It's all Lucas's fault!

[Hamfield]

The more I think about this seasons league form, the more I come to conclusion that it is all Lucas's Fault!

A fit Lucas this term and we would of seen much better and consistent performances from Adam, Gerrard, Henderson. You could even include our full backs and wide men in there too.

The shield Lucas has grown to provide allows the likes of Adam and Gerrard to not have to look over thier shoulder. Simply knowing that a holding midfielder of Lucas's quality and discipline is enough to allow our more attack minded players to flourish.

Would we of seen a more direct Enrique, like he was at Newcastle? I think so.

Would of seen more serging runs from Gerrard? I think so.

Would we of seen less of Adam clipping people's heels when chasing back and more of his attacking freedom we saw at Blackpool? I think so.

In short, as soon as you can Lucas, get back in the gym, then back on that training ground.

You have been sorely missed.

[CrisRock]

I have put forward 2 new threads and none of them have seen the light of day. And at least one of them is rated G like this one, where is my thread?

[RossMosh]

Vidic is clearly the reason why Manchester United aren't going to win the title.........Oh wait.

Small club mentality = one player and our season is over.

[VishRed1]

Vidic is clearly the reason why Manchester United aren't going to win the title.........Oh wait.

Small club mentality = one player and our season is over.

We had 80 million to strengthen the squad.

[BearWithMe]

The more I think about this seasons league form, the more I come to conclusion that it is all Lucas's Fault!

A fit Lucas this term and we would of seen much better and consistent performances from Adam, Gerrard, Henderson. You could even include our full backs and wide men in there too.

The shield Lucas has grown to provide allows the likes of Adam and Gerrard to not have to look over thier shoulder. Simply knowing that a holding midfielder of Lucas's quality and discipline is enough to allow our more attack minded players to flourish.

Would we of seen a more direct Enrique, like he was at Newcastle? I think so.

Would of seen more serging runs from Gerrard? I think so.

Would we of seen less of Adam clipping people's heels when chasing back and more of his attacking freedom we saw at Blackpool? I think so.

In short, as soon as you can Lucas, get back in the gym, then back on that training ground.

You have been sorely missed.

very true, but also embarrassing how one man can do this to a club.

[christhered]

We crap infront of goals when Lucas was in the side, this was a disaster waiting to happen, with or without him.

[REDULATE]

We had 80 million to strengthen the squad.

And rely on a lad who cost £6 million, bought by Rafa.

**** I miss that man, hope he's here next season.

[HashtAgger]

Vidic is clearly the reason why Manchester United aren't going to win the title.........Oh wait.

Small club mentality = one player and our season is over.

Think here is your answer.

it shouldn't be allowed that the injury to one player determines the outcome of the season, but I fear his injury plays a big part in the bad performances.

in some way it's a good thing that it did happen, making absolutely clear there is still a lot of work to be done!!

[FootballScouser]

It was all Agger's fault. When we were playing with Agger and Skirtel, our defence was at least the second best in
EPL and at that period of time. We played some good football and got some good results (including winning the League Cup), but we started to struggle in the defence after his injury. This story told us that we have to buy a new ball using CB to replace Agger in summer because he was too injury prone.

[RedSkirttles]

With the lack of good players we have he is certainly a large contributing factor to our downfall. The midfield is terrible without him and he was always saving peoples as***

[Jesal]

Lucas' injury was a completely freak one-off. Unpredictable. Agree there wasn't proper back up and we should have brought someone in January time.

Now basing a defence around Agger is a different matter.

[RossMosh]

Lucas' injury was a completely freak one-off. Unpredictable. Agree there wasn't proper back up and we should have brought someone in January time.

Now basing a defence around Agger is a different matter.

The injury was a freak injury. Him getting injured is totally realistic.

This is why I always chuckle when people focus on the starting XI and pretend like the 7 players on the bench aren't just as important.

[grudge]

The more I think about this seasons league form, the more I come to conclusion that it is all Lucas's Fault!

A fit Lucas this term and we would of seen much better and consistent performances from Adam, Gerrard, Henderson. You could even include our full backs and wide men in there too.

