🇧🇷 Filipe Luís

[Jase 43,479]

If you mean bad game as in looked all over the place then not many, but when he was getting regular games in 12/13 it became clear he was never going to be better than a squad player here, he didn't seem to want that so he left, fair enough.

He does have one huge weakness, he lets crosses into the box time after time (we scored vs Saints from a cross his side aswell), I remember that Everton League Cup game at Goodison under AVB and the crosses he allowed in that game (including for the Everton goal) must be a record. Ivanovic gets mullered for this side to his game yet Bertrand who's 10 times worse at it gets a free pass, I'm guessing because it doesn't fit in with the myth that he is a complete solid defender who we royally fuked up selling.

A tad easy to blame Bertrand for the goal Southampton conceded at the Bridge when questions could easily be asked of Tadic as well. IIRC, he was playing in front of Bertrand that day but was no where to mark his full back and ensure nothing comes into the area that easily.

[Jase 43,479]

Then he may have had a lot to learn but he was only 23 without much games. It is clear that after playing regular football he has become one of the best LB in the league. In the match we played against them at the Bridge, I personally thought he had a good game and remember Azpi being caught out a couple of times but luckily we were never punished but sometimes we just could not handle the threat of their plays down the flank and he was their key asset and many times they exploited that area. Even if he does have the slightest defensive issues, he is probably the most effective full back in terms of being effective going forward and defending. I have always been impressed by him and as much as I appreciate having Azpi here if I had the choice I would never have sold Bertrand and had him as our first choice LB as he is homegrown, fantastic going forward and like I was saying, overall I think a very good defender. I reckon him and Hazard would be a dream link up when attacking.

If people do not rate Bertrand, that is fine but I have not seen a proper reason as to why they don't rate him. If anything, the reasons have been somewhat superficial - he allows crosses to come into the box, he looks average to me, he did nothing impressive/played only so-so, he makes too many Ramires-esque passes etc. No one seem able to pin point which part of his game makes him a really average (or even bad) player even though he's always got the job done whenever he's played for us.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Oh. Well don't type in a misleading way - But I still think that neither Luis or Azpi would concede near as many goals as Ivanovic does in a full-back position. I don't believe that for a second, especially because we know how reliable Luis can be.

Iva is always targeted by opposition teams because his positioning and because he plays on the side of the weakest link in our defense: Cahill. Opposition always try to go down our right side when they can. Luis wasn't a starter for us and he got overpowered regularly when he played. If he were a starter he would no doubt be targeted by the opposition as well. Imagine Luis coming up against someone physical like Moses for example. He'd brush him out of the way every time.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Iva is always targeted by opposition teams because his positioning and because he plays on the side of the weakest link in our defense: Cahill. Opposition always try to go down our right side when they can. Luis wasn't a starter for us and he got overpowered regularly when he played. If he were a starter he would no doubt be targeted by the opposition as well. Imagine Luis coming up against someone physical like Moses for example. He'd brush him out of the way every time.

Ah yeah but you have to remember how sporadic his appearances have been. I mean there's a reason he was called integral to the Atletico team that won the La Liga right?.. Ivanovic has had an unjustifiable run and been exploited time and time again. He hasn't learned from those mistakes either. Azpilicueta switching to the right flank will help out with Cahill well, until he's replaced. Luis and Terry may have a successful partnership on the left if he was allowed a run of games perhaps.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Ah yeah but you have to remember how sporadic his appearances have been. I mean there's a reason he was called integral to the Atletico team that won the La Liga right?.. Ivanovic has had an unjustifiable run and been exploited time and time again. He hasn't learned from those mistakes either. Azpilicueta switching to the right flank will help out with Cahill well, until he's replaced. Luis and Terry may have a successful partnership on the left if he was allowed a run of games perhaps.

He played 26 matches this season starting 20 of them. This isn't a KDB case. In those matches he had a run of 5 or 6 matches back to back when Azpi was suspended and Luis started in all three EPL matches as well as the CL and cup matches between them. He was just no where near as good as Cesar.

