Jamie Redknapp has been left impressed with the improvements he has seen from Chelsea star David Luiz from a defensive point of view so far this season.
The Brazilian international returned to Stamford Bridge ahead of the summer transfer window, with his critics pointing out that his long-standing defensive vulnerabilities made him a questionable signing from Antonio Conte.
That assessment seemed to gather pace early on in his second spell at the club, but since a 3-0 loss to Arsenal, Chelsea have won four Premier League games in a row and kept four consecutive clean sheets.
Luiz has been a major part of that as Conte has switched to a 3-4-3 system with the former PSG star at the heart of his defence, and Redknapp has been impressed with what he has seen from him.
“Luiz looks – I’m scared to say it – like a serious defender,” he told Sky Sports. “You’ve got him buying into it as well, and that was a problem for Chelsea for many years. But when he’s like that, he looks the real deal.
“Every single player on that pitch is working hard and there’s a desire about them again. Conte has got them so well drilled. Everybody knows their job when they have the ball and it suits them defensively as well.”
The 29-year-old has now started the last eight games for Chelsea, keeping out defensive stalwart John Terry who returned to the bench for the 2-0 win over Southampton on Sunday.
Luiz’s form has certainly contributed to Chelsea’s improvement, with Conte’s men now sitting in fourth place in the Premier League table and just a point adrift of joint leaders Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.