Well put. There's no question mark over his ability. But he suffers from what too many of our players suffer from and that's a suspect mentality when the chips are down.
You can see that when he's in what appears to be a good shooting position and, nine times out of ten, he'll pass the ball instead of taking some responsibility and shooting. That infuriates me and you wouldn't see players like Tevez or Bellamy do that.
The question is do we want a team of mentally weak fancy-dans, like Arsenal or do we want a team like the one that started the QPR game, with 6 or 7 who would bleed for the shirt?
I really don't agree. I agree that others go missing. But I don't agree that Silva is one of them. He's been kicked to shreds in England and never shirks the ball.
Big games when we've been excellent he's been pivotal. In big games where the team have bulked for me he's been the one who continues to demand the ball.
He will always offer himself when certain players don't.
I feel he's dropped a little bit since Gundogan came in. It's moved his position again and Gundogan does much of his role. Gundogan is excellent on the ball. But I'm not so sure he's as aggressive or as accurate as Silva. He's a wonderful player, but for me Silva is still our key man.
Since Silva has been shifted to accommodate the change. I don't think its a coincidence that SERGIO has dropped a little too.
Silva likes a player or two to work in random with. He works well with Nolito and he and Aguero are near telepathic.
He used to have a very good relationship with Zaba, they dovetailed brilliantly for years. Zaba would know exactly where and when to run, sadly that option no longer exists. Zaba would also stick up for Silva and leave one on those looking to kick him out the game.
Not a dig at Guardiola but I don't think our shape change has worked really. We were excellent against Everton but we are very narrow(Silva, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Gundogan). Sane and Sterling were offering width but they were so deep, width that high up didn't pull them about. Had we opted for Nolito over Silva of Gundogan he'd worked between the lines more aggressively.
In the last 3 games we've put our 3 most creative players very very close to each other. That makes it easy to crowd us out and restrict space.
Sit deep and narrow, protect the byline and crowd the box. That is very hard to pass. Sitting Silva deeper in either Soton or EFC game may have moved them out a little. No way would either team want Silva deep in space. He was easy to crowd out in the final third and was De Bruyne.
Gundogan, Silva and De Bruyne thrive in space. I think you'd get the best if we selected 2 of the 3 or all three and moved Fernandinho to rightback or even centre half. Use 2 of Sterling, Sane and Notilto, Nolito works best with Silva for my money.
He's not been at his best in some big games and he's starred in other big games. Much like all our players. I don't think he goes missing though, certainly not more than some. For me all too often over the last two years he's been just about the only one, well along with Fernandiho that's demanded the ball no matter the game or score.
His shooting may be annoying to some, but I hear him compared to Iniesta and his goal scoring is way behind Silva's.
He could probably shoot more, but in the ground it's hard to tell as far too many are just shouting shoot with no consideration of what's in front of a player.
It's easy to say he might score more if he shoots more, it's also quite easy to assume the team wouldn't. His goals may go up and the teams down.
He already scores what, 5 and 6 a season? For him to add 4 or 5 to that he'd be shooting a lot more.
We may not benefit from that. I know Guardiola used encourage against shooting from distance, the quickest way of losing possession.
I must admit though, there are times when the shot looks the best bet.
He's an exceptional player, but I think like some lesser talented his flexibility has cost him, he's often asked to temper his game to accommodate the team. Deep lying centre mid, traditional number 10. Advanced 8, false 9, left and right wing. He's played all of them so far this season.
De Bruyne hasn't looked as sharp since his return, but again, he's played wing, advanced 8 and striker.
Would you say De Bruyne has had a drop off? Or would you say he's been shunted around?
For me, West Brom away I'd go back to the system we started so well with.
Back 4.
Fernandinho.
De Bruyne Silva
Sterling. Nolito
Aguero.
If we're looking at a full time change to a
...................1......................
.................2..3..4.................
...................5.6..........,,,,,,,,,,
..................,7.8..................
10.................9..........,,,,,,,,11
It may be the end for Silva being the player we love, or he may adapt like always and be great.
He does need space though and does work brilliantly in triangles.
That system doesn't really offer him space, nor De Bruyne.
Ramble over.
