David Luiz deserves a new contract at Arsenal, and here's why...
David Luiz deserves a new contract at Arsenal, and here's why...
By Adam Le RouxYes he may be a liability, yes he may be a laughing stock, yes he may give us all heart palpitations every time he enters the pitch, but David Luiz should be offered a new contract.
The Brazilian has been something of a mainstay in the 18 months since making the move across London to join Arsenal from Chelsea back in the summer of 2019, having played 63 times in all competitions for the Gunners in that time.
And with the defender’s current deal set to expire at the end of the season, it would be foolish to let the 33-year-old walk away from the Emirates at this point, when he still has so much to give on and off the field.
With speculation about a player-coach role in the offing for the former PSG man, that could be the perfect solution for all involved, with Mikel Arteta knowing just how much his presence is felt by all at the club.
David has the drive and desire
Whenever anyone talks about David Luiz we all seem to focus on the bad bits, the lapses in concentration, the red cards, the penalties given away, they can so easily sway people’s opinion of a player without having really seen the man play.
And yes, Luiz is a man who is capable of having his brain explode right before our very eyes and leave his teammates picking up the pieces, but it is his reaction to these episodes that prove just how much of a leader he can be.
He has never been one to sulk or avoid criticism after making an error, and will often face the cameras and social media full on, knowing full well he will be interrogated and put to the sword by the masses.
Maybe it’s such a common theme that it’s water off a duck’s back to him these days, but maybe it’s because he cares, and wants to prove just how much it means to him as well as everybody else.
But there are so many times that the Brazilian has stood up and been counted on the pitch that a lot of people forget, like a magnificent display in repelling Chelsea in last season’s FA Cup final.
Luiz is a man for the big stage, and when the pressure is on he rolls his sleeves up and gets stuck in, which is something that can’t be said for a number of Arsenal players in recent history.
He may not be in the first-choice defensive partnership that Arteta has planned going forward, but he is as good as anyone to fill a hole when needed and can do just as good a job in the central defensive role, which is a position he has filled in with many a time in the past.
Aside from the odd calamity or two - with the Wolves game being one of the oddest matches of the season where everything seemed to go against the Gunners - Luiz has paired admirably with Rob Holding at the centre of defence.
The pair were ever-present as Arsenal kept three clean sheets in two weeks in January, with Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Newcastle all shut out, while Southampton were restricted to just a single goal in a 3-1 victory.
Sunday’s victory over Leeds also proves just how comfortable Luiz is with Gabriel by his side, and that adaptability can really make a difference over the course of a season, with defensive partnerships likely to fluctuate.
The 33-year-old’s range of passing is also a tool that can wrong-foot a number of teams, with his ability to spray a ball 40 or 50 yards changing the direction of attack in an instant.
It may be hard to do for a lot of Arsenal fans, but if you look past the odd clanger here or there, it’s clear to see he is a man that the Gunners need to have around the team.
Luiz is a laugh, but also a leader
It is no secret that David Luiz is a popular man in the Arsenal dressing room, and his presence within the team has a great effect on many people within the club.
Therefore, the option of a player-coach role makes absolute sense for the Brazilian, with his ability to nurture the next generation of talent looking like a natural fit for someone as charismatic and amiable as the defender.
As said above, Luiz is as passionate as anyone when it comes to his football, and that sort of drive is what will inspire players to produce the goods on the pitch.
With his game time likely to fall as Holding, Gabriel and Mari look to fight over the tag of first-choice defender, the coaching role will benefit all involved, with Luiz getting invaluable experience in the next stage of his career, and Arteta keeping a solid deputy at his disposal.
And the Spaniard looks keen to keep Luiz at the Emirates for years to come, having already highlighted his abilities around the club and his influence on the younger members of the team.
“He’s a great example for them,” the Arsenal boss said. “He’s got a good mixture with them between some banter and then some stick.
“They all listen to him because of who he is and what he’s done in the game. But also because how he behaves every day, how professional he is and how he goes about the job. He is one of the key role models that we have in our team.”
With that in mind, a contract extension looks to be a no-brainer for Arsenal, although there will be many out there that will be blinded by the naysayers on social media, but for the pragmatic minds among us, someone like Luiz is a valuable asset to any club.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
