RAFAEL BENITEZ DESERVES CREDIT FOR DAVID LUIZ CONVERSION

'TIS still the season of goodwill - although you would hardly guess if you went down to Stamford Bridge right now.
     Yes, many Chelsea fans continue to be peeved that Rafael Benitez is still in charge of their football club.
     They despise him from his time as manager of Liverpool FC and for his critical comments about the Blues in that role.
     I, too, had my reservations - I did not think Roberto Di Matteo deserved the sack and I certainly did not envisage Benitez as the man to take Chelsea forwards.
     But let's be fair...he has done a good job so far.
     I am not saying he is the man for the job or that he should keep the role if someone of the ilk of Mourinho or Klopp comes available in summer (before you mention Pep, I reiterate once again that Guardiola is set for Man United).
     But I can't deny that the Spaniard has strengthened the defence and got the team playing well.
     And for one thing alone he deserves immense praise - for being the man who had the vision and the courage to turn David Luiz into a maurauding midfielder.
      Luiz is surely the next club captain and I am convinced he will be a great leader in what is arguably his best position, certainly one he can grow into.
     Even if you don't like the bloke, it is both wrong and xenophobic to call Benitez 'a fat Spanish waiter'.
    Credit where credit's due...even if he does leave in the summer, he has solved two urgent problems for Chelsea FC.
     With Luiz's conversion, Benitez has provided hope that Frank Lampard CAN be replaced (although Luiz will certainly have to up his goalscoring abilities) - and he has also provided the Blues with the man who can take over from John Terry as the team's inspirational leader for the next decade.

FRANK WORRALL