David Luiz Finds a Home in Midfield

No one has ever questioned David Luiz's skill or even his desire on the pitch, but he just didn't fit in the center of defence.  It seems Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez seems to feel the same way as the Brazilian may have found a new home in Defensive Midfield.  The "Geezer" always has had a unique and weird set of skills for a central defender, only maybe comparable to countryman Thiago Silva.  Only there is one big difference, Silva wants to sit back and defend where as Luiz will always attack given the opportunity, and even when there isn't an opportunity.  At times he seemed confused in his head and it showed in his play, and the change needed to be made.

Many Chelsea fans begged Roberto Di Matteo to give David Luiz the chance in midfield, but he never seemed to give him a look at it.  Even when Luiz made a strange or shocking error, Di Matteo was stuck in his ways to keep him at the back.  There is no question that in an injury or suspension crisis that Luiz could play in central defence, but when you watch him play it's more than obvious that his talents go to waste there.  David is one of the only players in the world who seems to be good at every aspect of the professional game.  He has the Brazilian touch and flair that the country thrives on,  he is a very strong defender and not afraid to make a tackle, he has a good shot including his knack for scoring free kicks, he is excellent in the air, he has amazing passing skills and has good pace for a player his size. He is one of the finest talents Brazil has produced and is a joy to watch.  With this kind of talent it wouldn't make sense to let him sit at the back, and ever since he has started in the midfield his game and attitude has improved.  He now has a openness to his game which makes his skill set shine even more and he is developing into the outright leader of the next Chelsea generation.  Overall this move is going to drastically improve the clubs morale and chemistry as they make the move from old guard to young talent.

Chelsea fans have finally got what they wanted, and now they are going to see one of their fan favorites develop into one of the world's best midfielders.

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Chelsea May Have the Craziest January of Any Club

Chelsea Football Club has never been shy in spending money in the transfer window and the January market will be no different.  There are a lot of scenarios that Chelsea could pull out of the hat and most likely will shock a lot of people with the moves they make.  Radamel Falcao is the most likely scenario for the Blues along with Fellaini from Everton.  Here is a list of possible targets and departures.

January Transfer Targets:
Radamel Falcao
Marouane Fellaini
Theo Walcott
Willian
Demba Ba
Fernando Llorente
Bafetimbi Gomis
Klass-Jan Huntelaar
Paulinho
Loic Remy
Simone Pepe
Yann M'Vila
Gonzalo Higuian
Daniele De Rossi
Yaya Toure
Neymar
Nelson Oliveira
Taison
Jackson Martinez
Oscar Cardoza
Wilfried Bony
Luis Suarez
Marek Hamsik
Victor Wanyama
Ryan Shawcross
Joao Moutinho
Marcelo
Edin Dzeko

Possible Departures:
Frank Lampard
Ashley Cole
Daniel Sturridge
Fernando Torres

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Player Ratings for Chelsea vs. Leeds United

Chelsea continued their pursuit of a trophy tonight in a match against the always tough Leeds United.  The match was very tight in the first half and Leeds even took the lead into halftime.  Chelsea came out firing in the second half and broke the match open and ended up grabbing a 5-1 win to send them to the Semi-Final of the Capital One Cup.  Let's take a look at how each player performed.

GK Petr Cech: 8.0

Pretty much catching practice for the big man but didn't come away with a clean sheet.

D Branislav Ivanovic: 8.0

The Serbian looked a little caught out defending in the first half, but gave Chelsea the lead with a brilliant header.  Good match.

D David Luiz: 8.0

The Brazilian was caught out in his attacking ways and loss possession leading to a Leeds goal, which most likely would have been prevented with a defensive midfielder on the field.  Luiz more than made up for his mistake with maybe the Chelsea assist of the season with a one touch long ball to Eden Hazard's goal.

D Cesar Azpilicueta: 7.5

Looked a little caught out a lot of the night, but still did his job.  Azpi still isn't showing the form he had going at the beginning of the year.

D Ryan Bertrand: 8.5

Bertrand's last performance at LB wasn't anything to brag about, but this one was one of his best.  The Englishman was strong in defence and great going forward.  He looks to finally be figuring out when the right time to attack is.  He made no mistakes and practically shut down the left side of the pitch.  Hopefully he will continue to develop and play like this.

M Frank Lampard: 8.0

Frank Lampard has never been a good defensive midfielder and tonight was no different, but he didn't have a stinker by any means.  Going forward he is still the legendary attacker that made him so great in the past, he hit a sizzling free kick from 35 yard which was somehow magically saved by the keeper.  He also had 3 or 4 long range classic Lampard shots that somehow were saved by the keeper.  Great in attack, poor in defence and at DM it will always be like that.

M Oscar: 8.5

This kid just seems to change the game when he's on the pitch.  He didn't score a goal but his presence can not be overlooked.  His passing his elite level and his on the ball skills may only be surpassed by his Chelsea teammate Eden Hazard and Brazilian teammate Neymar.  Chelsea's attack just seems to flow better with him on the field and hopefully he will regain his starting spot.

