David Luiz

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He's shown enough in his games there for us to continue with the experiment.

Not for me and I've already explained why. But I respect that you think otherwise. It's a case of opinion in the end.

Arguing about what type of midfielder he is after 4 games in that position seems a little premature.

I was merely answering someone who was suggesting where Luiz should be playing in midfield. And I don't think it's premature. It's not like Rafa is going to read TC and change his tactics accordingly We're just expressing opinions and initial thoughts that we can change later.

For me Luiz does not belong in midfield at all. And that's not just based on the 3 games he played there but on everything he showed since arriving at Chelsea 2 years ago.

And I'm not sure what point you're making about him being by the opposition's corner flag, but Lampard was in a similar position when he came on too. Clearly Rafa wanted a certain amount of attacking from whoever was playing that position.

Lampard's lack of positional discipline should not excuse Luiz's. I was saying before Franks injury that he should only be back up in this position because of his wandering out of position. And I still think that our priority in the market, along with a striker, should be a CM to play along side Mikel in the pivot.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Not for me and I've already explained why. But I respect that you think otherwise. It's a case of opinion in the end.

We have a £24 million investment who we don't trust to play in defence, yet might solve some problems in midfield. I saw your comments on his game yesterday, and I also saw the responses of a number of supporters who watched the game and quite vehemently disagreed with you. I doubt you're trolling, but just because it's an opinion doesn't mean it can't be wrong.

In fact the most important point that arose from yesterday's game was whether both Mikel and Luiz can play together. There seemed to be some real problems with positioning and that seemed to coincide with Norwich pressuring us. When Mikel went off we looked a lot more comfortable so maybe we have to start looking at Luiz as our main DM and someone alongside him like Lamps or Rami.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

just because it's an opinion doesn't mean it can't be wrong.

I don't claim otherwise; every opinion by definition can be wrong. I hope you can practice what you preach and remember that the next time you are so sure your opinion is right.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I don't claim otherwise; every opinion by definition can be wrong. I hope you can practice what you preach and remember that the next time you are so sure your opinion is right.

I actually have in this thread. I didn't think he had what it took to be a midfielder, but he's demonstrated that he might. I also questioned his leadership abilities prematurely.

[zolayes 14,489]

imo Luiz seems ideally suited to playing in midfield ... whatever you decide to call the formation ,, sometimes this obsession with the double piivot

makes me want to SCREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.. Luiiz is athletic ,, with excellent skills and strength ...don't get bogged down with theory

[Corner 456]

I love these forums but fuck me sometimes reading your over analyitical bullshit makes me wanna bash my head against a moving bus. How can anyone not like Luiz in the DM role... it was made for him. Fuck anyone who says different!

Don't read it then. No one is forcing you to. We're just voicing our opinions (what a form is for).

[YouNameIt 1,511]

Luiz is great, whatever some morons here say. He's better than Cahill as CB and he's better than Lampard in the double pivot. He's good in both positions, he's versitile, he obviousley loves the club and the players alot (his dissapointment in the club world cup was a sign of that) and he's said he will play whereever he needs to play.

[zolayes 14,489]

Luiz is great, whatever some morons here say. He's better than Cahill as CB and he's better than Lampard in the double pivot. He's good in both positions, he's versitile, he obviousley loves the club and the players alot (his dissapointment in the club world cup was a sign of that) and he's said he will play whereever he needs to play.

agree with your views about Luiz but just call those who don't misguided not morons. Morons are usually fans of Manure or Scumpool

[Kojo 4,676]

Mikel or Luiz?

Luiz every time!!! The guy has passion and puts himself about he fights for everything, gets the crowd going, can score, gets his team mates going... Do I need to go on?

Whilst you sit there drooling over stats and possession a war on the pitch is happening and Luiz is winning it, whilst Mikel is strolling around with his underpants on his head and 2 pencils up his nose (Blackadder joke)

Seriously, Luiz has shown Mikel for what he is, and sadly for Mikel that's a bench-warmer...

Hahahaha i love the blackadder joke, i remember watching those in history class.

I know you rate Mikel but i don't think he's even a benchwarmer, he doesn't fit the system at all. I like Mikel as a person he's a really nice bloke and it's a shame, but his mentallity on the pitch is also shocking. In the Premier League you cannot be lazy or switch off, only strikers can get away with it and hardly do, look at Berbatov.

