When Chelsea re-signed David Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain on transfer deadline day, nobody would’ve expected the player they were going to see return to Stamford Bridge.
Ever since his return to the club, the Brazilian has been excellent in the heart of a three-man defence, helping Chelsea win 11 games in a row, where they’ve conceded just two goals.
Luiz was often rash and partial to the occasional mistake at Stamford Bridge during his first stint at the club but is looking matured and much more of a complete defender now under Antonio Conte.
His time playing in France, alongside Thiago Silva has to be pinpointed as one of the reasons behind his improvement.
He’s played alongside the Brazilian, both for club and country, and reaped the benefits of working alongside a leader.
Luiz has never shied away from wanting to be a personality within a team, to be a leader, but needed the guidance and the maturity to do so, something he didn’t have during his first spell at Chelsea.
By moving to PSG when he did, he was forced to play alongside Silva, as he captained the French side and the Brazilian national side. Silva himself is a highly adored figure in his home country, as well as among the supporters of the Ligue 1 side, leaving Luiz almost in his shadow so to speak.
Now he’s back at Chelsea, Luiz has the opportunity to become a leader and possibility a future captain of the club.
David Luiz is speaking like a leader, playing like one too. My theory is that he's benefited from playing alongside Thiago Silva.
— Ryan Darby (@RyanDarby_) December 17, 2016
Luiz admitted he has leadership qualities in a recent interview with Sky Sports:
I have in my personality (leadership qualities); I like to organise, I try to be a leader in the dressing room too. I try to help my team-mates and the club – that’s why I came back. I love the club, because I had the opportunity, because I think it was my purpose to come back.
With John Terry’s Chelsea career looking like it is coming to an end, there is a clear lack of leaders among Conte’s starting XI.
Gary Cahill has been the stand-in captain in Terry’s absence, but if the club does decide to let their skipper go at the end of the season, then you can imagine that the armband will be up for grabs next season.
Luiz is thriving in his new role at Stamford Bridge, at the heart of a back-three, the Brazilian has the suitable protection either side of him, as well as having the ability to step into midfield when he can and play out from the back.
Having previously played in a three-back formation earlier in his career, Luiz has taken to the change in formation with ease.
Chelsea are now reaping the benefits of having Luiz at the heart of their defence, where he is constantly proving many doubters wrong. He, alongside Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta, have all been crucial to Chelsea’s run of form.
They’ve often been overlooked, with the form of Diego Costa, who’s already scored 13 goals this season, as well as Eden Hazard, it’s easy to forget the impact of the aforementioned trio.
