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David Luiz back at Chelsea

evissy said:
I'm not saying it is great or bad but it is the way we play as long as Sarri is at helm.

For me it is astonishing that people don't see Luiz' strenghts with the ball and how crucial it is for our football. His mentality towards the club and football is excellent. His problem which is a big problem is his lack of concentration for full 90 mins. 

Watch today how much space and time he always has with the ball. It is because opponent knows that he can play it. Watch it when Andreas has it. It is all jitters and hesitation... Leicester probably wont press high so not sure today is the day to assess this...

Rudiger is a good combination of ball playing skill and defending-ability. Great player for us. 
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This is why I say that Zouma will never make it at Chelsea as long as we are this team that will require defenders to pass the ball comfortably. He's the complete opposite type of defender to Luiz. 

I don't think Luiz spot should be guaranteed though. We need a balance, and for me, Luiz isn't giving us the balance we need right now. Rudiger is bit more balanced, he is both a good defender and passer of the ball.

I think you are spot on with Christensen too, like you say, it's all jitters and hesitation. I personally think this a confidence issue though, because I don't remember it being much of an issue before he was making mistakes.

 
Good stuff from David. 

On his desire to play in the Champions League final in 2012:


"I said to [Jason Palmer, Chelsea physio, who was trying to get the hamstring working]," Luiz recalls in hushed tones. "?‘You know how I worked hard in my life to be here? You know when I left my family I was 14-years-old? You know tomorrow there are 200?million Brazilians in the world and just one can be on the pitch? You know what it is for my life to be here? Then it's not for you to say something, to say I cannot play tomorrow. I will do the test but even if I fail you go to [the then manager Roberto] Di Matteo and say to him that I play tomorrow.'

"He said ‘no'. I said: ‘You go there and you say to him, if not, I kill you. And tomorrow we will be champions of Europe, no problem. Trust me.' And he did. Di Matteo came to my room and I said: ‘No problem boss, I play tomorrow and let's be champions of Europe.'?"



On telling Roman to calm his farm:


"I went to the hotel lounge and Abramovich was there and he said: ‘How are you, how is the leg?'?" Luiz recalls. "And I said: ‘No problem. Tomorrow I play with the head and the heart, so no problem.' And he said: ‘No, my God, I'm nervous,' and I'm like, ‘keep calm'."



On getting into Bastian Schweinsteiger's head:


"All the time I was saying it [that  we are going to win]. At the corner kick [Bastian] Schweinsteiger came to me to mark me and I said: ‘No problem, it's not me who will score.' And Didier scored. And Schweinsteiger looked at me as if to say ‘what the?' "


 
TheChelseaBlues said:
Good stuff from David. 

On his desire to play in the Champions League final in 2012:


"I said to [Jason Palmer, Chelsea physio, who was trying to get the hamstring working]," Luiz recalls in hushed tones. "?‘You know how I worked hard in my life to be here? You know when I left my family I was 14-years-old? You know tomorrow there are 200?million Brazilians in the world and just one can be on the pitch? You know what it is for my life to be here? Then it's not for you to say something, to say I cannot play tomorrow. I will do the test but even if I fail you go to [the then manager Roberto] Di Matteo and say to him that I play tomorrow.'

"He said ‘no'. I said: ‘You go there and you say to him, if not, I kill you. And tomorrow we will be champions of Europe, no problem. Trust me.' And he did. Di Matteo came to my room and I said: ‘No problem boss, I play tomorrow and let's be champions of Europe.'?"



On telling Roman to calm his farm:


"I went to the hotel lounge and Abramovich was there and he said: ‘How are you, how is the leg?'?" Luiz recalls. "And I said: ‘No problem. Tomorrow I play with the head and the heart, so no problem.' And he said: ‘No, my God, I'm nervous,' and I'm like, ‘keep calm'."



On getting into Bastian Schweinsteiger's head:


"All the time I was saying it [that  we are going to win]. At the corner kick [Bastian] Schweinsteiger came to me to mark me and I said: ‘No problem, it's not me who will score.' And Didier scored. And Schweinsteiger looked at me as if to say ‘what the?' "
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I mean seriously, how can you not absolutely love this geezer?!

 
Fascanating insight into his close relationship with Roman. Anything on his relationship with Conte or Mourinho?

No problem.

 
Spiller86 said:
Because he's a poor defender and undermined Conte.
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Rubbish, he is a very good defender. The media love to focus on him anytime he makes a mistake, to build a false perception he is a poor defender, but all defenders make mistakes. 

 
kiwi1691 said:
Rubbish, he is a very good defender. The media love to focus on him anytime he makes a mistake, to build a false perception he is a poor defender, but all defenders make mistakes. 
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Look I know we like to back our own, but that is patently not true. Media and their rubbish aside he has limited awareness and concentration. Watch the Jovic goal at Stamford Bridge. Perfect example. Good reason Jose picked Cahill over him and was happy to let him go to PSG.

