Silva or Robinho?

[Balti]

Silva by a country mile

 

[persvenality cult]

To be fair to Silva his all round game is better but I don't think that's an issue when we field the formation we do.

Couldn't agree less.

I would say that Silva in a pseudo free role is almost the whole point of the formation.

He keeps the ball and lets us play high up the pitch.

He keeps the ball in tight areas.

He doesn't beat the first man with stepovers and such but he just plays the angles, moves it a couple of yards in the right direction at the right time to take his man out of the equation, opening up the play.

A player without that mix of technique, agility and guile, or someone like Robinho, without the ability to decide when to retain possession and just work the opponent, would be giving the ball away.

Every time we moved the whole team up, we'd risk being caught with our pants down, halfway up the pitch, everybody moving in the wrong direction.

 

[tuearts overhead]

Night and day silva with daylight second

 

[mrbelfry]

I wouldn't swap them but Robinho can do the kind of things you imagined doing when you're a kid. His first season for us was great

 

[King Geedorah]

Couldn't agree less.

I would say that Silva in a pseudo free role is almost the whole point of the formation.

He keeps the ball and lets us play high up the pitch.

He keeps the ball in tight areas.

He doesn't beat the first man with stepovers and such but he just plays the angles, moves it a couple of yards in the right direction at the right time to take his man out of the equation, opening up the play.

A player without that mix of technique, agility and guile, or someone like Robinho, without the ability to decide when to retain possession and just work the opponent, would be giving the ball away.

Every time we moved the whole team up, we'd risk being caught with our pants down, halfway up the pitch, everybody moving in the wrong direction.

You've let Silva's style define the role he fills. There's no-one playing that role at Chelsea or United yet they're above us in the league because they have more fire power.

If Robinho played that role we'd be less fluid but more dangerous. In a round about way we'd probably be at a similar level but with more points picked up at home and probably less away.

 

[rayray666]

Dave Silva, no comparison imo!

 

[Anonymous]

fucking david silva. no offence but a ridiculous thread.

robinho is a good player no doubt. but a shit professional. id run myself to death for city.

anybody who doesn't show anywhere near the same enthusiasm can get to fuck.

 

[Blue Haze]

Robinho is a better scorer.

That's about all Robinho has on Silva.

 

[persvenality cult]

Couldn't agree less.

I would say that Silva in a pseudo free role is almost the whole point of the formation.

He keeps the ball and lets us play high up the pitch.

He keeps the ball in tight areas.

He doesn't beat the first man with stepovers and such but he just plays the angles, moves it a couple of yards in the right direction at the right time to take his man out of the equation, opening up the play.

A player without that mix of technique, agility and guile, or someone like Robinho, without the ability to decide when to retain possession and just work the opponent, would be giving the ball away.

Every time we moved the whole team up, we'd risk being caught with our pants down, halfway up the pitch, everybody moving in the wrong direction.

You've let Silva's style define the role he fills. There's no-one playing that role at Chelsea or United yet they're above us in the league because they have more fire power.

If Robinho played that role we'd be less fluid but more dangerous. In a round about way we'd probably be at a similar level but with more points picked up at home and probably less away.

I don't really buy it, but explaining why would involve going through the entire history of our tactics this year. Basically I think the real reason they are ahead of us is that we started the season set up to play a very tight game and had to back out of it. Whilst our goals against column is good, if we didn't give needless goals away, didn't let crosses right through the box, didn't let wingers inside fullbacks, didn't give away countless needless free kicks, we might be close to the <20 goal mark, which was the essence of Mourinho's title wins. It's probably unrealistic to expect that sort of security with a young goalkeeper and defence... we have one great CB, one okay, and none of the fullbacks are defending to a very high level. Then there is the issue with cover for the fullbacks... Tevez drops deep, the wingers have to stay forward to present some sort of target, they can't cover the fullbacks. Yaya stays forward, Barry has to cover him, he can't get cover the LB. There is a fine balance that just wasn't being achieved.

Whilst Chelsea have a different balance to us, their additional 'firepower' often seems to come from elsewhere. The likes of Essien, Cole, Luiz, Alex, Terry present a goal threat and play well in attack. It's the likes of Barry, Milner, SWP, the fullbacks, strikers (Tevez apart) who should have weighed in either with more goals, or better service. Some probably aren't up to the job, but I think it's more a question of the whole team finding the balance, everyone finding their place in the team. Team work and mentality (individuals realising when it is up to them to show the killer instinct) is the problem; Silva should improve his output, but his basic role is to manipulate the opponent and facilitate others into scoring/crossing positions. Whilst other people aren't presenting a real threat, the opponent is free to focus more on those who are.

I don't really see the significance in saying 'other teams don't have these players'. Every top team has a fairly unique pattern. We just haven't quite achieved ours, yet. Not on a regular basis, anyway. For my money NDJ, Yaya and Silva are the players coming closest. Next year's midfield and forward lines will be built around them doing almost exactly what they are doing now.

 

[Bigga]

Couldn't agree less.

I would say that Silva in a pseudo free role is almost the whole point of the formation.

He keeps the ball and lets us play high up the pitch.

He keeps the ball in tight areas.

He doesn't beat the first man with stepovers and such but he just plays the angles, moves it a couple of yards in the right direction at the right time to take his man out of the equation, opening up the play.

A player without that mix of technique, agility and guile, or someone like Robinho, without the ability to decide when to retain possession and just work the opponent, would be giving the ball away.

Every time we moved the whole team up, we'd risk being caught with our pants down, halfway up the pitch, everybody moving in the wrong direction.

You've let Silva's style define the role he fills. There's no-one playing that role at Chelsea or United yet they're above us in the league because they have more fire power.

If Robinho played that role we'd be less fluid but more dangerous. In a round about way we'd probably be at a similar level but with more points picked up at home and probably less away.

Best chat on this thread from you two. I can see both sides, so I can't offer anything. That's a real first!!