David Luiz

[Reddish-Blue 2,395]

Form is one thing. This season he's been dropped twice and not unjustly.

My problem is his level of commitment, especially in what he might consider 'smaller games'. I don't think he's underappreciated either, I just think Chelsea fans expect defenders to give their all in every game and not throw in boneheaded mistakes.

It's not a media myth either. When he does something stupid like he did for Mutch's goal, the reaction isn't one of surprise but exasperation.

Well with Luiz, you take the good with the bad

As a chelsea supporter, I don't mind the odd Luiz error...because thats the time of player he is.

[The only place to be 11,313]

1. "Tends to maximise his potential ability" - Has to be the most non-grappable thing Ive ever read. Doesnt mean anything and you base that on nothing.

2. "A mental thing" - What are you referring to? Are you a pshycologist? Do you know David Luiz?

3. "Doesnt give 100% every game" - What the HELL do you know about this? If there is ANYONE that puts their heart out there, who really fights for the team, Luiz is one of them.

Last, but not least, when Luiz plays we have more pace in the defense, he makes better interceptions, he offers more and better passing which speeds up our counter and buildup play.

You guys know nothing of what the situation with Luiz is. We sure knew what kind of defender he was and is. Maybe we're after that? Maybe Chelsea and Mourinho likes the way he plays because it offers some unpredictablity and versatility in our defense?

1. I base it on watching the matches, same as everyone else. Plus it reads fine to me.

2. I'm referring to what I see on the pitch, same as everyone else here.

3. I disagree.

I agree he's faster and capable of making interceptions and passing the ball out of defence better than our other options - in fact I've never said any differently. My point isn't about what he's capable of, but what he actually shows on the pitch week-in and week-out.

Let's put it another way. David Luiz is one of my favourite players on FIFA 14 because he has fantastic stats. He's fast, technically fantastic, good in the air and that's all very true to life. The problem comes with who is controlling him. Great sportsmen aren't just great because of their physical tools. What sets them apart is their mental make-up and that's where EVERY SINGLE CRITICISM of Luiz stems from. You will never see anyone criticise him for being too slow or having a poor touch (like you might hear of Cahill).

It's the top two inches.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Well with Luiz, you take the good with the bad

As a chelsea supporter, I don't mind the odd Luiz error...because thats the time of player he is.

Exactly my point. Luiz is who Luiz is and you can't change that (apparently....sadly).

Maybe it's personal preference but I like stability and predictability in my defenders. My time supporting Chelsea has been with players like Erland Johnson, Desailly and Terry. It's why I hate that we missed out on Vincent Kompany.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

I watch the Cardiff game and see a guy who looked like having to play this team was beneath him, but it doesn't cost the guy who has brought his kid on the train to the match, got him a burger and been dragged around the club shop any less. Then I see him shirk a challenge away to Newcastle in front of fans who have travelled hundreds of miles to support the club.

You don't make the class clown captain. To me, Luiz is the guy you put next to the rock of your defence.

Your clearly frustrated with those performances! which is understandable but those performances do not sum Luiz up! those were uncharacteristic performances from him! I guarantee Luiz will shut a lot of people up once again this season!

[lionsden 4,689]

Your clearly frustrated with those performances! which is understandable but those performances do not sum Luiz up! those were uncharacteristic performances from him! I guarantee Luiz will shut a lot of people up once again this season!

once again? when has he ever shut his critics up. playing well for 2 or 3 games then making a brainfarted mistake the next game, rinse, washed and repeat over the course of the season. that's the summary of Luiz's chelsea career. when he cuts out the brainfarts, shows focus and full commitment, improves his decision making, anticipation, tactical awareness and so on, then I will be the 1st to commend him.

Ramires and Drogba (to a lesser extent) were the only chelsea players that I have seen shut the critiques up in recent times and they didn't need 10 seasons and 220 gazzilion months to turn it around either. when and if ever Luiz becomes a real and consistent defender, I will have no problem giving him his due props just like I did with ramires. for now he's nothing more than a technically gifted but distinctively and un-remarkably average defender as much as that assessment might hurt the feelings of his "fans".

I have always maintained talent means nothing if not correctly applied.. . .so all the "luiz is very talented" talk doesn't impress me one bit. give me a limited but amazingly consistent and great defenders like JT, hyypia, carragher et al in their primes over a Luiz any day of the week

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Exactly my point. Luiz is who Luiz is and you can't change that (apparently....sadly).

Maybe it's personal preference but I like stability and predictability in my defenders. My time supporting Chelsea has been with players like Erland Johnson, Desailly and Terry. It's why I hate that we missed out on Vincent Kompany.

