David Silva...

[sir baconface]

Re: Silva - best since Bell?

The problem with threads like these, generally comes with the older generation not wanting to let go of the thought/memories of Bell being our greatest player ever. I was never fortunate enough to see him play live, so it's virtually impossible for me to compare him with any of our current crop. I can only go off what people tell me about him, which while always being endless praise, I have to view some of that as a nostalgic view.

He was undoubtedly a very talented player, but for me, and this may be well wide of the mark, he was only "one of the greatest" among City fans. I've said it before on here, if we look back at lists of greatest players, European footballer of the year nominees and winners, World player of the year nominees and winners, he's nowhere to be seen. In future generations of football fans, when today's squad have long retired, I personally feel, that the likes of Yaya and Silva will have made a much more significant impression on football fans of all clubs, than Bell has done, which for me tells it's own story. They will most probably be remembered as two of the worlds elite footballers during their careers. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but they have both made shortlists for the Ballon d'or and been nominated for Fifa world team of the year?

I'm not using this as a stick to beat Bell with, just maybe to offer a more neutral view, rather than the cliched "blue tinted specs" As a previous poster said a few pages back "Colin Bell will always be our best player" if that is the mindset and it seems a commonly held view on here, how can it ever be fair to debate who is/was better player.

The view also that he was vastly superior to Gerrard is one I definitely struggle to comprehend, if it were to be true, he would surely receive much more praise and recognition than he does and before anyone tries angling towards a media bias, it would take one hell of biased view to erase a player of that caliber from the memories of ex players, pundits, journalists and fans, for him to not be up in all the lists ranked alongside the likes of Moore, Charlton, Banks, Greaves, Matthews, Gascoigne, Keegan etc....it certainly leaves me, a fan of the younger generation with an awful lot to ponder when considering our greatest ever player.

Just to be clear where I'm coming from, I stated earlier in the thread that Bell is my all-time favourite and Silva my second.

You've admitted it's impossible for you to make direct comparison. Like it or not, it's only us older Blues who can make a first-hand assessment. That said, I empathise with some of what you are saying while disputing other bits.

Some random observations:

1. Yes, we have to allow for the possibility of some blue-tinted, nostalgic element. But the comment "Colin Bell will always be our best player" is not representative. Many of us are open-minded to one of the current team taking over the King's mantle. That hasn't happened yet for one reason or another, e.g. longevity, consistency or all-round ability.

2. Bell was not actually recognised in his time as much as he might have been. I put this down partly to him not being on the much-lauded 1966 World Cup winning team owing to the intense competition.

3. Gerrard is definitely the modern player who springs to mind as a comparator. I differ with some here who downgrade Gerrard's achievements. He has been a hugely influential player for his club, not least in propelling them to European honours.

4. IMO both Bell and Gerrard's club contributions easily eclipsed those for their country.

5. Much as I love Silva, he has not been central to the Spain team's successes. His scoring record also lets him down at the highest level. His profile outside MCFC is probably no higher than was Colin's. Like Bell, though, we all know he is an absolute fcukin gem.

Hope this sheds some light.

 

[shadowyu]

Re: Silva - best since Bell?

I never saw Bell play. I will focus on rating Silva as if this was a game where 100 was the highest rating and 1 the lowest:

ball control: 95
short pass: 95
dribble: 90
long pass: 80
crossing: 55
shooting: 60
free kicks: 65
penalties: 60

 

[sir baconface]

Re: Silva - best since Bell?

It was supposed to be more of an appreciation thread for David Silva.

Which is why I titled it best since Bell?

Not old enough to see him play but I believe he is the ultimate barometer in the years which have proceeded him.

You did ask if he was up there with the King, mate, hence the comparisons.

 

[Jack74]

Re: Silva - best since Bell?

Jack74 I'm sure many have said it before But is Silva going balls deep in your wife? or are you infact Kinkladze and are upset that everyone's saying Silva is better than you.

Your probably the weirdest poster on here, your 1 or 2

1)a wum or a rag (bit strange you put MCFC OK ) after every post.

