Lucas for me is 'the' most important member of our squad now. He's in same category as Gerrard, Torres, Pepe, Agger and Raul.
Category 'A':
Gerrard, Torres, Pepe, Lucas, Raul, Agger, Aquilani
Category 'B':
Johnson, Skrtel, Kuyt, Cole
Category 'C':
Carra, Soto, Aurelio, Insua, Maxi, Ngog
Category 'D':
Poulsen, Konchesky, Roy Hodgson
Youngsters (No Category required, some can slot straight into 'B' category):
Wilson, Jonjo, Spearing, Kelly, Pacheco
A: Gerrard, Torres, Reina, Carragher, Agger.
B: Meireles, Cole, Kuyt, Johnson, Skrtel.
C: Maxi, N'Gog, Lucas, Kyrgiakos.
D: Poulsen, Konchesky, Insua, Spearing, Aurelio, Jones.
X: Wilson, Shelvey, Pacheco, Eccleston, Aquilani.
I'd still have Carragher as a top bracket player for his leadership, organisation and never-say-die defending.
I'd have Aquilani in the unclassified as he's never had a proper chance here and is out on loan.
Maxi is too inconsistent to be B and Joe Cole is surely good enough to be in that bracket, possibly A, despite his slow start.
Meireles could be a top bracket if he keeps up the good progress. Kuyt's lack of goals and assists keeps him in the B despite his non-stop hard work. N'Gog and Lucas just aren't regular material for me and are a sign of our recent times. I don't agree with the praise being heaped on Lucas, but I think he has improved steadily and would like to see him continue to do so and prove me wrong by actually being as good as people are claiming. Kyrgiakos is still a C for me as he is erratic and not really up to it despite his swashbuckling performances.
Konchesky and Poulsen are as about as good on the field as Hodgson is with tactics and are direct representatives of him on the pitch.