David Luiz

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Choulo is really desillusioned. Top 1 when it comes to members who dont have a clue about football.

Well the annual forum awards are still open, if you hurry you can still nominate me to win that!

[Henrique 9,133]

Well the annual forum awards are still open, if you hurry you can still nominate me to win that!

Do we have such a thing this year. You did a great job, you deserve.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Do we have such a thing this year. You did a great job, you deserve.

I'll ask Alex to create that category if you promise to nominate me!

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Choulo19, your blind love for Mikel is ruining this conversation.

Anyways here are the games where Luiz played in DM and the results

1. Monterray: Chelsea won 3-1

2. Leeds in FA Cup: Chelsea won 5-1

3. Aston Villa in PL at home: Chelsea won 8-0

4. Norwich away in PL: Chelsea won 1-0

5. Everton away in PL: Chelsea won 2-1

6. QPR at home in PL: Chelsea lost 1-0

7. Southampton in FA Cup: Chelsea won 5-1

8. Swansea CoCup 1st leg: Chelsea lost 2-0

9. Wigan at home in PL: Chelsea won 4-1

10. Brantford home in FA Cup: Chelsea won 4-0

11. Basel away in Europa: Chelsea won 2-1

12. Swansea at home in PL: Chelsea won 2-0

13. Basel at home in Europa: Chelsea won 3-1

14. Spurs at home in PL: match draw 2-2

15. Villa away in PL: Chelsea won 2-1

That is 12 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats in 15 games. In the QPR defeat, our genius manager decided to rest Mata, Hazard and Ramires while in the Swansea loss, Ivanovic had 2 'moments'

You can invent new ways to criticize him but the bottom line is we get the results when he is in DM.

This is what im talking about, we win basically almost all the time Luiz is in midfield, in fact if he didnt come on against aston villa, we would have lost. Yes i said it

The only losses where mistakes from ivanovic and the QPR game where our two best players were rested. I dont know how he does it but im willing for him to continue in midfield if it means we keep winning.

[The Skipper 20,593]

This is what im talking about, we win basically almost all the time Luiz is in midfield, in fact if he didnt come on against aston villa, we would have lost. Yes i said it

The only losses where mistakes from ivanovic and the QPR game where our two best players were rested. I dont know how he does it but im willing for him to continue in midfield if it means we keep winning.

Most of the teams on that list aren't exactly exceptional. Luiz still hasn't had a "great" CM performance IMO.

[Reddish-Blue 2,347]

Most of the teams on that list aren't exactly exceptional. Luiz still hasn't had a "great" CM performance IMO.

True but most of his performances in midfield have been solid enough.

It will be interesting to see what our next manager does with our midfield in the coming seasons...with the likes of Chalobah, Aké, the returning Romeu as they can all play DM...

[Joe Cool 388]

I really don't know why people are lambasting his performances lately (or comparing him to the likes of Schweinsteiger, which is a ridiculous comparison) or criticizing Rafa for playing him in midfield. Luiz is obviously not the optimal choice for central midfield. However, considering the vast amount of matches combined with our lack of central midfielders (very good decision by the club to sell Meireles and loan Essien ), it's not like we have much of a choice to do otherwise.

Lampard: Yes, he scores a lot of goals, but also tends to disappear against big opposition and is ineffective in the pivot.

Ramires: Incredible energy and speed, but absolutely no football IQ and sub-par technical ability.

Mikel: I don't really think I need to get started on him.

So there are our options. Also add in the fact that Mikel has been injured and that the Lampard/Ramires pivot usually ends in complete and utter disaster (first half Villa today, countless other matches). Therefore there's really no other option than to play Luiz in midfield. And really, considering that it's not even his natural position to begin with, he's done pretty damn well.

[Madmax 9,219]

You did not watch the game, then. Ramires and Luiz were bosses in that game.

I did watch the game; I just happen to have a different opinion.

I think Luiz is a good option in midfield against the not-so-great opposition teams, especially when you consider he hasn't been played there before too much in his career. Case in point - yesterday against Villa where his introduction stopped us wobbling badly considering the circumstances.

However I will not blindly rave about the Tottenham game because I maintain he really wasn't that good.

For what it's worth, I think Mikel-Luiz can be our best pivot option because Ramires and Lampard lack the discipline that job requires.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Most of the teams on that list aren't exactly exceptional. Luiz still hasn't had a "great" CM performance IMO.

Still love the good luck charm he brings against the so called small teams. Maybe if he played behind mazar in CM against newcastle, southampton, fulham, westham and those other small teams we lost unnecessary points to, we could have second in the league at this rate.

I mean im sure you would take 12 wins in every 15 games if offered in this crazy season.

[Milan 17,854]

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

Luiz on Lampard: "I have played with many, many fantastic players in my life. But he is the hero at Chelsea."

[BlueLyon 9,359]

I don't think he's a CB anymore. CM seems his best position for his talent. We might have to get a CB as well because of that.

