The Creator-in-chief? – David Silva Is The Most Creative Player In The Premier League
When David Silva joined Manchester City back in 2010, nobody could have fathomed that he would blossom into such a crucial player for the club. Players have come and gone since then but Silva’s presence has been constant in the side. His consistency and skills have truly been an integral part of City’s good fortunes.
In fact, David Silva is currently the Premier League’s most creative player, meaning he has overtaken the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Kevin De Bruyne and Christian Eriksen. The Manchester City star is not only topping the assists list but is also the player to have created the most number of chances.
Silva has helped Manchester City reach and establish dominion over the number one spot in the Premier League standings. The Spaniard is to thank for 26% of City’s side’s total goal scoring opportunities, and it is not hard to see why. The midfielder’s strength lies in his ability to make an impact from various positions. His versatility makes him an indispensable member of Guardiola’s squad – which explains why City’s new recruit Bernardo Silva has found it hard to break into the first team, in spite of being an influential figure for AS Monaco.
The ease with which Silva manages to slip his marker time and again to receive the ball and use his passing range to devastating effect is truly remarkable. His ability to drift in between the lines has helped City open up several passing channels, which in turn, helps them penetrate even the toughest of defences.
His movement and keen eye for a pass have also helped him create chances for Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero. With a total of 6 assists already, the player is also quite important when it comes to helping his teammates provide assists. His heroics are mostly responsible behind the fact that Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero have three assists each.
Guardiola has employed either a 3-1-4-2 or a 4-3-3 this season, and Silva’s role is quite different in both. This could prove to be quite challenging for some players but for Silva, it seems like it allowed him better scope to excel further. He has done well in both roles, and has averaged more than 100 touches per game, with a 90.3% pass success rate.
With the rest of the season left to play for, Silva has a strong chance of eclipsing his previous best season (2011/12) in a Manchester City shirt. Considering his numbers so far, the player is on the right path.
Stats Courtesy: Squawka