Chelsea earned four consecutive wins and four consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League in October, and the man at the center of the revamped three-man defence has been instrumental in doing so. He's not the only one responsible of course, and he'll be the first one to tell you that.
"It's everybody, it's not just the three at the back that don't concede goals, it's the mentality of the team when you don't have the ball. The first defender is Diego and after that everybody defends. Diego, Hazard, Pedro, Willian, Oscar, Michy - it doesn't matter who plays, they are doing great on the defensive side and it's much easier for us defenders."
"It was a difficult game like every time you come here to play against Southampton. They play amazing football with a great philosophy, but I think we did an intelligent game and waited for the exact moment to kill the game. It was a very important win for our ambitions."
Since his return on Transfer Deadline Day in the summer, David Luiz has also been instrumental in stepping into the leadership void on the pitch. He may not be wearing the armband that has been glued to John Terry's arms for over a decade, but Luiz is a born leader in both thoughts and action.
"The Premier League is never easy and if you sleep here one minute you start to lose. And then you can lose one, two or three matches. You need to be awake all the time."
Having returned to Chelsea an older, wiser and more experienced player, the 29-year-old Luiz has evidently improved his concentration levels. Fine performances have become his standard, to the point where he produced a near-perfect display against Southampton -- even the normally critical lot, like Gary Neville and Jamie Redknapp couldn't muster up a complaint. Jamie Carragher's analysis on Monday Night Football, if you haven't seen it, is also worth a watch.
Redknapp: "David Luiz looks - I'm scared to say it - like a serious defender. You've got him buying into it as well."
— Antonio Conte (@pkssajalstha) November 1, 2016
As a leadership figure on the team, David Luiz is clear with his objectives, ones that pleasingly repeat and match coach Conte's.
It will be like this until the end. It’s just the beginning. We need to keep our feet on the floor and keep working hard with humility, just this.
We know the Premier League is not easy. When you start the game nobody knows who will win, but we are trying our best every single match to improve our level.
We train hard every day. Mr Conte works a lot with us and tries to give a lot of information to us to prepare the plan for the games in the best way. It’s important to continue this way.
-David Luiz; source: Chelsea FC
Next up Everton at Stamford Bridge.