3 hours ago, Davey Baby said:

 

Thank you kindly squire.

 

@g3.7 He's not Mario Balotelli, he's a far more stable character, I think you're being a bit unfair. Trying to find crumbs of comfort for you, I'd say it's obvious Conte wants a ball-playing CB to implement his style of play. He needed someone that can bring it out from the back, maybe someone that can hit a long diagonal, and we've finally got somebody who can shoot. He's also not afraid to mix it. These are the positives, there are plenty of negatives as you say. I would have waited and gone with who we've got but if he replaces Gary Cahill then that represents an upgrade of sorts, because I just don't think Gary Cahill is that good. Conte may want to go 3 at the back, at least some of the time, and that may also be behind this, because he may have felt he couldn't play that system without his Bonucci type. Now I'm not saying he's a Bonucci but you get my point. Remember, Bonucci was the first player we went after but Juve said no.

 

Like you, I'm not too thrilled, but I'm looking for positives now. Look, Ranieri won the title, with Leicester. The older I get the more I realise how little I understand football. Weird things happen. This could turn out to be a good signing. It could do, the possibility exists. I have no reason to distrust Conte at this stage, it may be a compromise on his part but one he felt was worth making, for reasons only he will know. He's got an idea in mind and let's wait to see what it is.

 

Conte will demand commitment above all else, and he'll get that from David Luiz, he'll also have a tactical idea and that's where he'll have his work cut out with this player, but he's not stupid, he knows the player, everybody knows the player and he thought it was a signing worth making. One thing I noticed about Italy, Buffon rolled the ball out a lot, to his defenders, even when they were under pressure. You're not going to do that with Kurt Zouma.

 

Anyway let's see. It shall be interesting, to say the least. Long-term, I don't agree with it, for reasons I gave before. Short-term, for this season, it just might make us a better team. You never know, he might surprise a few people.

 

Here's hoping.

You don't have to go that far with regards to shocks in football Leicester I mean) we won a champions league in Munich against Munich with Luiz at center back with a half a hamstring 

This is our year, I can just feel it!

 

On the bright side, we now have a direct free kick taker from the halfway line.

Just goes to show neccesity is the mother of all invention. 

There are any number of issues with this deal. Not least that he is the least reliable central defender who has played regularly that I have seen in my time going back to Vialli. 

Then there is the issue that he doesn't really improve the first team particularly given he was sold as Cahill and JT were first choice. 

Finally the CL fiasco with Diego and then the goal and celebration which dampened any sentimental value attached to a return.

All those things considered it's better than last year's last minute option. But I remain unconvinced as to the long term merits of the deal.

Edit: I'm also concerned about where this leaves Chalobah given Luiz is probably better suited to playing in midfield and we now have Kante, Matic, Mikel, Luiz and Chalobah capable of playing in the holding role.

Edited August 31, 20169 yr by Spiller86

I wonder how fit he is.

@Davey Baby @bjd

what I will say is that in addition to all of the qualities davey mentioned (and barney, when I say charisma, amidst the obvious criticism, I mean it sincerely- he has on pitch charisma. he gets the crowd and the team going and that massively helps. it is a rare quality and I couldn't name more than five players we've had in the last ten years or so who have it. he's one of them), I do not think zouma and christensen are a ready made partnership. stylistically they could work, but I don't want two youngsters playing there together. they'll need an experienced player alongside one or both of them.

I don't think cahill should be that player, because as much as I appreciate him, I've never felt he was a top player. he's a wholehearted, but ultimately limited footballer and when JT goes I can't see him being more than a squad player. So those young kids will need someone in his peak alongside them. luiz is 29, for me that is when defenders peak. maybe conte will get something out of him that others haven't. barzagli wasn't considered a truly top defender when conte first started working with him at a similar age so I suppose it is not impossible...

5 minutes ago, ozboy said:

I wonder how fit he is.

Obviously fitter than he should have been cos he didn't fail the bleeding medical!

Sorry. Just ignore. Going to be a little while for the system to clear.

@g3.7 Is that wishful thinking I hear?

 

I tried drinking to get my head around this one and it didn't help. I should never have left the pub...

I wonder if Diego is ready for some of this...

42 minutes ago, Spiller86 said:

Just goes to show neccesity is the mother of all invention. 

There are any number of issues with this deal. Not least that he is the least reliable central defender who has played regularly that I have seen in my time going back to Vialli. 

Then there is the issue that he doesn't really improve the first team particularly given he was sold as Cahill and JT were first choice. 

Finally the CL fiasco with Diego and then the goal and celebration which dampened any sentimental value attached to a return.

All those things considered it's better than last year's last minute option. But I remain unconvinced as to the long term merits of the deal.

Edit: I'm also concerned about where this leaves Chalobah given Luiz is probably better suited to playing in midfield and we now have Kante, Matic, Mikel, Luiz and Chalobah capable of playing in the holding role.

Scholes was first choice above pogba, don't bring back pogba 

48 minutes ago, Surf said:

Love IT

1 hour ago, Englishman said:

So that's six players who can cover centre-half for us: Terry, Cahill, Ivanovic, Zouma, Alonso and Luiz, not including Christianssen and the gazillion other young defenders who could surely have been used in an emergency. Meanwhile for the next four months we have two strikers, one of whom is new to this club/country and the other rarely goes long without being injured or suspended.

