David Luiz

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Errm, I don't get it? How was he bad? Or at least worse than the rest. JT and Cech were ahead of everyone else, but after that, Luiz was pretty much similar to all our players. Wasn't among our worst performers at all.

From the reaction here you'd think he'd made a huge mistake that lead to a goal in a game against our biggest rivals for the title this season..

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

He is so frustrating! One of those players that can win or lose you games, we all knew that when he signed.

To be fair no one played great.

The sloppiness and passiveness was contagious throughout the team.

[robsblubot 3,464]

I don't fucking care what they say about Luiz and what they say for Cahill. All I care about is how they perform for Chelsea. And it is crystal clear that Cahill is in better form this season so he should play. End of.

Well I was referring to what Mourinho himself said, and I thought that was kinda important.

You definitely have a point concerning current form. So, I reckon you also think Lampard and Cole should be dropped right now? Just wondering if there is some consistency from you, as it seems there isn't from other posters.

( I don't think Lampard, Cole, or Luiz should be dropped BTW)

[Sidzeret 2,257]

He probably wasn't as bad as everyone suggested, but doesn't this put an end to the discussion about him being captain material for us?

He had a okay first half with all the long balls and all but the second half was as bad as the rest of 'em.

Still seems a bit absent minded at times. Cahill, today would have made a better performance.

[didierforever 7,349]

( I don't think Lampard, Cole, or Luiz should be dropped BTW)

what is the point of having a big squad with more than able replacements if we dont drop those out of form and replace them with the players who definitely look to be better? as well play with players like marin and benayoun so as not to have any hope of the team ever changing.

[The_Flash 1,144]

I don't know why Luiz has been off, he was brilliant last year

[LeChuck 22]

Absolutely terrible! Once He's got the ball, I'm always scared...

[Mouri_Matic 560]

And some people claimed he is worth more than £50m in the summer LOL...

[chelseathebest 150]

So, I reckon you also think Lampard and Cole should be dropped right now? Just wondering if there is some consistency from you, as it seems there isn't from other posters.

Yes, I think they should be dropped.

Cole is not constant enough and I believe that Bertie could do a good job.

And for Lamps, I think that Mou plays him way too much and he is not that young anymore.

It is certain that their today's performance is not good enough.

[Jase 43,479]

He had a okay first half with all the long balls and all but the second half was as bad as the rest of 'em.

Still seems a bit absent minded at times. Cahill, today would have made a better performance.

This is getting tedious. Every time Cahill plays and makes a mistake, people say Luiz should have played instead. And when Luiz plays and makes a mistake, then oh Cahill should have played rather than Luiz! Really, regardless of who plays, they should be doing better with the defending especially when most of the mistakes seem to come from either one having brainfart moments with basic defending stuff!

[robsblubot 3,464]

what is the point of having a big squad with more than able replacements if we dont drop those out of form and replace them with the players who definitely look to be better? as well play with players like marin and benayoun so as not to have any hope of the team ever changing.

Yes, I think they should be dropped.

Cole is not constant enough and I believe that Bertie could do a good job.

And for Lamps, I think that Mou plays him way too much and he is not that young anymore.

It is certain that their today's performance is not good enough.

Fair enough.

There is no point really (of having that big squad) when only XI play. The problem of dropping important/key players because of form is that it becomes more difficult for those players to regain their form later on. Had we not insisted with Lampard last season, he wouldn't have won us the CL spot with sterling performances in the final 7 or so games.

Yes, sometimes you gotta drop an underperforming player, so long as the replacement is really the better option, which is something many of us here disagree with (manager does too I guess). The point is that when the big games come in the CL and BPL, you will need the key players to be on form, so it makes very little sense losing them now (by not playing them). That's the juggling (with confidence and fitness) managers have to do.

Concerning this match, we attempted to play a very high line today - Cahill is notoriously poor playing high up because he lacks pace. Playing both Cahill and JT in a high defense line would be suicidal.

Aside from some laziness in the second goal (pretty bad actually) when he was waiting to see if William and then Ramires would win the ball back (they didn't) he had no other mistake. Terry also made a mistake losing his man and David covered him beautifully which earned him a high five. So, he lost a 50/50 against a guy just as big when trying to anticipate and intercept the ball - big deal. Terry covered him just fine then. Terry is the positioned defender while David chases - not really that unusual really.

--

I refuse to discuss player's valuation because that's not really up to personal opinions - the transfer market is really all the evidence one needs.

[Barbara 15,149]

I think Luiz is playing well below his standards, which levels him down with Cahill - who has been playing really well to his standards.

So given current form, Cahill should start more.

Thing is José believes Luiz can do much better and I don't know if he'll improve from the bench.

He was rightfully dropped after Cardiff for a sloppy mistake, today he was poor - I don't care how the rest of the team was, I'm talking about Luiz.

If he's dropped now, it'll be because Cahill is playing better, if he isn't is because Mourinho wants to give him confidence.

I don't blame him for the loss, I don't think he was as abysmal as people are making him out to be. But the same way I think Bertrand should be playing instead of Cole, I have to admit right now I'd rather Cahill started, based on form solely.

Luiz is the best defender between the two of them, he hasn't been in the last few matches though.

