David Luiz

[Jase 43,479]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2551108-david-luiz-exclusive-you-cant-always-win-but-you-can-always-be-a-champion

We have a 'David Luiz' thread here. Don't need to create a new one just to post an interview involving him.

[Oscar 441]

1) IMO, he was never captain material. Captains needs to take responsibility, not run around playing practical jokes on people and sticking their tongue out for the cameras.

2) Never in his time at Chelsea did he establish himself as "our best CB". He had some outstanding games but if he was as good as you make out, Gary Cahill, who is bang average, wouldn't still be first-choice.

3) He was a square peg in a round hole in the midfield. He did a decent job in one or two games, but other than that, Gary Neville was correct with his Playstation analogy.

Luiz was not a JT captain, howeven, JT made a ton of personal mistakes as well. On the field and off the field. However, the young lads listened to Luiz very well and he is vice captain on both brazil

Luiz was by far the best cb on this team for many years. Like many top agressive cbs in the world, they make mistakes and get burned often. (ramos, pique, boateng, silva, etc). He was the only proactive cb we had in many years....

Our midfield was compatible vs City and even better collectively with Luiz there and even in Europe. PSG, especially Verrati made Cesc and Matic look like youth kids.

Selling luiz for 50m and than going around and paying stupid money for Stones, makes you wonder the huge mistake selling Luiz

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Luiz was not a JT captain, howeven, JT made a ton of personal mistakes as well. On the field and off the field. However, the young lads listened to Luiz very well and he is vice captain on both brazil

Luiz was by far the best cb on this team for many years. Like many top agressive cbs in the world, they make mistakes and get burned often. (ramos, pique, boateng, silva, etc). He was the only proactive cb we had in many years....

Our midfield was compatible vs City and even better collectively with Luiz there and even in Europe. PSG, especially Verrati made Cesc and Matic look like youth kids.

Selling luiz for 50m and than going around and paying stupid money for Stones, makes you wonder the huge mistake selling Luiz

1) Fair point on different captaincy styles, but if you look at our most recent former captains - Terry, Desailly, Wise - Luiz doesn't fit the same billing.

2) I have to disagree. Ricardo Carvalho was twice as proactive and didn't make half the mistakes. He is the only defender I've ever seen that made Terry look average. Terry always looked better than Luiz - the difference is Luiz played with Terry at his lowest ebb. Carvalho played alongside JT when he was in his prime and still looked a better player. I agree he is far more proactive than our current defensive options, but right now I think we need to worry about solidarity rather than aggressive defending.

3) Luiz played his DM matches predominantly in the Europa League under Benitez. Mourinho played him there a couple of times because Matic was cup-tied. If he was so suited, he'd still be in our midfield and we'd never have had to sign Fabregas. With all due respect I think you're severely over-hyping an "okay" player.

4) I agree in sentiment, but you have to look at players like Stones and Sterling as investments. If City get eight years out of Sterling, the money they spent will be nothing. Transfer fees are only ever unjustified if you play big money for a short-term option.

[robsblubot 3,502]

1) Fair point on different captaincy styles, but if you look at our most recent former captains - Terry, Desailly, Wise - Luiz doesn't fit the same billing.

2) I have to disagree. Ricardo Carvalho was twice as proactive and didn't make half the mistakes. He is the only defender I've ever seen that made Terry look average. Terry always looked better than Luiz - the difference is Luiz played with Terry at his lowest ebb. Carvalho played alongside JT when he was in his prime and still looked a better player. I agree he is far more proactive than our current defensive options, but right now I think we need to worry about solidarity rather than aggressive defending.

3) Luiz played his DM matches predominantly in the Europa League under Benitez. Mourinho played him there a couple of times because Matic was cup-tied. If he was so suited, he'd still be in our midfield and we'd never have had to sign Fabregas. With all due respect I think you're severely over-hyping an "okay" player.

4) I agree in sentiment, but you have to look at players like Stones and Sterling as investments. If City get eight years out of Sterling, the money they spent will be nothing. Transfer fees are only ever unjustified if you play big money for a short-term option.

Please check your facts:

David played in midfield against top teams - very successfully - BOTH before and after Matic was signed in January.

