LUCAS nearly left Liverpool in the summer. Lucas nearly left Liverpool in the summer. Lucas nearly left Liverpool in the summer. Re-read and repeat that phrase a few times and notice how quickly the notion becomes nonsensical and ridiculous.
Keep going and the ridicule soon turns to dread and worry about a transfer that never actually happened but was, by all accounts, a very near thing.
This point was made on the podcast discussing the Reds’ wonderful 1-4 win in Manchester but it bears repeating and expanding: isn’t it mad how different managers can see things so differently?
Not just tactics and philosophy and all that stuff, but players.
Under Brendan Rodgers, Lucas was as good as gone. The player himself has admitted that he was very close to a departure in the summer before a last-minute injury to Jordan Henderson saw him start away to Arsenal and he clung grimly on in the face of a manager who it appears had been happy to see him off to Napoli, Besiktas… anywhere, really.
Ever since Klopp’s arrival, however, Lucas has experienced a total change in fortunes. In an alternate timeline that saw Klopp come in for Rodgers in the summer, Lucas is, at the very least, the German’s vice-captain.
The rapport the two men share is clear to see: Lucas is his manager’s conduit on the pitch, every inch a leader, the captain without the armband.
Lucas’ role in what Klopp is looking to do with Liverpool is vital. In a system that encourages fluidity, especially in the midfield, Lucas is as orthodox as it comes. He sits back as Emre Can and James Milner, Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho duck and weave and dive.
Lucas sits back and he mops up. He breaks up play, often into a million tiny pieces, but he is also capable of knitting it back together with precise, incisive passing.
And he talks. Boy, does he talk.
He talks for Klopp and he talks for himself. If someone has done something mad, or looks like he might, Lucas will be over to him, having a word. His play possesses a snarl and an aggression that appears lacking in his off-field personality, if his jovial interactions on social media are anything to go by.
The Brazilian is also absolutely brilliant at picking up “good” yellow cards. Not impressive looking fouls, but rather fouls that prevent a dangerous counter attack from becoming anything else. The booking he picked up at Manchester City that means he will miss Sunday’s game with Swansea City is the perfect example. He sits back and he mops up.
It’s a curious thing with Lucas that he has apparently been losing his legs ever since his cruciate injury against Chelsea in 2011. He had been playing blinding football before that injury but upon his return, he appeared a little slower, slightly rusty.
Ever since, no matter how he played, we have been told his legs have gone and it has seemed that he was constantly being ushered out the door at every opportunity. He suffered from not being a part of that starting 11 in the second half of 2013-14. It was easier to forget what Lucas did well when the Reds scored three or four every week. And yet, every time that things went wrong thereafter, Rodgers broke glass and reached for Lucas, like a favourite tough-tackling teddy bear after a bad dream.
It is not just Rodgers who under-rated Lucas. It is a common opinion among those who do not watch him play that he is just sort of there — a space filler and nothing more.
That is all well and good until he smashes into your dainty number 10, ruins yet another counter attack or wins yet another crucial header. It is quite alright with us that Lucas is under appreciated. Because we bloody love him.
Lucas has been on quite the journey with Liverpool fans. Arriving in 2007, we were told that the Reds had signed a Brazilian under 20 captain, an all action box-to-box midfielder.
What we initially got was a thin, long haired (pre-wetted hair at that) kid who did not look like he knew a lot of what to do near either box.
He became a figure of frustration for us and of fun for the opposition. As it turns out, what we were seeing was a 20-year-old not fully knowing where his position was yet. He grew and grew into himself, slowly but surely learning that while that shooting and scoring goals guff might not be for him, tackling, spoiling and generally throwing himself at people most definitely was.
As mentioned before, pre-cruciate in 2011, Lucas had been playing wonderfully. His cult was growing by the day on the Kop.
When he came back from that injury, he found his first-team chances blocked at every turn and never found a starting place coming his way too often.
Yet every time he knitted a run of games together, fans instantly remembered why they liked him so much in 2011 and why they still did. He was like your best mate who moved away. You drifted apart and didn’t talk all the time but within five minutes of meeting back up together, you remember exactly why you were such good mates.
