🇧🇷 David Luiz

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Nice stats you got there. But you forgot about other aspects of a game, like the pressure on opponents forcing mistakes, and not just statistics.

David luiz presence, constant foward passes, aggressive approach, pushes the team foward. And the opposition have to watch their backs to defend us which leaves the opponents deep in defending thinking of how to defend luiz next through ball or shot, instead of being confortable defending.

Since smaller teams don't attack much, luiz giving the ball away a little more won't have much effect. Mikel is ultra-defensive and not needed against bottom teams in my opinion. I'll rather smash the smaller teams 8-0 every day than scrape 2-0 in my opinion

He's not Pirlo or Xavi Luiz attempted zero through balls against Villa and 10 long balls which he missed 5 of. That will hard split defenses or force them to raise the white flag.

On any account Luiz would not be doing his job as a DM if he attempts too many through and long balls. The main job of the DM is to keep possession and make sure that the ball moves from defense to attack without being cut out. You force the opposition to make mistakes by keeping the ball and pressure on them not by attempting difficult passes and loosing possession which would relieve all the pressure. Check Leed's goal against us to see why a player in this position should keep it simple.

And there are no "small" teams in the PL. In fact, the teams that are down in the table often counter much better than the top teams.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Luiz might have the passion, but he sure doesn't have the footballing ability nor the tactical awareness to be our first choice DM.

He's played 3 games in that position, impressing each time and you're prepared to write him off? There's a learning curve attached to moving to a new position and he will have bad games in that position, but so far he's been mightily impressive in defence and attack. I was actually very happy to see him covering for Azpi on at least two occasions when he ventured forward.

And I'm starting to think I was very wrong about Luiz's leadership abilities. It's early days, but his personality might be something we need in midfield and it's something I think I might have underestimated.

But it's early days and he hasn't faced the kind of pressure big teams can apply. Hopefully today he'll face a sterner test than previously and we can judge him fairly. But no-one has seen enough to suggest either way whether he can play in this position long-term.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

He's not Pirlo or Xavi Luiz attempted zero through balls against Villa and 10 long balls which he missed 5 of. That will hard split defenses or force them to raise the white flag.

When I mean through balls, I'm just talking about applying pressure on weaker teams to sit back and defend. Luiz is better than mikel in pressurizing opponents.

We need to act like the bigger team and pressure teams into submision. Passing the ball to the side all the time allows weak teams to get back their defensive shape and become more difficult to break down.

On any account Luiz would not be doing his job as a DM if he attempts too many through and long balls. The main job of the DM is to keep possession and make sure that the ball moves from defense to attack without being cut out. You force the opposition to make mistakes by keeping the ball and pressure on them not by attempting difficult passes and loosing possession which would relieve all the pressure.

Those through and long balls are quick ways to dissect opponent defence, luiz found hazard twice recently in one on one positions. As I said before, luiz losing the ball 2 more times than mikel in a match makes little difference against smaller teams (not the man uniteds) becos they defend in large numbers so the danger on the counter is minimal.

Mikel is needed against bigger teams who attack in larger numbers in the counter but is not necessary against bottom teams.

And there are no "small" teams in the PL. In fact, the teams that are down in the table often counter much better than the top teams.

This is not true. Westbrom, everton, manutd, arsenal, mancity and tottenham are FAR MORE DANGEROUS on the counter than qpr, reading and villa.

Mikel is not needed against teams who defend but he is needed against physical or attack minded teams...

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

He's played 3 games in that position, impressing each time and you're prepared to write him off? There's a learning curve attached to moving to a new position and he will have bad games in that position, but so far he's been mightily impressive in defence and attack. I was actually very happy to see him covering for Azpi on at least two occasions when he ventured forward.

And I'm starting to think I was very wrong about Luiz's leadership abilities. It's early days, but his personality might be something we need in midfield and it's something I think I might have underestimated.

But it's early days and he hasn't faced the kind of pressure big teams can apply. Hopefully today he'll face a sterner test than previously and we can judge him fairly. But no-one has seen enough to suggest either way whether he can play in this position long-term.

It's true, we tend to rush to judgement way too quickly (it's human) but it takes a long time to get a read on a player. I'm skeptical because what makes a good and defender and what makes a good and bad defensive midfielder are pretty similar so I think over a long period with Luiz anywhere, you'd see pretty much the same thing: lots of solid play, lots of stupid decisions, occasional brilliance that makes you love him, and occasional incompetence that makes you want to yell at him. That's just who he is.

[Muzchap 8,966]

He's played 3 games in that position, impressing each time and you're prepared to write him off? There's a learning curve attached to moving to a new position and he will have bad games in that position, but so far he's been mightily impressive in defence and attack. I was actually very happy to see him covering for Azpi on at least two occasions when he ventured forward.

And I'm starting to think I was very wrong about Luiz's leadership abilities. It's early days, but his personality might be something we need in midfield and it's something I think I might have underestimated.

But it's early days and he hasn't faced the kind of pressure big teams can apply. Hopefully today he'll face a sterner test than previously and we can judge him fairly. But no-one has seen enough to suggest either way whether he can play in this position long-term.

