Tag Archives: David Luiz

Chelsea and Arsenal have not met in an FA Cup final since 2002. The Gunners were victorious that day, with each club having enjoyed numerous Wembley successes since. Didier Drogba has dominated this fixture in the 2000s, but the Ivorian is now no more than a nightmare for Arsenal.

Antonio Conte’s Chelsea are Premier League champions and are shooting for a double on Saturday. Arsenal, meanwhile, remain a club on the cusp of turmoil. Stan Kroenke is a man criticised frequently, Arsene Wenger’s future is unknown and key players are yet to sign on the dotted line.

With defenders missing and off the back of an underwhelming campaign, Arsenal are underdogs. Strong underdogs at that, too, with Wenger a man splitting opinion. Everything can change under the arch, and Arsenal have a good recent record at Wembley, but Chelsea are a fearsome unit led by a manager a driven as anyone in the game.

The man-to-man duels could decide this encounter. We don’t want controversy, we don’t want it to be decided on a foolish red card, we want a classic final showdown. These three matchups will be crucial if that is to happen…

Chelsea have enjoyed a fantastic season this term but Antonio Conte’s side face a challenge in the summer to bolster their ranks and prepare for a return to the Champions League next season.

In truth, Chelsea’s squad depth is fairly lacklustre across the board and injury problems this term could have created havoc, had they occurred. Therefore, it would be unwise to run the same risks next season by failing to strengthen.

Whilst Chelsea have been defensively solid and impressive in attack, it turns out that those areas are where the Blues are keen to strengthen most this summer- with star striker Diego Costa looking inevitable to leave, whilst veteran skipper John Terry is also on his way out.

Conte has identified targets already though and these four signings could leave the Blues boasting an exceptional side, as shown by this incredible line-up.

GK: Thibaut Courtois

Chelsea’s goalkeeper is widely regarded to be one of the best in the world and the Blues will face a battle to retain his services in the summer, with Spanish giants Real Madrid reportedly eyeing the Belgian as an alternative to long-term target David De Gea.

Courtois seems loyal to Chelsea though and the Blues would command an audacious fee for any move to materialise, so it seems highly likely that the goalkeeper will remain at Stamford Bridge for the forthcoming Premier League campaign.

Chelsea are on-course for Premier League glory but can hand a huge blow to rivals Manchester United this weekend with a victory. Here, we’ve selected the team Antonio Conte should select to win the match.

GK: Thibaut Courtois

Chelsea’s Belgian stopper has been a mainstay in Antonio Conte’s side throughout the season, starting all 31 Premier League fixtures for the Blues. During that time, Chelsea have kept 13 clean sheets- the highest amount in the division.

The Blues have also conceded just 25 goals in the Premier League, a number only Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United can better, and Courtois has been vastly important to Chelsea’s solid defensive structure.

The game is being shown live on Sky Sports on Sunday afternoon (4pm kick-off UK time) and you can get a NowTV day pass and watch the game for just £6.29 with our fantastic 10% off a day pass offer.

Chelsea surge towards Premier League glory was halted by Crystal Palace at the weekend and there’s a real danger that they could concede their advantage in the league standings over the coming weeks.

The Blues hold a seven point advantage over Tottenham Hotspur heading into the midweek Premier League fixtures and that could be cut to just four points by the end of play tomorrow, should Chelsea lose to Manchester City and Spurs beat Swansea.

Antonio Conte’s side need to treat the defeat to Crystal Palace as a wake-up call and make sufficient alterations to their side as a result, to ensure the squad is kept fresh and, crucially, doesn’t get complacent as we approach the latter end of the season.

With a few tweaks to the side that lost to Palace at the weekend, Chelsea can return to winning ways against Pep Guardiola’s side. Here, we’ve selected the ideal XI to tackle the Citizens.

GK: Thibaut Courtois

The Belgian goalkeeper has been an ever-present figure for the Blues this season, playing all 29 games of the Blues charge to the top of the Premier League. During that time, he’s conceded just 23 goals- a number only Tottenham Hotspur (21) can better.

With 13 clean-sheets, the highest in the league, Courtois has been an important member of a Chelsea defence that has been extremely difficult to break down. They’ll need him to be at his best against Manchester City, who have scored 56 goals this season.

