The last time Liverpool faced Bolton Wanderers, Lucas Leiva was given just a six minute run out towards the end of a convincing 2-0 win for the Reds.
That victory came just over a month ago at the Reebok and though Lucas would settle for the same when the two sides meet again at Anfield today, he is hoping that his recent upsurge in form will be rewarded with a little more time on the pitch.
“I can remember that game well because Dirk Kuyt and Stevie Gerrard both scored good headers,” he recalled.
“Then, when I came on I had a chance to make it 3-0 but I was not able to take it but I was still happy with the result and with the three points that we won - even though I was a bit disappointed that I had not been able to score.
“The result was the most important thing and if we got the same result today I think we would all be happy.”
A lot has happened to Lucas since the last meeting between Liverpool and Bolton, some of it best forgotten and some of it providing much happier memories for the Brazilian.
In the league game that followed Liverpool’s most recent victory over Gary Megson’s side, the Reds faced Fulham at Anfield and in a disappointing draw sections of the home crowd made it quite clear that they were not happy that Rafa Benitez had selected the 21-year-old central midfielder ahead of Xabi Alonso.
If that was a low point for Lucas, his recent performances have provided much more promise with a man of the match display at PSV and a more than decent game in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday being the highlights.
He does not wish to dwell on the bad times though, preferring to look ahead to what he hopes will be even better days in a red shirt.
“I have had some bad times, especially after the game against Fulham,” he admitted.
“But I am trying to improve with every game and even though I thought I made some mistakes against Arsenal I thought that I did okay.
“Hopefully I will be able to show my quality because I want to have a role at this club, especially at a time when we are all fighting so hard to stay at the top of the league.”
On paper, Liverpool’s draw at the Emirates is far from being a bad result, especially as Arsenal had already tasted victory against Man United and Chelsea.
But the way the game panned out, with the Gunners being reduced to ten men and Liverpool being territorially dominant for long passages of play, there is a sense of disappointment they were unable to take all three points.
Lucas readily admits this is the case but knows full well the Anfield outfit cannot afford to take any negative vibes into their latest League game.
“We are disappointed that we did not manage to get all three points against Arsenal because we went there to win,” he said.
“But now we must only think of the next game and focus on Bolton because we cannot change anything.
“Bolton are playing well at the moment andhave had some good results so we know they will be difficult opponents but we are playing at Anfield in front of our fans so will be looking to win.
“This is the first of two games over a few days and if we can take all three points in this one it will give us more confidence when we go to Newcastle on Sunday.
“Like every game, there were positives and negatives about our performance against Arsenal.
“We have to learn from the things that we got wrong and improve on the things that we could have done better but we can also take confidence from what we got right.
“We scored a really good goal and created some other chances while Pepe Reina was not given that much to do so the job we did must have been a good one even if we feel it could still have been better.”
Anyone who was at the Reebok on November 15th would have been stunned had they been told following Liverpool’s comfortable win that the Reds would take just seven points from their next five matches, particularly with fixtures that included home games against Fulham, West Ham and Hull.
But that is exactly what has happened as Rafa Benitez’s men have stumbled, at home especially, with vital points being dropped.
Looking at the season so far as a whole, though, gives Lucas belief that Liverpool have fully earned their right to be there or thereabouts at the top of the league and that they are there on merit.
“We have shown quality,” he said. “You cannot be towards the top of the league having played so many games unless you have done this.
“After 18 games we have lost only once and this proves that we are difficult to beat.
“We would have liked to have won more games and got even more points but we cannot be too disappointed because we are competing at the top of the table and that is where we want to be.
“Obviously, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal and now Aston Villa are all up there with us but we have to be confident in our chances and believe in ourselves.”
If they are to continue to fight it out at the top, Liverpool’s recent home form must improve dramatically and Lucas is hoping that the testing Christmas period will get off to the best possible start with a win over Bolton.
He said: “Having just one day to recover between games is not ideal but it is a tradition in this country and I know that it is something that the fans enjoy.
“All we can do now is focus on Bolton then think about Newcastle once that is out of the way.
“We have drawn our last three games at home against Fulham, West Ham and Hull so we know that we need to get back to winning ways at home.
“But Bolton will come to Anfield and try to make things difficult for us so we must be ready for them and do everything we can to get the three points.
“We are waiting for a win at home because Anfield is such a special place for everyone at Liverpool – the fans, the coaching staff and the players.
