Source: Team_Talk
Lucas a key player for Reds - Hodgson
iverpool boss Roy Hodgson has backed his much-criticised summer signings to come good - and outlined Lucas a key performer for the Reds.[LNB] The Brazil international was one of the club's most derided players of recent seasons after suffering a couple of years of unfair criticism.[LNB]However Lucas, still only 23, has grown in stature in a difficult campaign and put in a man-of-the-match performance in Sunday's 2-0 victory over Premier League leaders Chelsea.[LNB]The former Gremio midfielder, harshly compared to Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano - both of whom have now left the club - is starting to put in consistently good displays.[LNB]It was expected the arrival of the experienced Christian Poulsen from Juventus would restrict his first-team appearances but the opposite has been true.[LNB]Hodgson admits the 30-year-old Dane, whose substitution in last week's Europa League win over Napoli was greeted with ironic cheers, has struggled to adapt after moving from Serie A.[LNB]But he believes he and his other summer signings Joe Cole, whose Liverpool career has been interrupted by suspension and injury, and Raul Meireles will play key roles this season.[LNB]"Lucas is a young player and I have to keep being reminded he is not that old and does not have that much experience," said the Reds boss.[LNB]"People clearly marked my card as regards to many players and when I came I knew there was a prejudice against him.[LNB]"I have got to say I don't see what people really found to criticise in him.[LNB]"I can only judge as I find and I find him very hard working, a very diligent player who works hard on his understanding of the game and team performances.[LNB]"Christian Poulsen, who has had a bad start to the season, is to some extent also a victim of prejudice at the moment.[LNB]"I am convinced in both of these players we have really useful players who will serve us to great effect for the rest of the season.[LNB]"Maybe Christian will have to go through a bit of what Lucas went through but I know the players have the quality we are looking for and I know they are going to help us win matches.[LNB]"Raul is a good footballer and was very good in setting up the second goal for Fernando Torres against Chelsea and I think we will get a lot of use out of him.[LNB]"I am quite happy players like him don't necessarily get put totally under the microscope from the day they arrive because even coming from a top team like Porto it takes time to settle.[LNB]"Every player who comes here has to go through that adaptation process."
