Lucas returns from injury

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Offal says Lucas will be playing in the U-21 game tonight against West Ham.

Be interesting to see who drops from the matchday squad at Old Trafford next weekend, when I suppose he'll return and be on the bench. Will probably be Moses or Teixeira, I reckon. Personally, would prefer Moses to be the one dropped.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

He's back? That's it, we're going to win the league.

 

[Silver Sean]

For some reason i can't get on the offal. Haven't been able to for a few dyas. I get a drop down thing saying 401 authentication required. Weird.
Anyway, good to have him back.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

For some reason i can't get on the offal. Haven't been able to for a few dyas. I get a drop down thing saying 401 authentication required. Weird.
Anyway, good to have him back.

Try clearing your cache, and do a "shift + reload/refresh" and see. Might be a cached error page or something.

 

[Hansern]

Sakho starting aswell tonight

 

[HC]

Fucks sake. Things were going so well and now this,great.

 

[Dreambeliever]

He won't make the team for the rest of the season

 

[Fabio]

He will, leaving Brendan with the lovely headache of how he can keep Gerrard in the team without dropping any if our form players

 

[Dreambeliever]

Ya he but he shouldn't except maybe for Chelsea and city at home

 

[Fabio]

Ya he but he shouldn't except maybe for Chelsea and city at home

....


Why?

 

[Dreambeliever]

....


Why?

I think Gerrard/Allen/Henderson can handle the defensive duties in the other 8 games.

But Chelsea and city's mf is super fast and Lucas maybe needed

 

[Modo]

He will, leaving Brendan with the lovely headache of how he can keep Gerrard in the team without dropping any if our form players

LOL

 

[Hansern]

He'll be a good option to have on the bench. Coming on to add another body in midfield when we need more control and defensive strength.

He shouldnt be starting.

Sakho needs to start though, but that will take some games before he's ready.

 

[Modo]

Yeah, we usually don't win with him on the pitch

 

[Hansern]

Yeah, we usually don't win with him on the pitch

Doesnt matter. We've been doing quite okay without him....
Nice option to have off the bench.

 

[Modo]

Doesnt matter. We've been doing quite okay without him....
Nice option to have off the bench.

We did OK without Gerrard too.

 

[Hansern]

We did OK without Gerrard too.

So in your mind there isnt a difference in Lucas and Gerrard?

 

[Fabio]

I'm of the ilk that usually you don't change a winning team.

Lucas return might change that. Gerrard is letting us down defensively I feel, however he seems to be doing very well in assists....

Gerrard SHOULD be in the team, but who do you drop?

 

[Modo]

So in your mind there isnt a difference in Lucas and Gerrard?

So in my mind players who are in form and working well together should be on the pitch.
We shouldn't just be shoehorning Gerrard into the side because he's Gerrard.
Our midfield has been wank ever since Lucas got injured.

 

[Fabio]

So in my mind players who are in form and working well together should be on the pitch.
We shouldn't just be shoehorning Gerrard into the side because he's Gerrard.
Our midfield has been wank ever since Lucas got injured.

But Gerrard has been doing decent things in setting up goals and chances...

We drop him, are we losing some directness?

 

[Hansern]

Can we somehow add gay footballers and Konoplyanka into this discussion aswell?

 

[Glock21]

I think Gerrard/Allen/Henderson can handle the defensive duties in the other 8 games.

But Chelsea and city's mf is super fast and Lucas maybe needed

Hilarious stuff!!

Play a fucking slow defensive midfielder against a super fast opposition midfielder. Fucking brilliant.


Are you on acid or something?

 

[Modo]

But Gerrard has been doing decent things in setting up goals and chances...

We drop him, are we losing some directness?

Ok don't drop Gerrard, drop Allen or Henderson. Lucas has to be on the pitch.

 

[Hansern]

Ok don't drop Gerrard, drop Allen or Henderson. Lucas has to be on the pitch.

That depends on who we play and what tactic we deploy though.
He shouldnt be an automatic starter anyway but will be needed off the bench or to start certain matches were our tactics are best suited with him in the starting line up.

 

[juniormember]

But Gerrard has been doing decent things in setting up goals and chances...

We drop him, are we losing some directness?

Yeah, it's actually a tough one.
Gerrard really does make ridiculous decisions during games where he wonders off away from the position he should be occupying as dm, leaving a massive hole right in front of the centre backs.
But then he creates goals brilliantly or gets involved brilliantly in specific passages of play that leads to goals or chances, and those bits of play coming from te deep position he occupies.

Don't know which would be better, and I'm not sure Brendan knows either. Look at the chances we created against Spurs without Gerrard in the team. And the solidity we got from having Lucas Henderson and Allen.
But then look at what we managed against Arsenal without Lucas.
I don't think it's as black and white (is this phrase anti-PC these days?) as some are suggesting.
We need them both in the squad, and I don't think either should be guaranteed a place for 90 minutes.

 

[HC]

Fuck lucas. Henderson and Allen both offer more

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

So in my mind players who are in form and working well together should be on the pitch.
We shouldn't just be shoehorning Gerrard into the side because he's Gerrard.
Our midfield has been wank ever since Lucas got injured.

That wank midfield hammered Everton and Arsenal though. I think our midfield hasn't been better or worse - it's just been different. We've had games when we had Lucas in it and let in goals left and right too - 3-3 against Everton (2-2 when Lucas went off), 5-3 against Stoke, 3-1 against Hull, etc.

Gerrard and Lucas bring different things; Lucas is a better individual defender and is less susceptible when the guys in front of him aren't playing well, while Gerrard needs the guys ahead of him to function well for him to defend well, but is obviously the much better weapon when it comes to dealing damage to opponents.

Different horses for different courses, etc. Play whoever is fit, on form, and suits the tactics for the day.

 

[Glock21]

Ok don't drop Gerrard, drop Allen or Henderson. Lucas has to be on the pitch.

Henderson has been brilliant this season and you want him to sit on the bench for Lucas? You must be a wise man.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

Doesnt matter. We've been doing quite okay without him....
Nice option to have off the bench.

We did ok with Gerrard, Sakho, Suarez and Sturridge.

It's obvious that we need something better in midfield to shield the defence more, Lucas is perfect for that. He should and will go back into the team when he's fully fit.

 

[Skullflower]