David Silva has shaken off a lacklustre last campaign and a troublesome thigh injury that saw him out of what at times seemed like a mountain of games…
Planet Blue is so glad he is back. Some might say we didn’t miss him during City’s December resurgence but once he came back many realised just how much this man makes things happen. Suspended for the fine win in stormy Swansea, Silva is back in his rightful place in Manuel Pellegrini’s first choice starting XI. Merlin’s football remains mesmerising, the recent description of him as a little twisty turny wizard is spot on…absolute class.
The Engineer’s cup runneth over in midfield this season. Samir Nasri, like a new signing is fulfilling his potential under the shrewd Chilean’s guidance yet Silva is still the creative talisman. I don’t mean to decry ‘Le Petit Prince de Marseille’s’ efforts thus far or how he has turned his City career around impressing both the fans and his boss. However, Nasri as good as he is, just cannot do everything that Silva can…yet put them on the pitch together as was previously suggested wouldn’t work out and things do happen.
Pellegrini moved swiftly and early in the last summer transfer market and the players that the City gaffer acquired for The Blues engine room appear to have paid dividends for Silva whose form has gone up a gear, nevermind the rest of the buzzing City squad. Looking directly at Jesus Navas and Fernandinho there was much speculation as to whether or not a combined £45 million outlay on two midfielders was good business considering at the time that the likes of Nasri, Javi Garcia, Gareth Barry, Jack Rodwell and Yaya Toure were already on board.
Well, a few months down the line and it is now apparent why Pellegrini chose who he did to bring in. Pace and Power. Ferny has turned out to be a class act. The Brazilian is like a little whippet and a thieving one at that with the Toure-Fernandinho axis fast becoming one of the most feared double acts in European football. Out wide, the jet-heeled Navas meanwhile is electric and the classic example of what defenders fear most. Speed.
Nasri, Navas and Fernandinho have won plaudits for tracking back and getting stuck in this season. Ferny in particular has been doing a lot of the ‘dirty work’ that Silva was asked to do last season by Roberto Mancini. He is incisive and tracks back in a game every 100 or so seconds. With Ferny now on board to complement Yaya, Silva has a little more freedom. The same goes for Navas when he is in full flow. He glides perfectly up the right side of the pitch and he has the incredible prowess of sprinting forward great distances in seconds backed by Pablo Zabaleta drawing the attention of packed defences out to the wing which in turn creates space inside and we all know that Silva loves space. Now Silva has got rid of some of the more menial tasks he used to perform he is clearly free to create chances for City’s strike force and like the rest of the squad has been chipping in with goals himself. 5 of City’s 85 have come from Merlin.
What a tremendous boost for Pellegrini to have his midfield wizard back at full strength as City fight for honours on four fronts!
THE ENGINEER’S FIVE MUSKETEERS
DAVID SILVA @ MCFC:
Age: 27 (08 Jan 1986)
Signed: 30th June 2010 for £26 million from Valencia
League & Cup appearances: 160 including 18 as sub
Goals: 24
YAYA TOURE @ MCFC:
Age: 30 (13 May 1983)
Signed: 2nd July 2010 for £24 million from Barcelona
League & Cup appearances: 159 including 4 as sub
Goals: 40
SAMIR NASRI @ MCFC:
Age: 26 (26 Jun 1987)
Signed: 24th August 2011 for £24 million from Arsenal
League & Cup appearances: 109 including 21 as sub
Goals: 16
FERNANDINHO @ MCFC:
Age: 28 (04 May 1985)
Signed: 6th June 2010 for £30 million from Shakhtar
League & Cup appearances: 25 starts
Goals: 3
JESUS NAVAS @ MCFC:
Age: 28 (21 Nov 1985)
Signed: 6th June 2010 for £14.9 million from Sevilla
League & Cup appearances: 27 including 11 as sub
Goals: 4
UPCOMING DATES FOR YOUR FILOFAX:
all times East Manchester GMT
Sa 04Jan 12h45 Blackburn, Ewood Park, FAC3
We 08Jan 19h45 West Ham United, The Etihad, LCSF1
Su 12Jan 14h05 Newcastle United, St James Park, PL
Sa 18Jan 15h00 Cardiff City, The Etihad, PL
Tu 21Jan 19h45 West Ham United, Upton Park, LCSF2
We 29Jan 19h45, Tottenham Hotspur, White Hart Lane, PL
Mo 03Feb 2014 20h00 Chelsea, The Etihad, PL
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