He played alongside Matic often in big games. We had an amazing record when both played in midfield esp that win against city.

[iseah100 5,612]

Please check your facts:

David played in midfield against top teams - very successfully - BOTH before and after Matic was signed in January.

He played alongside Matic often in big games. We had an amazing record when both played in midfield esp that win against city.

This. Should've just converted him to CDM. He can go forward as well, so it would have been interesting. Hindsight.

[robsblubot 3,502]

This. Should've just converted him to CDM. He can go forward as well, so it would have been interesting. Hindsight.

I still think he's not the quack in defense as people make him out to be, but I was wrong in thinking that he is a great defender; he is a great player IMO esp in midfield, and I don't even think he's a CDM but more like a ball-winning cm. However, like someone else wrote, he just doesn't have the brain to read the game as a defender - Thiago Silva is almost just as dumb btw.

In moments like this I think the 50mil don't mean much if anything at all.

[Henrique 9,133]

1) IMO, he was never captain material. Captains needs to take responsibility, not run around playing practical jokes on people and sticking their tongue out for the cameras.

2) Never in his time at Chelsea did he establish himself as "our best CB". He had some outstanding games but if he was as good as you make out, Gary Cahill, who is bang average, wouldn't still be first-choice.

3) He was a square peg in a round hole in the midfield. He did a decent job in one or two games, but other than that, Gary Neville was correct with his Playstation analogy.

Eh...no. Gary Cahill was never the 1st choice. He wasn't the 1st choice for RDM and Benitez. He became Mourinho 1st choice after 10 matches of PL 2013/14 season. Being Mourinho 1st choice doesn't mean that much these days, since the defense he created is a big joke.

Despite David Luiz woeful performances he can produce at times, I think few managers around would play Cahill instead of Luiz.

I also believe your memory is not that good for a football fan. DL best performances playing as a DM actually came when Mourinho was the manager. He played superb matches against Liverpool, City and Arsenal.

Call me crazy, and I know many people won't agree with that, but I'm still not convinced Matic is really that better than Luiz as a DM. Any manager with decent balls and that can really teach players different things, would turn Luiz into one of the best DM around.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Eh...no. Gary Cahill was never the 1st choice. He wasn't the 1st choice for RDM and Benitez. He became Mourinho 1st choice after 10 matches of PL 2013/14 season. Being Mourinho 1st choice doesn't mean that much these days, since the defense he created is a big joke.

Despite David Luiz woeful performances he can produce at times, I think few managers around would play Cahill instead of Luiz.

I also believe your memory is not that good for a football fan. DL best performances playing as a DM actually came when Mourinho was the manager. He played superb matches against Liverpool, City and Arsenal.

Call me crazy, and I know many people won't agree with that, but I'm still not convinced Matic is really that better than Luiz as a DM. Any manager with decent balls and that can really teach players different things, would turn Luiz into one of the best DM around.

You're missing the point. I said "Gary Cahill wouldn't still be first choice", meaning you've misunderstood my point. If Luiz is as good a CB as you all think, it would be he, not Cahill, who would be leading our defence. And regarding your point about "few managers around would play Cahill instead of Luiz", one of those "few" managers happens to be the Chelsea boss, so that's too bad for you.

Also, my memory is pretty damned good. Of course, if you want to overhype one or two very good performances as a defensive midfielder, largely in one-off games or Europa League ties and here and there in the Premier League, then good for you. At best he was a square peg for a round hole; played in midfield only because of a lack of options and the fact he was less of a liability in midfield than he was at centre-back.

This is all subjective, but I just can't see how you can say you don't think Matic - who, for me, is without question the best defensive midfielder in the English game, possibly in Europe - isn't far superior to Luiz. Then again, scoring the odd cracker-jacket masks a tonne of shit performances, I suppose. Matic is bang out of form, but at his best, there aren't many better. Each to their own, if you prefer Luiz then good for you.

[Oscar 441]

You're missing the point. I said "Gary Cahill wouldn't still be first choice", meaning you've misunderstood my point. If Luiz is as good a CB as you all think, it would be he, not Cahill, who would be leading our defence. And regarding your point about "few managers around would play Cahill instead of Luiz", one of those "few" managers happens to be the Chelsea boss, so that's too bad for you.

