David Silva

[Saddleworth2]

"lying down when the going gets tough" I've heard some shite, mainly from that poster but fuck me that's rich. He gets kicked continuously throughout the game. He gets no protection from refs and more importantly from his team mates who stand and watch. Up until this last injury he never looked like lying down. He's a tenacious little fucker who has to stand up for himself and does so.
He may, may not be a certainty for the 10 role next year but he's most certainly going to be part of Peps plans because like I said yesterday, he's not an idiot.

Spot on. Dave doesn't hide.

 

[Marvin]

We have a thread running on here where some fans are giving Fernando the benefit of doubt. We have this thread where Silva is being written off by some fans.

You guys crack me up.

For every two or three Silvas and De Bruynes you need a Fernando. Fernando rescued City's season, but because he's a defensive player he'll never get the recognition the other players get.

I think De Bruyne will turn out to be most effective playing off Aguero and Silva can play centrally in midfield.

 

[BillyShears]

He is a better passer, better at retaining the ball, better vision, more tenacious and tries to get stuck in more despite his size. KDB is clearly better in front of goal and has more pace and stamina.

A fit Silva is the better player IMO (not the Silva of most of this season). The difficulty is in keeping him fit.

Anyway It will be interesting to see what Guardiola comes up with in terms of formation and player selection. I'm hoping those that stay get a clean slate and the chance to show what they can do under his leadership along with 5 or 6 new faces.

To be fair, I think you're talking about the Silva of 2/3 years ago not the David Silva of the season just gone or 14/15. He did have all those attributes and he probably was better than De Bruyne in all those aspects when he was at his best. However his best IMO is behind him now. De Bruyne's is in front of him. I don't think Silva has better vision than De Bruyne and to be honest I've seen him shit out of more challenges in the last two seasons than I have any player in a long time. He's tenacious when he wants to be which has become so infrequent that again i'm left wondering if you're talking about David Silva circa 2016 or David Silva circa 2013.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

It's not really about writing him off. I suspect he'll stay another season I just don't think he'll be as central to Pep's plans as KDB will. Silva still has plenty to offer as a footballer even if injuries have caught up with him in the last couple of seasons. There's a tendency amongst supporters to get overly sentimental about players who have been as special as David, which I understand. But Pep's not going to have that sentimentality, he's going to simply be looking to put the best team out that he can.

After what he has done for this club he should be cut some slack. I am not saying that he deserves a free pass but the fans should give him the chance to get over his injury and see how he performs. I don't think he will start every week under Pep, which might be a good thing all round with his injury issues but he certainly has a place in this current squad and I doubt our transfer dealings over the summer will be so good that it pushes Silva out of the picture altogether.

 

[Shaelumstash]

We always look better with a fit Silva in that role IMO. He was superb in that role at the start of the season until he picked up his injury. I remember the Newcastle home game where we started with KDB central and Silva wide and were 2nd best until Pellegrini switched them around and we then absolutely battered them.

Is the right answer.

It's no coincidence that Silva's worst season, ravaged through injury, has resulted in us scraping 4th place. With a full fit, on song Silva we tend to challenge for the league.

There's room for both players, Guardiola won't be using traditional standard team shapes, he'll change from game to game. Sometimes he'll change shape 2 or 3 times a game, so there is plenty of scope for both players to play in a variety of positions.

KDB has a big future at the club, but so does Silva. Those writing him off have got short memories and I assume are a little insecure.

 

[BillyShears]

After what he has done for this club he should be cut some slack. I am not saying that he deserves a free pass but the fans should give him the chance to get over his injury and see how he performs. I don't think he will start every week under Pep, which might be a good thing all round with his injury issues but he certainly has a place in this current squad and I doubt our transfer dealings over the summer will be so good that it pushes Silva out of the picture altogether.

Yeah I've got no truck with any of that. I don't think me saying on a forum that I think he'll play less next season is writing him off but I do think that with a 31 year old player with the injury history Silva has, that we should be making plans for life after him and not thinking about building a side around him.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

For every two or three Silvas and De Bruynes you need a Fernando. Fernando rescued City's season, but because he's a defensive player he'll never get the recognition the other players get.

I think De Bruyne will turn out to be most effective playing off Aguero and Silva can play centrally in midfield.

Oh give over! If Fernando has become this integral part of the squad that some of you suggest then why have we not beaten a good side in the league all season? Why have the good sides beaten us and in some cases beaten us rather comfortably? Surely our midfield general should be having some impact on these games? You and others are watching him go about his business efficiently against absolute cannon fodder and equating that to him being a good player. He isn't a good player and he most certainly didn't rescue our season!

 

[Phil1]

if there's been as many occasions of him 'shitting out' as Billy says then I'm sure he'll have plenty of examples at hand. I'm all ears our kid.

 

[PragueBlue]

To be fair, I think you're talking about the Silva of 2/3 years ago not the David Silva of the season just gone or 14/15. He did have all those attributes and he probably was better than De Bruyne in all those aspects when he was at his best. However his best IMO is behind him now. De Bruyne's is in front of him. I don't think Silva has better vision than De Bruyne and to be honest I've seen him shit out of more challenges in the last two seasons than I have any player in a long time. He's tenacious when he wants to be which has become so infrequent that again i'm left wondering if you're talking about David Silva circa 2016 or David Silva circa 2013.

As I mentioned, I was talking about a fully fit Silva not the Silva playing with an injury that we saw for most of the season. Even last season I would say he was more tenacious than KDB, who to be honest tends to avoid putting in a tackle whenever possible. I believe both have a part to play but which part, and how often, remains to be seen.

Silva's injury record is not bad when you look through his career. He has only played 3 less league games than KDB this year as well. He has played around 30 league games or more in all but 2 seasons and 2014/15 saw him score 12 league goals (5 more than KDB this season) so it's not as if his productivity has been in continual decline.

 

[BillyShears]

I believe both have a part to play but which part, and how often, remains to be seen.

We'll have to agree to disagree on the physicality thing. The idea of change excites me though after what has been a very long season and in some cases a long cycle of underachievement for some of our players.