This is what I agree with. For me, I can live with the mistakes that he makes that other defenders make as well. For me, the problem I have with Luiz is innate to his game. Being caught upfield too often, hoofing balls up the pitch hoping to hit someone, shooting the ball way too much, being poor in the air, etc..On a certain team, it's OK for your central defender to wander upfield and to have an 81% passing rate and take 2 shots (which are pretty much always off target) twice a game. (On Barcelona for example, where defenders don't really ever have to defend) On most teams, it's going to really hurt you because ball retention does really matter. In order to fit Luiz in the lineup, you have to build your team so he fits in. You need to play him next to someone conservative. You need to have a defensive midfielder who covers for his runs. Etc...

And the criticisms are justified. He is our best defender when his head is in the game and when he's more conservative but after 2 years, you need to see some consistency and he needs to stop just hitting the ball down-field and it just isn't going to happen. Also, the people who claim he's a top-5 defender or whatever do him no justice. It's pretty obvious he's nowhere near that level. He's been benched by just about every manager we've had and for defenders like Alex and Cahill. It's a case of his supporters so immensely exaggerating how good he is, that it's impossible to not to react.

[Mouri_Matic 560]

He hasn't ever done this sort of thing for us.

[Tomo 21,736]

Luiz's mistakes come from brainfarts. That's a lot harder for supporters to overlook because it can come off as not caring (look at the Cardiff performance for one of the most disrespectful performances I've seen in a long time).

In his last two years (bar the last month of the 11/12) Drogba performed without a care in the world most games, Lampard had his fair share of them under AVB, yet their regarded as a club legend's.

We can't have one rule for one...

[The only place to be 11,313]

In his last two years (bar the last month of the 11/12) Drogba performed without a care in the world most games, Lampard had his fair share of them under AVB, yet their regarded as a club legend's.

We can't have one rule for one...

How many? Come on, how many of the 40 games AVB coached (amongst Lampard's 630 appearances....that's SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY) how many did Lamps dial in?

The fact that you're even comparing the two is fucking ludicrous. This is a guy who took to the pitch after his mother died, and took a penalty in a decisive game. Seriously, what the fuck are you doing even bringing this up in this discussion?

[Tomo 21,736]

How many? Come on, how many of the 40 games AVB coached (amongst Lampard's 630 appearances....that's SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY) how many did Lamps dial in?

The fact that you're even comparing the two is fucking ludicrous. This is a guy who took to the pitch after his mother died, and took a penalty in a decisive game. Seriously, what the fuck are you doing even bringing this up in this discussion?

How many has Luiz phoned in? back in 2010/2011 he was literally the only positive coming out of matches that were almost having me in tears.

and im not saying Lampard is as lazy player, that's the whole point. Everybody has their 'off days'.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

1. I base it on watching the matches, same as everyone else. Plus it reads fine to me.

2. I'm referring to what I see on the pitch, same as everyone else here.

3. I disagree.

I agree he's faster and capable of making interceptions and passing the ball out of defence better than our other options - in fact I've never said any differently. My point isn't about what he's capable of, but what he actually shows on the pitch week-in and week-out.

Let's put it another way. David Luiz is one of my favourite players on FIFA 14 because he has fantastic stats. He's fast, technically fantastic, good in the air and that's all very true to life. The problem comes with who is controlling him. Great sportsmen aren't just great because of their physical tools. What sets them apart is their mental make-up and that's where EVERY SINGLE CRITICISM of Luiz stems from. You will never see anyone criticise him for being too slow or having a poor touch (like you might hear of Cahill).

It's the top two inches.

1. I still cant figure out what you mean by that Cahill maximizes his potential ability better than Luiz. How do you know what their respective potential abilities are and how is Luiz doing a worse job in doing that?

2. What is it you see on the pitch that leads you to think that Luiz suffers from "a mental thing"?

3. I cant understand how you feel that Luiz is not one of the guys in the team that go in for it for a 100% and gives his best. You say you disagree, well, fine, but I just find that absurd.

As Ive said before... No one is perfect and Luiz is not by any means an exception for that. Every player has pros and cons.

For instance, Ivanovic is a fantastic defender and good in the air, but his crosses suck balls.

Mata is a fantastic technical player and reads the game very well, however he lacks pace and physical ability (ie strong).

What I want to say with this is, while often discussing other players its discussed in a matter that they either didnt play well that particular game, that perhaps that is an area they need to possibly improve or even look past that because they see that they do GOOD more rather than what they do worse.

With Luiz, many people instead discuss it in terms of that he has a mental thing, that he doesnt give 100%, that we need to get rid of him and whatnot.

I am 100% positive we bought Luiz for who and what he is. In my eyes he's a fantastic defender and player. And even though he sometimes makes decisions we dont agree with people tend to forget that;

a ) We do not know what Luiz is instructed to do

b ) We do not know what the specific tactics are (who is to mark who, and stuff like that)

c ) Every player make mistakes, every game. No one is flawless.

d ) We dont know wether the issues that are discussed about Luiz here at these forums ARE a problem.

