🇧🇷 Filipe Luís

[Sheva. 5,373]

His technical ability is on another planet compared to Azpi.

Azpi is a top defender, but Luis does it on both ends, and should win his spot with more all action performances like that.

[Barbara 15,149]

He's used to having di María in his pocket when Angel decides to go through the left, so I'm worried about that one

I do hope he has the match of his life comes Sunday. Like Skipper said, he needs EPL matches to get used to EPL physicality and while I think José was probably aiming a few more doable matches at home or against QPR, if he has a good match against United Azpili can kiss that LB position goodbye. What will happen in the RB I have no idea if it happens.

[Rambo 1,729]

You're know we're spoiled if when we have a world class LB like Luis come off the bench for us. He'd probably walk into most starting 11s in the world.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

When last did I see our leftback beat his marker and cross superbly like last night

[DH1988 1,348]

Good game, against Maribor, reserving judgment for after Sunday!

[Special Juan 28,141]

Really good last night and won some great tackles.

[Shakez 755]

He had a great game yesterday, and offers alot more than Azpi in an attacking situation. Regarding the RB situation, im against dropping Ivanovic in current form. Ivanovic play's as a winger basically with Willian cutting inside. This gives the opposition defenders a difficult decision in who they should mark, wich results into added distraction. Azpi on the other hand is much more suited to play with Schürrle because the latter tends to stick out wide and doesn't offer the same cover to his fullback than Willian does.

[Nike 373]

TBH, I would drop cahill and put ivan at cb and allow dave to play his natural position.

[The Skipper 20,609]

TBH, I would drop cahill and put ivan at cb and allow dave to play his natural position.

I've been screaming this for a few weeks now.

[Jase 43,479]

His technical ability is on another planet compared to Azpi.

Azpi is a top defender, but Luis does it on both ends, and should win his spot with more all action performances like that.

Think it's harsh to compare Azpi at LB and Luis at LB. One is not natural LB while the other is. You are bound to get better results when a player is played in the right position. And it's not like we have never seen Azpi making decisive contributions or attack like Luis did when he plays at RB (or even at LB for that matter when he's given the license to get forward).

[Jase 43,479]

I am sure a lot of people will feel much more relieved after today's game than after the Palace one. It was only Maribor but he needed some start and boy did he look great on the left flank, from both defensive and offensive points of views.

Think there's a reason why Mourinho has so far only played Luis in European matches. Would reserve judgment on his defensive capabilites after he plays a few league games.

[Nike 373]

Think it's harsh to compare Azpi at LB and Luis at LB. One is not natural LB while the other is. You are bound to get better results when a player is played in the right position. And it's not like we have never seen Azpi making decisive contributions or attack like Luis did when he plays at RB (or even at LB for that matter when he's given the license to get forward).

When dave played rb the few times, he wasn't exacty lighting the world going forward.....

[Jase 43,479]

When dave played rb the few times, he wasn't exacty lighting the world going forward.....

Played at RB the FEW times..?

[bababoom 4,478]

You can tell Luis used to be a winger, fantastic technically. I'm also very impressed with his constant pressing, Azpi does it as well but Luis was on another level with it.

I have no worries about his defending, the palace game was a one off.

[Barbara 15,149]

TBH, I would drop cahill and put ivan at cb and allow dave to play his natural position.

I've been screaming this for a few weeks now.

the only problem with that is that Iva has been absolutely amazing in the flank. I think he cut some of his shortcomings defending from earlier the season, while also taking a couple of steps down from the amazing attacking presence. Fact remains he makes our right flank much more lively. Among those three, Cahill is certainly the one I trust less - the one I see more prone to making a capital mistake and showing shakiness.

On the other hand, if the price for Azpili to play in the team once Luís consolidates his position is moving Iva to the defense, I'd rather move Azpili to the bench and have him taking turns with Iva in the RB position, splitting chances according to the opponent.