Truth is he has the best passing range of any defender in the world, for some that excuses his flaws. Not for me though.

 
kiwi1691 said:
Rubbish, he is a very good defender. The media love to focus on him anytime he makes a mistake, to build a false perception he is a poor defender, but all defenders make mistakes. 
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 After years of watching Luiz very carefully I have to agree.

People also used to ridicule Phil Neville but he was a very good defender too. Yes, he used to make mistakes, and often. Some of them were very funny. But the fact he could also have good games proves he was obviously a very good defender. He was an international. Like Luiz. Both very, very good defenders. Despite the mistakes.

 
just said:
 After years of watching Luiz very carefully I have to agree.

People also used to ridicule Phil Neville but he was a very good defender too. Yes, he used to make mistakes, and often. Some of them were very funny. But the fact he could also have good games proves he was obviously a very good defender. He was an international. Like Luiz. Both very, very good defenders. Despite the mistakes.
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I don't really remember Phil Neville getting ridiculed, I remember he use to play in a few positions and always against Chelsea man marking Zola. 

My own opinion of Luiz is you take away the passing and you have a good defender, in a back 4 I cant see him being good enough over a season to win the league, his very similar to Leboeuf, brilliant in a back 3.

 
Ernie_blue said:
I don't really remember Phil Neville getting ridiculed, I remember he use to play in a few positions and always against Chelsea man marking Zola. 

My own opinion of Luiz is you take away the passing and you have a good defender, in a back 4 I cant see him being good enough over a season to win the league, his very similar to Leboeuf, brilliant in a back 3.
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I remember he was ridiculed though not as a defender as a midfielder and this was when he was playing  as the DM.

 
Spiller86 said:
Look I know we like to back our own, but that is patently not true. Media and their rubbish aside he has limited awareness and concentration. Watch the Jovic goal at Stamford Bridge. Perfect example. Good reason Jose picked Cahill over him and was happy to let him go to PSG.

Truth is he has the best passing range of any defender in the world, for some that excuses his flaws. Not for me though.
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I can give you perfect examples where he has been excellent too this season. Man City he did not give Sterling, Jesus and co a sniff. He was MOTM for me that game. He won everything. We have kept 16 clean sheets this season in league with Luiz being in the team for most of those games. People exaggerate the problems. He makes mistakes but he is a good defender and the good games he has had this season is not recognized. 

 
STATS said:
I can give you perfect examples where he has been excellent too this season. Man City he did not give Sterling, Jesus and co a sniff. He was MOTM for me that game. He won everything. We have kept 16 clean sheets this season in league with Luiz being in the team for most of those games. People exaggerate the problems. He makes mistakes but he is a good defender and the good games he has had this season is not recognized. 
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I think in many ways he's been a victim of the expectations set upon him when he joined the very first time.

After his performances against United and City early doors there was talk he potentially could revolutionise the CB position and I think from then on unrealistic expectations have been set on his head.

 
STATS said:
I can give you perfect examples where he has been excellent too this season. Man City he did not give Sterling, Jesus and co a sniff. He was MOTM for me that game. He won everything. We have kept 16 clean sheets this season in league with Luiz being in the team for most of those games. People exaggerate the problems. He makes mistakes but he is a good defender and the good games he has had this season is not recognized. 
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Argo said:
I think in many ways he's been a victim of the expectations set upon him when he joined the very first time.

After his performances against United and City early doors there was talk he potentially could revolutionise the CB position and I think from then on unrealistic expectations have been set on his head.
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Appreciate your points. I have to say that expectations aren't an issue on my front. I simply want good disciplined defending. It's the reason I like Rudiger and the reason I have always preferred Cahill.

He's been part of some of our best teams but for mine he has always done better when either played in midfield or protected in a back three. That left side of defence in a back four has been a liability and is the key area that needs to be strengthened this summer, if we get a chance.

 
Spiller86 said:
Because he's a poor defender and undermined Conte.
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I don't know how he undermined Conte, but I don't think he is a poor defender. As many have pointed out, he has made mistakes, but he has also played very well the majority of the season. But I understand, also, the concerns you raise about him. Because he does have moments where you want to pull your hair out of your head because of his brain farts. But, IMO, the positives outweigh the negatives. Plus, he seems like one of those people you just want to be around as a person. 

 
That can't be true

Edit:  Or maybe it can be


 
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Who knows? Might not be true at all and he missed training because of injury. But he has been poor pre-season; maybe Frank has had a word with him that his place is up for grabs and he's had a hissy fit? A few commentators are picking up on it now so the truth might become clearer soon.

 
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