David Luiz as Defensive Midfielder?
He is one of the most recognisable players in the Premier League, as well as one of the most expensive defenders in Europe, but could David Luiz be played as a midfielder, rather than as a centre back?
I think that he could be, and I also think that it could be good for Chelsea to deploy him there. Why would he be able to play the position? He is very comfortable on the ball, as well as having a very good view of passes downfield. Plus, he is also good at driving forward with the ball at his feet, much in the style of his predecessor as John Terry’s centre back partner: Ricardo Carvalho. He is a good passer of the ball, as well as being excellent in the air and can play with some physicality.
Why would this be good for Chelsea? Firstly, the defensive midfield options in the squad are quite thin, with Mikel, Lampard, Ramires and Romeu being the resources RDM has to work with. Adding Luiz to this would give a little more flexibility, as well as making it possible to have a player there with some mobility when Ramires isn’t selected (although I think that Romeu’s athleticism is much better than expected). I think that for the team, Luiz’s style of play would be safer as a defensive midfielder. He often reads the opponents’ passes and attempts to make interceptions, rather than waiting for players to receive the ball then tackle them. When it works, it can change the momentum and put the team on the front foot, but when it goes wrong, it can put the team into a hole, and usually this means John Terry, who isn’t the fastest, having to cover.
Instead of trying to curtail the attempts to win the ball back, why not encourage them, but further up the field. Then, if Luiz does go for the ball and miss, there is cover for him in the form of Terry and Cahill. This would not remove any risk, especially since there would need to be some positional discipline learnt, but I believe that there would be more upside to having the cover behind the Brazilian. Also, given how much smaller Chelsea are this season compared to last, having Luiz in midfield next to Mikel or Romeu would mean that Cahill comes into the defence, giving a deal more size and arial presence at set pieces.
Luiz is an excellent defender, but he is also an excellent all-round football player (who crosses the ball by bicycle-kicking it from the corner flag), so why not make the most of the things that make him such a good player, even if this means playing him in a slightly different position.
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