– Lucas Leiva: And that is why we like him, we like him, we like him…
I think the transformation of Lucas as a player is part of what endears him so much to Liverpool fans. We remember when he was a bit rubbish and now that he is entirely the opposite it is made all the more special. It’s great that he is not appreciated by those who do not see him play. Because that means we can appreciate him even more.
If we asked “what next?” for Lucas Leiva in August, the only answer that could have been predicted was him leaving Liverpool.
Fast forward three months and he is a vital part of a team really starting to purr, its on-field leader and trusted lieutenant of his manager. He has even had a few shots this season!
So when we ask “what’s next” for Lucas Leiva now, world domination doesn’t feel like a stretch. Not that he would get the credit for it. And that would be fine by us.
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda-Photo
Great stuff! Love Lucas to bits.
Lucas is the ultimate #5. What’s next for Lucas? The first name on the teamsheet except of course when he picked up 5 yellows and is suspended, The captain without the arm band. Would love if Klopp gave it to him as he deserved
The very first time i saw him play, o boy i hated Lucas. I hate to see him in our precious red shirt. I can’t recal the match that made me fall in love with him, yes i say it again fall in love with him. He became one of the best i have ever seen in the red shirt a trusted servent of Liverpool football club. Love this guy called Lucas.
Lucas is the 2nd best tackler across the top leagues in Europe…ill just leave that here.
“Lucas is a fantastic player”, Rafa Benitez. The man was right, Purslow, Hodgson and Rodgers just didn’t see his value.
apart from being a very gifted footballer his mental strength is phenomenal. To come to lfc, a new culture, language and the then be told the competition is gerrard, alonso, mascherano and still be looking for your natural position, to win over so many doubters make him almost inhuman. Fabulous footballer and person to not hold any grudges.
Lucas will be our Brazilian Scouser forever.
he will end his playing career as a red, and will get a well deserved testimonial match,
Lucas will score 3 goals from open play this season!!!…:)
I’ve never been a Lucas fan, I always thought (and still do) that he is too slow, physically not imposing.
My ideal defensive midfielder is some form of man/beast that can leap from one side of the pitch to the other, that wins possession just be looking at the opposition that tackles his own teammates as well as everyone else.
I didn’t like Lucas cause he wasn’t that.. He seems fragile, seems lacking the physical assets you need to play that role.
I’m still not sure what Lucas does during the game, but I know it’s massively contributing. I know he’s vital to our growth, I know that he’s our armband-less skipper, I know he’s our
Our Lazarus.
I think his lack of pace means he has to be a clever player – and he is. He’ may not be glamorous or sexy, but he is ours – and he is critical to us.
I still think that may be he’ll be upgraded on in the summer – I think there may be better ones out there.
But right now, in our position, in our team, in our need, in our red – THERE’S NONE BETTER
I know he’s a better man than me – so I know he’ll forgive me for doubting him. Lucas – I’d have your children!
I also believe that he’s been instrumental in bringing the other Brazilians in, and helping them settle quickly.
One title and he automatically becomes a legend. Future managerial material?
Good article.
However, it is important to point out that Lucas was Rodgers’ ‘go-to-guy’ when he first arrived. He spoke glowingly of Lucas and said he understood the game and was a ‘disciple’ **cringe, shudder**. Now it is the same under Klopp, even if Klopp would never say such things.
I wanted Lucas to stay at the beginning of this season, but really didn’t think he had it in him to play so well. I wanted his stay more for his back room contribution to the team and my personal affinity towards him. But he has proven me wrong and has been fantastic this season so far.
“The Brazilian is also absolutely brilliant at picking up “good” yellow cards … The booking he picked up at Manchester City that means he will miss Sunday’s game with Swansea City is the perfect example. ”
and if he wasnt already on a yellow, u know that he would have prevented the Aguero’s goal almost definitely. Master at it and does a job that no one else in the team can.
“It is to our own detriment that we underestimate the might of small and simple things.”
You hit the nail on the head sir! I have always felt Lucas is one of the unsung heroes of the team. My jerseys have always had one number since 2010; Number 21!
“Bags of heart, but he’ll never make a holding midfielder for as long as he’s got a hole in his arse” – that’s what I used to say about Lucas after his first couple of seasons at Anfield. Never been so happy to be so completely wrong about a player of ours. A modern LFC great.
Great read…His injury in 2011 was against Manchester city
Good player, cracking bloke by all accounts and a long termer,
Need more of these types.