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The decision to welcome offers for Lucas Leiva says just as much about Liverpool’s future as it does that of the Brazilian.

Brendan Rodgers clearly believes there is no need for a dedicated defensive midfielder in his squad any more.

If Lucas leaves, I wouldn’t expect Rodgers to move for a replacement. It would seem a little pointless, really. Why not actively keep Lucas if that’s the case?

To be honest, I’m a little surprised he is being allowed to depart given the volume of games we may face this season.

Perhaps Rodgers believes that with Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Emre Can jostling for position, he has sufficient options. Then there is Joe Allen.

Clearly, it’s more about what players can do with the ball rather than their destructive qualities.

For that to work, you need a really strong centre-back pairing and a good goalkeeper.

The days of the likes of Claude Makelele being integral to a team are gone.

Look at how Xabi Alonso was utilised in the role during his time at Real Madrid, and you’d hardly say he was a ‘negative’ player.

Okay, there’s Nemanja Matic at Chelsea but he has a bit more to his game than Lucas.

Manchester City have both Fernando and Fernandinho, and at times I struggle to work out what it is they actually bring to the team, particularly when going forward.

Lucas would appear to be the victim of a shift in the way the game is going at present.

And, if you look at Liverpool last season, it wasn’t the defending that was the massive problem – it was the attacking.

We didn’t score enough goals, and maybe Rodgers believes Lucas just doesn’t offer enough in an attacking sense.

The question is: Has Can the discipline to do a job as a defensive midfielder?

Well, he’s German for a start. But Henderson and Milner can also play there and they are intelligent enough footballers.

Maybe it’s none of this, though.

Maybe Lucas is just beyond his peak. He has been a great servant for Liverpool but, in the last few years, has had some serious injuries.

He is a player who needs to be at optimum fitness to be at his best, and it could just be that if you go through what Rodgers needs, Lucas has more crosses than ticks now.

IN PICS: Reds in training ahead of Bournemouth

Reds not too sharp at Stoke - but Bournemouth should be different

My fear Liverpool would be undercooked for the new season did appear well-founded for large periods of the game against Stoke.

We didn't look sharp enough but I was impressed by how the new-look side stood up to the challenge.

Games at the Britannia are always physical affairs and after the tippy-tappy stuff of pre-season it will have done us good to be involved in a genuine contest.

That we emerged with a victory and a clean sheet will do the confidence levels a power of good.

Certainly, the game against Bournemouth on Monday will be a lot different.

They did okay against Aston Villa on the opening day without really troubling the Midlanders.

Bournemouth scored a lot of goals last season and there's little suggestion Eddie Howe is going to change his approach.

And that means Liverpool can expect a lot more open spaces than they did against Stoke.

Howe regularly picked a team with an extra forward player in the Championship and, while that doesn't necessarily mean he'll do the same in the Premier League, it does underline he prefers to go on the attack.

I was at Everton last weekend to see Watford snatch a point. Had Watford had a season in the Premier League, I'd have backed them to hold on for the win.

Newly promoted teams are enthusiastic but struggle in the final half-hour of games because the top flight is so much more intense.

Because of that, the last 30 minutes are going to be crucial for us on Monday. That's when our superior experience and fitness should count.

There is a top centre back in Lovren

I've been consistent in my belief Dejan Lovren can still make it at Liverpool.

There is a top centre-back in there. The player just needs to believe it, and have the manager show faith in him.

Brendan Rodgers plumped for the Croat at Stoke last week and was rewarded with a solid performance.

You sensed throughout pre-season Lovren had jumped ahead of Mamadou Sakho in the pecking order.

Is it harsh on Sakho? Not really. That's just the way it is. The manager makes the call and stands by it.

I don't think Martin Skrtel is the easiest to play alongside because he doesn't communicate often enough for my liking, but the more Skrtel and Lovren play together, the more instinctive their partnership will become.

A regular run in the side for the pairing would help they come on leaps and bounds. If it doesn't, that's when Rodgers may decide to call time on one or both of them.

Joe Gomez did fine on his debut. He had a little bit of a mad five minutes during the match but, at 18, that's going to happen.

Don't forget, he was playing out of position. I'd be amazed if he has played often at left-back, even during his schoolboy career.

Jonathan Walters is a real physical opponent, so it'll be interesting to see how Gomez copes with the more tricky wingers.

Mourinho got it wrong

Jose Mourinho got it completely wrong with his treatment of Chelsea's medical staff this week.

But what it tells me is that he is a frustrated man right now.

Frustrated at the fact he hasn't yet been able to bring in the players he has wanted this transfer window.

And frustrated at the knowledge it will be a far closer title race this season.

And what's more, his rant has also deflected attention away from the fact Chelsea weren't very good against Swansea City last week.