The Skipper

My point was that as Kompany has just come back from injury stuff like this happens which plays into my other point that I just wanted that people should give Luiz some time to get back into the swing of things as he's been out for quite a long time too.

I was at the Bridge against Tottenham last season and particularly kept my eye on Fernando. Honestly, his first half performance was absolutely dreadful work-rate wise. I wanted Rafa to take him off at HT. He's had plenty of other games like that too.

Mata has played a lot recently but can anyone seriously say he's been playing or has been allowed to play as a true number 10? He's been out wide for most of it as well. Versus Stoke when it was him, Schurrle and Hazard it was Schurrle playing at number 10 as a shadow striker and Mourinho had Mata playing on the right wing as an inside forward which is what he's been playing as for the majority of this season. He isn't close to as effective there as he is when given the freedom to be the organiser in attack. I honestly can't believe a player who scored 20 goals and got 30+ assists last season is being marginalised like this, especially when the system we have going on right now isn't as effective either. Oscar at number 10 with the responsibility he's given would work a lot better if we had attacking fullbacks and a decent distributor in the pivot but we don't have the latter and Mourinho refuses to implement the former. The fact that we have great creative players like Mata, KDB, Hazard, Willian and Oscar that are not producing enough assists or goals (bar Oscar for the latter) shows that there's something wrong with the system we're implementing right about now and that's understandable given that we've only had Jose for the last 5/6 months but there aren't any signs of progression just yet which is exactly what's worrying me atm.

Yeah.

Offensively he is, yeah. He always has been. But his problems is being suspect defensively, and I feel in the Eredivisie that aspect of his game isn't really being tested. I would like to see him back at the club next season though. He looks a lot more confident in his play these days.

Top post. Exactly how I feel.

Funny thing is Kompany used to be exactly like Luiz a few years back but he's put it behind him and is now a bonafide elite defender. I didn't say that that goal line clearance made him a world class defender. He did have a lot of excellent games throughout the whole tournament though. I also didn't even say that Luiz is a bonafide world class defender either (yet) - I said that this season was the time he would establish himself as such but obviously due to not having a decent pre season, injuries, form issues etc. it hasn't been the case.

So you're basically saying that all players peak at the age of 26? I agree with you that he hasn't - but you're writing him off too soon. IMO he's not really been given a consistent run in the side, especially because of injuries - and that seems to be the main reason he's regressed this season. He didn't have a proper pre season and that has clearly effected how his season has started. Fair enough if you think so but I like to be more optimistic in regards to Luiz. He has all the tools and like you said he hasn't been there mentally this season, but as I said before, there are a lot of external factors that has effected him this season i.e. having practically no pre season, injuries, the whole team not performing consistently in general etc. IMO he just needs to get back to full match fitness and has to be given an extended run of games before I'll change my mind about him.

If you're not going to add anything constructive to a decent discussion there is no need to comment.

It's not as black and white as him not being able to keep Cahill out of the team...He was rightly dropped and before he had the opportunity to get back into the team he got injured for some time. And why not invest into another player? Simple. Luiz is far closer to the complete article than someone like Zouma who would need a lot more time. Luiz was about to explode into the complete article. Had a great end to last season, was absolutely brilliant in the Confederations Cup, truly world class (I still think his goal line clearance won the game for Brazil) and was set to affirm his status as a top class defender this season but obviously due to injuries and lack of form he's not hit that sort of form yet and I don't think it's just an individual problem. A lot of players in our team are under performing right about now. It's more to do with the way the team is set up. I don't think Mourinho is getting the best out of our players at all - yes Jose is missing some tools but it doesn't excuse the inconsistency almost the whole team have shown this season.

He was well on his way though, and most people thought he'd truly establish himself as a WC defender this season because he wasn't far off it at all last season. He had plenty of great, world class games at CB last season... But of course, because he isn't performing right now all of that is completely forgotten.

Yeah conveniently ignore that I also said for us last season...

This, this and this.

Because they have better strikers and their offensive system is a lot better than ours so their attack can bail them out if their defenders make mistakes.

Highly doubt that if Luiz did the same thing you'd say that "it's just football". Regardless. Luiz does have the commitment though, just watch him play for Brazil or even for us in the second half of last season; I do get your point. I think that Jose isn't getting the best out of him at the moment but injuries have played a part too. IMO he needs a good spell in the side to get back to the level he was at last season.

Was it an error or not though? There was barely any pressure on him and he mishit it. My point is that he's not fully match fit so stuff like that happens. It's the same with Luiz.

Did you see Kompany's own goal today?

Fulham's best player atm, sublime assist for the first goal and sublime skill to keep the ball under pressure at the start of their second goal.

Shows you, even the best of defenders can make grave errors. Kompany has just came back from injury though so this stuff happens. That's why I wish people would just let Luiz get his match fitness up first before chastising him all the time.

This guy is insane.

Not a bad signing but I'd rather wait for the summer and get in a proper world class player tbh.

Cech Azpi - Luiz - Terry - Cole Ramires - Lampard Willian - Mata - Hazard Torres

Glad I didn't see this game, sounds like it was horrible...

How are Liverpool better than us?

That was painful to read.