No.

He should stay CB. Why?

1.)Because if he becomes Cm, we need 1 (or even 2) new CBs.

2.) Because he plays Cb for brasil*

3.) Because if he plays CM, he is neither a creative (ala Moutinho), nor defensive rock ala de rossi, vidal,..

4.) Because he plays better in Cb role against better opponents.

*However I feel that brasil might play WC2014 with Thiago silva and Dante as main pair and pushing Luiz in midfield.

[Ronaldo 28]

No.

He should stay CB. Why?

1.)Because if he becomes Cm, we need 1 (or even 2) new CBs.

2.) Because he plays Cb for brasil*

3.) Because if he plays CM, he is neither a creative (ala Moutinho), nor defensive rock ala de rossi, vidal,..

4.) Because he plays better in Cb role against better opponents.

*However I feel that brasil might play WC2014 with Thiago silva and Dante as main pair and pushing Luiz in midfield.

I agree. He should stay as cb....

However, I do think he will be replaced by Dante and sent to the bench come 2014.

I

[Strike 7,217]

You did not watch the game, then. Ramires and Luiz were bosses in that game.

Luiz-Rami pivot is just pathetic imo. Neither can pass. Both have one of the worst pass-completion rates in Chelsea squad. Sure, Luiz has picked out the long balls from defence at times, but his passing has been woeful whenever he's played at midfield.

Against Spurs, he had a 71% pass-completion rate(?) and that too with Parker and Huddlestone in the opposition midfield who are close to immobile. He brings a good defensive cover to the pivot but Luiz-Rami is asking for suicide. They f*** up so many counter-attacks!

Against Aston Villa - Luiz came on at half-time and had an awful ten mins, misplacing half of the passes he made. Pass completion in this game was 72% and it only improved after Benteke's sending off when he got more space.

[Jase 43,479]

Luiz-Rami pivot is just pathetic imo. Neither can pass. Both have one of the worst pass-completion rates in Chelsea squad. Sure, Luiz has picked out the long balls from defence at times, but his passing has been woeful whenever he's played at midfield.

Against Spurs, he had a 71% pass-completion rate(?) and that too with Parker and Huddlestone in the opposition midfield who are close to immobile. He brings a good defensive cover to the pivot but Luiz-Rami is asking for suicide. They f*** up so many counter-attacks!

Against Aston Villa - Luiz came on at half-time and had an awful ten mins, misplacing half of the passes he made. Pass completion in this game was 72% and it only improved after Benteke's sending off when he got more space.

Think Luiz's passing accuracy is something he needs to work on. He has the ability to play those long diagonal passes from side to side but think sometimes he becomes too ambitious in doing so, when the opportunity presents itself, that either he overpass or underpass it. And I believe many of us have been frustrated with him when his those long passes end up aimlessly and harmlessly in the opposition GK's hand or goes out for a goal kick/throw-in.

[Strike 7,217]

Think Luiz's passing accuracy is something he needs to work on. He has the ability to play those long diagonal passes from side to side but think sometimes he becomes too ambitious in doing so, when the opportunity presents itself, that either he overpass or underpass it. And I believe many of us have been frustrated with him when his those long passes end up aimlessly and harmlessly in the opposition GK's hand or goes out for a goal kick/throw-in.

Yes. While on the other hand Ramires is just a poor passer of the ball generally. Not a good fit together, these 2. I think Luiz should not be played at DM at all from next season. We'll have Oriol Romeu and probably Michael Essien back and we have to expect a new playmaking midfielder in the summer. Luiz at DM was more out of necessity than talent

[robsblubot 3,508]

I did watch the game; I just happen to have a different opinion.

I think Luiz is a good option in midfield against the not-so-great opposition teams, especially when you consider he hasn't been played there before too much in his career. Case in point - yesterday against Villa where his introduction stopped us wobbling badly considering the circumstances.

However I will not blindly rave about the Tottenham game because I maintain he really wasn't that good.

For what it's worth, I think Mikel-Luiz can be our best pivot option because Ramires and Lampard lack the discipline that job requires.

Interesting... I think both Mikel and Luiz are not really good enough for the pivot role. in fact, I reckon Ramires is the only midfielder we've got who really shines in there. Ramires' mobility is the most fundamental requirement to play in the pivot and both Mikel and Luiz lack mobility. While Luiz is a pacey CB, he's a slow midfielder. Luiz displays more aggression than Mikel, but both are pretty slow and that is the reason players skip past them on occasion. It's very different in defense, where you've got no space behind you and opposition needs to employ short dribbling to go past you, and that's where Luiz shines.

I'm not a big fan o Mikel, but I think he would be a lot better as an anchorman, a holding mid sitting immediately in front of the defense. David would prob do better in such a role as well, say in a 4-5-1 system. One of the most annoying things about our team is the lack of tactical variations... need to sort out the coaching.

prob a discussion for a diff thread though.

[NiclasCFC 2,582]

The Geezer Song!

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