Douglas Luiz - coming back?

[Ozzjim]

I haven’t got that far in Guillemot Balague’s book yet but didn’t he say that Villa were ok to let Luiz go as he’d reached a ceiling with us?

That ceiling is still easily good enough if he can reach it

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

His ceiling is still high enough, particularly for a team with our injury issues (and financial ones).

[Dave]

I haven’t got that far in Guillemot Balague’s book yet but didn’t he say that Villa were ok to let Luiz go as he’d reached a ceiling with us?

I believe so. But for the next five months, I'm quite happy with him playing at that ceiling.

[garyellis]

I haven’t got that far in Guillemot Balague’s book yet but didn’t he say that Villa were ok to let Luiz go as he’d reached a ceiling with us?

Well if his ceiling is helping us to qualify for the champions league then welcome back!

[Crown Hill]

I haven’t got that far in Guillemot Balague’s book yet but didn’t he say that Villa were ok to let Luiz go as he’d reached a ceiling with us?

He does but I read that as post event justification.

I mean there’s a reason he’s had UE and DV and other senior bods at his events.

It’s basically the “authorised” history.

[eamonn]

I haven’t got that far in Guillemot Balague’s book yet but didn’t he say that Villa were ok to let Luiz go as he’d reached a ceiling with us?

Yeah and in press for the book he said that Unai cuts loose players who don't buy-in or can't buy-into his system.

[Dave]

I haven’t got that far in Guillemot Balague’s book yet but didn’t he say that Villa were ok to let Luiz go as he’d reached a ceiling with us?

He does but I read that as post event justification.

I mean there’s a reason he’s had UE and DV and other senior bods at his events.

It’s basically the “authorised” history.

Yeah, this version feels right to me.

I'm completely sure than DL was happy going to Juventus, and that with us needing to make the books work, our management was happy to make him their sacrifice to the SCR gods. Everyone was fine with it.

But I'm also completely sure that both parties would have had no issue starting 24/25 as they'd ended 23/24.

[paul_e]

I suspect the main thing was that we really wanted to add someone like Onana to make us harder to bully and we could only do that with an outgoing in there and DL was the easiest option.

[Brend'Watkins]

DL had in emery’s eyes hit a ceiling but he realises that the ceiling he had hit could do a job back in our midfield with so many out injured. We were always low on numbers there and this action is just giving us some breathing space. If DL can give us an 80% Youri all will be well. It’s just a case of him being up and running to his best from the off. There’s no guarantees.

[rjp]

Interview here with David Ornstein on Doug being fixated on coming back to us.

https://x.com/skysportspl/status/2016224693951275413?s=46

Someone else from this parish posted about XCancel which allows you to view the content above without giving a penny in advertising to the shithead.  Just replace x.com with xcancel.com.

https://xcancel.com/skysportspl/status/2016224693951275413?s=46

[Steve67]

Haven’t been Douglas Luiz’s biggest fan but welcome him back as he should be highly motivated to play well enough to either want to stay with us or to put himself in the shop window as Juve done seem to want him.  We also need him to cover the shortfall. Also glad to see Ross Barkley back in training from Friday, another timely boost.

[Smithy]

Haven’t been Douglas Luiz’s biggest fan but welcome him back as he should be highly motivated to play well enough to either want to stay with us or to put himself in the shop window as Juve done seem to want him.  We also need him to cover the shortfall. Also glad to see Ross Barkley back in training from Friday, another timely boost.

That's important to remember.  He's had a less-than impressive 18 month period since he left us.  If he's going to have good options in the summer, he needs to perform at a high level for us.  Even if we're not his eventual destination in the summer window, how he does from now till May will have a big bearing on where he goes next.  Whether it's another Forest-style move, or somewhere challenging for honours, is entirely down to how this loan goes.

It's probably too late for him to force his way into the Brazil squad for the World Cup, but a couple of injuries and you never know.  Fit and firing for Villa, he could force his way in yet...

[ChicagoLion]

The concern is what happened to make his form drop off so severely before he left us, which appears not to have returned.
Having seen both versions of him, one the imperious commanding midfielder and the other flat forlorn almost disinterested.
I just hope we can get him back to somewhere near his best.

[PaulWinch again]

I haven’t got that far in Guillemot Balague’s book yet but didn’t he say that Villa were ok to let Luiz go as he’d reached a ceiling with us?

That ceiling is still easily good enough if he can reach it

Yes and it can mean a number of things - was it an overall ceiling, was his ceiling at that point in time and he needed a fresh challenge etc. Reality is we’re 18 months and he’s evidently experienced the grass isn’t greener.

Talent wise he has shown he can be one of the best in the league (in the right role). He is also going to be incredibly motivated now. It doesn’t mean it will work, but in the circumstances it’s a risk absolutely worth taking.

[Dave]

The concern is what happened to make his form drop off so severely before he left us, which appears not to have returned.
Having seen both versions of him, one the imperious commanding midfielder and the other flat forlorn almost disinterested.
I just hope we can get him back to somewhere near his best.

For the next two months, just being a midfielder who is available to play for us is a good benchmark.

Anything good he adds on top of that, great.