It’s a funny old game. Who remembers the reactions surrounding David Luiz’s Chelsea comeback in the summer? Some of you may choose to forget it all.

The Brazilian defender first joined the Blues from Benfica back in 2011 for £21.25 million, and despite conquering the hearts of those at Stamford Bridge, Luiz never quite convinced the doubters in comparison to John Terry and Gary Cahill.

José Mourinho’s second stint in west London saw him incline towards the same pairing, so it was with great disbelief that much of the football world saw Chelsea receive a record-high bid for the out-of-favour defender, as he joined Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain for an initial fee of £42 million in 2014.

Luiz’s flaws were then on full show, alongside many of his Brazilian teammates, as his national team were infamously thumped 7-1 on home turf against Germany, the eventual winners of 2014 World Cup, with the queries into his reliability as a central defender escalating further.

Football in Ligue 1 took the ex-Benfica man out of the limelight, somewhat, so it’s perhaps no surprise to see the amount of eyebrows raised when his eventual return had been announced.

Chelsea had formerly been interested in other big names to fill the void Antonio Conte believed needed to be plugged in, as they failed to land the likes of Leonardo Bonucci and Kalidou Koulibaly.

The opportunity to bring back Luiz arose on deadline day, adding a scent of panic buy to the deal, but the Brazilian has silenced those critics by coming on leaps and bounds since his latest transfer.

Chelsea’s latest bout versus Burnley accentuated the £30 million man’s growth in popularity, with social media quick to show their appreciation for the curly-haired character.

Super performance from David Luiz so far. Flawless defensively and orchestrating Chelsea's buildup with and without the ball.

— MC (@mediocentroEN) February 12, 2017

David Luiz has easily been Chelsea's best player this season, remarkable player.

— Zane (@Walter_Tactics) February 12, 2017

David Luiz has improved so much. Ahn Ahn

— Micah Fanimo ⚽️ (@MixahFanimo) February 12, 2017

David Luiz is a different player since his last spell at Chelsea, so much composure today #cfc

— meg (@chewbaccy_) February 12, 2017

Just thinking how I'd feel on the Chelsea bench watching one-kneed David Luiz play a full 90 minutes better than I could fully fit.

— Michael Turner (@mturner1961) February 12, 2017

Such has been Luiz’s zero-to-hero rise that, even with a heavily strapped knee away to a physically imposing Burnley side, he’s kept club legend John Terry and hot prospect Nathan Aké parked on the bench, becoming Conte’s go-to-guy in the lauded 3-4-3 formation.

The Brazil international’s typically good construction of play shun through the pain barrier, a role maximised by the added cover of two more central defenders either side of him, whereas Luiz also racked up the most amount of interceptions (8) in a tight contest.

Luiz continues looks a shoe-in for the PFA’s Team of the Year, as Chelsea set their sights on the Premier League title. Not bad for a panic buy!

Chelsea fought back from 1-nil down to win a stunning and eventful top of the table clash against Manchester City.

The game and result surely makes Chelsea title favourites after back to back wins against title rivals. In the 3-4-3 formation, they have been phenomenal and one player this new formation has got the best out of is David Luiz. The Brazilian defender re-signed for Chelsea this summer for a lot of money, and his return was met with much scepticism from fans around the world with his defending often coming under criticism.

But Luiz has looked a world class defender in Conte’s new formation. He is a relaxed defender that can control possession from deep. You would have to think that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola would love to have him in his defence, especially after his quality performance on Saturday that saw Manchester City frustrated for most of the 90 minutes.

Luiz, like all of the Chelsea team at the moment just exudes confidence on the pitch. No matter the opposition, the scoreline or situation – he looks like he won’t make an error. An important factor

Here’s some statistics from his performance on the day. Defensively Luiz was majestic, making 6 clearances and 2 interceptions. It was perhaps his range of passing that impressed most, though, attempting a huge 13 long balls, with 7 of them being accurate. He kept the ball on the ground and completed 34 passes.

There’s been high praise on Twitter for Luiz, with some dubbing him the man of the match on the day, the signing of the summer and even the best defender in the world!

