Was Merlin as good as Xavi and Iniesta?

[Callmev]

I have a curiosity, but without the sky blue glasses. Can you really put an equal sign between Dave Silva and Xavi and Iniesta? He was there with them in South Africa and then at the Euros, he played side by side with them, and yet it seems to me that he’s very underrated.

Do you think he’s downplayed compared to how good he actually was, or are we the ones overrating him?

 

[jimharri]

Even allowing for my obvious bias, I can't split them.

 

[Corky]

Is this the national lottery?

 

[Eric Hitchmough]

Better than Xavi IMO

 

[kun]

No, but he was closer to those two than the likes of Fàbregas, Cazorla, Mata, Thiago and Isco were to him.

 

[blueparrot]

Not quite,but close. Not sure he got in the Spain midfield 3 when Busquets,Iniesta and Xavi were at their peak, think more often he played wider, if I remember right.

 

[citymad]

Absolutely, a world class player who would’ve been unbelievable in that Barcelona team!

 

[.db.]

Not quite,but close. Not sure he got in the Spain midfield 3 when Busquets,Iniesta and Xavi were at their peak, think more often he played wider, if I remember right.

In the 2010 World Cup, he barely featured: played the first hour of the opening game against Switzerland but then only played 4 more minutes in the whole tournament.

Played much more of the 2012 Euros, but only out wide, never in his best central attacking midfield position.

Around that time, he was quite a way short of being as good as them.

But 2016-2020 David Silva was almost as good as they were at their best.

 

[roy.or.r]

As good as David was, I would have to say no. Xavi and Iniesta are some of the greatest midfielders to ever play the game.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

Iniesta was better than him in the box and Xavi was a better 8. But he was better than Xavi going forward and better than Iniesta at dictating the play

 

[city5189]

Very close between the 3, xavi and iniesta had the benefit of playing together for club and Country but never did it on a cold wet.windy night at Stoke like dave.

 

[bluemc]

Yes

 

[Sir peace frog]

swap one of those two in the barca midfield with david and in my opinion you wouldnt tell the difference,not saying he is better ,but at least level imo

 

[citytill1die84]

All 3 on par.

Unbelievable players.

 

[bluemoon32]

Better than Xavi, not as good as Iniesta imo

 

[route46]

If David Silva Came through the barca youth set up spending his entire career there he would be regarded as at least Xaxi and Iniesta equal.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

If David Silva Came through the barca youth set up spending his entire career there he would be regarded as at least Xaxi and Iniesta equal.

It would have been interesting to get all 3 into the same side, what with Pedri or Neymar on the left.

 

[youngbob]

No, but he was closer to those two than the likes of Fàbregas, Cazorla, Mata, Thiago and Isco were to him.

This is it for me.

 

[Blue_Lightsaber]

One thing that's often underrated is understanding between players.

David Silva became even better when Kun arrived as the two instantly could combine for great goals.

Constrast that to Xavi and Iniesta who grew up with Messi and had years of understanding between them.

That's probably why they're rated ahead of David Silva but it's not his fault. On talent alone he's up there!

And I became a City fan because of David Silva's goal vs Blackpool.. I've grown to love other players more but can't take that away from El Mago!

 

[daztrueblue91]

All three were unbelievable players. I think if you replaced Xavi or Iniesta with Silva then the Barca team would have been brilliant but not as good as it was.

However, I don’t think Iniesta or Xavi would have had the same influence Silva did in the PL.

I think Rodri is above them all though.