Three ways Chelsea could line up with David Luiz

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Having re-signed David Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain, here is how Chelsea may line up with him in the side.

Football Soccer – Paris Saint Germain v FC Metz – French Ligue 1 – Parc des Princes stadium in Paris

The return of David Luiz to Chelsea offers a number of questions, and chief amongst those is that of where he will play.

Luiz’s favoured position is at centre-back, but with questions still remaining about his defensive capabilities and decision-making, is that where he should be selected by Antonio Conte?

The fact that Conte pursued a number of other targets before making a move for the Brazilian on deadline day gives a clear picture that Luiz was not the Italian’s first choice of defenders, but the manager will have given his consent on Luiz returning to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte

Luiz has said he has unfinished business in West London, having left during Jose Mourinho’s reign, and will feel that Conte can bring the best out of him. Mourinho was convinced that Chelsea would be stronger without Luiz, leaving the defender free to join PSG for £50 million in 2014.

But arguments can be made that Luiz is not a defender, and is in fact more suited to playing in midfield due to the fact that he is good on the ball when not under pressure. There also remains a belief that where Luiz falls down is in his tackling, something that will have been highlighted when Brazil lost 7-1 to Germany in the World Cup semi-final in 2014. That match will live long in Luiz’s memory and will be a constant reminder to Conte of the worst side of the Brazilian.

But if Luiz is to play in defence, the question will be raised of whether it will be in a back four or a back three. Conte will have to make allowances for Luiz in defence and for a coach that demands so much from his defenders it is unsurprising that Chelsea have moved for a ball-playing defender, considering this was so evident in the Italian’s game-plan when at Juventus and as Italy manager.

Monaco v Paris St Germain – French Ligue 1 – Louis II stadium

During that period Conte had Leonardo Bonucci as his ball-playing defender and whether Chelsea play a back four or three, Luiz is likely to be given the role of starting play from the back by picking out passes in the same style that Andrea Pirlo did for Juventus and Italy, before Bonucci assumed the role. Why it works for Chelsea to play Luiz in defence is that he has speed to cover ground that Conte’s side appear to be lacking at present.

The back four

If Conte proceeds with the back four then the likelihood is that Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta will both be competing for the left-back role, with Branislav Ivanovic playing at right-back.

Gary Cahill and John Terry surely will be vying for the one remaining place in a back four alongside Luiz, and either could play as Luiz’s mobility provides certain cover for the less agile pair. With Cahill likely to be preferred, here is how Chelsea may line up with a back four…

The back three

Conte has shown throughout his managerial career with Juventus and Italy he prefers a back three. The advantage to the Italian of playing Luiz in back three is that he is given extra cover, particularly with N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic in the side.

Within the back three the possibility is that Cahill and Ivanovic will be selected, allowing for Alonso and Azpilicueta to take the wing-back/winger roles. The back three makes the most sense as it allows for Luiz’s marauding forward, which is an all-too-frequent event.

Luiz’s runs out of defence will leave Chelsea exposed, but in a back three Kante or Matic will step back to keep the back line intact.

Defensive midfield

If, however, Conte decides playing Luiz in defence will leave Chelsea too exposed, he has other options by playing the Brazilian in a defensive midfield role alongside Kante.

Luiz’s attributes as a defender mean that he will be able to break up play in ways that other midfielders cannot as he understands the need to do so. But perhaps the most important part of playing him in this role is that the attacking side of his game is wasted playing in defence – as Chelsea know, Luiz can be pretty lethal when the ball is at his feet with the goal in range.