2) actually delusional and take medicine for it.

If your 2 I apologise for calling you weird.

MCFC OK!!!!!!!!!

Ha ha I like it , u have a point about the Kingladze though , how the fuck any1 thinks/reckons Silva is better than him , is insane

 

[Phil1]

Re: Silva - best since Bell?

Jack74 I'm sure many have said it before But is Silva going balls deep in your wife? or are you infact Kinkladze and are upset that everyone's saying Silva is better than you.

Your probably the weirdest poster on here, your 1 or 2

1)a wum or a rag (bit strange you put MCFC OK ) after every post.

2) actually delusional and take medicine for it.

If your 2 I apologise for calling you weird.

MCFC OK!!!!!!!!!

Ha ha I like it , u have a point about the Kingladze though , how the fuck any1 thinks/reckons Silva is better than him , is insane

Silva is better than Kinkladze.

 

[Jack74]

Re: Silva - best since Bell?

Jack74 I'm sure many have said it before But is Silva going balls deep in your wife? or are you infact Kinkladze and are upset that everyone's saying Silva is better than you.

Your probably the weirdest poster on here, your 1 or 2

1)a wum or a rag (bit strange you put MCFC OK ) after every post.

2) actually delusional and take medicine for it.

If your 2 I apologise for calling you weird.

MCFC OK!!!!!!!!!

Ha ha I like it , u have a point about the Kingladze though , how the fuck any1 thinks/reckons Silva is better than him , is insane

Silva is better than Kinkladze.

At what , granted he works harder won't shoot , corners are garbage can't beat a man never mind half a team 1 plays with great players the other played with Scott Hiley , Immel , Symonds , Fronteck , Clough and fuckin Gerry Creaney

 

[Proelia]

Re: Silva - best since Bell?

Jack74 I'm sure many have said it before But is Silva going balls deep in your wife? or are you infact Kinkladze and are upset that everyone's saying Silva is better than you.

Your probably the weirdest poster on here, your 1 or 2

1)a wum or a rag (bit strange you put MCFC OK ) after every post.

2) actually delusional and take medicine for it.

If your 2 I apologise for calling you weird.

MCFC OK!!!!!!!!!

Ha ha I like it , u have a point about the Kingladze though , how the fuck any1 thinks/reckons Silva is better than him , is insane

How is this knob still here

 

[Jack74]

Re: Silva - best since Bell?

Jack74 I'm sure many have said it before But is Silva going balls deep in your wife? or are you infact Kinkladze and are upset that everyone's saying Silva is better than you.

Your probably the weirdest poster on here, your 1 or 2

1)a wum or a rag (bit strange you put MCFC OK ) after every post.

2) actually delusional and take medicine for it.

If your 2 I apologise for calling you weird.

MCFC OK!!!!!!!!!

Ha ha I like it , u have a point about the Kingladze though , how the fuck any1 thinks/reckons Silva is better than him , is insane

How is this knob still here

Small knob if u don't mind xx

 

[dan.j.mcfc]

Re: Silva - best since Bell?

The problem with threads like these, generally comes with the older generation not wanting to let go of the thought/memories of Bell being our greatest player ever. I was never fortunate enough to see him play live, so it's virtually impossible for me to compare him with any of our current crop. I can only go off what people tell me about him, which while always being endless praise, I have to view some of that as a nostalgic view.

He was undoubtedly a very talented player, but for me, and this may be well wide of the mark, he was only "one of the greatest" among City fans. I've said it before on here, if we look back at lists of greatest players, European footballer of the year nominees and winners, World player of the year nominees and winners, he's nowhere to be seen. In future generations of football fans, when today's squad have long retired, I personally feel, that the likes of Yaya and Silva will have made a much more significant impression on football fans of all clubs, than Bell has done, which for me tells it's own story. They will most probably be remembered as two of the worlds elite footballers during their careers. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but they have both made shortlists for the Ballon d'or and been nominated for Fifa world team of the year?

