David Luiz

[The only place to be 11,313]

We only conceded one goal and won the match.

I'll compromise - David Luiz can play in games where Mario Gomez is the striker.

We could probably give our goalkeepers the day off in those matches too.

[LAM09 6,552]

I'll compromise - David Luiz can play in games where Mario Gomez is the striker.

We could probably give our goalkeepers the day off in those matches too.

LOL!

He ain't the greatest of CF, but he normally knows where the back of the net is.

[The Skipper 20,593]

The whole team defends better, but there's a reason that despite this he was dropped twice and hasn't played a match there when Cahill and Terry have been fit for about four months.

Both JT and Cahill have been great this season, it would be stupid to fix what isn't broken, that's why Luiz hasn't been introduced at the back (well that plus the fact that he seems to attain these niggling injuries here and there that set him back throughout most of this season).

But yes, we've looked much better defensively when Luiz hasn't been in defence. If we were better in defence or even as solid with Luiz playing then Luiz would play.

I'm not denying that we haven't looked better without Luiz at the back, but it has far more to do with other factors such as the team in general being far more defensively solid, The CBs having protection, Cahill having his best season in a Chelsea shirt etc... I wouldn't contribute Luiz not playing at the back as a reason why we're solid at the back.

But he doesn't and I can't see Jose deciding to put him in there just because there's a misconception that he makes us in any way better as an attacking unit. He doesn't.

That is not a myth. He grabbed 7 goals and 5 assists for us last season, most of those coming from playing as a CB. That alone should tell you he brings a more offensive threat to the team.

It's not only that either, it's the type of CB he is. He is the type that goes for the interception rather than backing off - this again helps with ball retention and winning the ball back quickly, thus giving the team more of the ball to create more.

[lionsden 4,689]

Matic would flourish even better with a DLP next to him. Luiz has been decent in CM alongside matic, I will give him that but let's not get carried away. if a decent offer comes in for him I had take it and use the money to buy a proper DLP/striker. We aren''t missing Luiz in defence and he's not the solution to our midfield in the long term and on a consistent basis.

[Mr_President 404]

Matic would flourish even better with a DLP next to him. Luiz has been decent in CM alongside matic, I will give him that but let's not get carried away. if a decent offer comes in for him I had take it and use the money to buy a proper DLP/striker. We aren''t missing Luiz in defence and he's not the solution to our midfield in the long term and on a consistent basis.

Agree, it would be foolhardy not to buy a CM to partner Matic just because Luiz has looked good there for a few games. I actually really like him there and it seems Jose is warminig to the idea too, but we just have no way of knowing whether he can consistently play that well. If he can, great, but if not it is a major risk not going out and signing a DLP to play alongside Matic, as you suggest.

Bit of a dilema actually because he's not good enough to displace CC or JT at the moment and equally we can't turn down the oppotunity to sign a good CM if one comes along. Then we are left with Luiz who is, by all intents and purposes, a valuable player who would want to be playing every week, so would he be happy with knowing that he is 3rd choice CB and also a back-up midfield option?

[robsblubot 3,228]

Both JT and Cahill have been great this season, it would be stupid to fix what isn't broken, that's why Luiz hasn't been introduced at the back (well that plus the fact that he seems to attain these niggling injuries here and there that set him back throughout most of this season).

I'm not denying that we haven't looked better without Luiz at the back, but it has far more to do with other factors such as the team in general being far more defensively solid, The CBs having protection, Cahill having his best season in a Chelsea shirt etc... I wouldn't contribute Luiz not playing at the back as a reason why we're solid at the back.

That is not a myth. He grabbed 7 goals and 5 assists for us last season, most of those coming from playing as a CB. That alone should tell you he brings a more offensive threat to the team.

It's not only that either, it's the type of CB he is. He is the type that goes for the interception rather than backing off - this again helps with ball retention and winning the ball back quickly, thus giving the team more of the ball to create more.

yep this talk about defense is very relative.

All following matches had Cahill and Terry in the CB (that's what happens to exposed defenders):

Sat 9 November, 2013 - West Bromwich Albion [h] - drawn 2-2 - Goalscorers: Eto'o (45'), Hazard (90').

Sat 23 November, 2013 - West Ham United [a] - won 3-0 - Goalscorers: Lampard (21', 82'), Oscar (34').

Sun 1 December, 2013 - Southampton [h] - won 3-1 - Goalscorers: Cahill (55'), Terry (62'), Ba (90').

Wed 4 December, 2013 - Sunderland [a] - won 4-3 - Goalscorers: Lampard (17'), Hazard (36', 62'), OG (84').

Sat 7 December, 2013 - Stoke City [a] - lost 2-3 - Goalscorer: Schurrle (10', 52').

Sat 14 December, 2013 - Crystal Palace [h] - won 2-1 - Goalscorers: Torres (16'), Ramires (35').

And then suddenly we stopped conceding.

