Arsenal vs Villarreal: David Luiz injury update still a blow

Arsenal strolled past Newcastle in a meaningless game this past Sunday, but David Luiz’s hamstring strain was the lone setback on an otherwise comfortable afternoon. The 34-year old limped off with an injury that, as per Sami Mokbel, is not believed to be too serious, but will in all likelihood rule him out of Thursday’s second leg against Villarreal.

David Luiz is far from our most popular player, but his value to this Arsenal team is often understated, and we will surely miss his big-game experience. We can’t forget how instrumental he was in Arsenal’s FA Cup run last July, with two outstanding performances at Wembley against Manchester City and Chelsea.

Sunday was Luiz’s first start in over a month, having just recovered from a minor knee operation. The Brazilian immediately showed some of what we’ve been missing with a perfectly weighted pass through to Hector Bellerin, which resulted in the opening goal. It was an instant reminder that his vision and passing range are unquestionably superior to any of Arsenal’s other defenders.

While his on-ball ability is his most eye-catching strength, Luiz has quietly also had a solid year defensively, forming a solid partnership with fellow Brazilian Gabriel, perhaps due to effective communication.

Arsenal vs Villarreal: David Luiz injury update hints at role this season but is still a huge blow for Europa League

I personally feel this has been our most balanced central defensive pairing under Mikel Arteta; notably, their previous league start together came in March’s north London derby, where they largely contained the threat of Harry Kane (who typically scores for fun against us).

Luiz’s reputation for high-profile errors over the years has understandably turned him into somewhat of a meme, but these mistakes have been few and far between this season. Yes, there was that one infamous moment just before half-time at the Molineux back in February, where he was controversially sent off, ultimately costing us the game.

That unfortunate moment aside, he has been one of our more consistent performers in a horribly inconsistent year for the team. While Pablo Mari and Rob Holding have also been steady together for the most part, they’ll need to be much better than they were last week in order for the Gunners to keep Unai Emery’s side at bay. Fortunately, they won’t have to worry about Dani Ceballos this time, who seems to be on a one-man mission to destroy Arsenal’s European hopes.

Moreover, Arteta will surely need to consider moving Granit Xhaka back into midfield to help compensate for Luiz’s absence. Xhaka has filled in admirably at left-back, but we clearly miss his presence in the middle of the pitch, where he can control the game alongside Thomas Partey by displaying his own passing excellence.

One thing’s for sure; we should not underestimate the importance of Luiz to this Arsenal team. Talk of how he shouldn’t be granted a new deal is peculiar considering that when he’s fit, few can argue against his immediate inclusion.

I never thought that I would be writing that sentence a year ago, but if anything that just goes to show where we are as a team today. Arteta may have a real challenge trying to fill this void in a match that will undeniably define our season, and he simply has to get it right.