Taking Iva from the right flank now feels like a sin. Also, I'm one of the rare people that likes him better as a RB than as a CB. I was up to him moving there when Cahill was a bit shaky, but if Cahill can carry on form, I wouldn't move Iva from the flank.

And based on their seasons so far, all things considered, and the edge in the aerial game, in the RB it's Iva >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dave for me.

[Tomo 21,751]

TBH, I would drop cahill and put ivan at cb and allow dave to play his natural position.

Im not convinced by the Terry and Ivan partnership in all honesty, although tbf most of the time they played together Bosingwa was almost always the right back on the pitch.

[Nike 373]

Im not convinced by the Terry and Ivan partnership in all honesty, although tbf most of the time they played together Bosingwa was almost always the right back on the pitch.

even Nesta+maldini would have troubles with bosingwa..

[nyikolajevics 2,700]

When dave played rb the few times, he wasn't exacty lighting the world going forward.....

I disagree... In 2012/13 he was the first choice RB and he had 6 assists in 26 PL-matches. He was very dangerous and his crosses were fine.

[Ze Mario 638]

Really good last night and won some great tackles.

Yes but there were times when he did a tackle when simple marking is suffice. And on the 2nd half he did that while there wasnt any player covering his area, but thankfully the tackle was success. I think he should be aware of his surrounding before making the move. We clearly dont want another Zaha against Manchester United. Especially with Manu forwards and Rafael added to that.

But the rest was magnificent. The way he enhanced our attack was barca/muenchen level with their alba and alaba And he was right "You're never gonna see me walking on the pitch, always running!"

[CHOULO19 24,332]

the only problem with that is that Iva has been absolutely amazing in the flank. I think he cut some of his shortcomings defending from earlier the season, while also taking a couple of steps down from the amazing attacking presence. Fact remains he makes our right flank much more lively. Among those three, Cahill is certainly the one I trust less - the one I see more prone to making a capital mistake and showing shakiness.

On the other hand, if the price for Azpili to play in the team once Luís consolidates his position is moving Iva to the defense, I'd rather move Azpili to the bench and have him taking turns with Iva in the RB position, splitting chances according to the opponent.

Taking Iva from the right flank now feels like a sin. Also, I'm one of the rare people that likes him better as a RB than as a CB. I was up to him moving there when Cahill was a bit shaky, but if Cahill can carry on form, I wouldn't move Iva from the flank.

And based on their seasons so far, all things considered, and the edge in the aerial game, in the RB it's Iva >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dave for me.

Not to take anything away from Iva because he has done very well this season, but the main reason why our right flank looks a lot more lively this season is not Iva himself, it's Jose.

In attack, especially against smaller teams, our right wingers are instructed by Jose to make diagonal runs inside and Iva has full permission to actually take the right wing position without having to worry about the defensive side. In fact he has such full license to become an all out forward in our attacks that when the actual right winger does stay wide (particularly Schurrle) Iva is instructed to continue forward and make the diagonal run himself and actually become a second striker (goal against Everton for example but he's done it countless times this season).

It's just a tactic to prevent us from getting too narrow in attack, something that really hurt us last season. And it works because most teams are more worried about stopping us than exploiting the space behind Iva and because Matic and Cahill know that they have to cover for Iva in almost every attack.

But it is so much easier for any player to look awesome in attack when he doesn't have to worry about defensive duties, even more so when he is usually unmarked because he's coming from deep. Obviously Iva has great physical abilities and can overpower almost every fullback and even gives CBs trouble, and it takes quite the stamina to keep going up and down that flank for the 90 minutes. But in no way has his technical limitations just disappeared in midair (I can't believe that defenders still fall for the 'dramatic' cut backwards that he does with the ball 11 times out of 10! ) and there are certainly a lot of improvements that can be brought to that position.

Point is, it's a new role for the RB position and Iva has done it well so far this season. But Azpi hasn't even had a chance to try that role yet so you can't really say that Iva is much better at it than him.