If the season were to end at this very moment, there’s little doubt
that Fernandinho and David Silva would be among the stand-out candidates
for Manchester City’s Player of the Year award.
Both have been central to City’s sustained title charge and both
continue to win plaudits for the quality of their performances as the
season reaches its conclusion.
Fernandinho has been consistently brilliant since the first few weeks
of the season. Eyebrows were raised at the hefty £30 million fee City
paid Shakhtar Donetsk, and there was his suitability and value
were initially surrounded by skepticism. However, dissent soon
dissipated after a series of superb displays.
He’s been key to the form of Yaya Toure – his energy and discipline
having been the catalysts which freed the Ivorian, resulting in a 21
goal haul in all competitions from the three-time African Footballer of
the Year.
But it’s arguably City’s Spanish midfielder who will pip him to the award.
Silva, of course, is already well known on these shores, this being
his fourth season at City. However, his level has raised even higher
under Manuel Pellegrini, particularly since his move into the No.10 role
just behind a lone striker.
He initially started the season on the left in Pellegrini’s attacking
4-2-2-2 system. His form was excellent – easily City’s most creative
player – but the odd game in No.10 role seemed to bring even more out of
him.
City’s 3-2 win away at Bayern Munich
was his first outing in that position this season and he was superb,
having dictated the tempo of the game at the hub during all City’s best
moments. As was the case in games against Barcelona in the Champions
League, and suddenly Pellegrini had a decision to make: stick with two
upfront or alter his system to get Silva in the hole.
It’s in a central role his passing ability is best utilised, with
more freedom to float around and cause the opposition problems when not
restricted to a wide position. Logic dictates you build your side around
your best player.
It seemed, though, that Pellegrini’s insistence on fielding two
strikers was central to his philosophy and would restrict Silva’s
opportunities to play centrally but injuries to Sergio Aguero and Stevan
Jovetic, and a drastic dip in form from Alvaro Negredo, prompted a
slight formation change.
In recent weeks, City have employed just one loan striker, usually
Dzeko, with Silva having been asked to play just behind him in the hole.
He has free reign to wander, able to collect the ball in a variety of
positions and near-impossible to mark or keep quiet for 90 minutes.
He’s been a revelation. His recent performances against Hull, Fulham,
Manchester United and Arsenal have been some of the best he’s produced
in a Blue shirt.
A player already hailed as City’s greatest in recent years is now
widely considered the best they’ve ever had. The away end after the
recent Manchester derby was awash with City fans – young and old –
struggling to put into words just how lucky they feel to have a player
capable of such beauty in brilliance in possession of a football.
He looks nailed on for the club’s Player of the Year award and will be key to any further success City have this season.