I love you in a purely platonic way of course

That's what the people at the game and myself were talking about - in real life, he's a big personality, sure the TV cameras only focus on the mistakes, but I watched him with my own eyes and heard him with my own ears and he's 10 times the player I have seen on TV. This guy sets the tone for the rest of the team, especially with JT injured.

He's prepared to RUN for 90 minutes, stick his body on the line, when other players see that it raises their game, gets the crowd going, all of the INTANGIBLE stuff STATS alone don't tell you!

I've never heard people say that about Mikel?

[Land 331]

Speaking of leadership abilities,I had the weirdest of dreams today.I dreamed that Luiz was giving a pep talk and crying while doing it.Probably because that image of him crying in the CWC got stuck on my head

[DYC. 7,542]

I personally don't think he's a midfielder. He'd have to learn how to play there but that takes a long time. And I don't think he'd ever be completely suited to the role. He's a defender and a pretty good one imo. But due to his style, he'll never be everybody's cup of tea in the PL. He does need to step it up though, at this level we need better than just pretty good.

Nice emergency option though.

[Funkyflashman 187]

I LOVE sideshow bob in the pivot. Long may it continue.

[Muzchap 8,966]

I personally don't think he's a midfielder. He'd have to learn how to play there but that takes a long time. And I don't think he'd ever be completely suited to the role. He's a defender and a pretty good one imo. But due to his style, he'll never be everybody's cup of tea in the PL. He does need to step it up though, at this level we need better than just pretty good.

Nice emergency option though.

Take it you've not been watching today's game? Or the game against Villa?

Why does everybody love to hate Luiz?

[Muzchap 8,966]

I LOVE sideshow bob in the pivot. Long may it continue.

Agreed - he's what we need

[Corner 456]

It's true, we tend to rush to judgement way too quickly (it's human) but it takes a long time to get a read on a player. I'm skeptical because what makes a good and defender and what makes a good and bad defensive midfielder are pretty similar so I think over a long period with Luiz anywhere, you'd see pretty much the same thing: lots of solid play, lots of stupid decisions, occasional brilliance that makes you love him, and occasional incompetence that makes you want to yell at him. That's just who he is.

Sums him up perfectly. The unpredictability just makes me love him though. We never know what he's going to do, and neither do the opposition it seems, which is good.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

Luiz looking very impressive again in midfield!!!

[DYC. 7,542]

Take it you've not been watching today's game? Or the game against Villa?

Why does everybody love to hate Luiz?

I'm watching and I saw the game against Villa. Guess I simply don't share your opinion.

Me hate Luiz? Haha. I'm part of the small group of people here who have defended him whenever he gets unfairly criticized, which happens quite a lot. So I don't think I hate him Muzchap.

[Muzchap 8,966]

I'm watching and I saw the game against Villa. Guess I simply don't share your opinion.

Me hate Luiz? Haha. I'm part of the small group of people here who have defended him whenever he gets unfairly criticized, which happens quite a lot. So I don't think I hate him Muzchap.

Sorry that wasnt aimed at you - just a general thought that popped in my head

Ignore me on match days and especially match days at Xmas

Just want us to win today and against Everton, put some pressure on the Mancs

[Nando 106]

I really like him at that position, but you can see him taking some weird positions during matches. His shooting today kinda pissed me off, I guess he's trying to replicate his free-kick technique but it's harder when the ball is moving

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Lost the ball a lot today, gave four terrific passes, got FAR BETTER with a more mobile partner(lamps) when mikel went off.

[YasenKurtev10 0]

It's great to see David Luiz as a defensive midfielder. He should play permanently on this position, it suits him perfectly.

[Leif 6,006]

"He isn't a midfielder."

Well he started his professional career as a midfielder... is currently playing as a midfielder...

[YouNameIt 1,511]

I seriousley dont get what people have against this guy. Is it some kind of english "thing" because he sticks out?

He's been far better than Cahill, and is now doing great as DM, yet people are either writing him off or just drop really stuipid comments. Cahill never gets this. Why?

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I seriousley dont get what people have against this guy. Is it some kind of english "thing" because he sticks out?

He's been far better than Cahill, and is now doing great as DM, yet people are either writing him off or just drop really stuipid comments. Cahill never gets this. Why?

Because he isn't doing great as a DM. Luiz sometimes gets criticized unfairly and I think he's a better CB than Cahill but nobody thinks Cahill is a world-class defender and he didn't cost us 25M pounds.The thing that drives me crazy is that Luiz can have a terrible game like he did today but because he makes a couple of brilliant plays, people think he had a good game. (Similarly, I've seen him have good games where people think he sucked because he had a couple of bad plays. People just pay too much attention to individual plays.) Today, his positioning was just terrible but beyond that-3 shots from dangerous areas, none of them were within 15 feet of the goal, 0 interceptions, 2 tackles, 4 fouls, 3 for 7 on long balls, 3 turnovers, and was dispossessed once. He was better once Lampard came in and he could play defensively and simplify his game,instead of bombing forward and yeah, he gets criticism because he sticks out, but he also gets credit for the same reason.