at the back.

 

Seriously pal, that whole post is a load of bollocks.

[VladimirIlyich]

To be honest I'm more worried about Adam before Lucas.

Lucas can make up by being dynamic and busy for maybe not having the best touch for a Brazilian whereas Adam,very skilful and an excellent eye for a pass or even a few goals,still looks a bit immobile for me and can force is to play deeper than we need to to compensate for his lack of pace.

If Utd can win a league title with a donkey like Darren Fletcher then we can certainly improve with somebody like Lucas who is much better than Fletcher for me,oh and Gareth Barry too.

[RobbieOR]

Interesting point on winning the league with the likes of Fletcher in your team.

 

I think your midfield is much more of a necessity when your playing in the champions league rather than the league. Our Alonso-Hamman/Mascherano axis was one of the main reasons why we done so well in Europe under Rafa. You can afford to sacrifice some of that protection against the likes of Wigan and Blackburn.

[piscinin]

To be honest I'm more worried about Adam before Lucas.

Lucas can make up by being dynamic and busy for maybe not having the best touch for a Brazilian whereas Adam,very skilful and an excellent eye for a pass or even a few goals,still looks a bit immobile for me and can force is to play deeper than we need to to compensate for his lack of pace.

If Utd can win a league title with a donkey like Darren Fletcher then we can certainly improve with somebody like Lucas who is much better than Fletcher for me,oh and Gareth Barry too.

 

Adam has been a bit of a mixed bag for me too. I think he's adapted really well to the more defensive role we've given him though. I don't think our being deep is as much to do with him as it is to do with Kenny just preferring to play that way.

 

Where I have been disappointed though, is that the team has not been able to make more use of his quick, penetrative passing. Whether because he's not as accurate as I thought, or there is not enough of an understanding or enough movement in front of him yet, I don't know I guess time will tell.

 

He really does need to stop fading as badly as he does though.

[Jairzinho]

Seriously pal, that whole post is a load of bollocks.

 

I don't think it was serious. I fucking hope not anyway.

[Bobby Hundreds]

If your wingers reguarly get over 30 assists and goals between them, then I suppose weaker links such fletcher arent as significant.

[The Dude Abides]

Parker is a better player than Lucas though. Even though Lucas certainly has improved tremendously.

 

Maybe, very slightly, due to his experience. But i've not doubts Lucas will have developed into a vastly superior player than Parker by the times he's 30.

[zigackly]

Maybe, very slightly, due to his experience. But i've not doubts Lucas will have developed into a vastly superior player than Parker by the times he's 30.

 

I'm sure you are right, but he's not quite there yet.

[The Dude Abides]

I'm sure you are right, but he's not quite there yet.

 

Not quite where?

[Jairzinho]

Not quite where?

 

30.

[aRdja]

Another excellent performance by Lucas. He plays like Didi used to for us.

 

He covers the full backs really well, is very strong in the tackle, is very good in tight situations.

[Glen C]

Lucas was BOSS yesterday and is making a lot of people eat a lot of humble pie. They'll be well fat by the end of the season at this rate.

[usernameunknown]

He's brilliant, its only complete fucking idiots who still dont rate him though anyway.

[zigackly]

Yesterday was probably his best performance for us yet, and I thought it all came together for him to make an undeniably world class display in that position protecting the back four. If he carries on playing like that, never mind improving, then on the basis of yesterday's game almost any team in the world would be glad to have him.

[Scousa Tomo]

It's funny the way some people still maintain that he is not a good player just so they don't have to admit they were wrong to judge a young player so harshly. What's even more amusing is they have learnt nothing at all from it and are doing the exact same thing to the likes of Hendo and Carroll. For me Lucas is now the best at what he does in the league and can still improve alot. He should be one of the first names on the team sheet every game. He may not get forward much but in sitting back he allows both fullbacks and the other Cm alot more freedom too.

Love the way his confidence is really starting to grow too, with some of that south American swagger showing in his game from time to time.

[Jairzinho]

His heading and long range passes really stood out yesterday. Seems to be adding new facets to his game.

 

Even threw in a trick at one point.

[Warwick Hunt]

When he's 'up for it' he peforms. Perhaps why he seems to do the business in the big games. The whole team were up for it yesterday and he got stuck in. Maybe his best game for us.

 

My worry has been that he's not much of a natural enough leader to step up and take control of a game by the scruff of the neck ON HIS OWN when the game needs it and then inspire others to do it.

 

The role he plays isn't really suited to 'confidence players'. And ultimately, like yesterday proved, he's got it in him to not have to worry so much about his confidence at all.

[Antynwa]

When he's 'up for it' he peforms. Perhaps why he seems to do the business in the big games. The whole team were up for it yesterday and he got stuck in. Maybe his best game for us.

 

My worry has been that he's not much of a natural enough leader to step up and take control of a game by the scruff of the neck ON HIS OWN when the game needs it and then inspire others to do it.

 

The role he plays isn't really suited to 'confidence players'. And ultimately, like yesterday proved, he's got it in him to not have to worry so much about his confidence at all.

 

You make a good point.

 

Lucas has ALWAYS been good in the big games, as far back as the 4-1 at Old Trafford.

 

It's against the smaller teams he really need to impose himself for, that doesn't just go for him, but for the majority of the side as well.

[Scousa Tomo]

When he's 'up for it' he peforms. Perhaps why he seems to do the business in the big games. The whole team were up for it yesterday and he got stuck in. Maybe his best game for us.

 

My worry has been that he's not much of a natural enough leader to step up and take control of a game by the scruff of the neck ON HIS OWN when the game needs it and then inspire others to do it.

 

The role he plays isn't really suited to 'confidence players'. And ultimately, like yesterday proved, he's got it in him to not have to worry so much about his confidence at all.

 

I honestly believe that will come with age and exp. You have to remember the shit this lads put up with and the amount of people constantly telling him he was shit and didnt deserve to be in the team.

The best leaders lead by example. Confidence shouldn't have to come into it (form aside).

[piscinin]

Get rid. He's only good in the tough games. Same with that goalie fella, does bugger all most games. Drop him and play a striker instead. Men in the box.

[Jairzinho]

A holding midfielder really can't take a game by the scruff of the neck if everyone infront of him isn't playing well. He was able to make great passes yesterday because players made great runs etc

 

A number ten can take a game by the scruff of the neck even if everyone else if playing poorly, by dribbling past someone and having a shot. But he has no defensive responsibilities.

 

We didn't draw against Swansea because of Lucas, or any of the defenders, or Reina. We had 18 shots, unfortunately none of them went in the goal. Herein lies the problem.

[Liverpool lad]

He was immense at Chelsea as well.

 

I am going to stick my neck on the line and say he is the best player I have seen put a Liverpool shirt on... this week