In defence of Lucas!

[NGONGE]

Check out the stats on Sky's page. More accurate passing than Fabregas?

 

You will also see that he is one of the top tacklers in the league (accuracy of the tackle is looked at here).

 

Opta stats show Lucas has completed the third-highest number of passes in the Premier League this season (incidentally, his completion rate of 87 per cent is the highest in the division) and the fourth-highest number of tackles. Not bad for a player signed with a reputation as being a box-to-box midfield player

He might not have the spectacular streak of Cesc Fabregas or Michael Essien, but he is effective. Effective enough to ensure that Mascherano's undoubted energy and dynamism have barely been missed.

Source

 

I've been saying it all season (and the last) but nobody would listen. Now challange the facts.

[AYOUB]

That's the crap David Batty fans used to come up with. It's not about passing sideways and backwards so to look good on paper yaa sahbi. Better passer than Fabregas my toe.

[Resistance]

And Heskey is the best English striker

[NGONGE]

Yes. Yes. But neither of you challanged the issue here. He is no Fabregas or Messi but he is a good player. A very good player at the job he does and the position he plays in (better than Song, Fletcher, De Jong and Obi whatshisname - the stats and performances say so).

 

Ayoub said he can't defend but the stats proved he defends better than most. Ayoub said he can't pass but the stats prove that he does not waste any passes. What other arguments do you have?

 

P.S.

Heskey is not the best English striker. He's the second best.

[AYOUB]

^ 65% of 93 = 60 successful tackles for Lucas.

79% of 80 = 63 successful tackles for Petrov.

 

According to these statistics; your boy made 33 unsuccessful tackles compared to Petrov's 17.

 

As for passing, a sideways `bread and butter´ Lucas ball counts the same as a classy goal–assist Fabregas pass in your statistics. Even his hospital passes count as a "success". Steve Mclaren used to pick his England side using statistics and he was one big flop, wasn't he? Why I'm arguing footy with a half-blind person in the first place?

[N.O.R.F]

How did I miss this?

 

Ngonge, stats don't count here as Lucas and Fab play in different positions. Fab is more often than not under pressure as he is playing higher up the pitch trying to create and/or score whereas Lucas is usually the one the defence pass to. He then passes to the full backs and gets it back again etc.

 

What would interesting is how crucial his passes are considered to be (do they have that?) as you shouldn't read too much into passing sideways and backwards.

 

Any chance of getting Xabi's stats from last year? You will probably see that his stats were the best for his position if not all positions.

[NGONGE]

^^ In tackling Lucas had better stats.

Passing sideways (stats or no stats) serves a purpose. Lucas's job after all is to win the ball and pass it on.

 

The stats tell you that he does not waste the ball. It tells you that his tackles come off every time (he's no Scholes, saaxib) and it gives you a % of his successful passes.

 

If you google his name you will see that many people are coming round to the idea that he is not a bad player (which is what I have been saying all season). Xabi is missed but not because Lucas is playing in his place, it's more to do with the other players not pulling their weight. Lucas is worth ten Benayouns and five thousand Babels. I rest my case.

 

Wax la kaalaya.

[AYOUB]

^ Stats and nonsense!

 

Originally posted by NGONGE:

The stats tell you that he does not waste the ball. It tells you that his tackles come off every time (he's no Scholes, saaxib) and it gives you a % of his successful passes.

What stats? The ones above show he is worse than he actually is. It shows he fails in more than 1 out of every 3 attempts and yet you claim "his tackles come off every time"? C'on mayn, that's nothing to brag about. I never said he a bad player, I say the jury is still out but he definitively has not impressed me so far.

[N.O.R.F]

Ngonge,

 

Xabi Alonso made over 2,500 successful passes last season and that was the highest. Also, Fab has the most assists so far this season. Lucas naga daa ninyow. Waa useless!

[NGONGE]

^^ He's no Alonso, saaxib. But he has the potential to become a better player than Alonso. All I'm saying (and have been saying) is that he is not as bad as you make him sound. He has been one of the few performing players for Liverpool this season (which is why the manager keeps playing him).

 

Ayoub,

That's because you have not been watching Liverpool games recently. The boy has been playing really well.

[Abtigiis]

Lucas is an average player. Better than Gilberto Silva, though.

[NGONGE]

^^ Gilberto won the world cup.

[AYOUB]

He might not have the spectacular streak of Cesc Fabregas or Michael Essien, ..

Originally posted by NGONGE:

He is no Fabregas or Messi but he is a good player

Originally posted by NGONGE:

^^ He's no Alonso, saaxib.

Originally posted by NGONGE:

(he's no Scholes, saaxib)

Exaaakhtly! He's not Fabregas, Essien, Messi, Scholes nor Alonso. HE IS JUST A LUCAS.

 

PS Your attempt at defending is just as bad as the boy in question!

[NGONGE]

^^ He is Lucas and he's better than all the above at his job (well, maybe not Essien).

 

I'll give you until the end of the season and then I'll preen as you change your mind and follow the crowd.

[AYOUB]

^ Deal.

I'll keep an eye on 65% success rate and team league position. My guess is if he improves, he'll finish under 70% leaving LFC 5th or below in the league . A goal or an assit wouldn't hurt his stats either.