David Silva

Don't think Silva was ever likely to feature in this game to be honest. We've just got to manage his ankle problems as best we can until the end of the season. Nasri is more than capable of filling in for him, and tends to do well against Chelsea.
 
Even Silva's biggest fans happily acknowledge that he has very little pace, isn't an aerial threat, is one footed, has poor finishing ability and doesnt have the highest work rate in terms of his defensive contribution. I readily accept these faults and aren't "blind" to them. Before this season, David wasn't being referred to as a fans favourite but a genuinely world class player and a vital part of the squad.

A few months later and people are already questioning whether he was ever that. I can't speak for you and what you previously made of him but many of the posts on this thread appear fickle in their revisionism.

No, mine was more saying that those issues have always existed, so it was more talking about those being revisionist, or having never faced into them. I personally think they are slightly greater than your list though.

This season, I think has been down to the way he has been used in the 4411, which has highlighted some of his poorer attributes, coupled with playing through injury. I put equal blame on Pellegrini to be honest.
 
Silva has been troubled with his ankle for a long time. At the beginning of the season after a quiet summer not playing he came back with no pain & played for the first 5 games possibly his best football since he arrived at the club. He was man of the match nearly every match.
He then got a recurrence of his injury which affected his performances & due to other players being injured he's played on through the season with pain instead of being rested.
I think some on here need to get off his back!
I'm sure if he moved on & played for another Premier League Club you'd be gutted.
If by Man of the match "in nearly every match" first 5 games, you mean Just Wes Brom. I totally see your point.

Or perhaps you meant he was 'nearly man of the Match in every match' which changes the context. Even then I'll say that's true of WBA and Chelsea. Not so much so Everton or Watford. And Crystal Palace he actually didn't play in. So I guess you also meant first 4 games.

And for what it is worth, no one is on Silva's back. Some would just rather others play when he is not performing, while others argue he should play regardless because of what he has achieved before. It is about that issue, not Silva persee. We all love him and what he has done. But that is not the issue.

This is the player equivalent of teams and commentators who always bring up 'the money spent' claim when City plays any team. It is not a real issue. Neither is how great Silva was. We were all here for it, so you are not telling us something new.

The question of what's best for City is future looking. We are asking what's best for the club? We wonder if he can still regain the old magic, some have no doubt, others do. And that's fine. And there are legitimate arguments for both positions.
 
Not so much so Everton

I thought he was brilliant against Everton.

And for what it is worth, no one is on Silva's back.

That's just simply not true.

The rest I agree with. I really don't see a need to play him with De Bruyne and Nasri back as well as Kelechi and Navas being in the squad. Much rather get him anywhere near full fitness before making any judgement.
 
If by Man of the match "in nearly every match" first 5 games, you mean Just Wes Brom. I totally see your point.

Or perhaps you meant he was 'nearly man of the Match in every match' which changes the context. Even then I'll say that's true of WBA and Chelsea. Not so much so Everton or Watford. And Crystal Palace he actually didn't play in. So I guess you also meant first 4 games.

And for what it is worth, no one is on Silva's back. Some would just rather others play when he is not performing, while others argue he should play regardless because of what he has achieved before. It is about that issue, not Silva persee. We all love him and what he has done. But that is not the issue.

This is the player equivalent of teams and commentators who always bring up 'the money spent' claim when City plays any team. It is not a real issue. Neither is how great Silva was. We were all here for it, so you are not telling us something new.

The question of what's best for City is future looking. We are asking what's best for the club? We wonder if he can still regain the old magic, some have no doubt, others do. And that's fine. And there are legitimate arguments for both positions.
Who thinks he should play just because of what he's done in the past?
I'd rather he was dropped/rested weeks ago but I suppose complete lack of options has meant he's been put in as the only real playmaker we've got.
 
Imo we need to see the vintage DS back before the Real Madrid game or he doesn't start the game. Can't afford sentimentality at this stage.

Definitely. Rest him up as best we can. He's a different level when at his usual best but this injury is clearly harming his performances. We've got Nasri for Chelsea and if we can't beat Newcastle without him then there are bigger issues.

If Sterling is back, I'd have Sterling and Navas wide of Aguero with KDB in the no.10 role and the two Fern's holding. Better balance there, Silva could come on and KDB could push wider if necessary. Either way, cannot wait to play this semi final, my thoughts regarding the CL have changed completely following this years run. Being in the semi final feels like we've arrived at the top table in Europe on the pitch finally, regardless of what our league performances might be like.
 
Definitely. Rest him up as best we can. He's a different level when at his usual best but this injury is clearly harming his performances. We've got Nasri for Chelsea and if we can't beat Newcastle without him then there are bigger issues.

