The Concept Of Lucas Cover

[Knox_Harrington]

Lucas made a massive difference at the weekend. Half fit, it was his positional play and his arrowed passing that gave us a platform. But we haven't covered him for two years.

 

Kenny/Comolli had three windows to do something about this. Rodgers has had one. No one has come in though who completely looks like being able to do that job for us positionally. Allen looked like he could do it with the ball at his feet but arguably isn't set up to do it as a player technically or positionally out of possession.

 

Last season we tried Henderson there who did OK but isn't strong enough in the tackle. Spearing and Adam couldn't hack it in different ways.

 

It's a player of whom it looked years ago like there were going to be loads but they actually appear thin on the ground. I think this is a test for FSG, the manager and the new bells and whistles scouting network. Feels like you can go one of two ways:

 

a) A young lad and groom him for the role. Good in theory but you have to put up with his mistakes in an expensive position. Chelsea, for instance, have Romeu but he looks miles away when he plays.

 

b) An experienced player who knows the role but will be happy to be cover. Suggestions from the league don't screech to mind but going back a few years someone like Lee Carsley when he was at Everton would have been perfect. A 2006 Didi Hamann as well.

 

It's in identifying, scouting and buying the right Carsley the test lies. He almost certainly isn't playing in this league, but getting someone in who can give Lucas a rest while giving the team a similar if not as good platform wouldn't half help going forward. FSG need to acknowledge the virtue of an older head - though he shouldn't be on a fortune. The scouting network and Rodgers need to actually scout rather than get an English U-21 in. There will be someone perfect for this sitting in Germany or Spain's midtable sides who will flourish given the chance who could be picked up relatively cheaply and will help us enormously over the next 18 - 30 months, despite perhaps not having resale value.

[schmuckdonald]

Can we sign Rubén Pardo please? That'd be nice. Or Ander Herrera. Think you get a player of that ilk and you get a young Momo and you're set for whatever you need.

 

Would like to have see Rodgers be more pragmatic when Lucas is out. Default to a physical/deep lying playmaker dual pivot. Would have liked to see him try Henderson and Sahin.

Edited December 3, 2012 by schmuckdonald

[Conrad]

agree it's a priority (after signing a forward).

 

Enrique's renaissance means it becomes second biggest priority. Particularly as we don't know how Lucas will go injury-wise.

 

if we get in someone as good as Alonso passing-wise (ok, I'm being very ambitious here), then they can play alongside Lucas.

 

It's a position I'd be spending £20m plus on next summer, I wouldn't waste money on it in January unless we can unearth a gem at a decent price

[David Hodgson]

Lucas made a massive difference at the weekend. Half fit, it was his positional play and his arrowed passing that gave us a platform. But we haven't covered him for two years.

 

Kenny/Comolli had three windows to do something about this. Rodgers has had one. No one has come in though who completely looks like being able to do that job for us positionally. Allen looked like he could do it with the ball at his feet but arguably isn't set up to do it as a player technically or positionally out of possession.

 

Last season we tried Henderson there who did OK but isn't strong enough in the tackle. Spearing and Adam couldn't hack it in different ways.

 

It's a player of whom it looked years ago like there were going to be loads but they actually appear thin on the ground. I think this is a test for FSG, the manager and the new bells and whistles scouting network. Feels like you can go one of two ways:

 

a) A young lad and groom him for the role. Good in theory but you have to put up with his mistakes in an expensive position. Chelsea, for instance, have Romeu but he looks miles away when he plays.

 

b) An experienced player who knows the role but will be happy to be cover. Suggestions from the league don't screech to mind but going back a few years someone like Lee Carsley when he was at Everton would have been perfect. A 2006 Didi Hamann as well.

 

It's in identifying, scouting and buying the right Carsley the test lies. He almost certainly isn't playing in this league, but getting someone in who can give Lucas a rest while giving the team a similar if not as good platform wouldn't half help going forward. FSG need to acknowledge the virtue of an older head - though he shouldn't be on a fortune. The scouting network and Rodgers need to actually scout rather than get an English U-21 in. There will be someone perfect for this sitting in Germany or Spain's midtable sides who will flourish given the chance who could be picked up relatively cheaply and will help us enormously over the next 18 - 30 months, despite perhaps not having resale value.

 

I would like to see us get someone in the Sissoko mould. A really athletic player with a physical presence. One whom would complement Lucas as well as cover for him.

[yellow jumper]

west hams's going to be interesting to see how midfield copes. both on and off ball. you'd expect a physical challenge, tight pitch, lots of running, lots of second balls.

[Knox_Harrington]

I would like to see us get someone in the Sissoko mould. A really athletic player with a physical presence. One whom would complement Lucas as well as cover for him.

Would that player cover for him though? Those lads are arguably easier to find but Sissoko couldn't hold effectively.

[Earl Hafler]

Can we sign Rubén Pardo please? That'd be nice. Or Ander Herrera. Think you get a player of that ilk and you get a young Momo and you're set for whatever you need.

 

Would like to have see Rodgers be more pragmatic when Lucas is out. Default to a physical/deep lying playmaker dual pivot. Would have liked to see him try Henderson and Sahin.

 

Herrera gets booked or sent off every few games. Was good against the Mancs though

Edited December 3, 2012 by Earl Hafler

[schmuckdonald]

Herrera gets booked or sent off every few games. Was good against the Mancs though

 

You say that like it's a bad thing! Him and Shelvey in the same team would be a lot of fun.

[Earl Hafler]

west hams's going to be interesting to see how midfield copes. both on and off ball. you'd expect a physical challenge, tight pitch, lots of running, lots of second balls.

