Filipe Luís

[Barbara 15,149]

Every time Mourinho feels like we won't be attacked much, and teams will take a more defensive approach against us, I think he'll call upon Luís. And tbh if he does that, even in only some part of those games, I think it's fair and the right approach.

He clearly struggles with the physicality of the league. People talk about Atletico de Madrid being a physical team and how it should prove that he has no problem handling physicality, but that makes no sense. Atletico was/is the only real physical team in Spain, and as it's not norm to play against yourself, the kind of defending required from him there was quite different from the kind of defending required here. Atletico's opposition wasn't anywhere as physical as the Premier League.

I think he's a great defender, I mean, he might better at defending than attacking, but it'll take him time to adapt properly to how tough the league is. Everyone praises him for his attacking skills because he can cross. Sorry, but if there's one thing a Brazilian FB knows since his U-8 days is how to cross a ball. Brazilian FBs will always be better than the average attacking wise. So while some praise him for his attacking skills - which are good - I think he was a much better defender than attacker while he was playing at Atletico. He'll come good for us defensively, but it'll require time. Remember how long it took for Ramires to finally get the physicality and actually defend?

So I think Mourinho is handling him in a very good way. Playing him in UCL matches (although not all will be the case), using him in the domestic cups, and taking a few risks in matches we probably won't be much threatened defensively or the ones were we won't be able to break down defenses if we play too narrow. Yesterday wasn't either the scenarios imo and still he took the risk... probably because he thought he needed as much attacking ammunition as possible.

I don't want to throw him in matches were the opposition winger will eat him alive. Let him acclimatize with time. There's no need to rush. He's been giving the chances he earned. When he improves defensively and get used to how to defend here, he'll be given more, until he proves himself worth of starting all matches for us. Otherwise, he'll continue to be a good and useful squad player.

[The Skipper 20,593]

As I said before... He's never going to adjust to the physicality of the league if he doesn't play in it.

He needs a good spell of games. Can't believe people here think he can't defend all of a sudden... Just because he isn't Azpi level doesn't mean he can't defend.

Cannot believe people on here are expecting him to put in a 10/10 performance when he's not been playing consistently. Overall, apart from the bad crossing (he's rusty, we all should know that he's got a great left foot on him) he was good for me, especially in the second half, linked up phenomenally with Cesc and Eden on that left side.

For me he needs games. PL games.

[Barbara 15,149]

As I said before... He's never going to adjust to the physicality of the league if he doesn't play in it.

He needs a good spell of games. Can't believe people here think he can't defend all of a sudden... Just because he isn't Azpi level doesn't mean he can't defend.

Cannot believe people on here are expecting him to put in a 10/10 performance when he's not been playing consistently. Overall, apart from the bad crossing (he's rusty, we all should know that he's got a great left foot on him) he was good for me, especially in the second half, linked up phenomenally with Cesc and Eden on that left side.

For me he needs games. PL games.

he needs games, and Mourinho is giving him games, but he can't play every game for us.

We had a very complicated stretch of fixtures in the first half of the season. I think from January on our fixtures will be much more fitting for him to get used to the league because we'll face much more approachable opponents. I don't think we should have played him in the big matches away (we've been everywhere except Emirates, as we're going to WHL tomorrow) and I don't think we should play him in matches such as Newcastle, Stoke - especially away.

He had four starts and he played decent minutes in two matches he came in. I think we'll see those numbers rising now that we have less physical/attacking matches coming. He's been held responsible for some of the goals we conceded when he played in the league, that's a risk we can't keep taking without some concern.

[lucio 5,418]

It was never going to be easy. With 2 slow centre backs , and ivan pretending to be figo on the wing.

Ivanovic luis combo doesn't work. Has he even played 1 game with azpilicueta?

[Stats 7,053]

Can we stop whining about him not starting before every single game now?

This is probably harsh, but physically, defensive, and just overall, he is not at the level of Iva, let alone Azpi.

