Arsenal: Rogue David Luiz makes things awkward for Unai Emery

David Luiz’s refusal to adhere to Frank Lampard’s tactics were what saw him sold to Arsenal, now we have to wonder what that means to Unai Emery.

It’s been a mighty hot and cold start to David Luiz‘s start with Arsenal. There is plenty of excitement to have such a demonstrative presence on and off the pitch, but having weathered years of Shkodran Mustafi, it’s impossible not to see some similarities through these first four matches.

And now, with reports emerging that Luiz was sold because of his refusal to adhere to Frank Lampard‘s tactics, I have to scratch my head a little more.

It all seemed to go wrong with Lampard’s insistence of playing out from the back and Luiz attempting copious amounts of long balls. After being benched, he forced his way out of the club and that was that. He’s a Gunner now.

It’s hard to fault a guy for disobedience, since it worked out so well with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. When we don’t know all sides to the equation, you can only judge a guy based on how he adjusts to his new home.

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Aubameyang has adjusted brilliantly.

Luiz is still finding himself, but he is being given the freedom to actually find himself. He’s getting game time when, honestly, he shouldn’t be. If all was just, he’d still be competing for time with Calum Chambers, which he isn’t. And while I don’t want to get in this mindset, I can’t help but wonder if Emery is starting Luiz to avoid an unpleasant situation withe the Brazilian like Lampard had with him before being sold.

With Rob Holding returning, I think we will find out really quickly. Emery hasn’t shied away from benching guys he’s just signed, or guys making a lot of money, before. But for the sake of keeping things as pleasant as possible, a content Luiz getting game time is far desirable to a discontent Luiz on the bench.

But Holding has a priority, or at least he should, seeing as how he was in the midst of proving himself when he went down with an injury, and it would be more than a bit cruel to leave him wanting when Luiz is the clear stopgap and Holding is the capable future. But then again, the same is happening to Chambers so…

Maybe I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, but whatever the case, I hope that this isn’t why Chambers can’t get onto the pitch.