Douglas Luiz (60 Viewers)

Vlad

In Allegri We Trust
May 23, 2011
23,990
  • Vlad

    Vlad

In my opinion, he’s absolutely right and everything he said makes sense. Douglas was one of the best midfielders in the Premier League last season, and when you pay 50 million for a player, he should clearly be a part of your plans. Obviously, coming from a different league and culture, he needed time to adapt. Yes, he had an injury, but other than that, he was constantly treated like he had no place in the team’s plans. And if that’s the case, why pay 50 million in the first place? Why sign him at all? Players like Locatelli—aside from maybe the last 2–3 games—or McKennie and even Koopmeiners haven’t exactly been outstanding, yet they’ve consistently played while Douglas barely got a chance. I think he has every right to feel the way he does.

It really seems like from the very beginning, the plan was to have Locatelli and Thuram as the two central midfielders, with Koopmeiners playing behind the striker. So where exactly was Douglas Luiz supposed to fit in? It feels like he was never actually part of the tactical project. Maybe he was just signed as a good deal on paper — not because there was a clear role for him in Motta’s setup. When you spend 50 million on a player and don’t even have a defined spot for him in the system, that’s a serious planning failure. And when a player is treated all season like he’s not really part of the project, of course his confidence takes a hit, and once that happens, the performances drop even more.
Those players you mentioned, even Mckennie who is a talentless hack, are trying their best on the pitch. They put in effort and try not to screw around. DL has been liability every time he has played and his lackadaisical approach, lack of any kind of grit does not warrant serious consideration when making selection. I dont think he suddenly became like this. We, Giuntolli, simply brought a player who is a bad fit for this club.
 

Buy on AliExpress.com

Akshen

Senior Member
Aug 27, 2010
10,608
Another evidence that Motta lost the changing room and ruined the whole atmosphere in the club. U can actually see he is questioning Motta training methods or his fitness staff - that how i see his mentioning of him beign not injury prone before he joined.

GJustJuve mentions he was asking the club to let him have individual training plan instead of Mottas, but he was not allowed to.
 

Paolino

Senior Member
Nov 1, 2013
1,082
Those players you mentioned, even Mckennie who is a talentless hack, are trying their best on the pitch. They put in effort and try not to screw around. DL has been liability every time he has played and his lackadaisical approach, lack of any kind of grit does not warrant serious consideration when making selection. I dont think he suddenly became like this. We, Giuntolli, simply brought a player who is a bad fit for this club.
When a player comes from a league like EPL to a tactical and physically demanding league like Serie A, he needs at least half a season as a regular starter to fully adapt. You can’t expect top form from day one. In Douglas’s case, he barely got 700 minutes across all competitions — most of them off the bench — and I don’t think he even started two games in a row. It’s clear that in Motta’s 4-2-3-1 system, there wasn’t really a spot for him. The club’s whole approach to integrating a €50 million signing from another league was really amateurish and now we’re seeing the consequences of that poor planning. JJ is being run like an unprofessional team in every department, and honestly, it's only natural that the players are starting to speak out...
 
Last edited:

Xperd

Allegrophobic Infidel
Jun 1, 2012
34,830
Remember the cursed Vinovo? its all the same at Continassa
There are many factors to it imo. Can't point out one single reason.

It's also very likely the injuries are to do with the training regime that Evra spoke about in his interview than the facilities

The profile of players that we've signed over the last decade have slightly varied as well. I mean we used to have workhorses like Licht, Vidal, Mandzukic, the Italians in the team etc were grinta merchants and super professional. We have signed slightly different players in recent years, even under Tici, focusing more on flair and technique. Many of them succumbed to injuries and eventually became useless.
 
Mar 30, 2003
20,728
It's obvious that there is a strict culture at the club where it is their way or the high way.

Training so hard before a CL final when players are already fatigued says everything.

And forcing them to stay in hotel rooms and go straight to training after long flights.

Anyone who knows anything about sleep and recovery knows that these things can lead to injuries and exhaustion.

Telling them exactly what to eat and controlling their portions etc.

Stats, workload and portion control definitely help within reason but sometimes it's better to just listen to your body.
 

s4tch

Senior Member
Mar 23, 2015
33,501
...Maybe he was just signed as a good deal on paper — not because there was a clear role for him in Motta’s setup...
do you remember the theory about aston villa needing some plusvalenza before the end of the last financial year, and villa owner sawiris, member of the exor partners council, was in a position of asking favors from elkann, owner of jj, also in need of plusvalenza? and hence the luiz to jj, barrenechea + iling jr to villa swap deals

:boh:
 

Vlad

In Allegri We Trust
May 23, 2011
23,990
  • Vlad

    Vlad

When a player comes from a league like EPL to a tactical and physically demanding league like Serie A, he needs at least half a season as a regular starter to fully adapt. You can’t expect top form from day one. In Douglas’s case, he barely got 700 minutes across all competitions — most of them off the bench — and I don’t think he even started two games in a row. It’s clear that in Motta’s 4-2-3-1 system, there wasn’t really a spot for him. The club’s whole approach to integrating a €50 million signing from another league was really amateurish and now we’re seeing the consequences of that poor planning. JJ is being run like an unprofessional team in every department, and honestly, it's only natural that the players are starting to speak out...
I disagree about physicality of Serie A. EPL is more physical. As for the rest it is not only about him struggling to adapt. How can a coach start a player like him, that doesnt run, doesnt track back, no grit, looks lazy as if he is forced to kick a ball. His attitude, body language is wrong. We made a mistake buying a player like this.
 

