20 | Bernardo Silva - 2025/26

alexmcity said:
Not true, as Bernardo put in better performances against the likes of Real, Bayern and Liverpool than David and Yaya, especially away from home.

Bernardo has scored more goals at Anfield or in CL quarters and semis than David, Yaya and Aguero combined.
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Yes, this doesn't mean he had their peaks. Bernardos best season ever can never rival those of any of the above. Yayas best, Silva's best or Aguero's. All 3 had Balon dor ranking seasons at their peaks. None of Bernardos seasons rivals their best.

He may have scored more in big games, That simply speaks to the points I already made about his consistency and longevity over time. But says little about his peak.
 
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Dax777 said:
Yes, this doesn't mean he had their peaks. Beenados best season ever can never rival those of any of the above. Yayas best, Silva's best or Aguero's. All 3 had Balon dor ranking seasons at yheir peaks. Bernardo has never had that.

He may have score more in big games, That simply speaks yo his consistency and longevity. Not his peak.
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Peak in terms of performances against the best teams in Europe: Bernardo over any of the older than KDB legends.

Peak in terms of individual seasons: you have a point. But I'm not sure David's best season (17/18?) was clearly better than Bernardo's 18/19. Remember, KDB missed half the season in 18/19 and we still won 98 pts. How was that possible? Bernardo.

Bernardo's a great player without great G/A numbers over a whole season. That's true. But in the biggest of the biggest games, Bernardo's G/A numbers are better than those of the older legends.

Yesterday he didn’t score/assist but was involved in both goals (like at Anfield but he scored there).
 
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Im glad he atleast got a trophy as captain, he deserved it.

And what do you know, when he doesnt have to literally be everywhere, just in the middle with Rodri, he looks amazing.

Pep needs to not make him do too much, let him do his centre midfield role, he is a master at it.
 

ANDY DUNN​

TOWARDS the end of the season, there is always a debate about criteria when it comes to handing out individual accolades.

Do you need to have been part of a successful team to win personal awards?

Or is the level of your importance to a team a decisive factor, no matter how unsuccessful that side is?

Those who suggest Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes should be the Footballer of the Year are clearly of the second opinion.

Should Arsenal win the Premier League or Champions League, some insist a Footballer of the Year should come from their ranks. Declan Rice, perhaps.

Which, for those who watched him flounder against Rodri and Bernardo Silva at Wembley on Sunday, might jar a little.

You will not just be judged on one game, though, and Rice is a fantastic player.

But watching Silva perform on the grand stage for City for what is likely one of his final times was a reminder of what a unique talent the Portuguese midfielder is.

In the unlikely event City overhaul Arsenal in the Premier League - and even complete a more unlikely treble - Silva might get some votes for individual honours.

And they would be welldeserved. When it comes to Silva's importance to City, he really does provide proof there are lies, damned lies and statistics.

Across all club competitions, he has made 42 appearances this season, and a return of three goals and five assists is not spectacular, especially when you factor in 12 bookings and a red card. But the numbers really do not tell you the full story. They do not tell anything resembling the full story.

Firstly, is there a more indefatigable player in the Premier League? If you actually do like your stats, four of the top seven distances covered by a player in a Premier League match have come from 31-year-old Silva.

Only three players have covered over 13km in a single match - Bruno Guimaraes, Silva and Pascal Gross.

He was everywhere against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.

Again, statistics do not do Silva any sort of justice. Very rarely does he surrender possession, very rarely does he waste a short pass.

Against Arsenal, in tandem with Rodri, he was always probing. And this was on the back of being sent off against Real Madrid in City's Champions League exit.

There is a reason he now wears the captain's armband for Pep Guardiola.

His latest Carabao Cup winners' medal (his fifth) means he has now won 15 major trophies with City in nine seasons.

Silva is, to put it politely, streetwise. He is a master of the tactical foul - again, to put it politely.

Some would consider him to have gotten away with all sorts during his career in England. But he is a remarkable player. And when - as it seems inevitable - he leaves the Etihad at the end of the season when his contract expires, he will be sorely missed.

