Liverpool legend Tommy Smith believes Liverpool lack invention and don’t currently have a creative edge in midfield. Reflecting on the Reds 1-0 victory over West Brom, Smith believes Liverpool can’t go on with both Lucas Leiva and Christian Poulsen in the same team and the former Reds defender can’t understand the reasons for playing the Brazilian midfielder in particular. He wrote in his column for the Liverpool Echo:
“We never looked comfortable and in control against West Brom and the problem was that we were just too defensive with two holding players in Poulsen and Lucas. I’m not a fan of Lucas – I just don’t see what he brings to the party – but what was obvious was that with Poulsen we had a similar sort of player sitting back there with him. As the game drew on everyone was looking to Fernando Torres to do something special and as usual he delivered with a great strike.”
Smith believes our next opponents Birmingham will be a much greater threat:
“Birmingham look a better side than West Brom and away from home it will be tougher next weekend. But I really hope new midfield signing Raul Meireles makes his debut because we need more invention and bite than we saw at Anfield. I’d push Steven Gerrard right up front with Torres. They gel so well together and understand each other’s moves that I’d pair them up. If we need one midfield player behind them to do some of the donkey work then so be it. But I want to see the Reds being much more adventurous and attack minded – and playing two holding men in the middle stops that happening.”
@redz…..Yeah your right I don’t watch every game….I just pulled those stats out of my ass…..if YOU watched every game you would see he has improved immensely and the fact that at the end of last season he was getting as many assists as Fabregas….yet Fabregas would get lauded for such stats Lucas gets slated for giving away a free kick 25 yards from goal when busting his balls to defend….please don’t insult my intelligence with your trivial responses…..go back to sitting on your couch and shouting at tv with your low level of intelligence comments.
@Collie
Trying to compare Alonso with Lucas using stats is pure nonsense. Alonso is a midfield general of the highest order. You read too much press and don’t seem to watch the football enough. Last season both Torres and Gerrard lamented the selling of Alonso, because not only did he control the midfield and keep the ball (something we never managed much at all last season) he was the one player the others looked to including Gerrard and Torres as someone with a unique winning mentality. Don’t believe this, then read Carragher’s book. Lucas is at best an average player and does not have the mental makeup or skill to replace Alonso, although he is okay as a squad player. As for Alonso’s so-called average seasons, his second season we finished 3rd in the EPL with 82 points, his third season we reached the champions league final again. His fourth season we started well and Alonso was flying, but when he got injured we fell out of the title race really quickly, does this tell you anything about his influence during his time at Liverpool? His last season we know all about. As you say, watch the football and don’t believe everything you read in the press. The likes of Gerrard and Lampard are allowed to look good by the likes of Alonso/Mascherano and Essien/Makalele. Witness their hapless world cup performances when these two so-called midfield generals were well and truly handed their lungs. I for one am glad to see Meireles come to Liverpool as he may add something back to the midfield that we lost when Xabi left for Madrid.
@ Elmo….I am not trying to compare Lucas to Alonso and if you noted my earlier comments you would see I had said there is no way you could expect Lucas to walk into the team last year and replicate what Alonso did….but did also note that Alonso had Two dreadful seasons prior to his last one which is widely accepted, but doesn’t take away from his ability……does Lucas have that ability maybe not yet, but he has developed year on year at an amazing rate….but I mentioned that Lucas had been playing second fiddle to Alonso and Masch for the last three seasons so how could he be expected to just slot in to someones position who has been doing it for years….and the other point I was making was in relation to what does he bring to the table which is what the actual article was about….and the fact is he might not control games like Alonso did, but last season he got more assists than Alonso practically did in his whole Liverpool career, and that is what he brings to the equation. He also makes a lot more surging runs into the box than Alonso ever did. That is the only points I was making and I was in no way trying to claim Lucas is better than Xabi….of course he is not, but one is well into his career and the other just starting out….comparing Lucas to other players at other teams, I would compare him to Obi Mikel at Chelsea and would have him ahead of him….I would compare him to Fletcher at Utd….who like Lucas struggled at the start of his career but is now one of the first names down on the team sheet……I don’t go by the press as the press have slated Lucas, so trying to throw that at me is a joke. Anyway I think Lucas will get better and better and can become an exceptional player as his learning ability rate is top drawer and if he continues to learn the game at the rate he is doing so, he will be a world class player in no time…
@Collie
I’m glad you have faith in Lucas, but personally I think he is nothing more than a squad player. He will warm the bench at Liverpool this season behind Poulsen and Meireles. How much patience he’ll have for this I don’t know. He is 23 now. Alonso was 21 when he came to us and was light years in front of where Lucas is now. This is Liverpool F.C. When did we start to accept average footballers?