I'm surprised there's such enthusiam for Luiz' return. Sure he's wacky and likeable and all that, but he can't defend to save his life, and surely that's the bottom line. I wonder what feelings would be if he played the same way but looked like Wayne Rooney and had the charisma of Steven Gerrard?

 

English, I could kiss you. Spot on. The cult of personality and chrisma wins every time over brains and ability.

@Davey Baby Good to have you back mate. You are miles off on this Luiz business though.

Edited August 31, 20169 yr by just

There are some positives being overlooked. Firstly if either Kante or Matic picks up an injury we either have to leave ourselves exposed by playing Fabregas, or use Mikel. I think Luiz is a far more balanced alternative than either of them in the 4-2-3-1 we've been playing.

Secondly Conte has shown he has no qualms in making big choices, eg. Leaving Fabregas out of the starting line-up, dragging Hazard off when we were chasing a winner against West Ham because he was starting to get into cruise mode (I think Neville and Carragher covered this on MNF). We do have 3 other first-team CB's so Conte certainly has the option of pulling him off if he's unhappy with how he is playing, and i'm sure he won't be afraid to use it.

All that being said, he is an erratic defender but certainly not a sh*te defender, he is physical, capable of a tackle and generally knocks in a few goals each season, it will be interesting to see whether his goals end up earning us more points than his occasional lapses cost us.

Edited August 31, 20169 yr by Jonty

1 minute ago, Jonty said:

There are some positives being overlooked. Firstly if either Kante or Matic picks up an injury we either have to leave ourselves exposed by playing Fabregas, or use Mikel. I think Luiz is a far more balanced alternative than either of them in the 4-2-3-1 we've been playing.

Secondly Conte has shown he has no qualms in making big choices, eg. Leaving Fabregas out of the starting line-up, dragging Hazard off when we were chasing a winner against West Ham because he was starting to get into cruise mode (I think Neville and Carragher covered this on MNF). We do have 3 other first-team CB's so Conte certainly has the option of pulling him off if he's unhappy with how he is playing, and i'm sure he won't be afraid to use it.

He might give him an Orange at half time, but I can't see Conte pulling him off.

But if it can actually make Luiz learn how to defend it might be worth a try. With Vaseline or without?

On 8/30/2016 at 22:31, Blueblur said:

Jesus H Christ this is not happening. I will donate £100 to this forum if it does.

 

 

Get your wallet out mate...

1 hour ago, Jonty said:

On the bright side, we now have a direct free kick taker from the halfway line.

Start his run up from our 6 yard box a la Munich 2012?

 ' One minute he can play like Franz Beckenbauer'  @just

 

Not read this entire thread but what I have reminds me of a match day thread. Some positive, a lot of negative. 

So long as conte wanted him, and Alonso, I am happy enough with them signing. 

I wish David all the best 'cos he's now a Chelsea player (err..again) but with his transfer fee first time from Benfica plus Matic, who we eventually brought back for 21 million, I can't help but think he's Chelsea's most expensive player ever.

Or in other words, the player who has cost the club the most money to date.

Wondering if his time in France has improved his defensive abilities I took a butchers at the 2015-16 French League season.

PSG won it with a 31 point gap over the second club and with a rather tight goal difference of plus 83.

Oh shirt! .

I really do hope that this transfer somehow works out but I can't help but think on seeing this news, in Spain Nando is brushing the dust of his Zorro mask and is looking forward to January. 

I don't understand why this is happening so I'll just roll with it.

Welcome home, geezer.

2 hours ago, Spiller86 said:

Just goes to show neccesity is the mother of all invention. 

There are any number of issues with this deal. Not least that he is the least reliable central defender who has played regularly that I have seen in my time going back to Vialli. 

Then there is the issue that he doesn't really improve the first team particularly given he was sold as Cahill and JT were first choice. 

Finally the CL fiasco with Diego and then the goal and celebration which dampened any sentimental value attached to a return.

All those things considered it's better than last year's last minute option. But I remain unconvinced as to the long term merits of the deal.

Edit: I'm also concerned about where this leaves Chalobah given Luiz is probably better suited to playing in midfield and we now have Kante, Matic, Mikel, Luiz and Chalobah capable of playing in the holding role.

Chalobah isn't good enough, he has had two stints at top flight clubs and could barely buy a game on both occasions.

Im sorry but I struggle with irony when people moan about Papy yet are desperate for the likes of Moses, Bamford, Nate and Kalas to be given chances, double standards at its finest.

I have my doubt, but since he's with us I will embrace him. He's a good footballer, probably still not a good defender. The advantage we have this season is we still have JT to be the 'manager on the field' and Kante to do lots of the dirty work in front of the defence. With Luiz in the team, Conte could try out the 352. Although, I remember Luiz played some decent games in the midfield with us, he may just pip Matic for the spot. I look forward to see him play, and that hair!

To Heck with you all ! I am excited. All I know is that now my blood pressure is going to be up - One way or another !!!