At the moment, excellent squad player to have, but not at all Chelsea XI material.

That is harsh and just way OTT imo. He has made a few errors but overall I have been impressed with him. Most of the matches where he has stepped in he has not looked out of place. The criticism of him is going a bit too overboard. He has linked up well with Hazard and I would not say he has made any glaring defensive mistakes apart from the Palace one when he came on but fortunately we won the game. If he gets successive games in a row we will see the best of him. In fact the 3 games he stepped in this seaosn when Azpi was suspended, I thought he looked very comfortable. How can we say he is not Chelsea XI material when he is rarely able to string 2 matches together.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

That is harsh and just way OTT imo. He has made a few errors but overall I have been impressed with him. Most of the matches where he has stepped in he has not looked out of place. The criticism of him is going a bit too overboard. He has linked up well with Hazard and I would not say he has made any glaring defensive mistakes apart from the Palace one when he came on but fortunately we won the game. If he gets successive games in a row we will see the best of him. In fact the 3 games he stepped in this seaosn when Azpi was suspended, I thought he looked very comfortable. How can we say he is not Chelsea XI material when he is rarely able to string 2 matches together.

As I said before... He's never going to adjust to the physicality of the league if he doesn't play in it.

He needs a good spell of games. Can't believe people here think he can't defend all of a sudden... Just because he isn't Azpi level doesn't mean he can't defend.

Cannot believe people on here are expecting him to put in a 10/10 performance when he's not been playing consistently. Overall, apart from the bad crossing (he's rusty, we all should know that he's got a great left foot on him) he was good for me, especially in the second half, linked up phenomenally with Cesc and Eden on that left side.

For me he needs games. PL games.

So we need to not play our best option in that position for a "run of games", risking dropping points, in the hope that he might improve his physicality? I'm sorry, but that is not AT ALL a realistic option.The team always comes before the individuals.

And physicality is not something you improve on the pitch. It is improved in special training and in the gym.

It's not that his defending isn't Azpi level, it's that it's not even Iva level! And I'm not talking about a specific performance but very clear issues that happened time and time again since he's joined. He gets over powered and beaten way too easily. Even yesterday, two or three times in the first half, players just breeze past him. One was even at the edge of our box and luckily JT and Matic were there to cover for him.

And it's not like he is getting the Sturrdge or Bertrand treatment. He is getting more than enough games. He's started almost every CL match, and had a run of 5 consecutive starts when Azpi was suspended. After all of what we've seen of him I think most of agree that he should start against teams that are going to park the bus, especially at the bridge, but he really hasn't made a case to be our first choice LB.

Honestly, this maybe cynical, but I think that his price tag and the fact that we don't want to admit that we completely overpaid for him, is affecting the judgment of a lot of people. Some people on here still calling him "arguably the best LB in the world" is on the RAWK or "Kagawa better than Hazard" level of delusion, imho.

[killer1257 3,282]

So we need to not play our best option in that position for a "run of games", risking dropping points, in the hope that he might improve his physicality? I'm sorry, but that is not AT ALL a realistic option.The team always comes before the individuals.

And physicality is not something you improve on the pitch. It is improved in special training and in the gym.

Why did we buy him if we do not want to give him a run of games?30 million for a squad player?Was Ashley not enough to be a squad player?Bertrand?

Chelsea just wasted 30 millions on him.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

He did link up very well with Eden and Cesc. We looked dangerous on the left wing with three of them interchanging.

But it's blatantly obvious defensively he's far worse than Azpi, especially 1 vs 1. It would have been okay if we had fast CBs who could cover if he makes mistakes. But we don't have fast CBs. Azpi was missed.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,919]

Why did we buy him if we do not want to give him a run of games?30 million for a squad player?Was Ashley not enough to be a squad player?Bertrand?

Chelsea just wasted 30 millions on him.

That is Choulo's point. We DID waste 30 million when we already had a LB who could attack and was questionable in defense like Van Aanholt.