M Juan Mata: 8.5

Juan Mata doesn't really have form, he's top class every time he steps on the pitch and tonight was no different.  He grabbed the Chelsea equalizer and also assisted a goal.  I don't think there's even a question that he's the best player in England at the moment.

M Marko Marin: 7.0

The Chelsea fans finally got what they wanted and Marko Marin got the start, and he hardly made an imprint on the match.  He's looked good when he's came on as a sub but this match is one he will certainly want to forget.  Hardly even was noticeable and got subbed off for Eden Hazard.

F Victor Moses: 8.5

The Dark Knight rises once again and made a big impact on this one.  He was all over the pitch and looked likely to score the whole match and finally did score, for Chelsea's third goal.  Moses's pace is hard to handle for anyone and he is becoming one of the most dangerous wingers in the Premiership.

F Fernando Torres: 7.5

Yes he scored but it was a open net, something Petr Cech probably could have scored.  Torres was practically invisible the whole match and doesn't look like his good form lasted too long.

D Ashley Cole: 8.0

Came on for a injured Ryan Bertrand and did his usual business.

M Paulo Ferreira: 8.0

Glad to see his dedication to the club is finally getting him some playing time, good on the ball tonight.

M Eden Hazard: 8.5

He's a game changer, and changing the game is exactly what he did.  He played less than a full half, yet scored and assisted a goal. Enough said.

Man of the Match: Victor Moses

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Top 10 Footballers in the World (Updated December 2012)

Over the past few months my view on who the world's top players are, has really changed.  You may think you can guess who are the top 10 but I guarantee you are in for quite a few surprises.

10.  Yaya Toure - Manchester City - Midfielder

Yaya Toure could be one of the most influential player in the world.  No other midfielder is as well balanced as he is.  He is a unbelievable defender and even better going forward.  The Ivorian is one of the strongest players on the ball and vitally important to any success Manchester City wants to have.

9. Vincent Kompany - Manchester City - Defender

It is becoming very clear that Vincent Kompany is the best defender in the Premier League.  I think the fact that within minutes of coming off injured in the last Manchester Derby that United scored shows his worth enough.  Kompany is a stonewall in the back-line and hardly lets anything get passed him.  The Belgium is brilliant in the air both defensively and in the attacking sense.  Vincent is a amazing captain to go along with his footballing skills and will most likely shut down elite attackers for many years to come.

8.  Andres Iniesta - Barcelona - Midfielder/Winger

I've always thought Barcelona was more about a system and not just about having elite talent, but I can't deny what Iniesta does for both club and country.  He was a huge part of Spain's Euro 2012 success and is the driving force behind Barcelona.  Not only is he a big goal threat but his passing is marvelous.  Going along with his slick moves on the ball there is no question he is one of the very best.

7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - PSG - Striker

Zlatan scores like he's playing against school kids.  I don't think I have to explain much more, he doesn't shy away from describing his own talents.

6.  Eden Hazard - Chelsea FC - Midfielder/Winger

There's really only one way to stop Eden Hazard and that's by fouling him, even then he is still close to impossible to shut down.  His on the ball skills are second to none and no defender has yet to figure out his slicing and dicing.  Eden could easily work his way into the top 3 in the coming future.

5.  Juan Mata - Chelsea FC - Midfielder

Juan Mata has quickly became the best player in the Premier League.  No other footballer in the league can compete with how he affects the match.  He controls the pace for his side and always seems to pick out the perfect pass.  Now that he has added goals to his play there is really no ceiling to how good he can be.

4. Mesut Ozil - Real Madrid - Midfielder 

Mesut Ozil's stats speak for them-self, the guy always finds a great pass for a great assist and is most part the reason Real Madrid scores as much as they do.  The German has a silky touch and is one of the most consistent players in the world.  Ozil has a great knack for scoring goals as well and always seems to take a lovely free kick in the latter stages of a match.  

3. Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid - Winger/Forward

Cristiano Ronaldo puts the ball in the back of the net almost every match.  He is brilliant on the ball and great in the air.  His pace blows by any defender and makes almost any club fear his greatness.  Ronaldo is one of the worlds all time best and doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon.

2. Lionel Messi - Barcelona - Striker 

I know I know, I'm crazy because I put this legend as number two.  Messi has scored 88 goals thus far in 2012, that's basically all that needs to be said about him.

1. Thiago Silva - PSG - Defender

Yes I'm crazy but in my opinion Thiago Silva is the world's finest footballer.  The Brazilian simply has no flaws in his game.  He is one of PSG's fastest players, and he's a center back. His defending is easily the classiest in the world.  No footballer seems to score getting past him.  He makes elite strikers look like they have never played football in their life, ask Falcao.  Even when he makes a tackle in the penalty box he is cool and calm on the ball and usually goes with his slick South American skills rather than a booming clearance.  Other than being the most complete defender he could well be the best passing center half in the world.  Some matches it seems like he is controlling the pace of play, even as a defender and time and time again he puts long balls right on the money, that loads of the time lead to goals.  Unlike elite attackers, a defender affects the match in defending and attacking and no one is better than the captain of Brazil.

