Tony Cascarino believes that David Luiz has none of the qualities Unai Emery is looking for at Arsenal. The former Chelsea forward wrote in his The Times column, “They needed to sign a defender, someone who is cool under pressure and has leadership qualities – and spent £8million on David Luiz, a player who has never embodied any of those qualities.”
An embarrassing display against Watford
Luiz was indeed abysmal, to say the least, during Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Watford. The Gunners did start the game quite well, dominating the hosts throughout the first half while going 2-0 ahead, thanks to a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brace.
Luiz had very little to do as Watford’s only threat came in the form Gerard Deulofeu, who caused some problems for Ainsley Maitland-Niles. In the second half, however, Emery’s open game allowed the Hornets to push their way back into the game, and that’s where the team lacked composure in the defence.
The north London giants looked all over the place, and the Watford strike back looked inevitable. Luiz’s non-sensical foul on Roberto Pereyra embodied the fact he was not the player Arsenal needs at this time. The Brazilian also struggled to deal with the dynamic presence of Ismaila Sarr during the second half.
Was it only Luiz’s fault?
Luiz was, in fact, Arsenal’s second-best defender against Watford, ahead of Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Maitland-Niles. Sokratis, in particular, made a hideous error which gifted Watford a way back into the game. Had it not been for that error, the Hornets might not have shown such aggression and willingness in the second half.
Maitland-Niles, meanwhile, purely lacked the quality even during attacking phases. He was sloppy with his passing and ball retention. But most importantly, he struggled to cope with the tricky Deulofeu, who was made to look like Lionel Messi.
Therefore, claiming it was only Luiz’s fault would be an over-exaggeration. However, it’s probably fair to point out that the Brazilian has now twice given away a penalty, which raises question marks over his decision making and composure.
What should Arsenal do?
Arsenal could pretty soon be boosted by the return of Rob Holding. The young defender has already returned in team training and should be in contention to start within the coming weeks.
Holding is currently Emery’s last hope as he looks to get rid of Arsenal’s defensive problems. The 23-year-old has the leadership material and is known for his commitment, qualities which could make an ideal alternative for Luiz. But in the meantime, the Gunners have no option but to persist with the Brazilian.
