How can Thiago Motta get the best out of Douglas Luiz

September 26, 2024 - 9:00 am

Douglas Luiz was expected to become Juventus’ key midfielder when he joined the Bianconeri from Aston Villa in June.

Juve had been tracking Teun Koopmeiners since last season, and most fans expected the Dutchman to be the first player added to their squad.

However, it was Luiz who ultimately joined. The Brazilian was expected to bring a dynamic presence to the Juventus midfield, showcasing his ability to control the game and contribute offensively, much like the insights shared in a Bally Casino Review highlighting the importance of strategic play.

That said, Luiz has struggled to make the starting lineup, and when he does play, he fails to inspire confidence.

Juventus has a history of underperforming Brazilian midfielders, and the club took a significant risk by signing Luiz.

Considering his strong form at Villa last season, this might sound surprising. But it’s worth remembering that even Arthur Melo was in excellent form at Barcelona before his move to Juventus.

Arthur’s spell at Juve was disappointing, and now Bianconeri fans are concerned that Luiz could follow in the footsteps of Arthur or Felipe Melo.

It’s fair to argue that Luiz has only played five games for the club so far, but he doesn’t seem to be showing signs of improvement.

Other new signings, such as Nicolas Gonzalez and Koopmeiners, have shown noticeable progress each time they play for Juve.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case for Luiz. He often looks lost and confused on the pitch, struggling to connect with his teammates and occasionally shockingly losing the ball.

How can Motta get the best from Luiz?

Motta has been working to find a solution to the Luiz problem, and the manager is an expert at solving such issues.

He knew what he was getting when he pushed to sign the midfielder, but he likely didn’t expect Luiz to take this long to settle in.

At Aston Villa, Luiz played primarily as a central midfielder, controlling the game with most of the play running through him.

Motta has tried him in that same role at Juve, and while Luiz hasn’t had a standout performance yet, the Bianconeri manager should persist with this approach.

There may be a temptation to try him in other positions, such as defensive or attacking midfield, but that could only complicate matters further.

Although there’s little time for any player to adjust, the best way to help Luiz improve is by consistently playing him alongside the same midfield partners for an extended period.

The initial results might not be favourable, but he’ll develop the chemistry and understanding needed with his fellow midfielders and teammates over time.

This would allow Luiz to build momentum and start showing his best form. Motta typically prefers to field only players who have earned their place through training, but in this case, he may need to make an exception to get the best out of Luiz.