Is Lucas Leiva the most underrated DM in Europe?

Lucas has improved tremendously over the last two seasons. His biggest asset is his consistency. He puts in good performances against almost everyone. And then he goes and plays exceptionally against the big teams.

Best. DM. In. The. BPL. Last. Season.

BUMP.

He's back to his BEST

Finally the injury problems are behind him.

He's good but lets not go nuts..... for one thing he didn't have much to do today.

The following weeks and months will determine whether he's back to his best or not.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:He's good but lets not go nuts..... for one thing he didn't have much to do today.

The following weeks and months will determine whether he's back to his best or not.

I'm going to have to agree with Mole here. He was good today, but most of Stoke's attacks went over his head. To be honest, he was playing much more of a CM role. He got on the ball in the opponent's final third much more than usual, and looked for the incisive pass on several occasions. That's a role he can certainly play (and it's closer to the role that got him his Liverpool move), even though it's not the role he's moved into.

Today's was encouraging for Lucas, but it was a far cry from showing me that he's back to his best. Let's wait until we come up against quality opposition trying to play on the ground before making that judgement.

He is a top 5 DM in the world.

and how many DMs are there tbh?

I rate Leiva very highly. Def top 5 DM in the world.

He's a very good player.


More teams would benefit from such a defensive minded player in MF.

cough Arsenal.

Yeah especially Arsenal

1. Bussi
2. Khedira
3. Luiz Gustavo
4. Lucas Leiva
5. DDR

I wouldn't call him WC, If he wouldn't have got injured he would have been WC by now. He is rediscovering his form still, Injuries have hampered his progress at his peak, Hopefully he still has a little more in him.

He is a great player with a potential to be WC. But he is massively underrated, Very few DM's have the same balance of defense and offense as compared to him, By offense i meant the splitting passes, vision etc.

He really has gone from underrated to overrated tbh..Think he's a quality DM anyways but with lots to prove.

Never overrated, He is never mentioned when people talk about DM's.

S wrote:He really has gone from underrated to overrated tbh..Think he's a quality DM anyways but with lots to prove.

No one even rates him nowadays.

If not for that injury two years back, he would've been world class now.

AltoZ wrote:1. Bussi
2. Khedira
3. Luiz Gustavo
4. Lucas Leiva
5. DDR

Biggest insult to De Rossi ever seen.

especially considering khedira isnt a DM and hes number 2 on the list

vanDEEZ wrote:especially considering khedira isnt a DM and hes number 2 on the list

Khedira played DM this pre-season and did great. He's definetly top 5. The best is De Rossi

DDR
Bus
Alonso
martinez
Gustavo
khedira
Bradley

IL Gladiatore wrote:DDR
Bus
Alonso
martinez
Gustavo
khedira
Bradley

Bradley...?
I know I haven't seen a lot of Roma matches recently, but that's hard to imagine. I would say it's more likely that Roma isn't playing with a true DM, and merely playing Bradley as a deep-lying controller. In fact, when I saw them play the MLS All-Stars (hardly a good measure, admittedly), it was far closer to a double-pivot with Bradley and Strootman than Bradley as a "DM".

Some of us have a very liberal definition of what being a DM entails. I would say there are a fair few of us confusing "playing in a deep position" with being a "defensive midfielder".

Case in point, Lampard is playing in the "2" of a 4-2-3-1 today. Is he a DM? Here's a better one: Pirlo plays behind Marchisio/Vidal/Pogba/etc. Is he a DM?

The Lucas of 2011 looked to be maturing into a very good true DM. His injury troubles have retarded his tactical progress. He simply hasn't looked as imperious since. He has played the lone DM role at times, but he's never had the same influence he did in the first half of the 2011-12 season. The hope is that he can get back to that form, but it hasn't happened yet.

My opinion...? As of the end of last season, he looked far more suited to a double pivot with another, more physical, DM. His passing range and intelligence could see him thrive in that role. However, he's being paired with Gerrard, who (for all his wonderful qualities) simply does not fit the aforementioned description. Therefore, Liverpool's midfield hopes rest on Lucas regaining his form sooner rather than later. That's why there is a small contingent of us LFC supporters that are a bit disappointed we didn't pursue cover/competition at DM. While Allen did well before his shoulder injury and subsequent loss of form last season, he's hardly the imperious presence we would need to truly implement a strong, high-pressing scheme.

Case in point, Lampard is playing in the "2" of a 4-2-3-1 today. Is he a DM? Here's a better one: Pirlo plays behind Marchisio/Vidal/Pogba/etc. Is he a DM?

Something that annoys me to no end in this forum.

Some guy was trying to tell me Dembele was a DM the other day ffs

Valkyrja wrote:

vanDEEZ wrote:especially considering khedira isnt a DM and hes number 2 on the list

Khedira played DM this pre-season and did great. He's definetly top 5. The best is De Rossi

first of all im doubting you even watched preseason because though he had a more limited role he definitely wasnt a DM imo in preseason. secondly, according to you it takes a player 2.5 months playing as a DM to earn top 5 DM?


anywho- my original point is that leiva may be considered a top 5 DM but besides busquets, ddr, and martinez... there arent really any top 'true' DMs.

vanDEEZ wrote:

Valkyrja wrote:

vanDEEZ wrote:especially considering khedira isnt a DM and hes number 2 on the list

Khedira played DM this pre-season and did great. He's definetly top 5. The best is De Rossi

first of all im doubting you even watched preseason because though he had a more limited role he definitely wasnt a DM imo in preseason.  secondly, according to you it takes a player 2.5 months playing as a DM to earn top 5 DM?


anywho- my original point is that leiva may be considered a top 5 DM but besides busquets, ddr, and martinez... there arent really any top 'true' DMs.

It's not like he hasn't played a ball winner role before. That was his job in the last 3 seasons.