Nice piece on Merlin:
Quote:
David Silva received the ball inside his own half in the 1st minute of Manchester City’s opening home match against Chelsea. He swiveled past Cesc Fabregas, raced to the halfway line and played an inch perfect through ball, splitting John Terry and Gary Cahill, to find Sergio Aguero. Aguero’s tame shot at the end of the move was easily saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. Manchester City eventually ended up beating Chelsea 3-0.
The final score will forever be remembered by the fans, media and the pundits alike. So will the goal scorers – Aguero, Kompany and Fernandinho. But the beauty of THAT pass from Silva will be forgotten.
David Silva is rightly labeled as “the Magician”. He can pull off the vanishing act better than anyone else. He vanishes from the sights of his opponents on the field of play, from the memories of the fans who drool over cracking goals and crunching tackles, from the thoughts of journalists and writers who have been unable to fathom his raw genius, and from the minds of his peers who have failed to give him the recognition he truly deserves.
Despite having a stellar season for the Sky Blues, Silva’s name was omitted from the 2014-15 PFA’s team of the season, with the likes of Matic and Coutinho selected in front him.
But the little Spaniard doesn’t seem to be too perturbed by all the apathy as he continues to mesmerize audiences by conjuring magic on the football field.
David Silva is undoubtedly the most vital cog in Manchester City’s wheel. Having signed for the Sky Blues in 2010 from Valencia, Silva has gone on to make 166 appearances for the club. His goal tally of 33 doesn’t come even close to reflecting the impact he has had on the team as a whole.
Silva is the real orchestrator of City’s attack. Initially starting out as a winger, Silva eventually went on to establish himself as the club’s playmaking midfield pivot. His impeccable vision, accurate passing and spectacular dribbling ability made him a center-piece of Manchester City’s title winning teams in 2012 and 2014. He has the unique ability to pick out passes through the eye of a needle.
While Sergio Aguero grabbed all the headlines for City last season having won the Golden Boot, David Silva had his most prolific goal scoring season yet for the club. Silva scored 12 goals and provided 12 assists in 32 League appearances as Manchester City went on to finish in second place. His sublime brilliance is highlighted by the fact that he created the most number of chances for City last season (93), 14 more than his team mate Jesus Navas in 2nd position. His average pass accuracy of 86% was among the best in the league last season.