David Luiz

[The Skipper 20,593]

He did struggle against him. He clearly couldn't match Anichebe's power, so resorted to shirt grabbing. He also lost almost all aerial duels with him when he came on. He is always looking to get in front of his man, getting ridiculously tight, instead of holding his ground. That sort of thing doesn't work against physically strong and tall strikers. If Pepe Mel had watched more tapes, he would have started Anichebe from the get go and it probably would have been worse.

Luiz is the sort of CB that goes for the interception more oft than not, regardless of who he's facing. He wasn't amazing against Victor but he didn't really struggle either.

Again I ask, I would love to know the plethora of powerful strikers Luiz has struggled against?

[The Skipper 20,593]

He's had good games. But I'll take consistency and reliability over 'good games'. For fuck's sake he isn't a bad player so you'd expect him to have had good games amongst the 130-odd he's played for him. That's the bare minimum.

He WAS consistently good at CB for us though, especially in the second half of last season, which you always completely seem to forget.

We denied them clear goalscoring opportunities. In fact that tactic worked until Luiz lost his man in the 87th minute.

So Ivanovic couldn't have done more to stop the cross? Was the cross an average cross? Couldn't Cech perhaps have gotten there or put some pressure on Anichebe by going for the ball since he did come off his line?

And how would you describe Anichebe's movement? What was so good about it that made Luiz lose his man?

Come on, you're doing quite the Anichebe impression yourself ducking that question.

It goes without saying that

I think if you watch the goal then you'll see that's not true. Luiz has already lost Anichebe before Cech leaves his line.

It wasn't an exceptional run, but that goes without saying. I'm not absorbing Luiz of any blame in the goal, he was definitely partially at fault, but you're acting like it was solely his when there were other factors that affected it.

[Cech's helmet 220]

Terry and Cahill from now on please.

[Cech's helmet 220]

God, the overreaction in here is amazing.

Yeah Luiz should've done better with Anichebe but why are people acting like he's never had a good game at CB for us?

Laughing at how supposedly Luiz isn't good enough to be a CB here but is the starting CB for a top international team like Brazil?

People need to relax. We should've played a lot better against WBA in general, those basically scapegoating Luiz for the draw just have an agenda against him IMO.

It's not just the goal. he should have been sent off when he was grabbing Anichebe's shirt in the box. West brom should have had a penalty.

[The only place to be 11,313]

He WAS consistently good at CB for us though, especially in the second half of last season, which you always completely seem to forget.

He was playing in defence and midfield, but if you want to keep on bringing up the fact that he was good when we were largely SHIT then more power to you.

So Ivanovic couldn't have done more to stop the cross? Was the cross an average cross? Couldn't Cech perhaps have gotten there or put some pressure on Anichebe by going for the ball since he did come off his line?

Cech didn't come out, Ivanovic didn't waggle his hands in the air to stop the cross....anything to avoid criticising your boy. It's alright, no-one begrudges someone saying they were wrong about stuff. It happens a lot in a man's life.

It wasn't an exceptional run, but that goes without saying. I'm not absorbing Luiz of any blame in the goal, he was definitely partially at fault, but you're acting like it was solely his when there were other factors that affected it.

We limited them to a cross into the box aimed at Victor Anichebe. Luiz loses his man AND DOESN'T EVEN CHALLENGE HIS HEADER.

But yeah, he's a scapegoat. There is no pattern of poor play from him this season that saw him DROPPED TWICE and limited to TWO LEAGUE STARTS SINCE NOVEMEBER 2ND.

[didierforever 7,349]

Jose's gonna be MAD!!!!

[The Chels 2,502]

JT-Cahill in defence and Matic-Luiz in DM makes up our best team IMO. Luiz's long passes to nobody really annoy me. It seems like he's trying to take things in to his own hands, make something happen because we don't necessarily have any other players in our team to spread the play but he hardly ever gets the passes right. It's just gifting the opposition back the ball, and he purposely does it when we have the lead - just boots it upfield to no-one!

[The Skipper 20,593]

He was playing in defence and midfield, but if you want to keep on bringing up the fact that he was good when we were largely SHIT then more power to you.

Cech didn't come out, Ivanovic didn't waggle his hands in the air to stop the cross....anything to avoid criticising your boy. It's alright, no-one begrudges someone saying they were wrong about stuff. It happens a lot in a man's life.

We limited them to a cross into the box aimed at Victor Anichebe. Luiz loses his man AND DOESN'T EVEN CHALLENGE HIS HEADER.

But yeah, he's a scapegoat. There is no pattern of poor play from him this season that saw him DROPPED TWICE and limited to TWO LEAGUE STARTS SINCE NOVEMEBER 2ND.

