No, Liverpool are not going to make the Champions League this season.
That said, it’s nice becoming a Liverpool fan at the moment. Objectives are being rattled in, games we would usually struggle in becoming won, and every, single player is playing well, regardless of whether starlet or veteran. Excellent football is becoming played and we’ve rarely looked a lot more solid under our previous two, arguably far more defensive managers. And everybody has had their part to play. But let me just single two players out. The clue as to who is in the title.
Not ‘Creative’
Yes, if a person had suggested that Jay Spearing, a 22 year old academy graduate and Lucas, arguably 1 of the most maligned midfielders in the Premier League over recent years, would serve as the base for Liverpool’s recent devastating displays very few would have believed you, but lo and behold, that is precisely what they have completed, which couple of would have foreseen.
Yes, Lucas and Spearing are both extremely committed players who function their socks off. Yes both have high retention of the ball but the accusation could have been fired at both of them that they lacked creativity – that as a midfield pairing they didn’t provide the spark or play making capability that was required. Luckily, we can argue that this was a flawed argument just before the partnership even began to blossom.
Tackling is NOT Negative
A specific word comes to mind when a manager picks two defensive midfielders, and that is negative. Negative is what the pundits like to say and negative is what the fans like to say. Luckily managers aren’t that daft.
Tackling, winning the ball back high up the pitch is what separates the devastating force that are Barcelona under Guardiola that win the ball back with ferocious intensity, to the Rijkaard Barcelona which was still lovely but lacked the bite to win far more then they did. Tackling high up the pitch is far a lot more creative then say, becoming forced back simply because your creative players aren’t able tacklers or shirk the responsibility.
Luckily for Liverpool, neither Lucas or Spearing do tend to shirk their battling responsibilities. They press, they are properly positioned, they win the ball on their feet with consistency. In truth, they have won the ball 31 times between them in the past two games alone. (Enjoy you Guardian Chalkboard!)
Of course tackling is only half the function. This is where unlocking the rest of the central pairings prospective comes in.
Lucas Levia: Young, talented, and a silly mop of hair.
Unlocking Creativity
You’ll also hear fans saying alot that their team are lacking creativity – certainly it was a component of both the Benitez and Hodgson eras. Fan’s just adore creativity, predictably. Everybody wants a Fabregas or Scholes, or an Iniesta. But the factor is of course is that players don’t just have creativity – it can be brought out of a player by way of easy tinkering of the team. And of course, bringing in players who can inflict actual harm with service.
Enter the very brilliant emergency goalkeeper Luis Suarez. Fabregas works because he has the likes of Walcott and Nasri and Arshavin to feed, who make fantastic movements to open up space. Scholes works due to the fact he can uncover any of Man United’s outrageous attacking talents with his passing. Liverpool’s new central pairing function because the movement in front of them has suddenly, improved by light years. Suarez in no way stops moving. Kuyt’s finest asset is his movement in between the lines, and Maxi often was outstanding off the ball.
Now say that Lucas and Spearing don’t have creativity – Liverpool have slaughtered Newcastle, Birmingham and Fulham in their last three games, putting past them an average of four goals every. The entire team suddenly has verve and style – and they arguably have the unlocked capability of Lucas and Spearing to thank for that. Possibly, they have their team mates to thank too.
Jay Spearing: Young, talented, and also with a silly head. Ah properly, can't have everything.
The Base Camp Bit
Of course, a lot of it is to do with the tactics being employed. Spearing and Lucas are no attacking midfielders in spite of their passing and tackling abilities – they are central or defensive midfielders. They join in on the occasional attack but they are no Van Der Vaart amalgamation. What they do is fill a devised role, and they do it excellently.
Dalglish has built a system around the lower spine of the team – with Carragher and Skrtel keeping issues tight at the back (Love you Steve Clark) and Spearing and Lucas essentially controlling the middle of the park against all and sundry, the likes of Miereles, Suarez, Kuyt and Maxi had a platform from which to attack in whichever way they like. Suarez is regularly swapping sides of the pitch, Maxi scored his initial two goals from opposite sides of the penalty area against Fulham (Not to mention the screamer of a hat-trick completer, from the centre of the pitch) and Kuyt is Kuyt.
The attacking players and even Johnson, Flanagan and other people can play off this box of a spine with the security of the dependable passing Spearing and Lucas provide, and their tackling and pressing that ensures attackers rarely if ever have it easy attacking Liverpool in return. And balance of Liverpool’s central pairing, the understanding that they have and their similar and at the same time complementing qualities, are the catalyst for Liverpool’s form as significantly as Liverpool’s other players are the catalyst for theirs.
Lucas and Spearing: Letting these guys take the glory because February 2011
Carrying and Playing the Piano
It practically appears amazing that they, and Lucas specially, were as soon as observed as terrible players by numerous. I feel possibly that people alot these days want to see world class players in every single single position, particularly for those teams which want the title.
But then, Man United are on the very edge of winning the title, with what is arguably their worst squad for years (I use worst quite, really loosely.) Where Madrid have fallen flat on their arse and Man City are only slightly improved from last year for their splashing of cash.
Possibly, as was once said and quoted a lot, individuals should keep in mind that you need people to carry your metaphorical piano and men and women to play your metaphorical piano. Everybody need to not be playing your metaphorical piano at the very same time. As for Spearing and Lucas, they carry the piano really nicely, thank you extremely much.
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