I’ve no doubt that if you dropped Aston Villa midfielder, Douglas Luiz, into any top team around Europe tomorrow, he’d be starting Champions League games for them.
Writer: danvilla2
I actually think he would do well at Citeh (re the buy out clause), I was watching Fernandinho the other week and as good a player as he is, I think Luiz is slightly better at looking forward but is certainly not as strong defensively. The pace of the game here is what sometimes catches him out, but that will come – and he’s more than got time on his side, development wise.
What Luiz has for a 22-year-old, is a brilliant football brain. The Arsenal game when it was tight, he cleared one off the line if I remember correctly. He reads the play well, if we didn’t have Luiz for the run in during lockdown 1, we’d have got relegated because he was playing every game at an 8 or 9 rating.
I do think he’s not influencing the game as much as he was then, and it’s a bit of a roller coaster. Like all the midfield, if it’s fast and frantic, that doesn’t suit his game.
Vital Villa’s Douglas Luiz Forum Thread
The biggest tactical change we need to make is moving SJM (John McGinn) forward against the weaker teams. Leave that space in front of the back four for Luiz to play in, but move SJM 5-10 yards forward so that he is a 5th option to pass forwards to, rather than sideways.
I didn’t like seeing SJM sat alongside him for the West Brom match, that was a negative tactic either from the manager, or, just SJM’s confidence to sit deeper.
Some people have mentioned moving Luiz forward, but I don’t yet see a player who is suited to that combat in the middle, also it would take away from his strengths at recycling the ball efficiently and moving it from wing to wing.
You also don’t need a Roy Keane type tackler in defensive midfield these days as you can’t tackle, you need athletic players who can get a foot in as a player is moving with the ball or one who can read the pass to cut it out.
Where Do You See Luiz's Future
A Solid Defensive Role
More Attacking Freedoms
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I see that Douglas has come in for some flack after his clumsy tackle leading to a penalty for ManU. If our manager can be supportive of our players surely loyal supporters can be too. Rather than upset players (they are human just like us) how about just toning it down a bit? Always remember the old mantra; if you can’t say anything good, say nowt. It’s also bad manners.
He just needs to knuckle down again and use it as a learning curve so he doesn’t give a player the opportunity to go down like a two dollar hooker in future. It was never a penalty though – I liked his bite back on social media last night, nowt wrong with a bit of passion and anger.