The "he was key for Atletico" excuse is no longer valid as well. You can give him the benefit of the doubt for a few months but he's had a full season where he was given more than a fair chance to prove himself and has failed.

I think Luis next to Terry is bad idea. JT simply doesn't have the pace to cover for him and is never comfortable when he's drown out to the wing. In fact you can see that in the games that Luis did start this season. Suddenly our impermeable left side becomes the more vulnerable one.

Listen, I'm no big fan on Iva at RB. He's a CB having to be played out of position and that's never going to change. But Jose wants at least 3 of his back 4 to be physically strong and good in the air, and Iva's belief that he is actually a striker does often give the opposition something to think about because they have an extra body to deal with. For me, this season has proved that Jose was right all along and that Iva-Azpi are our best fullbacks.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

He played 26 matches this season starting 20 of them. This isn't a KDB case. In those matches he had a run of 5 or 6 matches back to back when Azpi was suspended and Luis started in all three EPL matches as well as the CL and cup matches between them. He was just no where near as good as Cesar.

The "he was key for Atletico" excuse is no longer valid as well. You can give him the benefit of the doubt for a few months but he's had a full season where he was given more than a fair chance to prove himself and has failed.

I think Luis next to Terry is bad idea. JT simply doesn't have the pace to cover for him and is never comfortable when he's drown out to the wing. In fact you can see that in the games that Luis did start this season. Suddenly our impermeable left side becomes the more vulnerable one.

Listen, I'm no big fan on Iva at RB. He's a CB having to be played out of position and that's never going to change. But Jose wants at least 3 of his back 4 to be physically strong and good in the air, and Iva's belief that he is actually a striker does often give the opposition something to think about because they have an extra body to deal with. For me, this season has proved that Jose was right all along and that Iva-Azpi are our best fullbacks.

Don't get me wrong, I think we need 2-3 new full backs anyway. Luis & Ivanovic should go as it is, the former was never a signing we should've made in the first place and the latter is well past the point of no return in being able to the right-back he should be. I just think that with what we had, Luis & Azpilicueta was the best options we had, but the Brazilian was just unlucky that Mou had favoured Ivanovic at right-back.. There was no going back when Cesar was doing well in the LB position.

I hope we do strike a deal where Luis goes back to Atletico and we bring an LB who is worthy enough to cement the left-back position as his own and pushed Azpilicueta to right-back.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Don't get me wrong, I think we need 2-3 new full backs anyway. Luis & Ivanovic should go as it is, the former was never a signing we should've made in the first place and the latter is well past the point of no return in being able to the right-back he should be. I just think that with what we had, Luis & Azpilicueta was the best options we had, but the Brazilian was just unlucky that Mou had favoured Ivanovic at right-back.. There was no going back when Cesar was doing well in the LB position.

I hope we do strike a deal where Luis goes back to Atletico and we bring an LB who is worthy enough to cement the left-back position as his own and pushed Azpilicueta to right-back.

I think Luis should obviously go and Iva should replace Cahill at CB. Then of course we need to sign at least two fullbacks now that Ake is obviously not going to be given a chance to be backup at LB.

I don't mind Azpi staying on the left. Obviously he offers more in attack on the right but I tend to find that because of the way he defends, he's a better 1vs1 defender on the left than he is on the right.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I think Luis should obviously go and Iva should replace Cahill at CB. Then of course we need to sign at least two fullbacks now that Ake is obviously not going to be given a chance to be backup at LB.

I don't mind Azpi staying on the left. Obviously he offers more in attack on the right but I tend to find that because of the way he defends, he's a better 1vs1 defender on the left than he is on the right.

Even having Ivanovic at CB doesn't help my nerves. He's played at RB for so long now that I'm not sure if he's got the discipline to play as a centre-back in big matches.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Even having Ivanovic at CB doesn't help my nerves. He's played at RB for so long now that I'm not sure if he's got the discipline to play as a centre-back in big matches.

