Silva or Robinho?

[Anonymous]

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.

look at how long our team have played together compared to others in the top 5. we have done so well but most narrow minded blues don't see that football is a game of 2 11's rather than individuals. Every season we look better and better and i think silva is an unbelievable class, not just with his passing but the way he conducts himself. Giving everything for the team.

4th is ours this year. we should win the FA cup. and next year we should challenge for the league!

FUCK ROBINHO.

 

[persvenality cult]

look at how long our team have played together compared to others in the top 5. we have done so well but most narrow minded blues don't see that football is a game of 2 11's rather than individuals. Every season we look better and better and i think silva is an unbelievable class, not just with his passing but the way he conducts himself. Giving everything for the team.

Haha, well isn't that embarrassing, you've said what exactly I was trying to get at in about a tenth of the space.

 

[keemcfc]

Robinho has more tricks and is better to watch IMO when he's on his game, but Silva is better at actualy playing football, and is definitely the player any team would prefer.

 

[Dax777]

I think a mistake lots of city fans could make here is judging Robinho solely based on his time at our club.... Thats unfair because the players he played with when he was here were not as good as the ones that Silva has the luxury of playing alongside. Ive watched Robinho for most of his career and imo i would rate them both equally. On one hand Robinho can do things Silva can never do with a football but on the other Silva is more of a consistent player.... Thats just my view on this anyway.

This

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Would love Silva AND Robinho. The likes of de Jong, Barry, and Silva do all the donkey work in a match. Seldom do they get on the end of a piece and so go unnoticed but they are indispensable. Robinho was never, and will never be,indispensable.

 

[TGR]

Silva. he actually runs.

 

[King Geedorah]

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.

Not going to argue with the first two paragraphs because they're spot on. I am in complete agreement with you that had the defence and keeper kept their focus a bit better in the first half of the season we'd probably still be in the hunt for the title and be using the same system now. There's no doubt it's changed.

Also agree it was a lazy point from me that other teams don't have the same kind of player, I was just trying to point out that what Silva does isn't necessarily essential to a succesful system. Maybe it is essential to ours - what I really meant was if Robinho was here instead we could play another system and it could be more succesful as proved by other teams.

I agree that the spine of the team is fine (Maybe a more commanding centre back) but it's a risk breaking up the partnership). My only complaints being we could do with somehow tweaking Barry/De Jong to give a greater range of passing to move from back to front much quicker (An early ball behind the defence for Balotelli would be deadly). That could be De Jong utilising the technical ability he obviously has or replacing Barry. (Incase anyone's confused by my defending of Barry, while I think he's been better than De Jong this year he's obviously less talented and there are probably players out there who possess everything he does and more, not the case with De Jong who has a lot of untapped potential)

However I guess this is where I differ from you, I think the wide players are very inter changeable. The only undeniable jobs they must fulfil for me are;
- Full backs must give width, doesn't mean they have to be rampaging down the wings but they need to be wide to stretch the play
- Wingers must be productive, whether that is scoring a hatful or assisting a hatful it doesn't matter.


My theory of how we should go is try and shift the role of fluidity back to the defensive mids and add productivity in the wide positions. Balotelli gives us that when he wants to (Although I have doubts whether he'll ever be truly interested out wide) then the other wide man needs to give us it. Maybe Silva still has more to give, I don't know, but I feel Robinho would give us more productivity compared to the current Silva so for that reason he's the man I would want.

Now obviously I know Robinho would fuck off within two years so I want Silva at our club, just think Robinho would be better while he was here.