It was transfer deadline day and as a Chelsea fan, our futile attempts of luring a defensive signing was proving to be too uncomforting. Kalidou Koulibaly was a distant dream; even more so was Antonio Conte’s reunion with Leonardo Bonucci. There were rumours here and there about Aymen Abdennour or even West Ham’s Angelo Ogbonna. By morning, it was clear Chelsea were desperately bidding for every defender they can to provide Conte with the number he wants.
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Then came a sudden surprising news about Chelsea’s attempts to bring David Luiz back to the Premier League. The first and foremost reaction of any Blues supporter would have been dismay towards sports media for swaying and radicalising supporters to make them believe in something that’s impossible just to sell papers. Yet, as the day went on, more and more reliable sources confirmed the story.
Watching through the years, I believe David Luiz is the player who is an epitome of Chelsea passion, and what Chelsea fans want from a player whilst playing in that Blue shirt. He has had his terrible moments as a Brazilian international and with Chelsea, but his sheer desire and commitment to the shirt he plays for was always praised and will always be.
Also Read: Love for Chelsea made me return, says Luiz
But, then at a time where our defense faltered so much that we sinked from champions to the mid-table in the league, is a reckless David Luiz a good enough answer to our problems? This, along with so many other questions about Chelsea’s desperation to get the numbers, were binging through the social media with mixed opinions among the fans.
With so much negativity and criticism surrounding the player in the media, its only natural to consider he's a defensive chaos. But for someone who was instrumental in defeating Chelsea themselves and had a brilliant 2015/16 UCL campaign, along with two consecutive Ligue 1 team of the year nominations, is David Luiz really as bad as the twitter rants make him out to be?
David Luiz certainly has concentration lapses at times but there’s no denying that he’s a man for the big occassion fantastically depicted by his performances in the UCL final inspite of him struggling through a hamstring injury in Munich.
He isn’t unaware of his defensive duties; what is certainly missing from his game is that consistency which is one of the main requirements for a top centre-back. But as a player who wants to prove, with a manager who’s proven to be a disciplinarian of top order, it might even get exciting to see Luiz under Conte.
According to some reliable sources, David Luiz was considered unavailable from Chelsea’s perspective. So much that Chelsea expected to get their bid rejected and are believed to have had tried their luck which has been their common agenda since having bids rejected from almost every top club in Italy. But, Luiz’s persistence and his persuation to PSG top hierarchy to let him leave as soon as the Blues came knocking the door was what triggered this surprise return. This only proves Luiz has a point to prove at Chelsea and he’s up for the task.
Chelsea might have had the worst Abramovich season till date last time around, but there’s no denying that the squad is far from the worst Chelsea squad over the year. With Eden Hazard’s magnificence and his growing form, the Blues will only improve from last season and their purchase of N’Golo Kante from Leicester City has further solidified their position as a complete team.
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Definitively, their squad is no longer thin. With two defensive signings made late in the transfer deadline day, they have the numbers for Antonio Conte to work with and with the player of Luiz’s stature and the passion he has for the club, the dressing room environment will only improve.
Luiz will present Chelsea boss Antonio Conte with selection problems that is a necessity for a manager to have in a big club. With no European football, Blues just have Premier League and two domestic cups to deal with and Conte’s fierce discipline and match tactics focusing on the next game might as well take the best of Luiz making him a more concentrated and consistent player in his second stint at Chelsea.
From a Chelsea fan’s perspective, I could only wish Luiz could match his level of passion and commitment he has for the game with actual performances on the pitch.
Whether, Chelsea’s deadline day signing for the summer of 2016 would prove to be vital for their chances in the season will only be seen in days to come, but atleast, they have a player who has proven track record for big clubs and has won everything that needs to be won at club level.