[Tomo 21,730]

Luiz has been on bad form lately and would probably pay the price if Alex was still around, but there's a reason Cahill won't replace him for any significant amount of time and it's the same reason Bertrand hasn't took over from Cole.

[Barbara 15,149]

Luiz has been on bad form lately and would probably pay the price if Alex was still around, but there's a reason Cahill won't replace him for any significant amount of time and it's the same reason Bertrand hasn't took over from Cole.

but Cole is bad for us every single match! I don't know if Bertrand would mess up in the long haul, but Cole is overran, dribbled, and concedes turnovers way too often. I agree I'd rather someone better than Bertrand, but I guess it's hard to be worse than Cole recently.

[robsblubot 3,464]

but Cole is bad for us every single match! I don't know if Bertrand would mess up in the long haul, but Cole is overran, dribbled, and concedes turnovers way too often. I agree I'd rather someone better than Bertrand, but I guess it's hard to be worse than Cole recently.

Agreed, but then again, come CL big matches can we really trust Bertrand then? Or will we need an on form Cole for those? I'll go with the latter.

Same reasoning I have with the out-of-form David. We will be facing very pacey and technical strikers in the CL and we will need David then, especially if we plan to apply pressure at some time (playing a high line).

[Jase 43,479]

Luiz has been on bad form lately and would probably pay the price if Alex was still around, but there's a reason Cahill won't replace him for any significant amount of time and it's the same reason Bertrand hasn't took over from Cole.

Or maybe Mourinho just has his preference issue despite banging about meritocracy all season and contradicting it at the same time..

but Cole is bad for us every single match! I don't know if Bertrand would mess up in the long haul, but Cole is overran, dribbled, and concedes turnovers way too often. I agree I'd rather someone better than Bertrand, but I guess it's hard to be worse than Cole recently.

About Cole, there was one incident of him that just pisses me off and even summed him up of his recent performances. Remember in the second half against Newcastle when the ball was played behind him and a Newcastle player (can't remember who) got a free run at goal and nearly scored but thanks to Cech? That was just utterly pathetic. The incident happened because he got exposed is criminal already as it is but then, Cole didn't even bother to run back and try to stop the attack!

[Barbara 15,149]

Agreed, but then again, come CL big matches can we really trust Bertrand then? Or will we need an on form Cole for those? I'll go with the latter.

Same reasoning I have with the out-of-form David. We will be facing very pacey and technical strikers in the CL and we will need David then, especially if we plan to apply pressure at some time (playing a high line).

Let's not talk about those matches because in all honesty we'd be in bad shape with any of them. Luiz hasn't performed a great match for us (I don't think he was that amazing against Arsenal, although was solid, but again, that was a mixed Arsenal side) in a small while (although he did earlier this season). Cahill makes me nervous every single minute he plays. Cole has been making mistake after mistake and Terry and or Cech have been saving his ass time after time. Bertrand isn't reliable, and I'd be nervous too in big matches with him.

So we need to take advantage that we don't have BIG matches coming - although we have important matches such as Schalke - and try to get the best out of those guys.

I'm sure an in-form-Luiz is way better than Cahill, and I saw Luiz in form this season for Brazil - and to be fair a few matches for us, two of which great imo, so I think Luiz can be 'fixed'. As for Cole, I don't know where the problem resides and I don't know if we should be trying to 'fix' him or trying to mold Bertrand. It seems like almost a loss-loss situation.

Cahill is decent, I get tense watching him, but he's better than Cole now and I guess I trust him better than I trust Bertrand. But we need to work in that LB, that's one of our biggest liabilities this season imo. I guess it's only less bad than the pivot - that alternates great matches, and the same old rubbish matches from previous seasons.

[didierforever 7,349]

Fair enough.

There is no point really (of having that big squad) when only XI play. The problem of dropping important/key players because of form is that it becomes more difficult for those players to regain their form later on. Had we not insisted with Lampard last season, he wouldn't have won us the CL spot with sterling performances in the final 7 or so games.

Yes, sometimes you gotta drop an underperforming player, so long as the replacement is really the better option, which is something many of us here disagree with (manager does too I guess). The point is that when the big games come in the CL and BPL, you will need the key players to be on form, so it makes very little sense losing them now (by not playing them). That's the juggling (with confidence and fitness) managers have to do.

every big team in the world, CHELSEA,BAYERN, BARCA, RM, UNITED, CITY etc etc have a big squad. bayern have an equally bigger squad to us when they have 4 league games less to play and 1 domestic tournament less to play and all this is done not wothout a reason. when u want to win trophies, u have to win majority of the matches. u cant afford to have an out of form CB (luiz), an out-of form LB (cole), a highly constrained and way past his prime CDM (lamps), play against a team like newcastle at st. james' park. there are better options than what these guys can provide us with right now. GC, bert, mikel have already shown they can. schurlle has set the scene on fire and deserves to be selected ahead of our not in top-form yet POTY for the last 2 years, mata. this is the sacrifice we have to make for being the title challengers. we cant provide the players with their own sweet time to get back into top form to clinch top 4, cos we have to win the other matches too to win the league. for eg- against schalke, i see no reason why any of mata, luiz, cole, lamps should start.