Fair to say he's done much better than I expected. It did start shaky for him though! But he's ended up taking to the league very well all things considered.
Thiago Silva | Chelsea Player (leaving)
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I watch him every week and find it mad as well. And the maddest thing is he genuinely still has enough legs to deal with any 1v1. At 39 I half expected him to be rolled out on a wheelchair and yet you see him effortlessly dealing with players of the pace of Nunez etc.
Incredible. Always liked him when he was with Milan. Top, top player. Hopefully Casemiro last as long as he does. Both are baby-faced assassins.
Every new season I’m expecting it be the season the wheels finally come off and his legs give up on him but he just keeps going and stays one of our best and most consistent players in the team. To remain a top 3 defender in the league at the age of 38 is genuinely insane.
It's rare, but there are some players who just are that professional and use their experience so well to deal with everything thrown at them. Frankfurt's Hasebe is similar, even dealing quite well with Harry Kane when they met in the CL. It's just as if time doesn't really affect these players, like they found some cheat code on nature.
With Silva I know his nutrition and fitness regimes are immense these days. And that combined with the fact that he was naturally quick and fit as a young defender has made it possible to be at this level, in this league. Yeah, most players don't have that level of dedication or natural fitness unfortunately.
I didnt want him back then because we had good potentials in Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.
The end of this interview kinda sounds like he already knows this will be his last season at Chelsea. Never expected him to last more than 2 seasons. Signed at 36. He’s closing in on 150 games now, 4 seasons. Will be a few month off 40 when the season ends.
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He is a special player and a special athlete.
I am glad Chelsea gave him the platform to show it in the latter years of his career. I think he is the best CB of his generation and his longevity is a marker of that.
He could go back to Brazil at 40 and be the best CB in the league if he chooses to play on.
I am glad Chelsea gave him the platform to show it in the latter years of his career. I think he is the best CB of his generation and his longevity is a marker of that.
He could go back to Brazil at 40 and be the best CB in the league if he chooses to play on.
A shame that he stayed at PSG for so long of his career but quite a feat to have become and remained a top class defender for c. 15 years across 3 decades.
Him and Pepe are just 
He is the best CB of his generation.
Class act of a player. I've said for years and years that Silva, Rio and Maldini stand out a mile to me as the best defenders I've seen.
Big drop from them to the likes of Kompany, Van Dijk etc (Even though still excellent)
Big drop from them to the likes of Kompany, Van Dijk etc (Even though still excellent)
This season Silva has played the most PL minutes out of the whole Chelsea squad despite being fecking 39 years old.
What a fine specimen he is and I'm really glad to have had him at the club, just a shame it didn't happen a couple years sooner. Even if he leaves after this season I never imagined he'd last for 4 years at the club when he first arrived aged 36.
What a fine specimen he is and I'm really glad to have had him at the club, just a shame it didn't happen a couple years sooner. Even if he leaves after this season I never imagined he'd last for 4 years at the club when he first arrived aged 36.
Should we sign him to replace Varane?
An absolutely fantastic player, almost like an outfield Buffon. The last of an era.
He could very well be. However he doesnt get the recognition for his talents because he 'wasted' his prime in France. I think Marquinhos suffers from the same problem. Excellent defender but you never hear his name in any of the best defenders lists.
Damn, this took me off guard. He's been there 4 years? He actually has more games for Chelsea than Milan already.
Looking like he's close to announcing that he's leaving at the end of the season.
Probably our best free transfer ever, a shame we didn't get him 10 years earlier.
Probably our best free transfer ever, a shame we didn't get him 10 years earlier.
fecking love him. Excellent player
Varane's replacement
Wish he came to the PL sooner. He'll still be within some conversations of best CB to have played in the PL but a couple of more seasons when he was younger and he could have been right at the top of those conversations with Rio et al.
4 years?! Could swear he arrived 2 years ago.
Time flies. Think he came in late summer 2020 after losing CL final with PSG.
He probably makes my 11 of players who I wish United had signed.
Seriously?!
Yup. Stam is for example. He wouldn't get on the side or on the bench, but he would be a name brought up. If he was in the PL a few more seasons and he would be right in contention for a place.
One of those rare, classy players who could still add to an established world class résumé in their mid-30s (and beyond).
4 years and he can’t deliver a goodbye message in English?
That said, I think he’s one of the greatest and classiest CB’s in Europe over the past few years, but then I’ve thought that since his time at Milan.
Think he finally fell off a bit this season but three ridiculously consistent seasons. I thought they'd do well to get one year from him when he signed.
How do they get four quality years out of a player signed in his mid-30s, while all our late 20s / early 30s signings lose their legs after one season?
Silva is very special tbh.
Proof of his class - also his unparalleled dedication to maintaining his physical condition (especially after his early health scares when moving to Moscow)
Stam won the league 3 times in 3 seasons. Thiago Silva played for a washed up Chelsea side.
Stam won 23% of the PL titles youse have got, Thiago Silva won 50% of the CLs we have - QED
You know he’s a class act when even on rival fans forums we are applauding him.
Chelsea did well getting him and puts so many of our players to shame the way he dedicated himself to football. Legend.
Chelsea did well getting him and puts so many of our players to shame the way he dedicated himself to football. Legend.
It’s still strange he never signed for Real and Barcelona. If any player would have fit those giants like a glove at CB at was this guy.
Granted they haven’t done too bad without him but he would have became a legend at either club.
Incredible defender, should really have played for better clubs than Chelsea and PSG, in hindsight.
Which won the CL within that period and got to four domestic finals. Individually he's been immense during that time.