da spicy bet： It’s fair to say Jamie Carragher knows a thing or two about defending. The Liverpool legend made an incredible 737 appearances for the club at the back and won his fair share of trophies. So when he says, in The Daily Mail, that David Luiz should be in contention to win a Player of the Year award, it’s worth taking notice.
What’s the word?
da cassino： Supporters across the country, including Chelsea fans, had serious reservations that David Luiz could be effective in his second spell at the club when he signed from PSG last summer but the Brazilians consistent performances have so far proved most people wrong.
Speaking about the end of season awards, Jamie Carragher in his Daily Mail column said:
Why should Luiz not be considered? He has always looked every inch the modern defender, a big, strong powerhouse who can move. He has always had talent but now he has added discipline it is all coming together. He will face Arsenal on Saturday in the form of his life. For that he can thank Conte.
It’s a bold statement when you consider the form of the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Diego Costa but perhaps it’s time that the Premier League’s defensive stars take centre stage in award season.
Man in form
Carragher is correct to point out that David Luiz is in exceptional form. In his 21 appearances for Chelsea so far this season he’s helped them to a massive 12 clean sheets, providing the platform for success at the other end of the pitch.
As part of Conte’s back three, he’s the big presence that has led Chelsea through lengthy winning runs. The central anchor in that backline, his disciplined defending means the Blues are rock solid throughout a 90 minutes. It’s a far cry from the days when you’d see him streak up the pitch and leave Chelsea exposed at the back.
He’s certainly been consistent but has he been impressive enough to win individual honours at the end of the season? At the very least it’s an interesting discussion point and one to watch over the next few months.
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