Topic: Lucas was out for the season

[Lemieux]

Let's just hope and pray that he fully recovers and has a long career ahead of him.

[Carlos: Very Kickable]

can we change the title of the thread, its a new season, lets not jinx it

Wont we be jinxing it by saying he will definitely be playing this season?

[DG]

I dreamt tonight that he made his comeback in the 45th minute for Henderson and he was amazing. 

[Nessy76]

Wont we be jinxing it by saying he will definitely be playing this season?

Yes.
Except, of course, that that is utter horseshit.

[stevie_legend_g]

Lucas Leiva ‏@LucasLeiva87
Last week of treatment and training then have a break for a week to recharge and back to Liverpool fresh .

Big grin on my face 

[RedinExeter]

With the fixtures we've been given, this man needs to be 100% for the beginning of the season.

[spider-neil]

Lucas Leiva ‏@LucasLeiva87
Last week of treatment and training then have a break for a week to recharge and back to Liverpool fresh .

Big grin on my face 

YAY!

[Cpt_Reina]

No expert but it seems to me that if a player's to have a reoccurrence of a knee injury it usually happens fairly early on when they return?

Hopefully Lucas can navigate his way through pre-season without that happening.

[Cid]

I still cant understand why we didn't sign any cover for him in January.
My favorite player in the squad without a doubt. Lucas is boss.

Either the management decided we didn't need cover or the owners refused to put up any funds.  For me the lack of signings in January is what killed our season and led to Kenny being sacked.  I guess we'll never know who was responsible, but it could be that a swathe of silly, expensive signings lost Kenny the owner's faith even that early on.

[scared_person]

With the fixtures we've been given, this man needs to be 100% for the beginning of the season.

Disagree. Lucas recovering properly is more important to us that the first few games if the season. We need to ease him in to make sure he comes back 100%. I don't want us to take any risks with him, and I think it'll be a few months before we see him return to his level before the injury.

Basically I think it's a mistake if we are relying on him at the start of the season.

[Sangria]

Disagree. Lucas recovering properly is more important to us that the first few games if the season. We need to ease him in to make sure he comes back 100%. I don't want us to take any risks with him, and I think it'll be a few months before we see him return to his level before the injury.

Basically I think it's a mistake if we are relying on him at the start of the season.

Plan for him to be fully fit by Christmas, and call it an early Christmas if he surprises us. Strengthen the holding area. Then strengthen it a bit more.

[OneTouchFooty]

Another 6 months before he plays a game? Think he'll be back well before that.

[Alex7]

Plan for him to be fully fit by Christmas, and call it an early Christmas if he surprises us. Strengthen the holding area. Then strengthen it a bit more.

Christmas? Are you serious?

[rocco]

Christmas? Are you serious?

Could be if we're over cautious with Lucas

Essien got injured at the start of July and came back in jan but only played 9 games from jan last season

[Alex7]

Could be if we're over cautious with Lucas

He has already begun individual training, no? There is no reason he won't be playing in September at the absolute latest.

[Danny_]

He has already begun individual training, no? There is no reason he won't be playing in September at the absolute latest.

Well, this confirms that we need to buy a DM this summer.  I thought he was supposed to be back for the start of the season.  Hopefully, he hasn't had a set-back.

[rocco]

He has already begun individual training, no? There is no reason he won't be playing in September at the absolute latest.

Essien got injured at the start of July and came back in jan but only played 9 games from jan last season and I think most were sub appearances

[Chavvie]

Considering Lucas' tweet seemed completely positive, how some of you have concluded he won't be back till xmas and that we need to buy a replacement is batshit mental.

[Cadno]

Well, this confirms that we need to buy a DM this summer.  I thought he was supposed to be back for the start of the season.  Hopefully, he hasn't had a set-back.

@LucasLeiva87: Last week of treatment and training then have a break for a week to recharge and back to Liverpool fresh .

He only said that yesterday,  sounds to me like he expects to take full part in pre season, which with no unforeseen problems should see him start the season fresh

[higuaintolfc]

He was injured in November, that's 7 months ago, I'm sure he'll be ready come August, at least for the bench anyway.

[Alex7]

Essien got injured at the start of July and came back in jan but only played 9 games from jan last season and I think most were sub appearances

He has a history of similar injuries, and was fully fit for the majority of that time, he just couldn't get into the team. Also, July - January is only 6 months.. Lucas has been out for 7 already.

There is absolutely no reason to believe he will not be back come the beginning of the season. Everything has been positive.

[rkgriffin]

There is a difference between being able to play and being fully fit physically and mentally.  I blew out my ACL and it took 2 years before I felt 100%.  Of course Lucas is most likely mentally stronger than me and has better medical options but even pros take a full 12 months before they are back to their 100%.

So for those saying Decemberish they are not too far off.  Anyone that expects him to boss City in August in dreaming.  Would be completely unfair to the lad.  If we do not buy a solid DM we are fools. 

[Cybertom]

It's not about not being positive, it's about managing his injury and not recreating the mess that got him there in the first place. He doesn't need to play every game, keep him fit for the league games primarily and he'll be fine. That does mean we need cover at DM for the cup competitions.

[RJH]

Considering Lucas' tweet seemed completely positive, how some of you have concluded he won't be back till xmas and that we need to buy a replacement is batshit mental.

I think the point isn't that we shouldn't expect him to not be back until Christmas. But we should plan as if that's what's going to happen.
We need back-up/an alternative to Lucas.
Even if he was already completely fit, we'd still need to buy someone who can play in that position.

It's a problem we've had for two seasons, since Mascherano left. We got away with it in 10/11, we weren't so lucky last season.
Assuming that Lucas is going to be fine all season and that we don't need to strengthen in that position would be foolish.

