Leiva: Tough moments strenghten me
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Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is backing oft-derided midfielder Lucas Leiva to make a dramatic improvement this season, and help plug the gap left by the departure of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid.
The 22-year-old scored in the weekend's 2-1 friendly defeat to Atletico Madrid, and Benitez has been impressed with the midfielder's performances in the Reds' pre-season programme.
Alberto Aquilani has signed for the Anfield outfit from Roma in recent days but, as he will be sidelined for another month or two as he recovers from an ankle injury, Benitez knows that players already at the club must fill the gap left by Alonso when the season begins in earnest at the weekend.
"Lucas has been the best player in pre-season. He showed why again against Atletico. He is really focused, working hard and is showing quality," Benitez told The Independent."He knows Aquilani will need time. When we decided to bring in Aquilani we knew he would be out for one month or so, so we analysed the squad and we think that with Javier Mascherano, Lucas, Steven Gerrard and Damien Plessis we have enough (strength in depth)."
The player himself remains keen to impress after a difficult season last year in which he found himself the target of substantial criticism from the Anfield faithful and beyond, adding, "I want to play every week but I know Liverpool have a strong squad. I just have to wait and respect whatever decisions Rafa makes."
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He cant replace Alonso. What is Benitez thinking?
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Ah Ben constantly made stupid mistakes every season.
Sissoko is one of them.
Lucas have already shown that he cannot make it.
We dun have to re-learn the mistake again.
He have only one more season to prove himself.
Or else it is welcome, Jose.
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I am keeping my fingers.. toes... eyes cross for this faith.
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as a manager, he did the rite ting...verbally! at least he's showing some form in pre-season, so give him a chance....until the new chap is ready!
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Yah, maybe now with Alonso gone, Lucas will get more playing time and don't have to worry about being in anybody's shadow.
Who knows?
Surprise of the new season?
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Lucas Leiva believes he is ready to come of age in a Liverpool jersey and secure a dream double in 2009-10.
The 22-year-old has been the star of pre-season according to boss Rafa Benitez, but his fine form wasn't enough to earn a place in the Brazil squad to face Estonia this week.
However, Lucas is hopeful his continued improvement will soon secure a first trophy in England AND a ticket to next summer's World Cup.
"It's one year from the World Cup and I have the target of being in the squad. I also have the target of playing more games at Liverpool. It could be a really good year for me," the No.21 told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"It's the first full pre-season I've been able to do in England so this has given me more confidence and fitness.
"When you play at a club like Liverpool you have to think about trophies because we're one of the biggest clubs in the world. I am looking forward to doing it this season.
"My first title in Europe would be great. When you are young you want to make history and I am here to try and help Liverpool Football Club create more history."
Lucas's growing confidence was boosted by a late Kop end goal against Atletico Madrid at the weekend - but the Brazilian knows he can't afford to rest on his laurels following the arrival of Italy international Alberto Aquilani.The new boy has already shone on the European and international stage and will be desperate to impress once his rehabilitation from an ankle injury is complete.
"I've watched some games he's played, and I especially remember him against Real Madrid in the Champions League," said Lucas. "He did really well and I think he can be a really good player for us.
"He is injured now but we're waiting for him to come back. We need the whole squad because we play a lot of games."
Lucas's claim for a first-team place was bolstered by the assertion from Benitez last weekend that he was Liverpool's "best player" during pre-season.
These words came as a welcome boost to the man himself.
"It made me feel really good," he said. "But pre-season is the time for getting fitness and now the competition starts. The Premier League is an important competition for us, and yes, now I have confidence and I'm happy, but I have to keep the same level and try to improve all the time.
"It's been a really good summer. After the break I have played a lot of games and now I feel much better.
"I think this can be a big season for me. I'm in my third season. My first two were good but they were not perfect. Now I hope to play more games and have some more opportunities, but keeping in the team will depend on my performances.
"When you don't have confidence, you can't do anything. That's not just in football, it's in life. Now I feel better, I've forgotten the last seasons and I'm focused on being one of the 11 starters.
"It's a new season, a new squad. Some players have left, some have come in. As a squad we have to learn from our mistakes and I also try to do this." -
dun tink can
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....so far so good?! ============================================================ He has provoked more public outrage from Rafael BenÃtez this season than an American performing a vanishing trick with Liverpool's transfer budget and yet, despite a mild and inoffensive nature, Lucas Leiva is relishing being the centre of a furious debate. The much-maligned Brazilian knows his opportunity to change preconceptions has arrived, two years after his £6m transfer from Grêmio. The 22-year-old has been thrust into the argument over Xabi Alonso's sale to Real Madrid due to the fact that, in the absence of the injured Alberto Aquilani, he is BenÃtez's choice to plug the gap in the Liverpool midfield. His response against Stoke City, and even in defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, has been impressive. BenÃtez identified Lucas as Liverpool's best player in pre-season and one of only three – along with José Reina and Glen Johnson – to meet the standard required at White Hart Lane. Hence the Spaniard's anger at the pundits who pinpointed the departure of Alonso and the promotion of Lucas as the reasons for that defeat. Lucas will never be a like-for-like replacemement for Alonso, but until Aquilani is available it is up to the Brazil international to postpone the inquest into the merits of that transfer deal, arguably another reason why BenÃtez is so protective of his signing. "It is a chance for me now, but we hope Alberto will be back soon," Lucas said. "We have a lot of games this season and we need all of the squad fit and ready to play. I'm playing well and training well, doing things in the right way, so now I just have to keep going. Every time I speak to someone they always ask how I am playing, but when the team play well it helps everyone and I'm the same. I'm just trying to do my best for the team. I want to do well for myself, but the first thing is to help the team win games." Lucas admits, however, that he has had to improve mentally this season following a fraught start to his Anfield career. The midfielder said: "Back in Brazil everything seemed to progress perfectly for me. I played well, scored goals and won titles. Since I moved to Liverpool I've had some difficult moments, but I think those experiences can help me. They have made me mentally stronger. Also, I've done plenty of work in pre-season, I'm better able to cope with the physical side of the game here. I think I'll be able to get forward more and believe I can have a good year and help us challenge for the title again."
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Lucas Leiva believes he has become stronger because of 'difficult moments' endured in his first two seasons at Liverpool.
The 22-year-old struggled to nail down a regular first-team place after arriving from Gremio in 2007 - but he is finally establishing himself as a Premier League star in 2009-10 following an impressive pre-season.
Brazil boss Dunga this week rewarded the midfielder with a place in his squad for World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Javier Mascherano's Argentina.
On his change of fortunes, Lucas said: "Back in Brazil everything seemed to progress perfectly from when I was a kid.
"I played well, scored goals and won titles - it was easy. When I moved to Liverpool it was suddenly different and I've had some difficult moments. However, these experiences can help me. They have made me stronger.
"I realised I had to be stronger. I've done plenty of work in pre-season so I'm better able to cope with the physical side of the game here."
Glen Johnson might have hogged the headlines following a stunning display in the 4-0 victory over Stoke, but Rafa Benitez was equally as delighted with his Brazilian youngster's confident display.
Lucas added: "Rafa has told me to play further forward, especially against teams like Stoke. Against sides that defend a lot he said to me to play a little bit higher.
"When Javier can get the ball and I can get forward more often, it gives me the chance to attack as much as I can. Playing higher up is the key to beating teams who just come to Anfield to defend.
"Now, I think I'll be able to get forward more and believe I can have a good year and help us challenge for the title again.
"I feel stronger. I'm playing well and I'm enjoying it here. I hope that continues."