Thiago Silva is both a blessing and a curse for Chelsea here is Why – Chelsea Legend Explained
Thiago Silva is a blessing and a curse for Chelsea.
Thiago Silva is simply outstanding. A actual physical phenomenon and assured class. As we are constantly reminded, he is not only playing and competing at the highest level in the globe, but he is also standing out. Already in his fourth year in England, he appeared to be on track to surpass 2,500 minutes.
It would take something exceptional for this not to be the case, because there isn’t an onerous fixture calendar for him to cope with without Champions League football and Brazil’s national team giving him the cold shoulder. Silva has unsurprisingly become a favorite and trusted member of Mauricio Pochettino’s squad, and that does not appear to be changing.
Although injuries and bans throughout the backline have meant that other possibilities for the centre-back spots have frequently been shifted, leaving Silva free, there is no doubt that he still sees the game better than anyone.
The benefit of simply having Silva in the side when there are young defenders around is tremendous, not only for Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, and Wesley Fofana (when fit), but also for academy prospect Alfie Gilchrist.
Colwill is deserving of his berth and has yet to see action in his favorite position, but he has yet to establish the control of a game’s tempo that Silva does, which comes with maturity. The problem for Chelsea is that Silva is always a backup option.
The 39-year-old is on a one-year rolling contract, which is frequently negotiated during the winter before being ratified ahead of the new season. It makes sense for both parties, but at what point must time be called? Silva has expressed a desire to return to Brazil with Fluminese at some point, but for the time being, he is still crucial to his club side and excellent enough to merit the attention, accolades, and gametime that he receives.
The former PSG and AC Milan star is very open about his future intentions and ambitions to compete in the 2026 World Cup. His wife is a social media sensation – at least when the team is doing well – but will tell anybody who would listen how happy the family is in London.
Chelsea’s problem is that they will have to let Silva go at some point, and it appears that time is running out. With Axel Disasi frequently playing alongside Silva this season – another man lacking in pace and movement who drags the club back in certain situations but has generally made a decent start to his Chelsea career – there is a vast list of choices still available.
Silva is a blessing and a curse in this sense. He remains a standout performer, especially given his age, and brings intangible traits that others lack. He has the passing abilities of a midfielder but lacks the aggression and press that Badiashile and Colwill would allow owing to speed.
Badiashile is now in contention for minutes again, which adds to this, but against Arsenal, it was Silva, Colwill, and Marc Cucurella at left-back. When Ben Chilwell returns to fitness or Cucurella maintains his form, there will be four players vying for two slots, with little room for rotation.
In the long run, this is beneficial because there is Fofana to consider – albeit his own consistent fitness difficulties are a major concern – but it still leaves four players aged 20 to 25 competing for the job. However, according to Si Phillips, the Blues are aiming to shore up defense and that any prospective Silva successor would need to be more experienced than the inexperienced crop they have recently looked to.
It should also be highlighted that on-loan academy prospect Bashir Humphreys has not been overlooked. Humphreys, another left-footer, is currently at Swansea for his first taste of senior play in the English league. He spent the second half of last season at Paderborn before joining the Blues for pre-season, where he played with Silva and impressed.
Humphreys, a big presence, has a superb passing range with both feet and is one of the system’s most highly ranked kids. He made his first-team debut last year and signed a new contract with the club early this year. Because of the way the present owners have primarily handled with academy players, it is risky to say he is being prepped for a step-up, but in that position, he is in the best position to do so.
Humphreys would very certainly require another loan, implying another season of experience, as has been the club’s practice in recent years. Fikayo Tomori and Reece James were promoted from the second division to the Premier League via a single loan spell with Chelsea, however this was due to a transfer prohibition.
Humphreys would very certainly require another loan, implying another season of experience, as has been the club’s practice in recent years. Fikayo Tomori and Reece James were promoted from the second division to the Premier League via a single loan spell with Chelsea, however this was due to a transfer prohibition.
It’s a complicated path in, and there’s little assurance because of Silva’s inhuman method of aging, but if Humphreys can take the following steps in his stride, there’s a path for him to take. After all, another ‘free’ addition to the squad is the finest method to replace the irreplaceable.