“We know it will help our chances of staying at the top if we make Anfield an even more difficult place for teams. That is what we will be trying to do.”
That victory came just over a month ago at the Reebok and though Lucas would settle for the same when the two sides meet again at Anfield today, he is hoping that his recent upsurge in form will be rewarded with a little more time on the pitch.
“I can remember that game well because Dirk Kuyt and Stevie Gerrard both scored good headers,” he recalled.
“Then, when I came on I had a chance to make it 3-0 but I was not able to take it but I was still happy with the result and with the three points that we won - even though I was a bit disappointed that I had not been able to score.
“The result was the most important thing and if we got the same result today I think we would all be happy.”
A lot has happened to Lucas since the last meeting between Liverpool and Bolton, some of it best forgotten and some of it providing much happier memories for the Brazilian.
In the league game that followed Liverpool’s most recent victory over Gary Megson’s side, the Reds faced Fulham at Anfield and in a disappointing draw sections of the home crowd made it quite clear that they were not happy that Rafa Benitez had selected the 21-year-old central midfielder ahead of Xabi Alonso.
If that was a low point for Lucas, his recent performances have provided much more promise with a man of the match display at PSV and a more than decent game in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday being the highlights.
He does not wish to dwell on the bad times though, preferring to look ahead to what he hopes will be even better days in a red shirt.
“I have had some bad times, especially after the game against Fulham,” he admitted.
“But I am trying to improve with every game and even though I thought I made some mistakes against Arsenal I thought that I did okay.
“Hopefully I will be able to show my quality because I want to have a role at this club, especially at a time when we are all fighting so hard to stay at the top of the league.”
On paper, Liverpool’s draw at the Emirates is far from being a bad result, especially as Arsenal had already tasted victory against Man United and Chelsea.
But the way the game panned out, with the Gunners being reduced to ten men and Liverpool being territorially dominant for long passages of play, there is a sense of disappointment they were unable to take all three points.
Lucas readily admits this is the case but knows full well the Anfield outfit cannot afford to take any negative vibes into their latest League game.
“We are disappointed that we did not manage to get all three points against Arsenal because we went there to win,” he said.
“But now we must only think of the next game and focus on Bolton because we cannot change anything.
“Bolton are playing well at the moment andhave had some good results so we know they will be difficult opponents but we are playing at Anfield in front of our fans so will be looking to win.
“This is the first of two games over a few days and if we can take all three points in this one it will give us more confidence when we go to Newcastle on Sunday.
“Like every game, there were positives and negatives about our performance against Arsenal.
“We have to learn from the things that we got wrong and improve on the things that we could have done better but we can also take confidence from what we got right.
“We scored a really good goal and created some other chances while Pepe Reina was not given that much to do so the job we did must have been a good one even if we feel it could still have been better.”
Anyone who was at the Reebok on November 15th would have been stunned had they been told following Liverpool’s comfortable win that the Reds would take just seven points from their next five matches, particularly with fixtures that included home games against Fulham, West Ham and Hull.
But that is exactly what has happened as Rafa Benitez’s men have stumbled, at home especially, with vital points being dropped.
Looking at the season so far as a whole, though, gives Lucas belief that Liverpool have fully earned their right to be there or thereabouts at the top of the league and that they are there on merit.
“We have shown quality,” he said. “You cannot be towards the top of the league having played so many games unless you have done this.
“After 18 games we have lost only once and this proves that we are difficult to beat.
“We would have liked to have won more games and got even more points but we cannot be too disappointed because we are competing at the top of the table and that is where we want to be.
“Obviously, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal and now Aston Villa are all up there with us but we have to be confident in our chances and believe in ourselves.”
If they are to continue to fight it out at the top, Liverpool’s recent home form must improve dramatically and Lucas is hoping that the testing Christmas period will get off to the best possible start with a win over Bolton.
He said: “Having just one day to recover between games is not ideal but it is a tradition in this country and I know that it is something that the fans enjoy.
“All we can do now is focus on Bolton then think about Newcastle once that is out of the way.
“We have drawn our last three games at home against Fulham, West Ham and Hull so we know that we need to get back to winning ways at home.
“But Bolton will come to Anfield and try to make things difficult for us so we must be ready for them and do everything we can to get the three points.
“We are waiting for a win at home because Anfield is such a special place for everyone at Liverpool – the fans, the coaching staff and the players.
“We know it will help our chances of staying at the top if we make Anfield an even more difficult place for teams. That is what we will be trying to do.”
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