Also, my memory is pretty damned good. Of course, if you want to overhype one or two very good performances as a defensive midfielder, largely in one-off games or Europa League ties and here and there in the Premier League, then good for you. At best he was a square peg for a round hole; played in midfield only because of a lack of options and the fact he was less of a liability in midfield than he was at centre-back.

This is all subjective, but I just can't see how you can say you don't think Matic - who, for me, is without question the best defensive midfielder in the English game, possibly in Europe - isn't far superior to Luiz. Then again, scoring the odd cracker-jacket masks a tonne of shit performances, I suppose. Matic is bang out of form, but at his best, there aren't many better. Each to their own, if you prefer Luiz then good for you.

Luiz is the only transfer I regret and potentially Felipe too...

David Luiz would start as cb on ever team in the world outside of Real Madrid and with Jose.... Maybe, if Luiz waited, he would of eventually started. Honestly, I have no clue why Luiz was sold, unless it's based on the notion that PSG's valuation was too good to say no...

Epl's midfielders are subpar in Europe.. Luiz could of easily did the role better than most in England.

If we still had Luiz, our cm/cb dilemma would not exist.

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

Money was never needed. We lost a potential future captain, our best CB, and steel/quality in the midfield.

Especially, with the ridiculous bid on Stones, Luiz never should of been sold.

Our best CB???? He was a shit cb, he was a good midfielder, though

Not a good captain, he was too irresponsible

Just because we're shit at the moment does not mean we should regret a good decision.

[zolayes 14,489]

Our best CB???? He was a shit cb, he was a good midfielder, though

Not a good captain, he was too irresponsible

Just because we're shit at the moment does not mean we should regret a good decision.

perhaps we are shit BECAUSE we got rid of Luiz ,, Luis ,, Lukaku .. omg Al literation . better move on Ake ,,, Bruma Bertrand Kalas KDB Mata SChurrle Salah .. will stop there but consider

we would not be a better squad if some or most of these still with us,,

[didierforever 7,349]

we never replaced luiz the CM. as a CB, i dont think he would have made any difference. but as a CM, he was immense.

[Stats 7,053]

Luiz is the only transfer I regret and potentially Felipe too...

David Luiz would start as cb on ever team in the world outside of Real Madrid and with Jose.... Maybe, if Luiz waited, he would of eventually started. Honestly, I have no clue why Luiz was sold, unless it's based on the notion that PSG's valuation was too good to say no...

Epl's midfielders are subpar in Europe.. Luiz could of easily did the role better than most in England.

If we still had Luiz, our cm/cb dilemma would not exist.

Luiz made too much mistakes for us at CB but I always liked his style. But his style of play was more suited to Barca and I am sure they would have got him was it not for PSG coming in with that huge bid. I am a big fan of Luiz because I like ball playing defenders but seriously he made loads of errors at CB for us. He was just far too clumsy at times. For instance when we beat Cardiff 4-1, the error he made for their goal were not just one-off occasions. He had quite a few moments like that. Even before Moruinho came here, many people had ridiculed Luiz at CB. I think it was slightly OTT but like I was saying it is not as if he had not made a lot of mistakes, he had. When we actually played his team PSG, two seasons ago it was his 2 errors in the game that made us lose 3-1.

Then there was his error for Brazil against Peru. A costly error and again where the clumsy part of his game comes into question. I know it was Barca but his style of play played into their hands last season and he got torn apart. He was so naive in his defending and cost them. His rash way of pressing and intercepting got picked off by Barca easy. Just look at Suarez goal. Too many mistakes he had made.

Luiz is one of them players who when he is at it can look the best defender around. His performance against Bayern for instance was excellent but when he is bad he is bad and sometimes you could not help but think despite his qualities he would do something stupid.

We got a huge bid for a player who while has a lot of qualities, also is very error prone and we had Terry and Cahill who at the time were a perfect partnership. Maybe we should have bought another top CB to replace him which we did not.