He will not leave as Footballer of the Year, but he will leave as another of City's all-time greats.
 
So how do we replace him? Who is a natural successor? Pep loves a busy battler, someone who works and provides all the untidy to tidy transition. But who is that going to be going forwards?
 
shemnel said:
So how do we replace him? Who is a natural successor? Pep loves a busy battler, someone who works and provides all the untidy to tidy transition. But who is that going to be going forwards?
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That's the problem! Imagine if Bernardo, Rodri, Pep, Stones & Ake all leave in the summer (which is possible) that would really be the end of an era.
 
Kinkybyname said:

ANDY DUNN​

TOWARDS the end of the season, there is always a debate about criteria when it comes to handing out individual accolades.

Do you need to have been part of a successful team to win personal awards?

Or is the level of your importance to a team a decisive factor, no matter how unsuccessful that side is?

Those who suggest Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes should be the Footballer of the Year are clearly of the second opinion.

Should Arsenal win the Premier League or Champions League, some insist a Footballer of the Year should come from their ranks. Declan Rice, perhaps.

Which, for those who watched him flounder against Rodri and Bernardo Silva at Wembley on Sunday, might jar a little.

You will not just be judged on one game, though, and Rice is a fantastic player.

But watching Silva perform on the grand stage for City for what is likely one of his final times was a reminder of what a unique talent the Portuguese midfielder is.

In the unlikely event City overhaul Arsenal in the Premier League - and even complete a more unlikely treble - Silva might get some votes for individual honours.

And they would be welldeserved. When it comes to Silva's importance to City, he really does provide proof there are lies, damned lies and statistics.

Across all club competitions, he has made 42 appearances this season, and a return of three goals and five assists is not spectacular, especially when you factor in 12 bookings and a red card. But the numbers really do not tell you the full story. They do not tell anything resembling the full story.

Firstly, is there a more indefatigable player in the Premier League? If you actually do like your stats, four of the top seven distances covered by a player in a Premier League match have come from 31-year-old Silva.

Only three players have covered over 13km in a single match - Bruno Guimaraes, Silva and Pascal Gross.

He was everywhere against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.

Again, statistics do not do Silva any sort of justice. Very rarely does he surrender possession, very rarely does he waste a short pass.

Against Arsenal, in tandem with Rodri, he was always probing. And this was on the back of being sent off against Real Madrid in City's Champions League exit.

There is a reason he now wears the captain's armband for Pep Guardiola.

His latest Carabao Cup winners' medal (his fifth) means he has now won 15 major trophies with City in nine seasons.

Silva is, to put it politely, streetwise. He is a master of the tactical foul - again, to put it politely.

Some would consider him to have gotten away with all sorts during his career in England. But he is a remarkable player. And when - as it seems inevitable - he leaves the Etihad at the end of the season when his contract expires, he will be sorely missed.

He will not leave as Footballer of the Year, but he will leave as another of City's all-time greats.
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Even last season, when he was routinely singled out as one of the main reasons for the drop-off, he - along with Phil - regularly tried without success to gee others up and get the ball moving more quickly. They found out that it's just not possible unless a few others buy into it.

He's having a fantastic season - on and off the pitch. His classy interviews shout out 'Captain' material, too.
 
alexmcity said:
Peak in terms of performances against the best teams in Europe: Bernardo over any of the older than KDB legends.

Peak in terms of individual seasons: you have a point. But I'm not sure David's best season (17/18?) was clearly better than Bernardo's 18/19. Remember, KDB missed half the season in 18/19 and we still won 98 pts. How was that possible? Bernardo.

Bernardo's a great player without great G/A numbers over a whole season. That's true. But in the biggest of the biggest games, Bernardo's G/A numbers are better than those of the older legends.

Yesterday he didn’t score/assist but was involved in both goals (like at Anfield but he scored there).
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Perfectly said. Without Bernardo we don't win that 2019 title. And it prob isn't even close. That alone puts him in the highest echelon for me
 
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