David Luiz: Defender or Midfielder?

Where should Sideshow Bob play?

It’s a question we have been asking for quite some time now, isn’t it?

David Luiz without question is world-class, no matter where he plays. So comfortable with the ball at his feet (why wouldn’t he be, as he is Brazilian after all), is two footed, reads the game fantastically and can pick a pass just like Frank Leboeuf.

The reason I am asking this question today is because of Chelsea‘s transfer activities this summer and also because of Luiz’s abilities.

Think about it, we have made no secret of our intention to sign a replacement right-back for Jose Bosingwa who left in the summer, and with a move for César Azpilicueta looking more than likely, could it mean Robbie will stick with him there this season and move Branislav Ivanovic into the middle again?.

Of course, Ivanovic has stiff competition for those places from JT, Gary Cahill and David Luiz, but I just wonder if Luiz’s ability with the ball has changed RDM’s approach this season.

There has been and will remain questions about Michael Essien’s fitness which I think he will agree with, and is only natural after the problems he has suffered with his knees in recent times. Could this be in the back of RDM’s head?

Raul Meireles is rumoured to be a target for Napoli and if the reports are true, it could persuade RDM to do business.

So we know we have three centre-backs (four including Luiz) that are here to stay, we know we have Romeu, Mikel, Lampard for the two holding midfield positions in front of the back-four in our 4-2-3-1 formation, but could Luiz now be a contender to play in that role if Essien has problems and Meireles leaves us?

What’s your view on David Luiz? Where do you think we could get the best out of him?

I mean no disrespect to Luiz when I say this, and I am sure that he understands that you get better with age and experience, but his defending has improved leaps and bounds since he has been here.

Now I personally played to a decent standard of football (Southern Amateur back in the day) and started off up front, gradually moving my way backwards through midfield and finally into a centre-back and I know each position.

I have said it already in this post, but the two massive strengths that David Luiz has is his ability to read the game in front of him and his ability on the ball.

I personally wonder that if RDM decides to deploy Luiz further forward, he may at times get lost with the game passing him by. For example, if Luiz is playing in one of the deeper positions in midfield he could be taken out of the game with the opposition passing the ball around him, would he then become frustrated and give away silly tackles and bookings because he wouldn’t have the same influence on the game in that position?

Don’t get me wrong here, I do see the positives in Luiz playing there purely and simply because of his use of the ball. We have at times, lacked that killer pass or just something to open the door and Luiz would provide that option.

I just feel that Luiz should play at the back, with the game being played out in front of him, because we get the best out of him there. You cannot under estimate just how special the ability of being able to read the game is!

David Luiz has shown in the short space of time he has been here, that he has ironed out the silly mistakes (forget last Saturday as that doesn’t count!), the defensive side of his game as really improved and he can still win us games from that position.

I think with the emergence of Gary Cahill at Chelsea, he has a fight on his hands to stay in the side, but then again he could play anywhere on the pitch couldn’t he?

For now though the question remains. You have seen my opinion on Luiz but what do you, the Chelsea fan reading this no matter where you are in the world, think that David Luiz should play?

David Luiz the defender or David Luiz the midfielder?