Question: is David Luiz the best defender of all time?
Answer: yes, yes he is

— Alex Finnis (@AlexFinnis) December 3, 2016

See, forget your Koscielny. David Luiz is the best defender in the league at the moment

— Alhaji One™ (@AbeikuLytle) December 3, 2016

David Luiz has been a monster since his return, arguably the best defender in the league right now.

— Jack (@Jackbrommyyy) December 3, 2016

David Luiz easily the best signing of the summer

— Marco (@FutboIMarco) December 3, 2016

Still can't believe David Luiz is back! What a signing what a player best defender in the world rn without a doubt #ProperChels

— Magic Conte! (@EliteConte) December 3, 2016

I must say that when Luiz re-signed for Chelsea I was very sceptical and thought that Conte had wasted a lot of money. Let’s be honest, Luiz wasn’t even Chelsea’s first choice. It was widely reported that Chelsea originally wanted to sign other defensive targets ahead of Luiz, who was the last resort as the transfer deadline loomed. Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly was the subject of strong interest from Chelsea in the summer, and whilst he would still be a fine addition to the team, Luiz has surely surpassed even his biggest fans expectations during the start of his second spell at the club.

As far as calls for him being the best defender in the world go, they are far too early. I think it could be right to say that he is the best defender in the league at the moment, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves on the back of 10 or so games. If Luiz wants to be the best defender in the world, he must continue at this level for the next few seasons.

It may seem as though José Mourinho has a grudge match scheduled for every weekend these days, but this one is truly eye-catching. The Portuguese manager returns to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, only this time he’ll be sitting in the opposing dugout, as Chelsea welcome his Manchester United side.

Just how fractious Mourinho’s decision to join a competitive rival has been for his relationship with his former club remains to be seen, as both teams go head-to-head in what undoubtedly looks to be the main event this weekend.

We’re not sure whether there’ll be any love lost, be we think we may have a pretty good idea where the crucial three points may be won on either side. Here are the three key battles to look out for:

1 - David Luiz vs. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

 

John Terry may well be on the brink of a return to the first-team after a spell out injured, but time will tell whether the Man United game comes too soon for the Chelsea skipper.

In his absence, David Luiz has deputised, somewhat unconvincingly next to Gary Cahill in the big games, and he could well find his stint in the starting XI extending itself for another week if Terry isn’t fit enough to start.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic often combats with the right-sided defender, in this case Gary Cahill, but it’ll be interesting to see if Mourinho instructs the big Swede to target his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate.

Contrarily, Chelsea may use Luiz’s knowledge on the fiery Swede when formulating a defensive duo in light of Terry’s potential return.

Uh oh. Have Chelsea just made a big mistake in the transfer market? After failing with moves for Kalidou Koulibaly and Alessio Romagnoli, Antonio Conte decided to turn to David Luiz on deadline day in a bid to add a top class defender to the club.

But French football expert Laurens Julien doesn’t feel Luiz is top class and has suggested that “PSG can’t believe their luck” after they agreed a deal with Chelsea to sell David Luiz for £38million adding “He (Luiz) is a liability for PSG more than anything else.”

Luiz has always struggled to convince many that he is a top level defender, and it seems Laurens Julien is one of those that feels he is vastly overrated: “He hasn’t improved since leaving Chelsea. He’s probably come back a worse player.”

“I’ve watched him pretty much every weekend since he joined PSG, I can hardly remember four games when he was good… he’s had some shockers.’

That’s not what Chelsea fans will have wanted to hear. I’ve seen lots of Chelsea fans trying to convince themselves that Luiz has completely changed and improved as a player during his time in Paris - but according to Laurens, who says he has watched Luiz every week, that is not the case. Worryingly he even suggests that the Brazilian has regressed during his time in France.

Luiz is very tidy in possession, and completed 92% of his passes last season. He also averaged a huge 62.38 forward passes per 90, that is more than Terry and Cahill managed combined. Chelsea’s reported primary target Koulibaly is also a very forward-thinking defender, on that front Luiz could be a suitable alternative. Another strength for Luiz is his interceptions, he made 2.58 per 90, Cahill (1.66) and Terry (1.72) both managed less.

