Douglas Luiz - coming back?

[TonyD]

I can't believe you thought he ran his bollocks off.

He spent a huge amount of time jogging around aimlessly, punctuated by giving the ball away.

I don't know what Guardiola saw in him - his ball retention is poor.

He maintains possession when you don't expect him to but gives it away when it's easier to keep the ball, he does it almost casually.

I know what you mean.  He does the hard stuff then sometimes gives the ball away - but a lot of the players tonight gave the ball away again tonight.   But he was pretty much on his own in the middle of the park just in front of the defence tonight.
A quality DCM with Doug, Ramsey and McGinn then Coutinho and Watkins/Ings is the answer.  I don’t Nakamba is going to ever cut it.

[TonyD]

Ramsey bossed their midfield.

He's a talent but he needs to do the work at both ends of the pitch.  Four of the midfielders watch as McTominay waltzed past them to score the header, JJ included.  Many blamed Mings, but he was already marking someone.  I reckon Gerrard can make JJ an even better player but he's got to do the dirty work too.  Not having a pop Ads.

Ramsey is going to be a star.  He is already cutting at PL level and getting better by the game.

[Villafirst]

Nakamba is a big loss at the moment. Midfield is much better balanced when he's there. Go for broke and sign Bissouma even at £45-50m, we have the money!

[eamonn]

It's funny how we see things differently. I thought Dougie was really good tonight. Constantly nipped in to win possession and get us going again. Yanited were so poor in the main, thought he dominated a lot of their players.

[Hillbilly]

He seems to be a particular victim of Buendia's oddly weak short passes and McGinn's 'no look' efforts.

[Richard E]

I’m not sure what he actually does. Doesn’t score, doesn’t create, doesn’t make key tackles or interceptions. Just fills a position, really.

[Duncan Shaw]

It was the worst luck to lose Nakamba. Those first few games under Gerrard, the midfield had a really good shape.

If he wasn't injured he would be at AFCON, so not available anyway.  3 or 4 windows and counting and we haven't even tried to sort it.....

[Ian.]

It's funny how we see things differently. I thought Dougie was really good tonight. Constantly nipped in to win possession and get us going again. Yanited were so poor in the main, thought he dominated a lot of their players.

Me too, everyone I see criticism of him I wonder why? I thought he dominated and controlled the midfield.

[LeeB]

He was the only player in the middle of the park tonight.  Ran his bollocks off. 
He did some great challenges as well as lost the ball - like a lot of players tonight.
He is quality.   

That's what I saw, can't believe some of the comments. He won the ball back off them loads in that fist half, he was ace.

[Dante Lavelli]

Crazy how we all focus on different aspects, I thought he was generally good, and excellent in the second half. I’d have him at a 7/10 rather than the 3 or stated on the post match thread.

[chrisw1]

I thought he won loads of 50:50s and had really good energy throughout.  Given some of the comments maybe I need to rewatch, but I thought he was pretty decent.

[PeterWithe]

It's funny how we see things differently. I thought Dougie was really good tonight. Constantly nipped in to win possession and get us going again. Yanited were so poor in the main, thought he dominated a lot of their players.

Me too, everyone I see criticism of him I wonder why? I thought he dominated and controlled the midfield.

Same here, his positioning is really good, he holds his midfield position so the team shape is robust. Like a latter day Petrov, the kind of player we wont really appreciate too much until we are forced to replace him.

[Rigadon]

He’s another in the ‘nearly good enough’ camp for me.  File Cash in there too.  Luiz could become a cracking player but needs to show more consistency now or Gerrard will replace him no doubt.  Thought he did fine last night despite some unforced errors, which a good few were also guilty of. 

[paul_e]

I suspect he'd be the biggest beneficiary of a top quality DM coming in, he just feels like he's struggling to keep the discipline needed for the holding role and he wants to do more.

[Dante Lavelli]

He’s another in the ‘nearly good enough’ camp for me.  File Cash in there too.  Luiz could become a cracking player but needs to show more consistency now or Gerrard will replace him no doubt.  Thought he did fine last night despite some unforced errors, which a good few were also guilty of. 

With these nearly players the first question should be ‘can they be improved by coaching?’ rather than immediately jettisoned. 
At 23 you’d think there’s a good chance Luiz will improve over the next few years.