Lucas Leiva (Liverpool > S.S. Lazio)

http://www.joe.ie/football/football-news/video-nothing-to-see-here-just-liverpools-lucas-leiva-lassoing-a-cow-on-holiday/

Haha how random, he's always up to something isn't he.

I like that he seems to be a fairly ordinary type of guy...not out for all of the typical footballer glamour and exploits. Be a shame if he didn't have a return to form and a long stay with us.

http://www.joe.ie/football/football-news/video-nothing-to-see-here-just-liverpools-lucas-leiva-lassoing-a-cow-on-holiday/

Wasn't he brought up on a farm/ranch?

Wasn't he brought up on a farm/ranch?

I know that he owns one, he says so in this interview http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/lucas-leiva-qa A good interview by the way. Nor is it the first time he's been photographed at the ranch. This photo is from 2011:
 
     

I know that he owns one, he says so in this interview http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/lucas-leiva-qa. A good interview by the way. Nor is it the first time he's been photographed at the ranch. This photo is from 2011:
 
     

Knew I'd seen him linked with a ranch mate, it was that very same interview 

I can't get his profile up on my phone so can't check but apparently he's rumoured to be going to to inter and has removed any LFC reference from his twitter profile.

Can anyone confirm?

I can't get his profile up on my phone so can't check but apparently he's rumoured to be going to to inter and has removed any LFC reference from his twitter profile.

Can anyone confirm?

Yes he did

I can't get his profile up on my phone so can't check but apparently he's rumoured to be going to to inter and has removed any LFC reference from his twitter profile.

Can anyone confirm?

TBH it's a surprise a move for Lucas hasn't been touted earlier, last season he looked well off the pace and it seemed like an ongoing issue, his better days are a distant memory.

I can't get his profile up on my phone so can't check but apparently he's rumoured to be going to to inter and has removed any LFC reference from his twitter profile.

Can anyone confirm?

It's set up for Brasil, which is hardly surprising given the World Cup.
Both photos are Brasil related.



Description is "Twitter Oficial de Lucas Leiva ( atleta de futebol)"

No bids for Lucas Leiva but Liverpool midfielder's future uncertain

Reds are prepared to listen to offers for the 27-year-old but so far none have been forthcoming

Liverpool FC have received no approaches for Lucas Leiva but the long-serving midfielder's future at the club remains uncertain.

The Brazil international slipped down the pecking order last season and the summer acquisition of German midfielder Emre Can has further increased competition for places.

The Reds are prepared to listen to offers for the 27-year-old but so far none have been forthcoming.

Lucas has been linked with a move to Italy and a reunion with former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez at Napoli.

 However, the ECHO understands that the Serie A outfit currently have no plans to table a bid to sign him this summer.

They would be interested in taking him on a season-long loan but they believe it's unlikely Liverpool would agree to a temporary switch.

Lucas spent two months on the sidelines after suffering knee ligament damage back in January and on his return he found his opportunities limited.

Brendan Rodgers' decision to switch to playing with just one holding midfielder left Lucas having to settle for bench duty with skipper Steven Gerrard operating in the deep lying role in front of the back four.

His lack of action contributed to him suffering the bitter disappointment of being overlooked by Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari for the World Cup in his homeland.

Speculation about Lucas' future has grown since fans noticed that he had removed any mention of Liverpool FC from his profile on Twitter. However, sources close to the player insist that change was made six months ago.

Lucas, who was back at Melwood for the start of pre-season training on Monday, has made 243 appearances for the Reds since his £5million switch from Gremio in 2007.

Pepe Reina remains available for transfer as the Spanish keeper prepares to return to Merseyside later this month.

 

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-no-bids-lucas-7393329

Not surprised by this in all honesty. Lucas is a hard-working honest player but he was never the player many Reds made him out to be.

Got say it really is a surprise that Rafa hasn't come in for Lucas, he did have some of his better days when Rafa was in charge and maybe the Napoli manager is keeping his powder dry.
He will know the situation at LFC and the midfield fight for places - he will also know that biding his time would be his best option.

It doesn't surprise me that so far there has been little transfer interest in him. Our fans have vastly overrated him for years even when he was at his best (and was a good player in fairness) but since his injuries he's been a liability to be fair.

Watching Masherano tonight and thinking back to the times I read on the forums that Lucas was actually a better player (incredible really) still made me chuckle.

It doesn't surprise me that so far there has been little transfer interest in him. Our fans have vastly overrated him for years even when he was at his best (and was a good player in fairness) but since his injuries he's been a liability to be fair.