There’s no denying that Luiz is a bit of a workhorse defender he gets about the pitch and that is why another strength for Luiz is his interceptions, he made 2.58 per 90 last season, Cahill (1.66) and Terry (1.72) both managed less.

But these stats do fit Laurens Julien’s narrative. Luiz makes a lot of defensive errors; despite only playing 25 Ligue 1 games, Luiz made 4 defensive errors, Cahill and Terry combined only made 3.

Luiz also struggles in other key defensive areas. For example he only made 0.34 blocks per 90 last season, and won a miserable 1.16 aerial duels. His weakness in the air is particularly worrying and could see him exposed in the physical Premier League. Too often Luiz has been the victim of an embarrassment from top level strikers and he will need to try and improve his focus this season to prevent more of that in a Premier League now packed with attacking talent.

Luiz has always had a tendency to move out of position and attack when perhaps he shouldn’t. You would expect Conte to try and drill more discipline into the Brazilian. Aged 29, perhaps Luiz is ready to develop his style of play into a more reserved, well-positioned defender, but personally I’m not so sure. Conte has a big job on his hands to make £38million appear good value for Luiz.

Chelsea are about to resign David Luiz for €40million in what could be the biggest deal on deadline day.

We understand that a €40million fee has been agreed between the two clubs and Luiz is currently travelling to London for a medical as we speak.

A big stereotype is that Luiz makes a lot of defensive errors, but was this the case last season? Yep. Despite only playing 25 Ligue 1 games, Luiz made 4 defensive errors, Cahill and Terry combined only made 3.

Luiz also struggles in other key defensive areas. For example he only made 0.34 blocks per 90 last season, and won a miserable 1.16 aerial duels. His weakness in the air is particularly worrying and could see him exposed in the physical Premier League.

With John Terry’s time at the club nearly over and Gary Cahill continuing questionable form, Luiz may be a wise addition. His unpredictability and inconsistency in defence is something that would need to change in order for him to be worth the £30million, in my opinion.

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Luiz is 29 and has 55 international caps for Brazil, he is a pretty experienced defender and perhaps he has developed his defending and maturity since the last time we saw him in the Premier League. Chelsea fans will hope this is the case should Luiz rejoin, whilst also hoping that Conte can bring the best out of the defender.

Chelsea could still be set to do some serious business this summer, despite just one day being left. We take a look at 5 potential signings Chelsea could make on deadline day, according to the latest reports.

1 - David Luiz

We told you all about the Luiz to Chelsea story yesterday. According to Sky Sports, Luiz has been subject of a £30million+ bid from Chelsea and the club are continuing negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain over the potential signing of the 29-year-old defender. Resigning Luiz would be a bit of an odd move, especially considering his questionable form at PSG last season. Despite only playing 25 Ligue 1 games, Luiz made 4 defensive errors last season, Cahill and Terry combined only made 3. Luiz also struggles in other key defensive areas. For example he only made 0.34 blocks per 90 last season, and won a miserable 1.16 aerial duels. His weakness in the air is particularly worrying and could see him exposed in the physical Premier League. If he joins Chelsea fans will hope that Conte can drive the errors out of the Brazilian and turn him into a disciplined defender.

If this one happened it may be the biggest shock of the transfer window. Chelsea have been desperately trying to sign a defender this summer, and they may finally get one on the last day of the window, and it is a familiar face …

David Luiz, a huge character and a questionable defender, looks like he could return to Stamford Bridge on deadline day. Chelsea have apparently made a £30million bid according to Sky Sports and are currently locked in negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal for the Brazilian. Antonio Conte has clearly been keen on adding a new central defender to the clubs ranks this summer but after being priced out of moves for Kalidou Koulibaly and Alessio Romagnoli, Luiz could be an alternative.

29-year-old Luiz knows the club well, he spent 3 years at the club and made 81 appearances. He will be remembered for some crazy defending as well as some spectacular goals and hilarious off the pitch moments. Chelsea fans could quite rightly be dubious about spending such a large amount of money on a defender that they know first hand, is not the very best at doing what he needs to do, defend.

But Luiz is a big personality and developed into somewhat of a fans favourite during his short spell at the club. Whether or not the fans would be as forgiving if Chelsea are not as successful, remains to be seen.

