Improving midfielder makes unwise comparison.

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“I’m in my third season now and I’m playing more games,” Lucas told BBC Radio Merseyside.

“Steven, ten years ago, started like me,” he continued. “But when you are focused and you work hard you can get a chance [to show what you can do].” (BBC Sport)

Whilst I would agree that Lucas has improved this season I think comparisons made by the Brazilian to Stevie G may be getting a little ahead of himself. To be fair to the young midfielder he is still finding his feet at the club and he played perhaps two of his best games for the club against Stoke City and then Burnley.

It is hard to pigeon hole the 22 year old as a certain type of midfielder. As discussed on here before It is clear he is not a Javier or a Xabi as such but more a composite of both players, which can be useful but no doubt also a little tricky for the player to adjust to the role that best suits his abilities.

I think he is on the verge of justifying his place in the team and the problem will arise when Alberto Aquilani is fully fit and then Rafa will have to juggle things around or more likely, have Lucas sit out some games and that may be a hard pill for the Brazilian to swallow and will be a test of his character and maturity.

Leiva’s passing has improved of late and that was in many ways the attribute that most angered us as supporters, was his ability to lose the ball with a wayward misdirected ball, even the most simple five yarder seemed to occasionally trouble him but now he seems a more fluid player, able to keep the play moving without slowing it down needlessly.

He may not be the next Steven Gerrard but I do feel there is a place for him at the club and he could yet become a player of great value to the club and the rest of this season will be crucial to his chances of becoming a Liverpool player of merit.

YNWA


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