That being said I do like aspects of Luis's game. Like it enough to start him over Azpilicueta? No, but it works as a squad player.

[iseah100 5,612]

Why did we buy him if we do not want to give him a run of games?30 million for a squad player?Was Ashley not enough to be a squad player?Bertrand?

Chelsea just wasted 30 millions on him.

16m brah.

Lol " good enough to be a squad player"

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Why did we buy him if we do not want to give him a run of games?30 million for a squad player?Was Ashley not enough to be a squad player?Bertrand?

Chelsea just wasted 30 millions on him.

Because we thought he was better than he actually turned out to be and that he would fit and adjust better with the team?

Btw, wasn't it 19m? I think we overpaid for him but we could afford to because we made a lot of excellent deals in the summer.

[killer1257 3,282]

16m brah.

Lol " good enough to be a squad player"

Because we thought he was better than he actually turned out to be and that he would fit and adjust better with the team?

Btw, wasn't it 19m? I think we overpaid for him but we could afford to because we made a lot of excellent deals in the summer.

Ohh sorry,it seems that I have not read your last sentence.Yes,you are absolutely right.We just overpaid for him,but I still think he was a great left back,which would have been a real alternative to Azpi.The problem is now that he just got useless.He played yes,but not that much in the PL,which is the big thing for him in order to adapt.CL games will not make it easier for him to adapt to the PL.

He needs games,but Mou did not give him enough playtime in the PL and now has become more or less useless.The thing he could do best was his crossing.We could see that many times,but now he did not have enough play time,so he can´t even do that.

According to Spox(german football source),we paid 25 million € for him,which are around 20 mio pounds,according to google.

BBC claims 16 million pounds,so yes,you are right again because bbc is more reliable

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Anyone think he has been shown up this season and it really only show how good Atletico's defence was last season? Now even that new LB is playing OK and he is nowhere near good enough for a top 10 club in the world. He is a decent player with great technique, but his defence isn't as good as Dave and he is a bit overrated in that aspect imo. Remember earlier this summer some people even claimed he was the best LB in the world LOL.

[Barbara 15,149]

Wow, someone just said we wasted money on the best LB of the world last season and had others agreeing with him?

Struggling with EPL physicality is quite normal, he's an amazing LB, very good defender. You guys should go to mc donalds, order a combo and eat it. That's where things happen in the speed you want to see a player give return.

Saying we wasted money on Luis is one of the worst things I read here...

[Madmax 9,219]

Wow, someone just said we wasted money on the best of the world last season and had others agreeing with him?

Struggling with EPL physicality is quite normal, he's an amazing LB, very good defender. You guys should go to mc donalds, order a combo and eat it. That's where things happen in the speed you want to see a player give return.

Saying we wasted money on Luis is one of the worst things I read here...

It's alright; opinions here change match by match.

[Sovieticus 743]

Next time he will have a wonder game everyone will be cumming all over him. Typical TC

[The Skipper 20,593]

Honestly, this maybe cynical, but I think that his price tag and the fact that we don't want to admit that we completely overpaid for him, is affecting the judgment of a lot of people. Some people on here still calling him "arguably the best LB in the world" is on the RAWK or "Kagawa better than Hazard" level of delusion, imho.

How is £16m completely overpaying for Luis? I hope you're not serious Choo.

In regards to the rest of your post, all I have to say to that is the only way he's going to adapt to the physicality of the league and how we want him to defend is if he actually plays consistently. He certainly has it in him to be our number 1 left back if he adapts well. If you refuse to believe that the you've written off a quality player far too quickly.

[Beepu 1,714]

I don't think age should matter all that much in adapting faster to a new league and country, it will still be tough for him. He will need time and consistent game time. Actually wouldn't mind seeing Azpi on the right instead if iva for a few games, and him on the left. Some are writting him off way too early though, not everything in life comes instantly.