30 Dec 2016 02:29:37
hi ed001, i know this is a liverpool page, but would like to hear your opinion on Thiago Silva.

he seems to be very highly rated by many, and continously won team of the year etc, even the game fifa he is very highly rated (i know its a game, but only using this as to show more examples of how highly he is rated) .

in your opinion, if you have seen enough of him, considering of your situation now and with him playing in ligue 1, is he as good as he is rated by many?

thanks.

{Ed001's Note - nothing special for me. Decent, yes, but world class? No. He is typical of the modern defender, average defensively but good on the ball.}

1.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 09:44:00
i felt the same too, bt have only seen so little of their games, bt it does make me wonder why he is so highly rated by many.

thanks ed001.

{Ed001's Note - because most people have no idea about the defensive side of the game. Particularly pundits, which is why they fail as managers and end up being pundits in the first place.}

2.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 09:59:17
Going to disagree here.

Silva is the heartbeat of the Brazil national team defence. It was due to his loss largely that they got hammered by Germany so heavily at the WC.

He is a leader, a very good defender (although not the best) and one of the best ball playing centre backs in world football.

As weird as it sounds, and I'm sure ed001 will do agree here but in modern day football I don't think you necessarily need to be the best at defending to be the best defender. Leadership, technique and physical attributes are just as highly sought after.

{Ed001's Note - sought after but the lack of good defenders is why we see so many teams having to waste a midfielder doing a defender's job in front of the defence.}

3.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 10:37:05
I've seen him play only a handful of times and from what I have seen he's nothing too special. Matip over him anyday.

4.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 11:14:00
Similar to Hummels then ed, great on the ball but overrated as a defender because of it.

5.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 12:00:18
just to clarify, i did not in anyway say that he is not good. just that he is very highly rated by many, bt im not sure if he is as good as what a lot of people are saying.

6.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 14:23:41
Having watched Silva for years at Milan, PSG and with Brazil, his best days are well behind him. He was class in his younger years with Nesta and Maldini there to mentor himTo me he messed up big time by going to PSG in Ligue 1, a very average league in a team where he was rarely ever tested and that stopped him from improving as there was no competition from rivals.

After that, he went to the WC and he was quite poor BUT if you had Luiz who was even poorer, next to you then it doesn`t help. He`s still great on the ball, has decent pace and superb in the air BUT to me, he`s lost a step or two. And just to clarify, Silva is NO LONGER the heart and soul of Brazil.

In fact, under the new coach Tite, he`s yet to start a single game for them. The current heart and soul of Brazil is Neymar, assisted by Gab Jesus and Coutinho.

7.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 14:30:25
Hes not as good as you were Mr Beckenbauer.

8.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 14:31:46
". sought after but the lack of good defenders is why we see so many teams having to waste a midfielder doing a defender's job in front of the defense. "

This is a genius off reply Ed01👌👌.

9.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 18:35:18
Out of curiosity ed1, who do rate as the top 5 defenders in the game today? I'd go with Chiellini, Bonucci, Diego Godin, Azpilicueta and can't stand the bloke but Pepe.

{Ed001's Note - I have no idea off the top of my head. Godin would have to be in there. Difficult to really pick as I have not watched much Italian football in years, so can't really choose from there. Spanish football has so few decent defenders, Pepe is far from a top defender in most games, but just has the odd great game. Plus it depends on the system you are playing and the way you want to play it. For instance a back three requires a totally different set of players from a back four. The wide defenders there have to be a cross between old fashioned defensive full backs and centre backs, while the central player needs to be all about reading of the game and positioning. I would certainly pick Fonte over Pepe all day long and twice on Sundays. He makes his team mates look better, including Pepe for Portugal.}

10.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 18:56:58
Top 5 in the world has to be Godin, Alderweireld, Bonucci, Chiellini and Koscielny.

11.) 30 Dec 2016
30 Dec 2016 19:53:35
Ramos deserves a mention as well. I agree on Koscielny. Kosc is a brilliant CB. Varane is another very good defender.

{Ed001's Note - Ramos? He may be a neighbour of my parents (well owns a house here anyway) but he is not a top class defender in anyway, shape or form. I would have Fonte over Koscielny every time, though I do rate Koscielny very highly. Varane is potentially good, but he has not been playing well in the last couple of seasons, so he shouldn't really be considered, yet.}