So Luiz has been in Paris for two years, how has he fared? We had a look at how he statistically compared last season to Chelsea’s current central defenders.

First, lets start with the Brazilian’s strengths. He is very tidy in possession, completing 92% of his passes last season. He also averaged a huge 62.38 passes per 90, that is more than Terry and Cahill managed combined. Koulibaly is also a very forward-thinking defender and considering he appeared to be Conte’s first choice, Luiz could be a suitable alternative. Another strength for Luiz is his interceptions, he made 2.58 per 90, Cahill (1.66) and Terry (1.72) both managed less.

A big stereotype is that Luiz makes a lot of defensive errors, but was this the case last season? Yep. Despite only playing 25 Ligue 1 games, Luiz made 4 defensive errors, Cahill and Terry combined only made 3.

Luiz also struggles in other key defensive areas. For example he only made 0.34 blocks per 90 last season, and won a miserable 1.16 aerial duels. His weakness in the air is particularly worrying and could see him exposed in the physical Premier League.

With John Terry’s time at the club nearly over and Gary Cahill continuing questionable form, Luiz may be a wise addition. His unpredictability and inconsistency in defence is something that would need to change in order for him to be worth the £30million, in my opinion. At his best and when he is focussed I think he is actually a decent defender that can also be good moving forward in midfield.

Luiz is 29 and has 55 international caps for Brazil, he is a pretty experienced defender and perhaps he has developed his defending and maturity since the last time we saw him in the Premier League. Chelsea fans will hope this is the case should Luiz rejoin, whilst also hoping that Conte can bring the best out of the defender.

If this one happened it may be the biggest shock of the transfer window. Chelsea have been desperately trying to sign a defender this summer, and they may finally get one on the last day of the window, and it is a familiar face …

David Luiz, a huge character and a questionable defender, looks like he could return to Stamford Bridge on deadline day. Chelsea have apparently made a £30million bid according to Sky Sports and are currently locked in negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal for the Brazilian. Antonio Conte has clearly been keen on adding a new central defender to the clubs ranks this summer but after being priced out of moves for Kalidou Koulibaly and Alessio Romagnoli, Luiz could be an alternative.

29-year-old Luiz knows the club well, he spent 3 years at the club and made 81 appearances. He will be remembered for some crazy defending as well as some spectacular goals and hilarious off the pitch moments. Chelsea fans could quite rightly be dubious about spending such a large amount of money on a defender that they know first hand, is not the very best at doing what he needs to do, defend.

But Luiz is a big personality and developed into somewhat of a fans favourite during his short spell at the club. Whether or not the fans would be as forgiving if Chelsea are not as successful, remains to be seen.

So Luiz has been in Paris for two years, how has he fared? We had a look at how he statistically compared last season to Chelsea’s current central defenders.

First, lets start with the Brazilian’s strengths. He is very tidy in possession, completing 92% of his passes last season. He also averaged a huge 62.38 passes per 90, that is more than Terry and Cahill managed combined. Koulibaly is also a very forward-thinking defender and considering he appeared to be Conte’s first choice, Luiz could be a suitable alternative. Another strength for Luiz is his interceptions, he made 2.58 per 90, Cahill (1.66) and Terry (1.72) both managed less.

A big stereotype is that Luiz makes a lot of defensive errors, but was this the case last season? Yep. Despite only playing 25 Ligue 1 games, Luiz made 4 defensive errors, Cahill and Terry combined only made 3.

Luiz also struggles in other key defensive areas. For example he only made 0.34 blocks per 90 last season, and won a miserable 1.16 aerial duels. His weakness in the air is particularly worrying and could see him exposed in the physical Premier League.

With John Terry’s time at the club nearly over and Gary Cahill continuing questionable form, Luiz may be a wise addition. His unpredictability and inconsistency in defence is something that would need to change in order for him to be worth the £30million, in my opinion. At his best and when he is focussed I think he is actually a decent defender that can also be good moving forward in midfield.

Luiz is 29 and has 55 international caps for Brazil, he is a pretty experienced defender and perhaps he has developed his defending and maturity since the last time we saw him in the Premier League. Chelsea fans will hope this is the case should Luiz rejoin, whilst also hoping that Conte can bring the best out of the defender.