Official Premiership 2008/09 thread

[Matt]

Lucas has been quite good recently, or so I thought.

[therockbox]

He's been fine all season. A few mistakes, but no more than, say, Carragher. Problem is he's been covering for either Masch or Alonso whenever he plays, so certain idiots expect him to morph into whoever he's replaced.

[Matt]

He plays well in a role similar to what Gerrard's playing, a little deeper though. Certainly worth keeping as a squad player.

[stokeriño]

3-0!

Edited May 10, 2009 by stokeriño

[stokeriño]

I actually want Chelsea to concede one now because with if we can win and the other guys in my Fantasy League can lose their clean sheet bonuses for Cech/Bosingwa, my afternoon would be complete.

So, Arsenal, you know: try shooting on target once in a while.

Edited May 10, 2009 by stokeriño

[TMM]

Wahey! Bendtner! Come on, 4-3 is on the cards now! That or 4-1...

[stokeriño]

Bendtner! Get it!

...Hush, I could win £40 from this Fantasy League. >_>

[MGW]

He's been fine all season. A few mistakes, but no more than, say, Carragher. Problem is he's been covering for either Masch or Alonso whenever he plays, so certain idiots expect him to morph into whoever he's replaced.

I completly disagree with that assesment, he's poor. I know I'm not the only person to think this. We should get rid and use Jay Spearing in that role or cover for Alonso/Mascherano.

[TMM]

Told you so...

[stokeriño]

Hmm, badly offside there.

[Hobo]

Lucas has been quite good recently, or so I thought.

I agree to that. He's certainly not Masch or Alonso. Few can be. He isn't my favorite player in the squad, but I've begun to like him better over the last few games that he's played.

If Liverpool signed Barry, then it would spell the end for Alonso, many seem to think. Which I dare say would have been the right move last summer, but not this. Ideally, I'd like to just keep Alonso, because I don't think that we could have both of them.

[Adam]

Well, the papers are suggesting Barry will be an easy buy this summer, and Benitez will get a huge war chest to spend with 20million from the board and another 40+ from player sales. Worryingly those sales include Alonso for 15+ to Juve or Man City, and Riera .

But I think if they make a handful of strong signings in the summer, they can really push Man U next season, especially if Man Utd don't make any big signings and Ronaldo goes as is being constantly rumoured. They won't win it this season now, but they've had a superb season and to still be in the title race as late as May is a vast improvement.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Thing is, the usual will happen for United next season. A couple of big names will go but the current crop of youngsters will choose THAT season to mature, en-masse, into quality players. Typical.

I can see Chelsea winning the league next season though. They're looking confident again.

[stokeriño]

I can see Chelsea winning the league next season though. They're looking confident again.

People were saying that last summer. Something will happen to fuck us up.

[therockbox]

He's been fine all season. A few mistakes, but no more than, say, Carragher. Problem is he's been covering for either Masch or Alonso whenever he plays, so certain idiots expect him to morph into whoever he's replaced.

I completly disagree with that assesment, he's poor. I know I'm not the only person to think this. We should get rid and use Jay Spearing in that role or cover for Alonso/Mascherano.

Lucas is a victim of the cattle mentality. He's not poor, he's a decent young player being asked to fill positions that aren't really his own. A couple of high profile mistakes though and the idiots have turned, booing him whenever he comes on which, whatever you think, is a cunts trick and the people that do it aren't supporters at all.

And to suggest Jay Spearing is anywhere near the level of Lucas is hilarious. If Spearing was French then nobody would even suggest him as an alternative, but because he's a 'local lad' people are desperate for him to get thrown into the first team even though he's nowhere near ready.

[MGW]

He's been fine all season. A few mistakes, but no more than, say, Carragher. Problem is he's been covering for either Masch or Alonso whenever he plays, so certain idiots expect him to morph into whoever he's replaced.

I completly disagree with that assesment, he's poor. I know I'm not the only person to think this. We should get rid and use Jay Spearing in that role or cover for Alonso/Mascherano.