He leaves way too many gaps and oppertunities for the other team, whilst he plays it safe and does keep the ball most of the time, winning it back he's useless, and i HATE him in the team when we are 2nd best on the field, because he just gets dominated. He's good on the ball, but awful off the ball, I'm not talking about being aggressive incase some people bring that up. Yes he could be a lot more aggressive and at least put in a tackle and make the opposition think twice for once, however he just lacks the defensive mind.

Gareth Barry is a great covering defensive midfielder, and people are baffled why he even gets so many games for City, he allows the fullbacks to go forward as he covers, he doesn't allow play behind him, between him and the 5/4/3, which ever there is. We already have someone like Luiz, entertaining, ball winner, he definitely needs to mature but we have a good player on our hands. However Mikel is completely useless where he is, we need someone better, someone who is going to do the job and stay deep.

[didierforever 7,349]

Luiz is great, whatever some morons here say. He's better than Cahill as CB and he's better than Lampard in the double pivot. He's good in both positions, he's versitile, he obviousley loves the club and the players alot (his dissapointment in the club world cup was a sign of that) and he's said he will play whereever he needs to play.

agree with your post except the bold part. luiz has better defensive skills than cahill (and for that matter even iva) but i feel cahill is "safer" than luiz and more conventional. tbh i dont like luiz as a cb but simply love him as a dm.

[JDY 1,290]

Don't read it then. No one is forcing you to. We're just voicing our opinions (what a form is for).

Think he's referring to the use of stats in situations when they are not needed or relevant. They are of course useful, but don't often tell the whole story.

[The Skipper 20,609]

I agree about most what you said in there and a brilliant point about defending with the ball.

But I don't think Luiz can be our Toure simply because we play different formations. Yaya plays in a 3-5-2 which allows you to have b2b CMs because you'd still have at least 5 players behind him when he makes his forward runs. I agree that one of the two in the pivot should have more freedom to roam and make forward runs, but not in every attack. I think, even for that role, Luiz has been way out of position way too often. Even if he is given more freedom than Mikel, at no stage should he end up by the opposition's corner flag!

I wasn't necessarily saying Luiz should be out Yaya, was just pointing out similarities in their roles. I agree with your point that he should pick his moments on when to attack, but I don't think Luiz has done too badly when it comes to picking out the right moments due to the nature of our opposition. I'm sure if we face more worthy opposition Luiz will naturally tone it down, and I'm sure Benitez will remind him of that.

[GodZola 630]

imo Luiz seems ideally suited to playing in midfield ... whatever you decide to call the formation ,, sometimes this obsession with the double piivot

makes me want to SCREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.. Luiiz is athletic ,, with excellent skills and strength ...don't get bogged down with theory

Prob the best post I've seen on here in my short tenure back!

Feel the same, this double pivot nonsense makes my blood boil - its mostly all you here about when discussing our midfield/ers.....

As for Luiz, I've said before this guy is a footballer so his talent is wasted as a defender, he has the skill, energy & most of all vision to play in midfield. I only see this move from defence in to midfield as a win-win situation & a very positive step, Benitez has been given plenty of stick but you have to give credit when its due - he ain't afraid to make changes, be it positioning or tactics.

[Henrique 9,133]

"...while Luiz, doing much vital ball-winning in advanced areas, ran the show – though his shooting needs a lot of work before it comes near the Lampard class."

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/match-report-david-luiz-carries-off-frank-lampard-impression-with-aplomb-in-chelseas-victory-at-norwich-8431475.html

Its nice to see this kind of review and compare to with some of hypercritical "fans" reaction, well these guys must be in 3 groups:

1- The ones that that were saying Luiz would never play well in the mid, and now they are just denying the fact they were wrong.

2- Those who believe Luiz playing in the mid is related with Lampard's fate, so they want to believe Luiz is shit in the mid and so we need more option in the sector, so Lampard is the answear.

3- People who hate Luiz and just want to keep trolling.

[Land 331]

Pretty funny,everyone outside the chelsea fanbase thinks that Luiz is an amazing DM,skysports gave him a 9 rating vs Norwich,goal.com gave him motm in the past 2 games yet here we dont really trust him, and rightly so.The thing is that he is a inconsistent midfielder.There are some points in which he looks like the second coming of Redondo and in other moments he looks like a clueless baller playing a sunday game with his neighborhood pals.

I say stick him as DM until Mikel comes back from AFCON, by that time we can make a proper judgment and see if he should continue there are stick him as a CB