Watching Masherano tonight and thinking back to the times I read on the forums that Lucas was actually a better player (incredible really) still made me chuckle.

He was a very fine player at his best, without question. You can compare him to whoever you want and you can 'chuckle' but Lucas did the club proud and at his peak was a good player.

Absolutely no need to bash him. He's been a great servant.

He was a very fine player at his best, without question. You can compare him to whoever you want and you can 'chuckle' but Lucas did the club proud and at his peak was a good player.

Absolutely no need to bash him. He's been a great servant.

He's on a fishing trip, hoping to get a rise out of people.
It's his M.O. and most here know it.

Lucas lost a yard of pace with his injury, and he wasn't exactly quick to start with but he was a good defensive midfielder.
I have no idea whether he can modify his game to suit BR, and if he's let go I wish him all the best, but you get an idea of the agenda when someone states there's little or no interest in him, even though he hasn't been transfer listed as far as anyone knows.
There's been little or no interest in the vast majority of our players, so by the logic used by the fella trolling for reactions, I suppose that makes them all sh*te.
The one thing I will say is that I think Lucas needs game time to get back anywhere near his best, and I'm not sure how much he'll get next season, apart from off the bench, and my guess is that BR would rather use Can, which is fair enough as he is BR's signing.

The stats prove that before his ACL - Lucas was incredible in his position.

He just never recovered and the pace of our team got quicker with the introduction of BR

The stats prove that before his ACL - Lucas was incredible in his position.

He just never recovered and the pace of our team got quicker with the introduction of BR

Agreed, and I think he'd do very well in the Italian league. Not only is it a bit slower, but it's a lot more technical.
People wonder why the England team don't do well in tournaments, but the answer is easy: too much focus on brute strength and playing at 100mph, like headless chickens.
The Germans have shown it's possible to play at a high pace but retain technical skills, but for some reason technique isn't thought of as highly in this country.

He was a very fine player at his best, without question. You can compare him to whoever you want and you can 'chuckle' but Lucas did the club proud and at his peak was a good player.

Absolutely no need to bash him. He's been a great servant.

At his very best (which IMHO was before his injury before this one) he was a very good holding midfielder, one of the best in the Premiership. He was arguably THE best if you looked purely at what he did in the defensive sense, in his area only, and disregarded his lack of influence in other areas. He's always distributed the ball quickly and accurately (he still does to be honest) and he's very disciplined positionally. He reads it well (his lack of pace over the years has meant he's had to), and he's undoubtedly been a good and loyal servant to LFC over the years. That's precisely why I never "bash him", I simply don't and haven't rated him anywhere near so highly as some people (I guess for some of those people saying so amounts to the same thing as "bashing him", but I can't help that).

The problem has been over the years that if you dared to raise your head above the barricades and suggest that Lucas perhaps wasn't "The best holding midfielder in the World" as I've seen suggested on a few occasions, or perhaps wasn't "a much better player actually than Masherano" ditto, you got to find out pretty quickly what the definition of forum "bashing" is. Similarly, if you suggested that you personally didn't rate Lucas all that highly (and I'm talking as recently as six months ago here) you got presented with a long list of World Class managers who were of the opposite opinion, which of course rendered your own theories as nonsense and you being a fool (and that's being polite).

Here we are now though with I think it's the Echo confirming the fairly obvious fact that Liverpool would "listen to offers" for Lucas, and so far none of the aforementioned managers nor anyone else has come in for him. This doesn't mean he wasn't a good player at his best (because he was, I think we all agree on that) but it does mean that some of the silliness and hyperbole which surrounded the debate on him a few months back is being shown up for what it was.

The truth is that even at his absolute peak Lucas would not have been capable of performing in a way similar to the performance that Mash put in last night, he was absolutely immense and gave IMHO the performance of the tournament so far aside from possibly Tim Howard.   

 

I do so love how some try to re-write their own posting history.
Next he'll be trying to tell us that he always rated Rafa.
Absolutely hilarious. 

Just to briefly come back onto the Masherano performance of last night and what he did which Lucas could never do. He tracked and blocked off Robben all over the final third, centre right and left . showing pace , perception and no shortage of tackling ability even inside his own box, he never put a foot wrong. I think he gave away one free kick all night, and I think he was unlucky with that one too. He saved a certain goal with as good a tackle as you'll ever see, on the edge of his own six yard box. To make that tackle, he not only had to get there but he also had to plot his way through ball watchers of both teams to make sure hen didn't collide and therefore miss his only chance to get the block in, incredible play. He then found the time on three separate occasions to burst through the midfield cordon and almost cause things to happen.

