One win in four Premier League games and now sitting in 5th place of the table; how Manchester City could do with a prime David Silva in their ranks right now.
Before the March international break, Man City were held to a 2-2 draw against Brighton at the Etihad, with the Seagulls coming from behind twice to deny Pep Guardiola’s side what would’ve been an impressive and much-needed win.
As things stand, City remain in 5th place of the Premier League table after 6th place Newcastle United played in, and won, the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, whilst Chelsea in 4th remain just a point ahead after losing at Arsenal over the weekend.
The going is tough for City right now, there’s no doubting that. And it seems like one area where the club is struggling in is in midfield, specifically with a lack of creative outlets in the side with Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan misfiring.
Guardiola will oversee a summer rebuild at Man City and he’ll look to replace the ageing players like De Bruyne and Gundogan, and bring in some fresh legs. One historic transfer he might take inspiration from is that of David Silva.
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
What Manchester City players nicknamed David Silva after his first training session
In July 2010, Manchester City signed Silva from Valencia in a £24million deal. And it might just be the best £24million the club ever spent with Silva going on to win four Premier League titles, five League Cups, and two FA Cups with City, making 436 total appearances with 77 goals and 129 assists.
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Signed by Roberto Mancini, Silva would also star for Manuel Pellegrini, and then Guardiola during a 10 year stay at the Etihad. And speaking recently, Silva’s former City teammate Shaun Wright-Phillips has revealed the nickname that Silva got after his very first training session.
Wright-Phillips said: “When he (Silva), when he came in, I remember me and Joleon [Lescott], when he’s first there training, we was having a laugh. I said to Joleon, I looked at him like, bearing in mind I’m small as well. I was like, he’s only little, isn’t he?
“Joleon was laughing because obviously that’s come from my mouth. It’s like a pot-calling kettle and that. And then like, you just saw instantly within a few touches, and it was like, oh my god, he’s like a magician. You can’t get the ball off him. And that’s when everyone started calling him Merlin from that day.”
David Silva earns praise from Andres Iniesta
As if we needed any more insight on just how good a player Silva really was, his former Spanish comrade Andres Iniesta recently named Silva as one of his favourite players of all time, ranking him fourth out of five of his favourite footballing names.
It’s a real testament to how Silva helped City break the mould and become the team to beat, with his trickery, close control, passing, and eye for goal beautifully epitomising the team that City wanted to be, and became.
So too is the players’ nickname for him. They saw from the off that he was a special player. Now, the 39-year-old Silva is retired from professional football and living the quiet life.