He was boss at Liverpool as well. Not for one second did he think we were going to lose that. It was "right, so we've gone 2-0 down have we? Well, we'll see about that". And but for Vinny's horrendous mistake, we wouldn't have. The title race should not even have gone to the wire as it did.
Everybody knows about his absurd technique. But I think what we've seen is mental qualities that I, for one, did not quite suspect. I voted for him as player of the season over Yaya (forget the current furore, it wasn't an issue at that point) simply because I've never seen him play a truly bad game. The mere amount of possession he gives us, holding and holding until people make runs, or releasing the ball immediately, seeing someone in space before any of us have seen it, makes him our key player over anyone, in my opinion. We can get by without Yaya, if we have to. We have got by without Sergio, even, since he was out for about 14 league games this season. But we cannot get by without Silva. I think it was Newcastle away in the Capital One Cup that demonstrated that ever so clearly this season. There was no brain to our play during normal time.
And think of that unutterably sublime goal he created in the demolition derby, releasing it perfectly for Jimmy, I think it was, who had overlapped, and leaving the entire United defence for dead. No, really he is the player for me. Would love him to have a great world cup. And Nassri and him are finally learning how to work together. That midfield, with or without Yaya, will be terrifying next season.