Like I say, performance of the tournament for me.

Just to briefly come back onto the Masherano performance of last night and what he did which Lucas could never do. He tracked and blocked off Robben all over the final third, centre right and left . showing pace , perception and no shortage of tackling ability even inside his own box, he never put a foot wrong. I think he gave away one free kick all night, and I think he was unlucky with that one too. He saved a certain goal with as good a tackle as you'll ever see, on the edge of his own six yard box. To make that tackle, he not only had to get there but he also had to plot his way through ball watchers of both teams to make sure hen didn't collide and therefore miss his only chance to get the block in, incredible play. He then found the time on three separate occasions to burst through the midfield cordon and almost cause things to happen.

Like I say, performance of the tournament for me.

Always thought that because there was nothing Holywood about Masch that his performances mostly went under the radar. The way he used to stop and break up the oppositions play was phenomenal at times - much like he demonstrated again last night.


I'll admit that I was/am a Lucas fan and used to despise the way some people on here would derride his performances. That said, this last season showed that Lucas's stamina wasn't able to match Brendan's requirement for constant pressing, possession and intensity and he was left seriously wanting. There were times last season when even running at full pelt he still looked as though he was running through treacle.

A shame really given what he's had to endure. Before these injuries I think he had just gained a modicum of ambivelance from even the least most ardent of his fans. By all accounts he's a really nice lad. He most certainly took on the responsibilities of welcoming the new Brazilian or Spanish players and helping them adapt to both the team and the city. I mentioned previously that the break up of this little clique could be of detriment to Coutinhos progression - I hope it won't be the case.

I think if it comes off that moving to Napoli could be quite a good move - slower paced league and the manager obviously likes him.

Gave his heart for this club so I for one will wish every success if he is moved on.

Always thought that because there was nothing Holywood about Masch that his performances mostly went under the radar. The way he used to stop and break up the oppositions play was phenomenal at times - much like he demonstrated again last night.


I'll admit that I was/am a Lucas fan and used to despise the way some people on here would derride his performances. That said, this last season showed that Lucas's stamina wasn't able to match Brendan's requirement for constant pressing, possession and intensity and he was left seriously wanting. There were times last season when even running at full pelt he still looked as though he was running through treacle.

A shame really given what he's had to endure. Before these injuries I think he had just gained a modicum of ambivelance from even the least most ardent of his fans. By all accounts he's a really nice lad. He most certainly took on the responsibilities of welcoming the new Brazilian or Spanish players and helping them adapt to both the team and the city. I mentioned previously that the break up of this little clique could be of detriment to Coutinhos progression - I hope it won't be the case.

I think if it comes off that moving to Napoli could be quite a good move - slower paced league and the manager obviously likes him.

Gave his heart for this club so I for one will wish every success if he is moved on.

Liverpool Echo:

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-no-bids-lucas-7393329

Still think Rafa will do a cheeky one.

Liverpool Echo:

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-no-bids-lucas-7393329

Still think Rafa will do a cheeky one.

Yeah, me too. Napoli's president says "we continue to monitor the situation". In other words....when the time is right we're going to shaft you and by the way, we'll have Pepe off of yous for sweet FA too - ciao.

Napoli confirm interest in Liverpool FC's Lucas Leiva

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed the club's interest in signing Lucas Leiva.

The Liverpool midfielder faces a bleak future at Anfield after falling down the pecking order last season to the likes of Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho, while the arrivals of Adam Lallana and Emre Can this summer are set to undermine his standing further.

Rafael Benitez lured Lucas to Merseyside, in 2007, during his time as Reds boss and is understood to be keen on a reunion with his former pupil at the Stadio San Paulo.

And De Laurentiis today revealed that the Brazil international is currently under consideration by the Serie A outfit alongside want-away Swansea City striker Michu.

"Michu and Leiva? We continue to monitor the situation," he told Sky Italia.

"We’re having discussions, probably we’re also doing some contract drafting.

"Well, I would like to take someone to Dimaro (training camp)."


http://www.clickliverpool.com/sport/liverpool-fc-news/1221431-napoli-confirm-interest-in-signing-liverpool-fcs-lucas-leiva.html

Lucas will have a superb pre-season and we'll regret selling him.