Selection for tomorrow?

As many of us have said Tuesdays display has left the manager with several difficult choices to make with regard to the team selection tomorrow. Regardless of whether the manager was resting his so called star names, or simply dropping out of form players several of the players selected on Tuesday must feel that the display they gave will merit serious consideration for selection on Saturday.

For me the biggest one is Lucas. Now I rate Lucas, I always have. His form last season was patchy and for me that was as much down to injuries as anything. He is a different type of holding midfielder to the way Gerrard plays the role. Gerrard plays more of a deep playmaker role were as Lucas is a player more like Hamman that will shield the back line and retain possession. Lucas was excellent against Madrid, and I dont buy into this ludicrous suggestion by some that this game somehow suits him and that he will look better against the Real Madrids of this world rather than the Newcastles and QPRs.

Gerrard took the role and kept hold of it last season, deservedly so. He has a greater range of passing and is able better than most in the world to deliver a defence splitting longer range pass. This suited us with Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling all interchanging and working the channels Gerrard was the perfect man to play them in. This season we simply havent played that way, for whatever reason. Balotelli doesnt, or isnt making those runs and the formation appears to be stiffling Sterling from doing the same. As a result the ace in Gerrards sleeve has been lost. He doesnt have the legs or the natural instinct to play the role at best defensively and when we are against a team that we are not going to dominate the defence look exposed. Lucas is unlikely to play a forward in from 30 or 40 yards, however he does cover the full backs runs forward, and can break up play for more effectively. More than that he is better at playing the quick short ball and playing in triangles to create space.

For me with the players currently in the side I'd go with Lucas, but you could say I'm biased. I rate the guy and I think hes been given a raw deal this season. I can understand given his form last season that Gerrard deserved to be first choice in that role, with the forwards current fit and available and the formation being deployed it just doesnt suit his strengths.