Of all the players in Liverpool's squad, Lucas Leiva appears to be most universally respected amongst fans, players, and pundits, and after being hailed as an 'outstanding human' this week by U21s boss Michael Beale, Academy starlet Cameron Brannagan is the latest youngster to sing the praises of the Brazilian midfielder.
Speaking to Sky Sports this week, Brannagan hailed Lucas's 'unbelievable' performances at centre-back, adding:
"Having Lucas in the team is a big boost. He's a great player [and] a top professional who helps the youngsters. We need that and can learn a lot from people like him."
I've made this point before, but it's amusing (and somewhat tragic) to note Lucas's gradual regression from attacker into defender. Lucas arrived at Anfield as one of Brazil's most promising young attacking midfielders, but Liverpool have basically turned him into a creatively bereft workhorse.
Not many teams can lay claim to the dubious honour of converting an attacking Brazilian into a water-carrier, but that's precisely what's happened at LFC.
All's well that ends well, though, right? Not for me. There's just something inherently tragic about the deliberate suppression of creative instinct, and the concomitant failure to realise creative potential.
Over the last nine years, Lucas has moved from attacking midfield, to defensive midfield, and now into central defence. If the natural regression continues, there's only one place left to go (Mignolet beware?)
Like Sami Hyypia (on of my favourite ever LFC players), Lucas is humble, hard-working, and seemingly untouched by the vapid excesses of modern football. He represents everything good about Liverpool FC, and the club need players like that to balance out the shallow greed and rampaging egotism of modern football.
^ Reportedly on £80k-a-week.
Speaking to Sky Sports this week, Brannagan hailed Lucas's 'unbelievable' performances at centre-back, adding:
"Having Lucas in the team is a big boost. He's a great player [and] a top professional who helps the youngsters. We need that and can learn a lot from people like him."
I've made this point before, but it's amusing (and somewhat tragic) to note Lucas's gradual regression from attacker into defender. Lucas arrived at Anfield as one of Brazil's most promising young attacking midfielders, but Liverpool have basically turned him into a creatively bereft workhorse.
Not many teams can lay claim to the dubious honour of converting an attacking Brazilian into a water-carrier, but that's precisely what's happened at LFC.
All's well that ends well, though, right? Not for me. There's just something inherently tragic about the deliberate suppression of creative instinct, and the concomitant failure to realise creative potential.
Over the last nine years, Lucas has moved from attacking midfield, to defensive midfield, and now into central defence. If the natural regression continues, there's only one place left to go (Mignolet beware?)
Like Sami Hyypia (on of my favourite ever LFC players), Lucas is humble, hard-working, and seemingly untouched by the vapid excesses of modern football. He represents everything good about Liverpool FC, and the club need players like that to balance out the shallow greed and rampaging egotism of modern football.
^ Reportedly on £80k-a-week.
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