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.”
Finally someone said what a lot of us believe, Lucas doesn’t add anything to Liverpool
agreed with tommy. Meireles has to play cause Lucas and Poulsen seems play as similar type of the player that short of creativity.
Lucas is playing out of position?
His role was more advanced and Rafa once again changed him from being an attacking midfielder to a defensive one?
I agree with playing 2 cm but they sort whos going fwrd and whos staying
Well said Smithy. At last an honest ex-(LFC) proffesional. Lucas has been awful. He’s not a defensive midfielder and Poulsen (or Kuyt for that matter) is NOT the answer. A midfield, or any player, without vision, Talent or the basic footballing ability of controlling and passing the ball can only create a lack of confidence in others.GET RID OF ALL THE RUBBISH!!
I agree with fleety Lucas is an Attacking Midfielder – or at least he was before Rafa brought him in and made him play defensive. When he’s been played there (all two times) he’s had a great game.
get rid of lucas and play meireles and poulsen in the centre of the park. gerrard just behind torres.
All the fantasy football managers out again play this player get rid of that player buy this player, the lot of you including Tommy Smith should wise up to the real situation and spend your time helping get rid of the inept owners and maybe a few pundits aswell who will say anything for a fat cheque.
the real dead wood has now gone, lucas at least has the heart of a scouser
@bob & @stan well said.
ok bob, how do you suppose we get rid of our owners?
petitions? marches? rallies? protests? find £400million odd? none of those have worked so far. so how about we dont worry about the owner situation and let a consortium come in who know how to buy/run a club. And we can get back to having a nice civil discussion about the topic of the blogs, in this case lucas.
anywhooo…
Hes not a defensive midfielder, and shouldnt ever be played there unless meireles,poulsen,gerrard are all injured/dead/kidnapped. Infact, id rather see carragher play dm ahead of him tbh.
But as an attacking player hes not bad, hes had a couple of good games playing in joe coles current role, so i dont think he should be judged too harshly. But hes a squad player, and not a first teamer in my eyes, and should be used for cover only. once were taken over and have some investment, he will be first out the door with kuyt running (slowly) behind him. i guarentee it.
Tommy Smith was a Liverpool legend. He certainly wasn’t one of the better players of our glory team years but he was hugely committed to the cause. That said, he’s not much of a commentator and personally I think Lucas is a player of potential. You just don’t get selected for Brazil if you have nothing to offer. He is 23 years old and 5 years into his career and he already has five times as many international caps as Smith managed in his entire 20 year career. So maybe, just maybe, Smithy should get behind the team and stop trying to stab them in the back. How about it Smithy? Will you stop moaning and let the manager get on with his job?
Pete Marches etc may not have brought the desired results we need but Im sure it has at RBS are aware of our concerns ie appointment of Broughton which is more than Tommy Smith slagging of a young player with potential has achieved
Redz, surely that’s not the point that Smith is making. The point, if there is one, is that Lucas is being accused of being too tactically disciplined- of not going forward enough.
As for Lucas and consistency- do a google search for ‘Lucas Leiva Consistent’- you’ll be surprised how many people seem to think he was one of Liverpool’s more consistent performers last year.
Redz is like many football fans whatch the match on telly and only notice what the pundits say that then becomes thre mantra Lucas was one of the best players last year, Gerard last season was not playing for the shirt gave more passes away made less tackles than Lucas scored very few goals he was crap, bet he did’nt hear many pundits say that.
I am afraid I simply don’t great with legend Tommy. Too many people seem to jump on the bandwagon against Lucas, when the opta stats show he is one of our more productive and effective players. I think it is about time the fans got behind him instead of moaning when he is selected. The negative vibes against Lucas can only be detrimental to the lads performance. I am a Liverpool supporter and have been since they come up from the second division and to me that mean I SUPPORT all our players. Get behind the lad and stop giving him stick! I am convinced he will score a really vital goal for us soon and maybe it will finally convince the moaning fans to give him a bit of slack.
All Smith did was question what it is that Lucas brings to the table. The exact same thing I’ve done for ages with no response. All of you that keep going on about Lucas being our best player last season, PLEASE, for once, just point out what it is that he does bring to the team in your opinion???
No talk about mentality, determination or any other intangible B.S; just highlight all of the positive qualities that you see him display in games that help Liverpool WIN football matches
Give Lucas a break, has anyone ever noticed other players not playing so well? What about our Mr Reliable “Stevie G” the amont of times hes lost the ball in matches. Okay hes far superior than Lucas but we have to get the best out of the players weve got. We should all give 100%support to everyone in a LFC shirt!
again, point out Lucas’ positives please instead of trying to divert to other players.
Even an off form Gerrard is still a goal threat or capable of opening up the opposition defence.
Lucas on the other hand…
I said it for two years now liverpool won’t win anything with Lucas playing, he’s crap…no, sorry, he’s good at giving stupid free kicks away 25 yards out.
I totally agree with Tommy Smith although im not his biggest fan because of him commentary/ pundit, hes got this bang right. Id rather give john Joe Shelvey a chance already the guy looks so composed and isnt scared of on to the ball, and can finish……YNWA