No more free passes: David Luiz deserves all the criticism he gets

It’s easy to find humor when examining David Luiz.

The stunning, comical resemblance to Sideshow Bob. The exorbitant £50-million transfer fee that made him the most expensive defender in the history of the sport when he moved from Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain last summer. The lapses in concentration that leave gaping holes for the opposition to exploit. That game against Germany. The resemblance to Sideshow … oh, right.

You get the point. The Brazilian is a vulnerable target.

So when he and his defensive skills are made to be a mockery, as was the case in last week's 3-1 Champions League loss to Barcelona – and again last night in the return leg – it’s natural to point and laugh. To make your best Nelson Muntz impression. To sneer and make a snide remark. 

We’re all guilty.

I, too, was guilty, and I used to feel bad about it. Not anymore. David Luiz deserves all the criticism he gets.

When Luis Suarez nutmegged Luiz in the second half of last week's contest at the Parc des Princes, before rumbling into the penalty area and giving Barcelona a 2-0 lead, that was understandable. Suarez is among the very best forwards in the world. Luiz, meanwhile, was clearly not fit, rushed back from a hamstring injury after just one week of what was supposed to be a month-long recovery process.

When the Uruguayan did it again 12 minutes later, this time putting a stake through the heart of Luiz’s reputation – and with it ending PSG’s hopes of reaching the semifinal stage of the Champions League – it was funny, sure, but it was understandable. "Supremely talented attacker beats injured defender" does not a surprise make, no matter how many times it happens.

We could give him a pass.

On Tuesday night at the Camp Nou, where Barcelona confirmed their passage to the final four of Europe's showpiece club event with a 2-0 victory, Luiz was culpable once again. 

No more free passes.

"I actually feel sorry for him," former Manchester United star-turned-pundit Roy Keane told ITV after the match. "He just looks lost again; we spoke about him before the game.

"He doesn't smell danger and the stuff there is literally schoolboy stuff. You've got to give the boy sympathy, a little bit. Because he doesn't look like he knows what he's doing."

He's right. Every word.

That seems absurd; a bonafide starter in central defense for both PSG and Brazil doesn't know how to defend. It's not only not absurd, it's 100 percent accurate, and Luiz proved it once again on Tuesday evening.

Behold, Neymar's second goal of the match:

Note: All photos courtesy of Sportsnet

(Courtesy: Sportsnet)

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

All good

Luiz and right-back Gregory van der Wiel are in fine position here, both adequately placed to mark Neymar (circled with van der Wiel) and Suarez, who is standing just outside the area.

Sorting things out

When the Dutchman asks his curly-haired teammate who he should mark, Luiz, taking control of the situation in a manner that would impress even his most staunch detractors, barks out orders. Nicely done, David.

We have this under control

After establishing defensive assignments, Luiz latches on to the attacker closest to the near post (Neymar) and leaves Suarez to van der Wiel. That's good. This is all working out just swimmingly.

"Oh shit"

And then it all goes down the toilet.

Luiz, for some incomprehensible reason, jumps forward, allowing Neymar to drift in behind him and flick an uncontested header beyond Salvatore Sirigu. Maxwell, who does, in fairness, come in for some criticism after allowing Dani Alves to get the cross in, sums it up perfectly with his reaction.

As Keane so aptly noted, the answer to the question posed in the photo above is a simple one: he has no idea.

Look, the 28-year-old has many redeeming qualities. He checks off all the traditional boxes that managers love when it comes to playing with passion and never giving anything less than his full effort. And those things are important.

As Chelsea can attest, he's also wonderful in attack, particularly from set pieces. As for his free kick skills, good luck finding many central defenders in world football who can pull this off:

The beauty of something like that, though, is nullified by the fact that Luiz is, in no uncertain terms, a trainwreck near his own goal.

Not even his mother, in all her efforts to defend him, can disagree with that.