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Is Fernando Torres Really Back?

It is no secret that ever since Rafa Benitez took over as manager of Chelsea that Fernando Torres is oozing with confidence.  He even stepped up to take a penalty which didn't even occur in all his time at Liverpool.  Something has definitely changed in Torres's mind that is making him play like this and it will be amazing to see if he can keep it up and lead Chelsea to raising trophies in the coming future. 

But is he really back? or the better question did he ever leave.  You would probably be surprised to here that even in his so called "poor form" under Roberto Di Matteo that his conversion rate was higher than in his golden days at Liverpool.  These stats may be due to his higher shot rate at Liverpool, but still the critics of Fernando have been way to harsh.  Fernando Torres isn't back, because he hasn't gone anywhere.  Yes he may have a lot more confidence and look ten times better to the eye but lets think about the competition he is scoring on.  One thing I've learned in my years of watching football is that big time strikers pad their stats against the smaller clubs and the truly elite ones find the back of the net against top clubs.  Fernando Torres has never left that group of elite strikers; he grabbed a goal against Barca in the Champions League Semi-Final, and has led Chelsea to big time wins against Newcastle, Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk.  It shouldn't be a surprise that when he scores that Chelsea is always victorious and the same goes when he plays with Spain.  Fernando Torres can lead Chelsea's attack and make them the Premier League's best and with his new found confidence and stellar scoring prowess against top clubs that's exactly what he's gonna do.

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Player Ratings for Chelsea vs. Nordsjaelland

Chelsea went into their Champions League clash on Wednesday having almost no control over their destiny in the Champions League, but they still had to handle their business. The Blues did just that and came out with a 6-1 win that still came up short as Juventus took down the Ukraine side Donetsk.  Let's take a look  at how each player did.

GK Petr Cech: 8.5

Cech didn't have the most active night but when called upon he saved a penalty that could have changed the whole match, but did allow one goal.  By far the best performance while he has had the armband.

D Branislav Ivanovic: 7.5

Wasn't really in the match, but when he had some action Nords forward Joshua John blew right by him for their only goal.  Clearly more comfortable in central defence.

D Ashley Cole: 8.0

Wasn't really much to do for the outside defenders but Cole did his job while on the pitch.  Did pick up a injury at the end of the first half.

D David Luiz: 9.5

David Luiz may have put in his best performance of the year tonight.  He was solid all night defending, which is a success in its own right, and also grabbed a goal with a perfectly taken penalty in the first half to get the scoring underway.  Luiz looked like the leader on the pitch, and under Rafa Benitez he has been nothing short of spectacular.  He even grabbed a few minutes at defensive midfield where he looked just as stellar.  Great all around performance from the Brazilian.

D Gary Cahill: 8.5

Defended with class and scored a magnificent header, other than a handball which lead to a penalty a pretty good performance.

M Oriol Romeu: 8.0

Just to let everyone know, Romeu was playing and did play the whole match.  His name was maybe not called much, but he shielded the defence with class.

M Ramires: 8.0

Box to Box play is what you expect from Ramires, and that's what he gave.  Nothing to dazzling but was consistent while on the pitch.

M Juan Mata: 8.5

Another classy performance from the Magician, he controlled the pace well and contributed to most of the goals.  Mata could be the most consistent player in the world at the moment.

M Eden Hazard: 8.5

Hazard was dazzling and blowing by defenders as usual.  He was in most part the one who created the chances for Chelsea's shots on target.  Yet again I will say you must foul him to stop him.  If it wasn't for a particularly weak penalty that was saved, it would of been one of his best Chelsea performances.

F Victor Moses: 8.5

Dangerous in attack as always and played a lovely ball to assist Torres's first goal.  Deserved a goal himself.

F Fernando Torres: 9.5

Rafa Benitez promised he would get Torres scoring and looks like he wasn't lying.  The Spaniard had the utmost confidence in his finishing and looked likely to score every time he was on the ball.  I don't want to jinx it, but this was a "Liverpool Torres" performance.  There is no doubt in my mind that this is Fernando Torres's best performance as a Chelsea player.  Not only did he score two goals and put almost everything on target but he contributed to every aspect of a match.  He came back and defended set pieces, he chased loose balls like his life depended on it and did whatever he could to help out his teammates.  If Torres can continue this form than Chelsea may not be out of the EPL title race yet.

D Ryan Bertrand: 8.0

Came on for a injured Ashley Cole and did his job very well.

M Oscar: 8.5

He scores in the Champions League like it's the easiest thing in the world.  The Brazilian added another goal to his UEFA tally and Rafa Benitez needs to give him his starting role back.

M Paulo Ferreira: 8.0

Hasn't played in a while, and Stamford Bridge thoroughly enjoyed seeing him back in action.

Man of the Match: David Luiz

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