Paolino

Senior Member
Nov 1, 2013
1,082
I disagree about physicality of Serie A. EPL is more physical. As for the rest it is not only about him struggling to adapt. How can a coach start a player like him, that doesnt run, doesnt track back, no grit, looks lazy as if he is forced to kick a ball. His attitude, body language is wrong. We made a mistake buying a player like this.
From what I remember, Douglas got his first start around Matchday 4 against Empoli and actually played well alongside Locatelli. But after that, Motta benched him—even though he wasn’t injured—and I think he didn’t start again in the league until around Matchday 10. That’s just not how you integrate a player coming from the Premier League into Serie A. Sure, he wasn’t at his best physically or mentally, but the way Motta managed the situation was honestly terrible. Overall, JJ has been terrible at managing new players in recent years. When this many signings end up flopping, you can’t blame the players alone. I agree that Douglas didn’t come with the right mindset, but the club and the coach have a huge impact on a player’s performance and mentality. Just look at what Conte has done with McTominay—he slowly integrated him and now he's playing his best football. At Juve, it’s the opposite—we destroy players' confidence and morale instead of building it. I think if someone like McTominay had joined Juve instead, he would’ve definitely flopped too.
 

Bjerknes

"Top Economist"
Mar 16, 2004
115,898
I sincerely doubt he was even regarded a top CM in England? You’re telling me was top CM when Rodri, KDB, Rice, NU and MU Bruno’s and Mac Allister was around? AV hasn’t regressed heavily after his departure either
He was never one of the best players in the Premier League, the league where every club has the best players in the league according to their stupid fans. Aston Villa is way better without him. David Luiz isn’t half the player Onana is.
 

Vlad

In Allegri We Trust
May 23, 2011
23,990
  • Vlad

    Vlad

From what I remember, Douglas got his first start around Matchday 4 against Empoli and actually played well alongside Locatelli. But after that, Motta benched him—even though he wasn’t injured—and I think he didn’t start again in the league until around Matchday 10. That’s just not how you integrate a player coming from the Premier League into Serie A. Sure, he wasn’t at his best physically or mentally, but the way Motta managed the situation was honestly terrible. Overall, JJ has been terrible at managing new players in recent years. When this many signings end up flopping, you can’t blame the players alone. I agree that Douglas didn’t come with the right mindset, but the club and the coach have a huge impact on a player’s performance and mentality. Just look at what Conte has done with McTominay—he slowly integrated him and now he's playing his best football. At Juve, it’s the opposite—we destroy players' confidence and morale instead of building it. I think if someone like McTominay had joined Juve instead, he would’ve definitely flopped too.
Besides Empoli game he played in the CL and he was a disaster. I think he conceded a penalty or/and a red card against Red Bull. Everytime he stepped onto the pitch, it backfired for Motta so I can't blame him for benching this guy. So many players flopping? We are buying wrong type of players and are paying high price after a single good season they had like Koop and DL. Thuram on the other hand is not a flop, you could notice from the beginning he has what it takes. Kalulu is doing well. Chico has his ups and downs, etc. We cannot nurture players and tolerate poor games for half a season in hope they integrate especially if their attitude is wrong. DL from the start looked as if he did not belong here. I guess he expected everyone to bow down to him and since it did not happen, he became sour.
 
Last edited:
Sep 6, 2014
14,343
This fucker cost us Barrenechea but I don’t know who to blame more, Giuntoli or Luiz. If he actually played as advertised it would’ve been a non issue, because in theory he’s exactly what the club needed in the midfield. Maybe he still could be that guy, but going to social media and shifting blame isn’t gonna help his chances of staying. Dumb move.
 

Brny44

Senior Member
Aug 24, 2020
1,980
This fucker cost us Barrenechea but I don’t know who to blame more, Giuntoli or Luiz. If he actually played as advertised it would’ve been a non issue, because in theory he’s exactly what the club needed in the midfield. Maybe he still could be that guy, but going to social media and shifting blame isn’t gonna help his chances of staying. Dumb move.
Its been in the last 20 years, maybe more...YOU DONT BUY PLAYERS FROM PREMIER LEAGUE. not in serie A. Its cuntoli's fault.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 56)