Fletcher getting carded and then being subbed for Anderson had me out my seat. The midfield opened up when that overpriced idiot Anderson came on, immediately got booked, and started gifting us possession.
Eighteen fucking million they paid for Anderson; when he burst into our area with his Denilson at the airport impression, I shat my pants laughing. Can you imagine Lucas doing that? Leiva's coolness personified - his positioning, control and footballing brain are Brazilian, not his silly Predator swagger.
Well, you are harsh on Anderson. He grew in the streets, football saved him from being one of the best drug deales in Brazil, as he said once. After the famouse goal who brought Gremio back from relegation, he left very quickly, at 17, to Porto, where he shone, really, until he had terrible injury.
you can not compare a street boy like this to Lucas Leiva, upper middle class , decent upbringing, good education, most of the Brasilian footballers did not have these conditions, maybe only Kaka and some few others. Anderson became the best firend of Cristiano Ronaldo who took him to nightclubs ad rich life. Not the best influence for a kid like that. Lucas had a tradition of football in his family, when he was born they had the plane for him, to triumf, in Tennis and than in football. He played in indoor football schools and than he was sent to Some boarding school for young talents in the Interior of Sao Paulo, a kid goes out of his home and rides a bus alone for 8 hours. He did well in the boarding school, but at 14 he asked his parents to return him home, he was offered a place in the base categories of SP no leess, but he did not want to play there. He played htan in the local team of his hometown, Dourados, where Gremio youth team came once to play, they were very much impressed by him and he was invited to Porto Alegre, pass the tests and again left home at 15, to live in the Gremio youth Academy. He was so lonsome at first that he asked his parents to come and take him home. They came, stayed 4-5 days and persuaded him to continue. Soon he was he captain of all the youth categories he played it, and also played in all the base caegories of Brazil NT.
He had this privilage Anderson fought for survival, in the streets, and took also care of his mother. His friends were some thieves adn drug dealers.. He had an ambition to be something else. He choose football, he lived not far from the Gremio stadium. When he was 15 he negotiated his contract with the Gremio management. at 17, he did it with Porto. While Lucas, the kid of the light, left it to his agent..Anderson was more admired in Gremio, they called him "andershow" He really went out early, because of the money, he himself admitted. He bought himself a penthouse that looked to the Olimpico Gremio Stadium, a Ferrary.. He was still a minor.. but if you grow up in such an environment, he was born adult. He actually permitted himself to be a kid after he had the money to buy all this.
While Lucas mastered his English soon enought, Anderson befriended CR and Nani and soon spoke Portuguese in Portugues accent (Not Brasilian) On the pitch he was reckless, did not respect any senior players, remember how he confronted Gerrard in a game?? in Lucas and Anderson first year.
Lucas was a late bloomer if you compare him to Anderson, but today Lucas is much more appreciated, as Anderson suffered f some bad injuries . Nevertheless, Ferguson rates his courage, street wisdom, he gave him a very good new contract for another 5 years, while our Lucas is still awaiting
As for his price, it was because Lucas came directly from Gremio while Anderson has been in Porto and has some good CL experience until the terrible injury. Also as i said Anderson is a shrewd negotiator. Inspite of all his shortcomings, I like him, I think he will mature and be a good player. He is only 22.
Today in the game I wanted Anderson in our side, he knows how to advance to score, he almost scored a goal in the same way as he did in tha famous game of Gremio, but Kelly did not let him.
BTW, unlike Anderson, when lucas was advanced to the first team by Mano he did not buy penthouse and Ferrary or Armany clothes/ He bought some cattle to the family ranch..and an apartment where he lived shortly after with Ariane , now his wife. A solid eficient BMW was for him..gray or dark blue, not red..