Imagine if someone said that Silva would play 4 seasons and over 150 games for us when he signed. 

Hope it's 5, even if a part of me would like him to step aside and learn how to do it without him. 

Still think its the best time to move him on, unless as stated above he is a squad player next season. 

Seeing links of 20 year olds as his replacement which genuinely worries me. 

I still think he will be a big miss, as nobody takes responsibility of a forward pass out wide or between the lines to get us moving. This is why we pass the ball sideways so much at the back.

He’s the sort of guy you want to have around our young squad. Maybe he feels like a babysitter nowadays though?

Complete liability. 

Bella Silva for manager!

Just can't play him in a back 4, got away with it at times last season, but not when he's 40. Again, this is mostly on the managers. We have dealt with great aging defenders in the past,  you either find a new system to accommodate the great player, or drop him and tell him up front. Poch is doing neither, and it's hurting the team.

When I read Belle's tweet/X (whatever they're called now), my interpretation was time for Silva to change.  He is not enjoying his football at all at Chelsea, and its been this way for too long.  I thought that was a message to try a new challenge for a couple of years and enjoy the sunset of his career.

Candidly, it is also time to do so.  I think a back four is too much for him now, and we've seen the declines of other greats such as Dave and Bran.  Silva is a legend, and he deserves to handle this on his terms, which he will.

Then there is the other side, if Belle was sending a message about Poch!

Yoi either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

Still head and shoulders above any other CB we have at the club. Play a back 3 and accommodate for him. This is like when AVB and Rafa tried to play a high line with Terry. Mourinho came in and won the league with Terry playing every single game in a system that suited our best defender.

3 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Still head and shoulders above any other CB we have at the club. Play a back 3 and accommodate for him. This is like when AVB and Rafa tried to play a high line with Terry. Mourinho came in and won the league with Terry playing every single game in a system that suited our best defender.

In the short term I’d of thought that’s what Pochetino should do to to give him any chance of saving his job. Silvas been patchy this season but Colwill, badiashille and disassi have been dreadful. 

Id think the summer is probably the best time for him to move on however. He’s been a great player for Chelsea , I’d though he would be a 1 season job but it’s not really feasible to have a 39/40 year old back there for much longer.

Only option to replace Poch for the short term is Thiago. Players will respect him.

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

Only option to replace Poch for the short term is Thiago. Players will respect him.

Just gave me a momentary pleasant reminder of the Hoddle, Gullit and Vialli days!  Bring back player managers, rush keepers, and last goal wins!

3 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Only option to replace Poch for the short term is Thiago. Players will respect him.

Or Mourinho with Silva as assistant.  Portuguese speaking dream team. Mourinho mentoring Silva in his own image. Mr Mouragi, wax on wax off, lol

Just now, WhiteWall said:

Or Mourinho with Silva as assistant.  Portuguese speaking dream team. Mourinho mentoring Silva in his own image. Mr Mouragi, wax on wax off, lol

Ah most of these players are so young they probably don't know who Jose is...

Just now, axman2526 said:

Ah most of these players are so young they probably don't know who Jose is...

Or Mr Miyagi

We are at the point where people are so desperate for an improvement that they have convinced themselves that taking Silva out of the team will magically improve us. Even when he's not at his best, he's still our best defender. The day he is out of the team, nothing will improve because of two reasons, Pochettino is sh*t at organising a defence and the other defenders are average at best. Disasi can't tackle, Colwill's inexperience means he's still learning the positional game, Badiashile doesn't react and doesn't look interested and Fofana never plays.

Doesn't matter what changes are made because we have a mix of poor coaching and too many average/inexperienced players. So until the coaching improves and transforms our identity on the football pitch, we have no hope of improving anything, no matter what changes are made to the first 11.

His legs are gone and everyone who plays us knows it.

Having said that, as I said before he's good with his head so perhaps he could don the dreaded No9 shirt for the last few months he's here.

Edited February 5, 20242 yr by Bebe1980

Just play back 3 with Silva and salvage what we could for the rest of the season. We are a worse defensive unit without him, we have all seen how the other defenders played. They are faster, but without positional sense or concentration, they are worse than Silva. I don't get the hate or contempt with back 3, all the top managers played with it at some stage, and even under Potter our best run was with back 3.

I believe continuing to play Silva in a back four is part of the problem. However, the bigger problem is he is still our best defender. Difficult situation. 

Ultimately we do need to move on this summer as this is problem hurting player development. I don’t think results will change though. 

5 hours ago, PhilH930 said:

I believe continuing to play Silva in a back four is part of the problem. However, the bigger problem is he is still our best defender. Difficult situation. 

Ultimately we do need to move on this summer as this is problem hurting player development. I don’t think results will change though. 

Let's put this notion to bed. 

YOU CANT BE OUR BEST DEFENDER IF YOU CAN ONLY PLAY IN ONE POSITION OR FORMATION. That means it limits how we can play as a team and that you are slowing the team down. Couple that with regular media outbursts and I simply want the club to terminate his contract and we can all wish him well. 

 

2 hours ago, olderschoolcfc said:

 

Let's put this notion to bed. 

YOU CANT BE OUR BEST DEFENDER IF YOU CAN ONLY PLAY IN ONE POSITION OR FORMATION. That means it limits how we can play as a team and that you are slowing the team down. Couple that with regular media outbursts and I simply want the club to terminate his contract and we can all wish him well. 

 

C’mon, it’s Thiago Silva and he’s 40. It’s understandable he can’t play in a back four anymore due to his age but don’t be mistaken, he’s still our best defender. I would build the team around him for this season, so a back 3 sounds like a good idea. It’d protect Silva’s pace and it would bring the best out of Chilwell, and most likely Gusto as well.

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

C’mon, it’s Thiago Silva and he’s 40. It’s understandable he can’t play in a back four anymore due to his age but don’t be mistaken, he’s still our best defender. I would build the team around him for this season, so a back 3 sounds like a good idea. It’d protect Silva’s pace and it would bring the best out of Chilwell, and most likely Gusto as well.

Whatever, past it, girlfriend running her mouth off about the club, Silva did it last season. F**k him. 

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

C’mon, it’s Thiago Silva and he’s 40. It’s understandable he can’t play in a back four anymore due to his age but don’t be mistaken, he’s still our best defender. I would build the team around him for this season, so a back 3 sounds like a good idea. It’d protect Silva’s pace and it would bring the best out of Chilwell, and most likely Gusto as well.

And pointless building anything around a player leaving in the summer. Cheers for the effort, pack your bags and sod off. Really.... 

5 minutes ago, olderschoolcfc said:

Whatever, past it, girlfriend running her mouth off about the club, Silva did it last season. F**k him. 

That's a bit disrespectful!  It's called having some passion because we are complete sh*te!

His Mrs has shown more than most of our own players! At least she cares!

The club is f**ked! Silva's Mrs Twitter account is the least of any problems!