To be fair, Iva often does very well in big matches, even defensively. He's usually more focused and more restricted in his runs. It's usually the smaller teams with the pacy wingers that he has trouble with.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

To be fair, Iva often does very well in big matches, even defensively. He's usually more focused and more restricted in his runs. It's usually the smaller teams with the pacy wingers that he has trouble with.

True but he's prone to a brain fart. Ideally, we want to start replacing this backline pretty soon because we don't want a situation where it's going to be completely new in one season and they can't gel well enough.

[Barbara 15,149]

True but he's prone to a brain fart. Ideally, we want to start replacing this backline pretty soon because we don't want a situation where it's going to be completely new in one season and they can't gel well enough.

please!!!!!!

But I don't see it happening in another five years... which gives me nightmares. Five more years of a mediocre defense holding back the team's potential is a crime. Mourinho is stubborn and he doesn't mind compromising the team's fluency to keep the defense protected. I can't believe he isn't capable of setting up a defense that doesn't need as much protection, so the only reason left is because he really trusts those guys. I'd keep Azpili - of course - and JT should be analyzed one season at a time. Cahill doesn't seem to have that much of trust, so he's the only one I see leaving earlier than this, but Iva will retire from football as a Chelsea starter - for my complete desperation. I love the guy, I have advocated his spot in the team before, but that was because we haven't won the league in five years. Now we need better things to higher flights. Iva ain't the answer to that. He holds back literally with 2 or 3 players if we think he exposes Cahill already noticeable deficiencies, the RW and one of the midfield players to cover for him and help him mark. I can't get over how he marks every cross from at least 2m away the opponent, with his hands on his back.

[xPetrCechx 13,571]

AS also reports that Atleti will then try to sign a central midfielder and a left-back after signing a new centre-back, with PSG’s Thiago Motta and Chelsea’s Filipe Luis the two players most likely to fill those positions.

[Jase 43,479]

Atletico Madrid president confirms talks are in replace to sign Luis - http://talksport.com/football/chelsea-defender-filipe-luis-talks-over-atletico-madrid-return-150717157810

[didierforever 7,349]

AS also reports that Atleti will then try to sign a central midfielder and a left-back after signing a new centre-back, with PSG’s Thiago Motta and Chelsea’s Filipe Luis the two players most likely to fill those positions.

why do ATM need another CM/DM. they have suarez, gabi, tiago, koke who will play those positions along with saul niguez as a back up.

[Ledg 643]

SkySports reported it too:

[J.F. 1,484]

Give them Luis and money for Griezmann

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

why do ATM need another CM/DM. they have suarez, gabi, tiago, koke who will play those positions along with saul niguez as a back up.

Gabi, Tiago are 30+ and they can't keep up with the intensive tactics of Simeone forever. Koke is better on the wing and as CAM as he is creative as well as hardworking, Suarez actually fell out of favor with Simeone for quite a bit at the beginning of last season but at the end he got back into the team. Saul just broke his leg a few months ago and no telling how good he will be.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

[Madmax 9,219]

Really wish we don't sell him.

[didierforever 7,349]

Gabi, Tiago are 30+ and they can't keep up with the intensive tactics of Simeone forever. Koke is better on the wing and as CAM as he is creative as well as hardworking, Suarez actually fell out of favor with Simeone for quite a bit at the beginning of last season but at the end he got back into the team. Saul just broke his leg a few months ago and no telling how good he will be.

hmm.. fair enough. but think you are way off about koke.

koke would make a great DLP. even last season, he played some matches as a B2B or an LCM and he was really good.

also, i dont think ATM's problem lay in the midfield. their midfield was as good as the previous season. mandzukic simply dint fit well at ATM. whats more, their LB let them down all season long. koke-luis were atm's most potent weapon and neither ansaldi not siquera could reciprocate that. not at all surprised that atm want luis back.