Lucas Leiva Return Adds Liverpool Physicality in Race for Champions League Spot
Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has declared himself at full fitness this week after returning from injury, and his arrival will add a much-needed physicality to the Reds in their race for Champions League qualification this season.
Lucas spoke to the club's official website, claiming: "I feel great."
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"Leading up to the Manchester United game I had a full week of training as well, so it's been two weeks of full training. I was available for the Manchester United game, but probably wasn't able to play the whole game," Lucas continued, adding: "Now I feel 100 per cent.
"Leading into the Arsenal game...I will have had three full weeks of training and I'm looking forward to it."
Lucas hasn't featured for Liverpool since suffering a groin injury in February's 0-0 draw with Everton.
Brendan Rodgers takes his Reds side to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday to take on top-four rivals Arsenal in what is a must-win clash.
After a disappointing loss to fellow Champions League hopefuls United in their last league game, Rodgers will no doubt be glad to be able to call on the physical Lucas to boost his chances.
Lucas Leiva
After a stuttered start, Lucas became a key first-team fixture for Rodgers earlier this season, and the No. 21 represents Liverpool's most adept defensive-midfield option.
Lucas has so far made 14 appearances in the Premier League, as well as appearing as one of few positives in four of the Reds' ill-fated Champions League encounters earlier in the season.
The 28-year-old's qualities have been central to the success of Rodgers' 3-4-2-1 formation.
Andy Hunter of the Guardian relayed words from the manager earlier this season, on the role of Lucas in this system:
"When you change, not the style, but the system, it requires different things and when you need a defensive midfielder Lucas has come in and done that job well. The two central midfielders have been vital for us because it requires a lot of work for them both. It requires Lucas and Jordan [Henderson] or whoever is in there having to fan out to wide areas of the field to block while others were covering.
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Perhaps most importantly, Rodgers highlighted: "That gives the flair and creative players the chance to play."
With Lucas in the side, Liverpool's attacking players have thrived, owing to his discipline in a limited defensive game:
| Games | Goals | Goals per Game | ||
| With Lucas Starting | 13 | 21 | 1.62 | |
| Without Lucas Starting | 17 | 23 | 1.35 | |
In terms of the Liverpool squad, no player has averaged more successful tackles per game than Lucas' 4.1, while only Javier Manquillo (2.2) and Martin Skrtel (1.9) have made more successful interceptions.
Furthermore, one of Lucas' regularly overlooked attributes is his ability in the air, and he has won 1.9 aerial duels on average per league game this season, more than any other Liverpool midfielder and behind only centre-backs Skrtel (3.6), Dejan Lovren (3.3) and Mamadou Sakho (2.4).
Lucas is also one of Liverpool's most important players in possession, averaging the third most passes per league game this season, with 55.7, behind only Henderson (58.3) and Sakho (57.3); much like United's Michael Carrick, Lucas serves as a diligent, metronomic passing outlet.
Lucas described himself during this run of form as "in a very good moment, probably the best moment in the last couple of years."
Now returning, Rodgers will hope this can continue.
Suspensions
Lucas' return is particularly timely, given suspensions to two important first-team players: Skrtel and Steven Gerrard.
"Martin is having a fantastic season again. He has been a very consistent player for us and losing him and Stevie is hard to take but if you want to be successful you can't rely on one or two players," Lucas opined on the situation.
"Both are very important players for us as one can change a game and the other gives us stability at the back, but we have other players as well who can step in," he continued. "It's always been the case for the group that if someone gets injured then someone will step in and do the job."
"That's how it should be and we shouldn't be afraid we don't have them."
With Gerrard playing a somewhat bit-part role since the turn of 2015, the absence of Skrtel—suspended, as reported by The Football Association's official website, for three games due for violent conduct—will be felt most harshly.
Skrtel has served as Rodgers' sweeper in the 3-4-2-1, operating between fellow centre-backs Sakho and Emre Can, mopping up loose balls, making vital clearances and adding a vital physicality.
With Skrtel suspended, one of Lovren or Kolo Toure can be expected to take his place.
While both are able deputies for the 30-year-old, neither can fully cater for his strength, perception or aerial prowess.
Lucas has proven an indispensable shield for the back line this season, as Liverpool's rate of goal concessions with and without him has proven:
| Games | Goals Conceded | Goals Conceded per Game | ||
| With Lucas | 14 | 11 | 0.79 | |
| Without Lucas | 16 | 21 | 1.31 | |
With Skrtel out against Arsenal, and for the following two games, Lucas' physicality can serve as a comfort blanket for either Lovren or Toure as his replacement, or the relatively inexperienced Can if he is selected to shift inside.
Arsenal
After Liverpool's 2-0 win at home to Burnley in March, Rodgers looked ahead with positivity to his side's remaining 10 league fixtures, as relayed by the Press Association (h/t This is Anfield).
"Over the last three months the games have been coming thick and fast but the players have stood up to that and now we have 10 league games to go and it is a period of the season we will look forward to," Rodgers said.
"We have put ourselves in a very good position. At this moment in time we are at a good level and we will continue with that."
As he plotted Liverpool's success over these 10 games in achieving a top-four finish and Champions League qualification, he will likely have earmarked the games against United and Arsenal as the most important.
With May's visit to Chelsea's Stamford Bridge representing the only other true top-four clash, and the Blues firmly cemented as title favourites, wins against United and Arsenal were imperative.
Having relinquished defeat at home to United, the trip to Arsenal now becomes crucial.
One major flaw in Liverpool's loss to United was their feeble presence in midfield—Joe Allen has proved his quality alongside Henderson in midfield of late, particularly in the Reds' 2-1 win over Manchester City, but he was dominated by Marouane Fellaini at Anfield.
Fellaini won a phenomenal 11 aerial duels, as well as making four successful tackles.
While Arsenal don't possess a midfielder with the physique of Fellaini, centre-forward Olivier Giroud poses a similar physical and aerial threat, while Lucas' counterpart, Francis Coquelin, has added a much-needed aggression to Arsene Wenger's midfield.
On this occasion, Rodgers may be wise to opt for Lucas over Allen.
With Lucas Leiva returning and "100 per cent" fit for Liverpool's must-win top-four clash away to Arsenal on Saturday, Brendan Rodgers must harness the midfielder's physicality as he looks to gain an important foothold in the Reds' race for a Champions League spot this season.
Statistics via Squawka.com and WhoScored.com.
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