Lucas Leiva’s journey from struggling young Brazilian to ‘Player of the Year’ in a Liverpool shirt has been much discussed and much highlighted. His fight back from a serious knee injury and return to the Brazil squad this year was no less impressive, given the competition for places in that squad.
Since that moment Lucas has again suffered another injury, and dedicated himself to returning to full fitness. He played 90 minutes for the Under 21s in a 2-0 win against West Ham recently and is available for selection against Manchester United. He’s eager to represent his club again, not least because he is desperate to be in the Brazil squad that heads home for the 2014 World Cup.
Under the previous manager, Mano Menezes, Lucas was a regular starter for his country, securing the holding midfield role as he impressed in a Liverpool shirt, when few other Liverpool players were impressing during a difficult season for the Reds. Menezes was the manager that guided Lucas during his goal scoring box to box midfielder days, when he won the Brazilian Golden Boot for being the best player in the Brazilian Championship. All this as a teenager. Many years on, Lucas’ dream of representing his country may rest on his ability to regain those heady days at Gremio.
During Lucas’ long lay off from his anterior cruciate ligament injury, Menezes lost his job. Brazil went back to the tried and trusted, bringing in Luis Filipe Scolari alongside Carlos Alberto Parreira. Scolari won the World Cup in 2002, Parreira in 1994. Neither have the connection to Lucas that Menezes had, so when Lucas finally returned from injury he was unable to get back into the squad, which had been regenerated with younger newer players, centred around Barcelona’s Neymar.
This season with Liverpool high up in the Premier League Lucas, to his great joy, was recalled for a couple of friendlies, during which he played well in both games. Job done it would seem, although he wouldn’t be first choice, he would most likely travel to Brazil as back up holding midfielder.
But things have changed again. Firstly his old role in the team has gone. Steven Gerrard was moved to the holding midfield role that Lucas had made his own. After a mixed first game, Gerrard has excelled in the role, becoming extremely influential from deep and having more energy for important moments in games, as he no longer does much box to box covering. Lucas was asked to play a box to box role, but in his first outing in the role, he got injured. If Rodgers had it in his thoughts that if Gerrard didn’t settle he could just slip Lucas back into the holding role, that option was taken away from him. Rodgers persisted with Gerrard and that decision has been proven to be right.
Meanwhile Brazil have played a friendly against South Africa, and with Lucas unavailable, Scolari chose Manchester City’s holding midfielder Fernandinho, a player who had been surprisingly overlooked up to that point. Fernandinho played well, even scoring a stunning long range goal in a game where Neymar got a hatrick in a 5-0 win.
Furthermore, in the period Lucas has been injured, Liverpool have excelled, going undefeated in the Premier League in the New Year, and scoring goals galore. A midfield three of Gerrard, Henderson and Coutinho seem perfectly balanced as the three players complement each other, with Henderson continuing his renaissance and Coutinho showing remarkable defensive tenacity alongside his Brazilian flair.
For Lucas to return to the Brazil squad, he will have to get back into the Liverpool team. But with Liverpool only playing in the Premier League, and having plenty of rest in between games, there seems little room for this. Lucas is more likely to be brought on as a substitute to shore up games if we are defending a lead, e.g. for Coutinho late in games. Gerrard is untouchable in the Reds line up, particularly due to his form, so Henderson’s role of box to box midfielder is the one Lucas is looking to take. However Henderson has been ever present for Liverpool all season, and never seems to tire or get injured. Furthermore, Allen has done well, particularly in his pressing game, when he has been selected in midfield.
Competition for places is great for the Liverpool team, and bodes well for next season, but it is likely to make Lucas particularly nervous if he is unable to break back into the side. Perhaps his best bet is if Liverpool played an unlikely 4-4-2. In such a system the two central midfielders most likely to be chosen to sit would be Lucas and Gerard, however it would mean one of Henderson, Coutinho and the brilliant Sterling losing out. Furthermore, Rodgers has always preferred 3 in midfield, particularly against better opposition like Man United.
However we look at it, Lucas has yet another big challenge ahead of him. But he is nothing if not determined, and has shown many times before his ability to overcome difficult challenges. Here’s hoping the likeable Brazilian plays his part for Liverpool, whatever that may be, and makes it onto the plane to the World Cup.
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please return lucas back to the line up for me,because his our own matic of liverpool.