[dast18]

I think the point isn't that we shouldn't expect him to not be back until Christmas. But we should plan as if that's what's going to happen.
We need back-up/an alternative to Lucas.
Even if he was already completely fit, we'd still need to buy someone who can play in that position.

It's a problem we've had for two seasons, since Mascherano left. We got away with it in 10/11, we weren't so lucky last season.
Assuming that Lucas is going to be fine all season and that we don't need to strengthen in that position would be foolish.

Spot on.

[steveeastend]

It will take him some time to get back on full strength. He needs games, a lot of them and it will take him probably the entire season to be back on full strength on a regular basis.

[AJL]

Best 'new signing' of the summer !

[danwms]

Best 'new signing' of the summer !

Yep, Can not wait to see him playing again.

[redgriffin73]

Best 'new signing' of the summer !

This. Desperate to see him on the pitch again.

[kcbworth]

Not sure when Lucas was really recovered, but fingers crossed our fitness team has him 100% and better that ever asap.

[Nessy76]

Considering Lucas' tweet seemed completely positive, how some of you have concluded he won't be back till xmas and that we need to buy a replacement is batshit mental.

We need cover, that's perfectly obvious. He's back training, so hopefully he'll be ok to be involved by September, but it could be a long time, if ever, before he's back to his best, that's the nature of the injury. If he's lost a bit of pace, he'll need to adjust his game accordingly. That takes time. "Won't be back till xmas" is probably pushing it, but he might well not be back to his best at the start of the season, that's not negative, just realistic based on other players who have been in similar situations.

[eLToRo]

He has done running and is training with the football.Hes not off on holidays like everyone else.He is generally a fit fella and a good prefessional and with the running he is doing the last month or so I cant understand how someone thinks it will be till christmas.

I predict he will be back at pre season with the rest of them and at a par level of fitness as he isnt injured anymore and has been running the last few weeks.Hopefully ready for start of the season and he said already on twitter that he will be at the us pre season tour so unless we are guna be very careful he will start against west brom

[mercury]

Great news!  Expect him in the team come opening of the season, no less.

But we still need a backup -- or a good plan B without him!

[The Jackal]

There is a difference between being able to play and being fully fit physically and mentally.  I blew out my ACL and it took 2 years before I felt 100%.  Of course Lucas is most likely mentally stronger than me and has better medical options but even pros take a full 12 months before they are back to their 100%.

So for those saying Decemberish they are not too far off.  Anyone that expects him to boss City in August in dreaming.  Would be completely unfair to the lad.  If we do not buy a solid DM we are fools. 

Agree with  this. We need to ease him back in carefully. Players that are brought back from serious knee injury too soon and too quickly can often suffer a reccurrence of the injury, or suffer some other injury becuse they are subconsciously compensating for the injured knee.

We need to buy another DM anyway as we do not have a good enough one in the squad other than Lucas and even if he was fully able to play straight away  then he certainly couldn't play every game in a fixture list that also includes the Uefa Cup games...

[The Flying Pig]

Agree with  this. We need to ease him back in carefully. Players that are brought back from serious knee injury too soon and too quickly can often suffer a reccurrence of the injury, or suffer some other injury becuse they are subconsciously compensating for the injured knee.

We need to buy another DM anyway as we do not have a good enough one in the squad other than Lucas and even if he was fully able to play straight away  then he certainly couldn't play every game in a fixture list that also includes the Uefa Cup games...

Correct,our season went downhill fast when he was injured last year.

[scared_person]

Agree with  this. We need to ease him back in carefully. Players that are brought back from serious knee injury too soon and too quickly can often suffer a reccurrence of the injury, or suffer some other injury becuse they are subconsciously compensating for the injured knee.

We need to buy another DM anyway as we do not have a good enough one in the squad other than Lucas and even if he was fully able to play straight away  then he certainly couldn't play every game in a fixture list that also includes the Uefa Cup games...

At the moment there is a chance he will never be quite the same player again. If we put too much pressure on him too soon and the injury reoccurs then there is almost no chance he will ever be the same again.

Whilst he may be in training again its going to take a while for him to get his body used to playing two games a week again. He will have to slowly build up his game time as the season goes on. I don't think anybody is saying that they don't expect to see him in a red shirt until December, but I certainly don't expect him to be playing every week at his top level until December.

[The Jackal]

At the moment there is a chance he will never be quite the same player again. If we put too much pressure on him too soon and the injury reoccurs then there is almost no chance he will ever be the same again.

Whilst he may be in training again its going to take a while for him to get his body used to playing two games a week again. He will have to slowly build up his game time as the season goes on. I don't think anybody is saying that they don't expect to see him in a red shirt until December, but I certainly don't expect him to be playing every week at his top level until December.

Absoutely. We need to be ultra-careful with him. A back-up DM should be top of our list for incoming transfers. I know people turned their noses up at the idea of Diame, but I think  that kind of signing would've have been good if we are on a budget - free transfer so relatively risk free, possibly be prepared to be a back-up but would get plenty of game time (certainly this season)..

I don't want to get into specific transfer targets on the main board and was just using that as an example (and since he's now gone to West Ham it's not a transfer discussion per se), but I think we certainly should be urgently looking to acquire a DM, whether it be a cheap back-up like Diame or a more long-term acquisition. I see this as our number 1 priority of this transfer window. I hope BR & the technical team looks at it this way too..

[JackLFC5Times]

Ain't nobody that I love better - LUCAS LEIVA He makes me feel this way!!

[Samee]

If Lucas gets back to full fitness and Gerrard carries his Euro form into the new season, we would have one of the strongest midfield pairings in the league.

[Z e u s]

If Lucas gets back to full fitness and Gerrard carries his Euro form into the new season, we would have one of the strongest midfield pairings in the league.