If Sterling is back, I'd have Sterling and Navas wide of Aguero with KDB in the no.10 role and the two Fern's holding. Better balance there, Silva could come on and KDB could push wider if necessary. Either way, cannot wait to play this semi final, my thoughts regarding the CL have changed completely following this years run. Being in the semi final feels like we've arrived at the top table in Europe on the pitch finally, regardless of what our league performances might be like.

Whoever plays, I would like us to play at Chelsea, exactly the same way as we did v PSG (I'd prefer the Sevilla away formation even more but know it won't happen).

I would be tempted to ditch both Silva & Yaya v Real at least for the first half. Solid midfield 3 then KDB Sterling & Aguero. But of course if Yaya & Silva are right on it prior to that I would consider playing one of them, or maybe 45 each. Not starting both together imo.
 
It's evident he's being rested but he finds himself now in a procarious position IMO. If he doesn't get his ankle sorted in the summer he becomes a huge problem as he's taking a foreign spot when he may spend a long time of next season injured and therefore unable to play. I also can't see how he can play in a Pep team with the required intensity if his ankle injury is as severe as is made out.
 
Definitely. Rest him up as best we can. He's a different level when at his usual best but this injury is clearly harming his performances. We've got Nasri for Chelsea and if we can't beat Newcastle without him then there are bigger issues.

If Sterling is back, I'd have Sterling and Navas wide of Aguero with KDB in the no.10 role and the two Fern's holding. Better balance there, Silva could come on and KDB could push wider if necessary. Either way, cannot wait to play this semi final, my thoughts regarding the CL have changed completely following this years run. Being in the semi final feels like we've arrived at the top table in Europe on the pitch finally, regardless of what our league performances might be like.
I've openly criticised the comp. I hadn't enjoyed it, I found it to be a disapointment most of the time and a frustrating watch. It was lost on me what the competition was all about.

All along what was missing is the realisation of the feeling of what the latter stages was like. When the final whistle went the other night i thought to myself "wow, my club are in the semi final of the European Cup" and I had a tear in my eye!

(That was all helped by being in my normal seat and not turfed out to somewhere random like I had been for most previous CL games and being able to sit with people I knew!)

I'm now very excited for the semis!
 
It's evident he's being rested but he finds himself now in a procarious position IMO. If he doesn't get his ankle sorted in the summer he becomes a huge problem as he's taking a foreign spot when he may spend a long time of next season injured and therefore unable to play. I also can't see how he can play in a Pep team with the required intensity if his ankle injury is as severe as is made out.

Unless I've done all my homework wrong, there is no evidence pointing to his ankle injury being "as severe as is made out". Pain does not always correlate to the severity of one's injury, but pain does affect player performances a lot. So long as his pain issues can be resolved, I see no long-term damage done.
 
......When the final whistle went the other night i thought to myself "wow, my club are in the semi final of the European Cup" and I had a tear in my eye!
dont-be-wuss.png
 
While it hasn't been Dave's best season by any stretch - for a number of reasons - I am fed up with the "Silva is shit/finished" argument that seems to have become a fashionable opinion on here recently.
This is just framing. I doubt you'd find anyone who thinks he's finished.

But yes many have said he was shit- but in reference to specific games, as opposed to the generalized way you've tried to frame it. But that's neither here nor there.

There are about 3 or 4 legitimate positions that exist in this discussion:

1. Great player but looks like he is on the wane due to age and Injury.
2 Great player, who's been injured and forced to play injured coz others were not around, but he'd be just as great very soon when fully healthy.
3. He doesnt have the workraye to hack it in a Pep pressing team.
4. His passing is perfect for a Pep team. And he is a Pep kinds player.

None of those positions suggest his finished or shit. Even if some who believe point 3 think he should be sold, or is on the block.

I think the framing like yours do more to cloud the issue.
 
I've openly criticised the comp. I hadn't enjoyed it, I found it to be a disapointment most of the time and a frustrating watch. It was lost on me what the competition was all about.
All along what was missing is the realisation of the feeling of what the latter stages was like. When the final whistle went the other night i thought to myself "wow, my club are in the semi final of the European Cup" and I had a tear in my eye!

(That was all helped by being in my normal seat and not turfed out to somewhere random like I had been for most previous CL games and being able to sit with people I knew!)

I'm now very excited for the semis!

I think that's the same for all of us. I wonder if I'd be as bothered if we were challenging for the league title... if it was a thought of going to Stamford Bridge needed a win to fight for the league would I be more bothered about the league or CL?! I think a lot of us felt like the CL is pointless unless we win the league. Chelsea for instance didn't get the same plaudits as they would have if they'd have done the double. It's another English thing. I've a few Spanish friends who would want the CL over La Liga. They'd of course prefer both but the CL is the pinnacle in their eyes. Now we're in the CL semi's I don't give a toss if we get the plaudits from the press or not as we didn't win the league as well, it would feel unbelievable and those big clubs in Europe would have a lot more respect for us.
 

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