Football - Liverpool FC: Lucas now winning the star wars with Liverpool supporters

Sep 16 2009 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Football - Liverpool FC: IT may have seemed a minor footnote to a comfortable Liverpool victory, but for Lucas Leiva it was further indication he is winning the battle to be accepted by the Anfield faithful.

As he jogged to take a corner towards the end of the 4-0 win against Burnley on Saturday, a clutch of home supporters rose to salute the Brazilian for another impressive performance.

That congregation gradually grew before a sizeable section of the Kop were signalling their appreciation of the midfielder’s efforts.

How times change. It was less than 10 months ago when Lucas was the target of the boo-boys, most notably during the agonising goalless draw at home to Fulham in which the decision of Rafael Benitez not to substitute the 22-year-old was met with jeers from many of the Anfield crowd.

But encouraged by a strong run-in to last season, Lucas has grasped with both hands the opportunity made available by Xabi Alonso’s departure to cement a regular place in central midfield.

The Brazilian has started every game this season – while also earning an international recall – and will line up once again this evening when Liverpool begin their Champions League campaign at home to Hungarian champions Debrecen.

And Lucas, a £6million signing from Gremio in July 2007, believes he has taken strength from those dark days last autumn.

Everybody knows I had a difficult moment last season, especially the game against Fulham, but what happened that day made me stronger physically and mentally,” he says.

“Normally when you play at home you expect good things from your fans. I tried that day to understand the fans. On that occasion Rafa chose me to play with Javier and left Xabi on the bench, when Xabi had been playing really well.

“It wasn’t just me. I didn’t play well but the team didn’t play well and I think people looked on that one change as the reason why, so Lucas playing in Xabi’s place was the key to Liverpool playing bad for some people.

“That is in the past now and in the last game (against Burnley) you could see the fans are really good with me and have been supporting me since the end of last season.

“Although we have lost two games already, it has been a good season for me and hopefully I will keep improving.

“I just want to prove to the fans that I have quality and I will always play with the energy they want to see from me.”

Despite the reservations of some fans and plenty of impatient so-called pundits, Benitez has retained an unshakeable faith in Lucas.

But while admitting it is because of such backing that he is still at Anfield, the player admits there have been times when the manager has been compelled to take him to one side.

“We had some conversations, especially last season after the Fulham game and when I was sent off against Everton in the FA Cup,” says Lucas. “He said I was young and that I have to improve. I knew this.

“Rafa has no problem if he doesn’t like you. He will tell you straight away. But he told me that he believed in me and that I would be a really good player and now I have my chance to prove him right and repay the confidence he has in me.

“If you play bad, Rafa will not kill you but he will tell you where you went wrong and what you can do to improve.

“Even if I play well Rafa has something to say and tells me what I need to improve.

“If it wasn’t for Rafa I don’t think I would be here this season. He told me I was a part of his squad and that he believed in my quality and I had to keep going. He said I am improving a lot and now I am getting my chances.”

Lucas admits he has been hampered by the typical English perception of what a Brazilian footballer should be.

“If you are Brazilian people expect you to be able to perform tricks like Robinho or Ronaldinho all the time,” says the midfielder. “You cannot forget that we also have a good keeper, defenders and midfielders.

“I learnt in Brazil that you don’t have to play like Robinho, you have to focus on your job. Dunga didn’t get forward much when he played but I am learning a lot from him.

“I used to like watching Mauro Silva before, also Gilberto Silva and I watched Stevie a lot because he scored a lot and I used to score a lot in Brazil.

“You cannot compare the style of football, though. In Brazil you have more space to play because the weather is warmer and the games are slower. I had to adapt to the style and the tactics here.”

A test of Lucas’s character and new-found confidence came in the wake of scoring an unfortunate own goal that set Aston Villa on the way to a shock 3-1 win at Anfield last month.

“It was unlucky,” he says. “This kind of thing can happen. Mistakes happen. But mentally I am really strong now and playing for the international team again has given me more confidence. I just need to keep going and if the team keeps winning, everyone is happier.”