The impact of David Luiz

Any football fan would find it hard to dislike David Luiz, but Tottenham and Arsenal fans may well have a reason to if their Champions League hopes are dashed at the expense of Chelsea come May time.

The flamboyant, frizzy haired central midfielder has become a mainstay figure in the team this season, and despite the frantic run of games they face in the run-in, Luiz expressed his desire to keep playing, in a recent interview he was quoted as saying:

 “I like to play games, I don’t like to train, it’s boring sometimes”

Thank god for that, sigh Chelsea fans around London. We face a ridiculous four games in seven days at the end of this month, and Benitez will be wishing on a star that they can secure a comfortable win at home to Rubin Kazan, as the away leg comes just four days after this run, whilst a pivotal derby with Tottenham awaits on the Sunday following that second leg.

One player who we all hope will make it through these games is our Brazilian Luiz. Just 29% of league fixtures have been won without him in the team, whilst with him, we chalk up a 64% win rate. It would be hard to argue that we don’t rely on him being fit and ready for each game.

Amassing an amazing 53 games already this season, it has been yet another marathon season, but with the likes of Luiz, and especially Juan Mata, playing consistently well, this should put us in good stead for the next few seasons, as you would expect the game volume to decrease.

The season could extend to 70 matches, and if people argue footballers are overpaid, you can at least make the argument that ours deserve it more than most.

After starting off as a figure of fun to most, David has revitalized himself in the central role, and to put in the kind of performances that he does on a weekly basis shows what a player we have on our hands – keep him fit, and there is a lot that can be achieved with a few minor adjustments in the summer.

By Brad Smith
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