Brendans ideal midfield

I've been a huge critic of Lucas but watching his performances this season, it looks like he has somehow regained that step or two he lost after his surgery.

He had been looking so slow the last couple of seasons.  And of course he was never a speed demon anyway.  But it looks to me like he is a bit quicker this season. 

anyone else notice that?

I've noticed it as well mate.

I've been a big fan of Lucas over the years but even I thoight his time here was up after the last injury as he seemes to struggle but he'd be a player I'd want to hang on to.

                       3 at the back

                              Can                     
             
                       Henderson

Lazar       Coutinho      Gerrard    Sterling

                     1 up top in Sturridge

          Allen
 Delph        Alberto

          Allen
 Delph        Alberto

J W like this.

          Allen
 Delph        Alberto

I'm assuming that this is some sort of criticism of our transfers or Rodgers, but if so*, it is quite misplaced (not least because it includes a player that we are only tentatively linked to).
It would be a fine backup midfield. Certainly quite a balanced one. I'd be worried if I saw all 3 play at once (because it means that we would be having an injury crisis), but it is more important to have the right players rather than the necessarily the best players.
I also think that Alberto is developing into a fine squad player from what I've seen of him this year and Allen has his use in the team. He is behind Lucas for me, but I also think he is very under-rated by many on here. A tidy player.

*if not apologies.

I've a hunch that Brendan has as his "ideal" midfield one that has quite a bit of energy, more so than we have had since he's been here. In point of fact one of the reasons I think he is such a clever coach is that is often to my mind making do and mending as far as his team is concerned, being pragmatic about his own beliefs and adapting in order to ensure we have the best chance of getting results.

We saw that last season when the changes were made in order to accomodate BOTH Suarez and Sturridge, which was completely at odds with the way Brendan had set up previously. He freely admitted he'd gone in with the premise of "how do I get all of my best players on the pitch at the same time?" rather than the "how can I make these players fit my system" which managers too often fall back on. Moving Gerrard back was another masterstroke, but as we saw this season without the pre-requisite pace and penetration up top it became too easy to box the captain in. Given that, the previously discarded and forgotten Lucas has been brought in, and within the 4-3-3 has probably IMHO been our best player over the last month or so.

Within the system now we are playing a genuine 3-4-3 which I can't remember seeing played in English football to the flavour which we are employing it. When your two "wing backs" are Moreno and Markovic, while your "3" up top are Sterling, Coutinho and Lallana, it really doesn't get much more attacking than that. Brendans desire for energy from the midfield can be seen by the way Lucas is playing within that system. He's not doing too bad either at getting forward to support, "recycling the ball" etc as has already been mentioned. Such is the Brazillians chronic lack of pace that I personally would definately ask him to sit in a bit more (as indeed Lucas has done for most his career) but he is obviously acting under orders and save for the occasional complete burn off when he gets isolated one on one, we're getting away with it.

I think Lucas's position during recent matches though reveals much about Brendans core beliefs, regardless of whether we're playing 3-4-3, 4-3-3 or anything else. Clearly he wants to regain posession high up, he wants to surround teams in attack while snuffing them out with the press in defence. I'm not sure we'll ever see an out and out defensive midfielder ala Song or Masherano under Brendan (although I personally would take either in a heartbeat). I think he does prefer the more up and down types, the Hendersons and Allens of this world taking centre stage. So longer term I think we will see a replacement for Lucas, and it may well be a Fabian Delph type. If it is, although Lucas is one of the most popular players on the board I'm sure a bit of extra mobilityin there wouldn't go amiss. One thing we would miss though if we made that particular straight swap is Lucas perceptive passing which has been at its best over the last few weeks. There's no hollywoods in there, but I'm fairly sure it is at a different level to anything I've seen from Delph on the couple of occasions I've seen him.