Let's not also make it look like it is only a Chelsea way of thinking to get rid of Luiz and something only we would do. You do realise a lot of people outside Chelsea and even Brazilian fans mock him for being a CB and I have seen so many criticisms of him. Saying that I saw some Brazilians claiming "they actually had a defence" now that he was out against Chile but Marquinhos was poor as his replacement too apparently. Many fans around the world were shocked when he was included in the FIFApro team of the year thing as well but I am with you. I would have him in my team because I think while he is clumsy his positive outweigh his negatives and he has pretty much everything when he is at the top of his game but with the fee we were offered it was some ways a no-brainer. But right now would I have him, of course. Always been a big fan.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Luiz - Matic was the best partnership we've seen in years tbh

[bababoom 4,478]

Luiz - Matic was good against the bigger sides but against teams that parked the bus it was dreadful, i lost count how many times Luiz tried a hollywood pass and failed.

[robsblubot 3,502]

Luiz - Matic was good against the bigger sides but against teams that parked the bus it was dreadful, i lost count how many times Luiz tried a hollywood pass and failed.

well that's why we need a a larger squad than we have now - so that the manager can make a couple of tweaks depending on opponent and venue. Right now we have a a starting XI and perhaps one additional AM and one aging CB - not good enough.

Yes, the lack of options is Jose's own fault.

[lucio 5,418]

Luiz - Matic was good against the bigger sides but against teams that parked the bus it was dreadful, i lost count how many times Luiz tried a hollywood pass and failed.

A lack of a proper 10 and striker also caused that , and unbalanced fullback. Reckon luiz matic would work with those 3 things fixed

[Oscar 441]

Luiz made too much mistakes for us at CB but I always liked his style. But his style of play was more suited to Barca and I am sure they would have got him was it not for PSG coming in with that huge bid. I am a big fan of Luiz because I like ball playing defenders but seriously he made loads of errors at CB for us. He was just far too clumsy at times. For instance when we beat Cardiff 4-1, the error he made for their goal were not just one-off occasions. He had quite a few moments like that. Even before Moruinho came here, many people had ridiculed Luiz at CB. I think it was slightly OTT but like I was saying it is not as if he had not made a lot of mistakes, he had. When we actually played his team PSG, two seasons ago it was his 2 errors in the game that made us lose 3-1.

Then there was his error for Brazil against Peru. A costly error and again where the clumsy part of his game comes into question. I know it was Barca but his style of play played into their hands last season and he got torn apart. He was so naive in his defending and cost them. His rash way of pressing and intercepting got picked off by Barca easy. Just look at Suarez goal. Too many mistakes he had made.

Luiz is one of them players who when he is at it can look the best defender around. His performance against Bayern for instance was excellent but when he is bad he is bad and sometimes you could not help but think despite his qualities he would do something stupid.

We got a huge bid for a player who while has a lot of qualities, also is very error prone and we had Terry and Cahill who at the time were a perfect partnership. Maybe we should have bought another top CB to replace him which we did not.

Let's not also make it look like it is only a Chelsea way of thinking to get rid of Luiz and something only we would do. You do realise a lot of people outside Chelsea and even Brazilian fans mock him for being a CB and I have seen so many criticisms of him. Saying that I saw some Brazilians claiming "they actually had a defence" now that he was out against Chile but Marquinhos was poor as his replacement too apparently. Many fans around the world were shocked when he was included in the FIFApro team of the year thing as well but I am with you. I would have him in my team because I think while he is clumsy his positive outweigh his negatives and he has pretty much everything when he is at the top of his game but with the fee we were offered it was some ways a no-brainer. But right now would I have him, of course. Always been a big fan.

A lot of fans outside of Chelsea mock Chelsea in general so what is your point.

David Luiz was and is better cb than anyone on the team. The money being brought back is irrelevant.

JT is retiring soon and Cahill is better off being a 3rd cb. Zouma still needs time and grooming. We were going to spend how much for John Stones? Money means nothing, especially when you are making transfers like that.

Fact is Luiz would of been a viable option at the CB/CM position and the leader to the brazilian players. A future captain and our only proactive defender. Unless you enjoying watching these guys with their hand back backpedeling all game long. Also, barcelona made boateng look like a sunday league player too in Champions league