I'm not using this as a stick to beat Bell with, just maybe to offer a more neutral view, rather than the cliched "blue tinted specs" As a previous poster said a few pages back "Colin Bell will always be our best player" if that is the mindset and it seems a commonly held view on here, how can it ever be fair to debate who is/was better player.

The view also that he was vastly superior to Gerrard is one I definitely struggle to comprehend, if it were to be true, he would surely receive much more praise and recognition than he does and before anyone tries angling towards a media bias, it would take one hell of biased view to erase a player of that caliber from the memories of ex players, pundits, journalists and fans, for him to not be up in all the lists ranked alongside the likes of Moore, Charlton, Banks, Greaves, Matthews, Gascoigne, Keegan etc....it certainly leaves me, a fan of the younger generation with an awful lot to ponder when considering our greatest ever player.

Just to be clear where I'm coming from, I stated earlier in the thread that Bell is my all-time favourite and Silva my second.

You've admitted it's impossible for you to make direct comparison. Like it or not, it's only us older Blues who can make a first-hand assessment. That said, I empathise with some of what you are saying while disputing other bits.

Some random observations:

1. Yes, we have to allow for the possibility of some blue-tinted, nostalgic element. But the comment "Colin Bell will always be our best player" is not representative. Many of us are open-minded to one of the current team taking over the King's mantle. That hasn't happened yet for one reason or another, e.g. longevity, consistency or all-round ability.

2. Bell was not actually recognised in his time as much as he might have been. I put this down partly to him not being on the much-lauded 1966 World Cup winning team owing to the intense competition.

3. Gerrard is definitely the modern player who springs to mind as a comparator. I differ with some here who downgrade Gerrard's achievements. He has been a hugely influential player for his club, not least in propelling them to European honours.

4. IMO both Bell and Gerrard's club contributions easily eclipsed those for their country.

5. Much as I love Silva, he has not been central to the Spain team's successes. His scoring record also lets him down at the highest level. His profile outside MCFC is probably no higher than was Colin's. Like Bell, though, we all know he is an absolute fcukin gem.

Hope this sheds some light.

Thanks for the reply.....

Just a few things I'm still uncertain on really, but I feel first it's important to make my stance clear, before anybody gets the wrong idea

I'm in no way trying to belittle or be disparaging towards Colin Bell as player, I've never seen him play and have only ever heard marvelous things about him. The issue I have and would maybe like to get a better understanding of is, if he was a genuine "great", why is there hardly any recognition in comparison to virtually all other "greats"? I've read ex pro's talk about him as being an outstanding player, but even so, if you have a look in books, online, TV programmes etc...you will do very well to find Bell featured in any of them at all. I've noticed that people like to use the saying "not a glamour club" or not one of the "medias darlings" but that is nonsense in my book. We're talking about our main man, during an era in which we won multiple trophies, including a league title and a European cup winners cup.

If we contrast that to today, off the back of our recent successes, many of our players are regarded among the best in the world, Kompany is widely regarded by the media and fans of virtually all clubs, as one of, if not the best CB in the world. Similar comments are made of Yaya and Aguero, as being some of the best in their positions.

Just to reiterate, I'm not questioning Bell's ability as a player, I haven't seen him play first hand, so it's impossible to do so, but unless there is a reasonable explanation, as to why he's received hardly any recognition or appreciation in comparison to other greats of his era, other than that of City fans who quite rightly love the main man of our most successful period to date, I find it hard to believe that players from our current crop don't eclipse him.

Just my opinion, so not meaning to rile anyone, but to only take second hand accounts of his abilities from his own admirers and fans, would be very foolish of me, so looking wider into the football world, for whatever reason, he falls short of that very top table of footballers, whereas, right now, I believe we have 3, maybe 4 who are there.

 

[squirtyflower]

Re: Silva - best since Bell?

Colin Bell kept very much himself to himself
You mention Kompany, but I still believe him to be light years ahead

Search out a YouTube vid of him scoring a goal
Perhaps the scorcher at Stomford Bridge in the cup circa 71, he just puts his arms up, no histrionics
He played the game under the radar which is why, IMO, he is often overlooked

Watch the game when England destroyed the jocks in 75, Bell was stupendous