EDIT: I should also say as an add on that I think Delph is a very good player who could well become an excellent one, we could do a whole lot worse if we are in the market for a midfielder. It's a bit of an oldie, but if he was called Fabiano Delphinio many of the people on the boards who are currently slagging him off would be all over us getting him.

An ideal midfield would be : Bender - Koke/Verratti - Isco  - Reus - Sturridge - Sterling

A more plausible one would be : Cabaye/Clasie - Schneiderlin - Gundogan/Ayew - De Bruyne/Depay - Sturridge/Lacazette - Sterling

I've been a huge critic of Lucas but watching his performances this season, it looks like he has somehow regained that step or two he lost after his surgery.

He had been looking so slow the last couple of seasons.  And of course he was never a speed demon anyway.  But it looks to me like he is a bit quicker this season. 

anyone else notice that?

Notice that you were completely wrong? Yes.

Notice that you were completely wrong? Yes.

Some on here are so quick to write our players off even after they have proven their quality. Lucas and Hendo are two that spring to mind.

Some on here are so quick to write our players off even after they have proven their quality. Lucas and Hendo are two that spring to mind.

Skrtel and to a lesser extent Sakho as well.

It appears that Brendan may have found a system that fits ideally the way he wants to play with the players he has,

At the moment playing Ste up front alongside our temporary striker is working , to a degree, when Sturridge comes back in tho he will have to alter it , not a bad problem to have on all honesty,
But what happens next season ?

obviously no one knows what new recruits will be sought by then,
Anyway at present the midfield seems ok, but I'd like to see a trio of Lucas, Hendo & Can , forget your Pogbas, Khedeiras , Cabaye's etc , it ain't going to happen , wages (FSG) will see to that,

That trio plus 1/2 new quality midfielders + promotion within should be enough to see us thru ,
Coutinho will emerge as our main player so I think Brendan will build around him, a injury free Sturridge combined with , Sterling, Lallana , Markovic, Origi, backed by Can & Hendo with Lucas, or another sat in behind and a solid back 3 and a NEW KEEPER,
With 'the system' there is no reason to doubt that it won't be successful, like most things it will have weaknesses and won't always be ideal but Brendan has shown he can adjust any system by tweaking here and there hence having players with more versatility,

After last nights performance, I'm very excited about the rest of this season, and of course future seasons under Brendan Rodgers.

BRING IT ON !


YNWA

It appears that Brendan may have found a system that fits ideally the way he wants to play with the players he has,

At the moment playing Ste up front alongside our temporary striker is working , to a degree, when Sturridge comes back in tho he will have to alter it , not a bad problem to have on all honesty,
But what happens next season ?

obviously no one knows what new recruits will be sought by then,
Anyway at present the midfield seems ok, but I'd like to see a trio of Lucas, Hendo & Can , forget your Pogbas, Khedeiras , Cabaye's etc , it ain't going to happen , wages (FSG) will see to that,

That trio plus 1/2 new quality midfielders + promotion within should be enough to see us thru ,
Coutinho will emerge as our main player so I think Brendan will build around him, a injury free Sturridge combined with , Sterling, Lallana , Markovic, Origi, backed by Can & Hendo with Lucas, or another sat in behind and a solid back 3 and a NEW KEEPER,
With 'the system' there is no reason to doubt that it won't be successful, like most things it will have weaknesses and won't always be ideal but Brendan has shown he can adjust any system by tweaking here and there hence having players with more versatility,

After last nights performance, I'm very excited about the rest of this season, and of course future seasons under Brendan Rodgers.

BRING IT ON !


YNWA

I love this 3-4-2-1 formation we are utilising. Very few teams will be able to live with it. All that's missing is a potent goalscorer up top. When Danny comes in then we will see the full force of Brendan's tactical implementation on display.

new formation works and Can as RCB works for me i would sack Lovern off in the summer and have Ilori on the bench as he's fast and composed on the ball. sell Coates and johnson also as there not top defenders, well johnson was but has lost his pace and switches off to many times.
midfeild next season would be Lucas hendo, then lallana coutino