[The only place to be 11,313]

How many has Luiz phoned in? back in 2010/2011 he was literally the only positive coming out of matches that were almost having me in tears.

and im not saying Lampard is as lazy player, that's the whole point. Everybody has their 'off days'.

You can't compare the two. It's an utterly pointless discussion to be having.

When Lamps was Luiz's age, he was already a legend at this club. He's the most dedicated professional we've ever had at this club and Luiz could do well to get off Instagram and maybe start taking lessons from Lamps.

1. I still cant figure out what you mean by that Cahill maximizes his potential ability better than Luiz. How do you know what their respective potential abilities are and how is Luiz doing a worse job in doing that?

2. What is it you see on the pitch that leads you to think that Luiz suffers from "a mental thing"?

3. I cant understand how you feel that Luiz is not one of the guys in the team that go in for it for a 100% and gives his best. You say you disagree, well, fine, but I just find that absurd.

As Ive said before... No one is perfect and Luiz is not by any means an exception for that. Every player has pros and cons.

For instance, Ivanovic is a fantastic defender and good in the air, but his crosses suck balls.

Mata is a fantastic technical player and reads the game very well, however he lacks pace and physical ability (ie strong).

What I want to say with this is, while often discussing other players its discussed in a matter that they either didnt play well that particular game, that perhaps that is an area they need to possibly improve or even look past that because they see that they do GOOD more rather than what they do worse.

With Luiz, many people instead discuss it in terms of that he has a mental thing, that he doesnt give 100%, that we need to get rid of him and whatnot.

I am 100% positive we bought Luiz for who and what he is. In my eyes he's a fantastic defender and player. And even though he sometimes makes decisions we dont agree with people tend to forget that;

a ) We do not know what Luiz is instructed to do

b ) We do not know what the specific tactics are (who is to mark who, and stuff like that)

c ) Every player make mistakes, every game. No one is flawless.

d ) We dont know wether the issues that are discussed about Luiz here at these forums ARE a problem.

1. Oh well.

2. Because that's what I think brainfarts are...a mental thing.

3. Because I've seen him on the pitch looking like he couldn't give a shit. I've seen him shirk challenges. What more do you want? At the end of the day it's just my opinion.

[Barbara 15,149]

I really don't get the instagram/twitter/facebook thing that's been brought by more than one person lately. What does social media have to do with football and performance on pitch? Gimme a bloody break.

[Phil Driver 503]

He played well and hit some brilliant passes ,but .....................................how the **** does he let the goal through his legs on the line?

Over all did very well though and I saw him play it safe on one occasion and put the ball out for a throw in when he may have played a dodgy pass back to Schwarzer. Honestly Mikel really does him no favours when they play together.

[Korea 734]

We need Luiz as long as we have the same Cms on our squad...

It's one thing if we had good cms, buts we dont...

Therefore, Luiz is kind of necessary...

[Barbara 15,149]

He played well and hit some brilliant passes ,but .....................................how the **** does he let the goal through his legs on the line?

Over all did very well though and I saw him play it safe on one occasion and put the ball out for a throw in when he may have played a dodgy pass back to Schwarzer. Honestly Mikel really does him no favours when they play together.

at least he was better positioned to avoid the goal than Cahill who was trying to get a clearance while standing inside the goal.

Please, how can you react to a shoot a yard away from you? It's reflex and instinct and he did the best he could.

Now, speaking about his perfomance. He seems to be lacking confidence these days. I don't know how much is the time he spent off with injury or if he's feeling like he isn't appreciated here. I don't know what is, but he needs to figure it out. He didn't compromise our defense today like Essien, Cahill and Cole did, but it's still far from what he normally produces.

And people need to understand a thing about long passes. You can't complain about the wrong ones, then clap when he has a couple of brilliant defence-to-box passes to Ba (who did shit with both, and couldn't win a 1x1). When you go for a long pass, you'll hit a few you'll miss some and I hope Mourinho doesn't shy him from doing it because the difficulty we have to penetrate defenses nowadays, it's a big favor to have 2 key long passes like those even if he misses 5 to deliver those 2.

If only we had striker to capitalize that...

[The_Flash 1,144]

If only we had striker to capitalize that...

If only indeed

[Henrique 9,133]

He played well and hit some brilliant passes ,but .....................................how the **** does he let the goal through his legs on the line?

Over all did very well though and I saw him play it safe on one occasion and put the ball out for a throw in when he may have played a dodgy pass back to Schwarzer. Honestly Mikel really does him no favours when they play together.

Luiz is not a GK.