Fernando

[Lancet Fluke]

I've always said play him correctly and we get the player we paid for,mp has used him all wrong

You're going to be in deep shit when Pell Not Pep and Schfc6 log on!

 

[Dax777]

Managed to watch the game back last night after I got home from the match, the tv doesn't really do justice to how shockingly bad he was .. Clichy had a worldy because, fortunately, he was able to stem the tide of being doubled up on constantly. You suggested silvas defensive duties were neglected, glad we agree on that, however, his decision making with the ball has become really concerning...

People moan about yayas attitude toward other players, silva 4/5 times last night was berating those around him for his mistakes....

Was significantly better in the 2nd, but was painful to watch in the first. I wasn't gonna bring it up on such a great day, but I've been amused by some of the claims I've read.
@Pablo1 It wasn't just the lack of tracking back, albeit that too was a huge problem 1st half.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Managed to watch the game back last night after I got home from the match, the tv doesn't really do justice to how shockingly bad he was .. Clichy had a worldy because, fortunately, he was able to stem the tide of being doubled up on constantly. You suggested silvas defensive duties were neglected, glad we agree on that, however, his decision making with the ball has become really concerning...

People moan about yayas attitude toward other players, silva 4/5 times last night was berating those around him for his mistakes....

Completely agree. He was not tracking even the most basic of runs, making it 2 v 1 on Clichy far too often. Clichy was phenomenal, especially given what 'help' he had from Silva. I lost it with him at one point and received dirty looks from the tourists in level 3 that don't understand what they are watching. Then was laughed at when I suggested we should bring Delph on for a silva at half time. Delph did eventually come on for Silva, just not as early as I wanted. He was the one player that could have cost us the game last night, defensively.

 

[Dax777]

In what way wrong?

Not confrontational, just curious.

People like saying that. They really don't have a clue. Seeing as the guy has never played any other position than DM for us. And he was in a Midfield 2. A position he has played many times before and gotten cursed at.

Bit rather than admit they didn't know he had this in him, they'd rather pretend someone else got it wrong all along.

It is a neat trick. Don't ask too many questions though. Just take it at face value. :)

 

[almir]

He's one of our best performers in last few weeks. Rock solid each game bar that mare in Paris.

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

Play silva in that formation against any of the semi final opponents and it's goodnight Vienna!!!

From the players available it seemed as though there were two options as to who could play on the left v PSG - KDB or Silva, with the other player taking up the free role behind Aguero. As KDB is far more of a goal threat than Silva it makes sense to play him in the more advanced position and last night, once again De Bruyne came through with a vital goal.

The problem is that Silva doesn't have the energy required to play wide left. He can't get up and down the wing in the same way that Navas does on the right. It is the same as playing Yaya in a midfield two, it just doesn't work. Silva's best performances for us have come when he is played behind the striker, or as the right sided player in an attacking 3. When played on the right he is able to cut inside and he knows how to utilise overlapping runs from the fullback - his link ups with Zabaleta the second time we won the Premier League were a key part of our attacking play.

I agree that if we play Silva on the left in the Semi Final it is going to cause us a lot of problems. The rest of the team is well balanced - Navas may lack quality in his delivery but he's extremely hard working and brings pace to the team, especially on the counter. Fernando and Fernandinho have been excellent in the centre for us in Europe this season... KDB is having a fantastic season and then there's Aguero up front.

It will be very interesting to see what formation Pellegrini goes for in the Semi Final. Hopefully the whole squad will be fit and he will have options, but the left hand side is a concern. A better team than PSG would have exploited that weakness.

Silva is undoubtedly one of our best players, but similarly to Yaya I think it is a case of either play him in his best position or don't play him at all. If Pellegrini sticks with this formation for the Semi Final I'm just not sure who else we could play wide left... but De Bruyne should retain the advanced role, he's earned it.

 

[harvo the blue]

Play silva in that formation against any of the semi final opponents and it's goodnight Vienna!!!

 

[BillyShears]

From the players available it seemed as though there were two options as to who could play on the left v PSG - KDB or Silva, with the other player taking up the free role behind Aguero. As KDB is far more of a goal threat than Silva it makes sense to play him in the more advanced position and last night, once again De Bruyne came through with a vital goal.

The problem is that Silva doesn't have the energy required to play wide left. He can't get up and down the wing in the same way that Navas does on the right. It is the same as playing Yaya in a midfield two, it just doesn't work. Silva's best performances for us have come when he is played behind the striker, or as the right sided player in an attacking 3. When played on the right he is able to cut inside and he knows how to utilise overlapping runs from the fullback - his link ups with Zabaleta the second time we won the Premier League were a key part of our attacking play.

I agree that if we play Silva on the left in the Semi Final it is going to cause us a lot of problems. The rest of the team is well balanced - Navas may lack quality in his delivery but he's extremely hard working and brings pace to the team, especially on the counter. Fernando and Fernandinho have been excellent in the centre for us in Europe this season... KDB is having a fantastic season and then there's Aguero up front.

It will be very interesting to see what formation Pellegrini goes for in the Semi Final. Hopefully the whole squad will be fit and he will have options, but the left hand side is a concern. A better team than PSG would have exploited that weakness.

Silva is undoubtedly one of our best players, but similarly to Yaya I think it is a case of either play him in his best position or don't play him at all. If Pellegrini sticks with this formation for the Semi Final I'm just not sure who else we could play wide left... but De Bruyne should retain the advanced role, he's earned it.

Will Sterling be fit by the time the semi's come round? The obvious way to set up if he's fit would be him and Navas on the wings and KDB behind Kun. Silva on the bench.

 

[bluetev]

Completely agree. He was not tracking even the most basic of runs, making it 2 v 1 on Clichy far too often. Clichy was phenomenal, especially given what 'help' he had from Silva. I lost it with him at one point and received dirty looks from the tourists in level 3 that don't understand what they are watching. Then was laughed at when I suggested we should bring Delph on for a silva at half time. Delph did eventually come on for Silva, just not as early as I wanted. He was the one player that could have cost us the game last night, defensively.

Someone got upset when I suggested plating someone else such as yaya instead of silva yesterday night - but we just have to accept even a great player has deficiencies. And silva has been below par in both work rate and (worryingly) ball retention, which to be fair is largely due to dave playing through injury, match after match, without a break. He deserves a rest.

 

[mosssideblue]

Has this thread morfed into the Silva thread?

Fernando was the muts nuts last night and is staking a good claim to be here next season