I like David Luiz. There, I said it.
Yeah, he’s a defensive liability, and he dives and feigns injury, but he’s at least unpredictable, and he’s the kind of player you’d consider forking out your hard earned quid to watch, simply because you haven’t a notion what he’ll do next.
As well as that, he also celebrated a goal scored against a former club, which makes him better than most in my eyes.
The defender/midfielder had a bit of a mare when he came on for Thiago Silva last night against Barcelona however, getting nutmegged twice by Luis Suarez in the build up to the striker’s brace.
His performance didn’t sit too well with another former Chelsea man, Sky pundit Glenn Hoddle. The former Blues and England manager said that Luiz defended like “an eight year old who hasn’t been coached”.
Hoddle said: “He’s the last man on the pitch when Suarez picks the ball up and starts running at him. He realises he’s the last man and the very last thing (you should do) when you’re last man is jump in. You bide time for your team to get around you.
“He does what an eight year old who hasn’t been coached does. He tries to win it by putting both of his feet together but when he does that he can’t move anywhere. Suarez nutmegs him again.
Hoddle went on to add that while Luiz is certainly an outstanding footballer, he’s nowhere near good enough to be a centre half, and that PSG manager Laurent Blanc should even consider playing him right full.
“For me he’s a liability at the back. He always has been. You have to find a place (for him) in midfield or even at right back.
“He’s a footballer who likes to play in the playground when there’s no shape to the game. He’s a talent but that’s not what top football is about.”
As the Irish Independent’s Aidan O’Hara pointed out though, Luis Suarez’s ingenuity is getting a little lost in the Luis criticism.
It's not great from Luiz but his legs are open by about the width of a ball plus maybe two inches.
— Aidan O'Hara (@oharaa) April 15, 2015