 

Play two behind Sterling. They'll lose concentration at the back and the midfield nips in behind

 

With Suarez out, it'll be imperative to get Gerrard in the box as often as possible. Practice set pieces all week, too

[Rimbeux]

Interesting that Hodgson was the only one to try and directly cover this

[honourablegeorge]

Interesting that Hodgson was the only one to try and directly cover this

 

 

He tried to replace Lucas, not cover him. And whichever of those is true, he tried to do it with Poulsen.

[Kid Klopp]

Interesting that Hodgson was the only one to try and directly cover this

 

He signed Poulsen as first choice. Lucas was backup there when the season started.

[Frosty Jack]

Interesting that Hodgson was the only one to try and directly cover this

 

Not really, he was happy for Lucas to be sold and bought Poulsen as first choice.

[schmuckdonald]

Not really, he was happy for Lucas to be sold and bought Poulsen as first choice.

 

Thought Hodgson vetoed the deal? Was the one good thing I ever credited him with.

[Dominus Maximus]

Mate, the team has so many other needs than another midfielder. We need to sign at least three new forwards/wingers before even looking at other areas of the squad. Joe Allen should be cover enough for the next couple of windows...

[Hassony]

Thought Hodgson vetoed the deal? Was the one good thing I ever credited him with.

 

don't think he did, if we had received a decent offer for Lucas he would have been off

 

Hodgson then went on to claim credit for both Lucas and N'gog having decent seasons

[Swan Red]

The problem will remain that to have a player good enough to cover adequately you need someone who is good enough to start regularly. We need to share those duties appropriately across the other players or we lose more than we gain.

 

I was a massive advocate of the idea to sign Lucas replacement you have to sign someone good enough to play alongside. We aren't going to do that and there aren't enough players of tha quality knocking about. If Gerrard Allen Henderson and Sahin can't share those responsiblities across the rest of the mdifield we hae tio accept that they are too specialist to have a backup brought in.

[Rimbeux]

He tried to replace Lucas, not cover him. And whichever of those is true, he tried to do it with Poulsen.

 

 

He signed Poulsen as first choice. Lucas was backup there when the season started.

 

 

Not really, he was happy for Lucas to be sold and bought Poulsen as first choice.

 

Just a little fun, it is a grey area though, given there was a list and Hodgson claims to have ignored it and on his own judgement and kept Lucas and others, but it also represents the last time someone tried to get another specialist in the squad

[sangria]

He tried to replace Lucas, not cover him. And whichever of those is true, he tried to do it with Poulsen.

 

If you hadn't been following his progress for a couple of years, Poulsen would have seemed like an exact fit for the kind of cover we'd need. Top class performances in a major league, experienced holder, captain of his national team. When his name was raised, I looked on a Juve forum to see what he was like, and it seemed that he'd lost his legs and wasn't up to speed even in the Italian league. Whatever I blame Hodgson for, I don't blame him for signing Poulsen, as he might have seemed an ideal fit to anyone who hadn't looked at his last 2 years at Juventus.

 

I still think our current CM squad can adequately cover for Lucas, if only we can balance them right. Selection wise we'd gone for passing over energy, which I disagree with as I've said before. Maybe now that we have Lucas back to show how it's done in practice, we can test other combinations in games against weaker teams.

[Earl Hafler]

. Whatever I blame Hodgson for, I don't blame him for signing Poulsen, as he might have seemed an ideal fit to anyone who hadn't looked at his last 2 years at Juventus.

 

Understandable for a fan to make the mistake

Disgraceful for a manager to do it.

[cymrococh]

Whatever I blame Hodgson for, I don't blame him for signing Poulsen, as he might have seemed an ideal fit to anyone who hadn't looked at his last 2 years at Juventus.

You should probably keep up-to-date on the performances of players you're about to sign.

 

"He was decent a couple of years ago" doesn't really cut it.

[Swan Red]

If you hadn't been following his progress for a couple of years, Poulsen would have seemed like an exact fit for the kind of cover we'd need. Top class performances in a major league, experienced holder, captain of his national team. When his name was raised, I looked on a Juve forum to see what he was like, and it seemed that he'd lost his legs and wasn't up to speed even in the Italian league. Whatever I blame Hodgson for, I don't blame him for signing Poulsen, as he might have seemed an ideal fit to anyone who hadn't looked at his last 2 years at Juventus.

 

You only had to go on a Juve forum for half an hour, you'd think before spunking 5m on him Hodgson would have made sure he wasn't s*** for the previous 2 years?

[Barnes' left foot]

Allen looked like he could do it with the ball at his feet but arguably isn't set up to do it as a player technically or positionally out of possession.

 

This kind of makes me wonder why we signed Joe Allen. He started off well playing as cover for Lucas, but has looked dodgy as the season's progressed. So far I've not seen any attacking play from him so I wonder why he was a priority for Rodgers (at £15M as well).

[schmuckdonald]

This kind of makes me wonder why we signed Joe Allen. He started off well playing as cover for Lucas, but has looked dodgy as the season's progressed. So far I've not seen any attacking play from him so I wonder why he was a priority for Rodgers (at £15M as well).

 

Because he's really, really good and will probably do a lot better when he doesn't have to do the job of three men week in, week out.

[Knox_Harrington]

This kind of makes me wonder why we signed Joe Allen. He started off well playing as cover for Lucas, but has looked dodgy as the season's progressed. So far I've not seen any attacking play from him so I wonder why he was a priority for Rodgers (at £15M as well).

He's not been liberated to play a more attacking role. Now he is. Thought he did well at the weekend, got into wide areas, supported well.