Lucas is a victim of the cattle mentality. He's not poor, he's a decent young player being asked to fill positions that aren't really his own. A couple of high profile mistakes though and the idiots have turned, booing him whenever he comes on which, whatever you think, is a cunts trick and the people that do it aren't supporters at all.

And to suggest Jay Spearing is anywhere near the level of Lucas is hilarious. If Spearing was French then nobody would even suggest him as an alternative, but because he's a 'local lad' people are desperate for him to get thrown into the first team even though he's nowhere near ready.

Each to there own, but Spearing has done a decent job every time i've seen him (which admittedly is only once or twice), but I'd much much sooner see him play that Lucas. The problem is that he hasn't had enough of a chance, we need to be booding more youngsters, local or not I don't care. And IMO Spearing deserves a chance.

I stood by Lucas for a long time, where as many of my Liverpool supporting mates were calling him crap, I told them to wait and see if he improved, and I just havn't seen that improvement from him. Send him out on loan mabie, see if a spell of regular games improves him, but right now he is by no means good enough IMO.

[therockbox]

I don't see how you can say Spearing deserves a chance after admitting you've only seen him 'once or twice.' Lucas is far, far better than Spearing, which is why Rafa doesn't hesitate to play him at Old Trafford, the San Siro and Goodison Park, whilst Spearing gets a run out when we've got Real Madrid beaten. Lucas isn't that much older than Spearing either, he's 23 in January in Spearing will be 21 in November.

If you haven't seen an improvement in Lucas then I'd question whether you actually want to see it. His passing has improve since he's been here, he's not up to the standards of Alonso (but then who is?) but in terms of one touch, quick passing around the box he's very, very good. The problem is he rarely gets to show it because he's usually playing in Mascherano or Alonso's position, doing in average job when it isn't really something he's ever done before.

It's a pity he's probably going to be driven out of the club because he doesn't fit in with what people's idea of a Brazilian footballer 'should' offer. Aurelio suffered from the same problem until people actually started paying attention to what he does rather than what they thought he should do.

[MGW]

I don't see how you can say Spearing deserves a chance after admitting you've only seen him 'once or twice.' Lucas is far, far better than Spearing, which is why Rafa doesn't hesitate to play him at Old Trafford, the San Siro and Goodison Park, whilst Spearing gets a run out when we've got Real Madrid beaten. Lucas isn't that much older than Spearing either, he's 23 in January in Spearing will be 21 in November.

If you haven't seen an improvement in Lucas then I'd question whether you actually want to see it. His passing has improve since he's been here, he's not up to the standards of Alonso (but then who is?) but in terms of one touch, quick passing around the box he's very, very good. The problem is he rarely gets to show it because he's usually playing in Mascherano or Alonso's position, doing in average job when it isn't really something he's ever done before.

It's a pity he's probably going to be driven out of the club because he doesn't fit in with what people's idea of a Brazilian footballer 'should' offer. Aurelio suffered from the same problem until people actually started paying attention to what he does rather than what they thought he should do.

Having seen Spearing play once or twice, having seen footage of the lad online and speaking to people who've seen more of him, I think it's fair that a lad who was captain of the youth cup winning team, who has done well for the reserves and who acuitted himself well against Real madrid (although admittedly once the game was out of their grasp) deserves a chance in the first team more regularaly.

I just don't rate Lucas at all, I think his passing is often quite sloppy, although you obviously disagree, and his tackling is definatly poor. I just don't get the feeling he's at the leval that is required at LFC. It's not a case of him not being a "brazilain style" player, for me it's a case of him simply not being good enough. My test is would be make it into the teams at other top 4 clubs, and the answer (with the possible exception of Aresnal, but even that's doubtful).

And before you say anything about Spearing in that context, I do fully believe he'd be given a shot at United, they blood youngsters, which is something Liverpool fail to do often enough.

[Matt]

If there's a Liverpool youngster that needs bringing through it's Krisztian Nemeth.

[EddieG]

What's Craig Lindfield like?

He became an absolute star in my FM 08 game (But then again so did F. Campbell for Man U)

How is he irl?