I don't get why you don't understand that I do partially blame him for the goal...

Anyway, seems like we're just going round and round here. We'll just leave it there.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

It's not just the goal. he should have been sent off when he was grabbing Anichebe's shirt in the box. West brom should have had a penalty.

Absolutley not. And the ref saw it. Luiz was grabbed and pulled aswell.

Sick of self-announced experts like yourself.

[The Skipper 20,593]

It's not just the goal. he should have been sent off when he was grabbing Anichebe's shirt in the box. West brom should have had a penalty.

Nope. Think the ref made the correct call. It was a 50/50, both were tugging.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

It's not just the goal. he should have been sent off when he was grabbing Anichebe's shirt in the box. West brom should have had a penalty.

Anichibe was holding his shirt first and then Luiz grabbed his back. That's never given because both players are grabbing each others shirts. And even if Anichibe wasn't holding Luiz's shirt, why in the world would that be another yellow? And finally, don't you find it weird that you're bringing this up when even Anichibe nor the WBA players appealed for it?!

[rantdeville 195]

It's just simply an observation.

Luiz didn't do good enough against Anichebe.

Anichebe is a really strong player, we're not going to burn Luiz at the stake, no need to be so defensive.

[Joe Cool 388]

I've just about had it with Luiz at centre-back, every time he's been there this season it's costed us goals and points. Tonight's performance was utter bollocks, it was nothing more than a complete sham.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

I've just about had it with Luiz at centre-back, every time he's been there this season it's costed us goals and points. Tonight's performance was utter bollocks, it was nothing more than a complete sham.

I feel you are the sham for bashing on him as if he is to be blamed for us losing 2pts after the way the whole team played.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Anyone want to guess what month Luiz starts another game at centre-back for us in the league when Cahill and Terry are fit?

Will he ever start another one there?

I've just about had it with Luiz at centre-back, every time he's been there this season it's costed us goals and points. Tonight's performance was utter bollocks, it was nothing more than a complete sham.

He didn't cost us goals at the weekend....but he made two errors, one of which was getting the wrong side of De Jong for a cross.

Oh well, there's a reason he's third choice centre-back and we've already signed one young guy. I'd say it's a certainty he's sold in the summer, except he's been good for us in midfield.

[robsblubot 3,217]

@The Skipper, you are wasting your time.

Some folks here never kicked a ball in their life.

That was an unstoppable play caused by a perfect cross. You'd need a defender who was NOT man marking to see the cross first - assuming Victor does not know the crosser from practice. It's possible but it would have taken a perfect reading, pace, and luck.

Some folks here also have a problem with logic; they are good removing the deficiencies of the players they replace in their minds, but not taking into account the deficiencies of the substitutes. Say, Terry were on the pitch and there is no Victor goal (a wild assumption as he's pretty pacey) there is no backheel flick from Luiz and no Iva goal: result 0x0 (also an assumption). Did we not press with a high defense line for 70min of the match either?! That's Luiz' specialty and he looked pretty good then.

Furthermore, lets assume that in the situation we were in in the last 20 min or so, under pressure and all, we'd rather have Terry than Luiz on the pitch. This is fair as Terry shines in those situations. However, in other situations that's not the case: like I said, when pressing your opponent in midfield like we tried to do for most of the match.

Is it fair to expect Luiz to be as composed as Terry in those particular situations, even though David Luiz is a lot better than Terry in others? Isn't Terry any good then if Luiz has to match Terry in what Terry does best even though it's really not Luiz' virtue?

I find this discussion repetitive as we've coming to the same conclusions over and over again: about what his deficiencies are and what his virtues are. The same people focus on his deficiencies and the same others on his virtues.

I will just agree to disagree on this one.

[Joe Cool 388]

I feel you are the sham for bashing on him as if he is to be blamed for us losing 2pts after the way the whole team played.

You are hilarious. You really are. I didn't say that Luiz is the only one to be blamed because let's be honest, everyone was shite. However, the one who stood out the most, with his shirt tugging (which could have easily been a penalty), his stupid fouls, and random gifts of possession to the opposition was none other than yours truly.

Edit: Well maybe Ivanovic is also a culprit too, but he has been superb the last few months so he was due a meltdown like that.

[didierforever 7,349]

So Gc and It start abiut 10 matxhes together and concede one goal against pool thru set piece and another to united when everyone was cruising thru. All this while no team put in a "perfext cross" or no striker made a perfect run.

But luiz comes in and the stars align and that one moment of magic happens. Oh definitely!!!! Poor luiz... never at fault for anyyhing ever. He is simply PERFECT!!!