Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has admitted the club found it tough at the top of the league last season.
Lucas revealed that the pressure of the chasing pack has helped the Reds learn how to cope at the top of the league and believes the club have the ability to get back there.
The Brazilian international told Liverpool's official website, "It's difficult when you are at the top to stay there. We were there a long time and that gave us a lot of experience. We can learn from our mistakes. We know we can't give any team a chance.
"The big problem for us last season was drawing games at home. Away we had a good record but at Anfield the teams come to defend more. We have to be patient because we always get chances. We have to take them."
Leiva has scored just three goals for the Anfield outfit and is looking to become more of an attacking influence after the departure of Xabi Alonso.
"We know how important the midfield is for the team. I have the freedom to go forward sometimes. Hopefully I can help in attack as well as in defence," he explained.
"I want to score as many as I can, and of course I want to get more than the three I got last season. It's difficult to say how many you want to score but hopefully I'll improve on last season.
"Sometimes, with the way this team plays, there are good chances for the midfielders to score. Maybe you get chances outside the box, or players like Stevie [Gerrard], Fernando [Torres] and Yossi [Benayoun] make clever movements and open space for you."
Lucas revealed that the pressure of the chasing pack has helped the Reds learn how to cope at the top of the league and believes the club have the ability to get back there.
The Brazilian international told Liverpool's official website, "It's difficult when you are at the top to stay there. We were there a long time and that gave us a lot of experience. We can learn from our mistakes. We know we can't give any team a chance.
"The big problem for us last season was drawing games at home. Away we had a good record but at Anfield the teams come to defend more. We have to be patient because we always get chances. We have to take them."
Leiva has scored just three goals for the Anfield outfit and is looking to become more of an attacking influence after the departure of Xabi Alonso.
"We know how important the midfield is for the team. I have the freedom to go forward sometimes. Hopefully I can help in attack as well as in defence," he explained.
"I want to score as many as I can, and of course I want to get more than the three I got last season. It's difficult to say how many you want to score but hopefully I'll improve on last season.
"Sometimes, with the way this team plays, there are good chances for the midfielders to score. Maybe you get chances outside the box, or players like Stevie [Gerrard], Fernando [Torres] and Yossi [Benayoun] make clever movements and open space for you."
2 comments:
It may be tough to stay at the top but that is something all big clubs must learn to do and live with. Last year's experience should help the team to better manage the pressure and focus on the game. If they can keep calm they will have a succesful season and possibly beating Manchester to the title. If they get nervous I'm afraid they will lose the title race once again.
Liverpool will win this year. Torres will be top scorer!!
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