Hey, if ain't broke don't fix it... and the CB pairing is certainly working. however, I've seen this happen so many times before: once the team solidifies defensively, then you can actually swap players without losing too much. The team should always be greater than its players. I think this is specially true with Mourinho.

Concerning Luiz in midfield, reckon his performances and our results speak for themselves. He seems to flourish in Jose's disruptive system, in the same manner Oscar does. He seems to be getting better in the role, but we need to see more. We will find out for sure in the CL since Matic can't play.

However, I've read somewhere that Matic actually makes Luiz better in the midfield, because he sits in the DLP and lets Luiz make runs.

[Eidur the Spider 4,515]

Geezer!

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

He sure can kick a ball into the stands, I bet those fans are happy to see him take a shot from distance, there is a big chance one of them will walk home with a match ball in their hands.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

His aggressiveness is still for me an issue. His pressing can be very good at times, but he always seems to make at least one or two mistakes each game which is a lot. For example, the mistake he did early in the game against Arsenal that led to that brilliant Cech save. He lost his concentration and got his positioning completely wrong and left the back four stranded with 5 Arsenal players running at them. He did a similar mistake later on in the first half and had to take down Rosicky from behind and if the game wasn't already finished he would have been booked for it.

The only game in midfield he's gone without making a serious mistake was against City. But then again, he was playing against a midfield duo of a CB and a nonchalant Toure.

No risk, no gain.

People always see those 1-2 times where his aggressiveness might have caused something dangerous, however often bypass to accnowledge (or see) that every time he does an interception it prevents something from happening..and he does quite alot of them.

[Eligius 121]

Whenver Luiz shoots, I close my eyes.

Same goes for Mikel.

[Milan 17,835]

Whenver Luiz shoots, I close my eyes.

Same goes for Mikel.

Whenever he shoots, the goalkeeper is already preparing his new ball for a goal kick. And the fans behind the goal are trying to protect themselves.

[Stats 6,982]

Whenver Luiz shoots, I close my eyes.

Same goes for Mikel.

I hope you done the same when Luiz took those long shots against Fulham and Basel last season

[Eligius 121]

David Luiz advert with Marcelo and Thiago Silva

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

He hasnt even been terrible of late but pple still find ways of blaming him,

[Jase 43,479]

He hasnt even been terrible of late but pple still find ways of blaming him,

Who's blaming him for what? Others are just discussing the flaws in his game.

And even if people do blame him for something, there has been a legitimate reason for it.

[zolayes 14,489]

Who's blaming him for what? Others are just discussing the flaws in his game.

And even if people do blame him for something, there has been a legitimate reason for it.

this is only my opinion ... and yes Im am a stupid old git ,,, but David could become as good as JT .. perhaps not as loved cos he is not English .

Already he is bigger than Micky Droy ( check the stats ) ////and I believe he could come close to Marcel . Btw our friends from another post ,, note

Marcel played for you when you the WC as did Frank Ros BEEF

[Pizy 17,860]

Surely he is one of the players José was alluding to with his latest comments about certain players letting him down in these matches against bad teams. He and Eden. They look brilliant against top opposition and then shrink against sides we should be blowing off the pitch like Palace.

Honestly think José will cash in on him in the summer. I just get the feeling that he uses him out of necessity and that if he had someone who could naturally do what he does better he'd use them. He knows Ramires can't handle simple passes most of the time and that Lamps just can't cut it anymore so he plays Luiz there because he can actually make some decent forward passes and can get stuck in to tackles.

He clearly doesn't trust or fancy him in defense and for the money we could get for him we can buy or partially fund an actual CM. As much as I love him I think his days here are numbered. If we can get £30-odd million for him and immediately use it to buy someone like Kroos or Gündogan or someone of that ilk then I'd do it.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

Surely he is one of the players José was alluding to with his latest comments about certain players letting him down in these matches against bad teams. He and Eden. They look brilliant against top opposition and then shrink against sides we should be blowing off the pitch like Palace.

Honestly think José will cash in on him in the summer. I just get the feeling that he uses him out of necessity and that if he had someone who could naturally do what he does better he'd use them. He knows Ramires can't handle simple passes most of the time and that Lamps just can't cut it anymore so he plays Luiz there because he can actually make some decent forward passes and can get stuck in to tackles.

He clearly doesn't trust or fancy him in defense and for the money we could get for him we can buy or partially fund an actual CM. As much as I love him I think his days here are numbered. If we can get £30-odd million for him and immediately use it to buy someone like Kroos or Gündogan or someone of that ilk then I'd do it.

I am certain is has more to do with the fact that Cahill+Terry have been almost godlike. Why change something that has worked so well? Especially this late in the season and with this much at stake.

But just consider, what if Cahill or even JT got injured? Suspended? Some of you might say "well we got....X". No we dont. We got another worldclass CB who can also do a superb job as DM. They dont grow on trees.

Luiz to me is a 100% in this team. I cannot see him sold, no chance.