The shield Lucas has grown to provide allows the likes of Adam and Gerrard to not have to look over thier shoulder. Simply knowing that a holding midfielder of Lucas's quality and discipline is enough to allow our more attack minded players to flourish.

Would we of seen a more direct Enrique, like he was at Newcastle? I think so.

Would of seen more serging runs from Gerrard? I think so.

Would we of seen less of Adam clipping people's heels when chasing back and more of his attacking freedom we saw at Blackpool? I think so.

In short, as soon as you can Lucas, get back in the gym, then back on that training ground.

You have been sorely missed.

It's not Lucas's fault it's Kenny's, many of us were saying we needed a defensive midfielder last summer, we went out and bought Henderson and Adam players IMO we just didn't need, at the time we had Meireles, Aquilani and Shelvey.

[Michaeloven]

is lassana diarra a realistic option?

Knee injuries are terrible.It remains to be seen if lucas recapture his form before his injury.

Ronaldo de lima was never the same player after his injuries.

[KopKingFromLondon93]

Mate, the worst thing is, it may take him a long time to recapture such form. He was THE best holding midfielder this league had between August til he got injured, and stats prove that.

I just think we need better back up than Spearing.

[KopKingFromLondon93]

It's not Lucas's fault it's Kenny's, many of us were saying we needed a defensive midfielder last summer, we went out and bought Henderson and Adam players IMO we just didn't need, at the time we had Meireles, Aquilani and Shelvey.

lol this is v true.

this could however benfit us in 3 years, im on about the Henderson deal plainly.

If that boy plays CM plain and simply he's one of the best young CM's this country has to offer.

[robertretford]

I think we miss Agger as much as Lucas. As much for his ability to bring the ball out of defense as his defensive duties.

[MrBoywunder]

I think we've missed both Agger & Lucas but also a striker.

[gingeZizou82]

If they had taken that £16m and found a quality DM as a priority rather than spend it on Henderson who shouldn't of been any priority whatsoever they wouldn't be in this mess now.

They just assumed Lucas wouldn't get injured and that lack of planning is their fault.

[-Danny-]

Vidic is clearly the reason why Manchester United aren't going to win the title.........Oh wait.

Small club mentality = one player and our season is over.

Tbf, Utd could still choose between Ferdinand,Jones,Smalling and Evans once Lucas was out we had Spearing and only Spearing.

[RossMosh]

Tbf, Utd could still choose between Ferdinand,Jones,Smalling and Evans once Lucas was out we had Spearing and only Spearing.

That's my point.

Small club mentality = we're the best until we have an injury and then we can't function.

[Ben1986]

Vidic is clearly the reason why Manchester United aren't going to win the title.........Oh wait.

Small club mentality = one player and our season is over.

Has nothing to do with small club mentality.
What will win the them the league is 1 player and that is Paul Scholes.

Same is with Beyern Munich Shwinshtiger everyone in Germany said his injury was bad for their form.

MF player is a key roll we had 2 SG & Lucas missing most of the season.

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[Afterthought]

I agree that we've badly missed Lucas. However, the worrying thing is that I and many other people thought we badly needed a back-up/competition DM for Lucas, because if he got injured we'd be in deep trouble. We didn't get that DM in the summer. A lot of us were panicking once he got injured, and said we badly needed a DM, if only on loan. We didn't get that DM in January.

And look at how it's cost us.

Having said that, Adam was pretty awful with Lucas behind him in many matches, and he made plenty of dreadful challenges (the obvious example is Spurs) (although, granted, he did have some good games with Lucas behind him, which he hasn't since). Lucas isn't superhuman!

We've missed him defensively, both as giving the players in front of him confidence, and for the actual defensive work he does, but where we've really missed Lucas is going forward. He gives us a far better tempo than anyone else in that midfield (including Stevie) when in possession of the football.

The other area he's been sorely missed in is mentality. This is a guy who was getting booed by his own fans (the supposed best in the world), and yet kept going through that to become one of our most important players - he is very strong mentally. Too many of our other players allow their heads to be dropped easily.