Premier League forward rates former Chelsea defender as 'one of the best he's ever faced'
Context:
Brentford's Yoane Wissa, who is excelling with 18 Premier League goals, praised former Chelsea defender Thiago Silva as one of the best defenders he has faced, highlighting Silva's intelligence and positional advantage. Despite Silva's departure from Chelsea last summer after an impressive tenure, his move to Fluminense in Brazil was controversial among fans, some of whom believe Chelsea made an error by not retaining him. The lack of an experienced replacement for Silva has been detrimental to Chelsea's defense, prompting former Arsenal player Ian Wright to suggest the need for a leader like Silva in the backline. Chelsea's gamble on Reece James or Ben Chilwell filling Silva's shoes has not paid off, with James still developing as captain and Chilwell being loaned to Crystal Palace. These developments underscore Chelsea's ongoing struggles to stabilize their defense since Silva's exit, affecting their overall performance this season.
Dive Deeper:
Yoane Wissa of Brentford is enjoying a standout season with 18 Premier League goals, forming a formidable partnership with Bryan Mbuemo and pushing Brentford towards European competition ambitions.
Wissa, in an interview, rated Thiago Silva as one of the top defenders he has faced, appreciating Silva's cleverness and ability to stay a step ahead of attackers, contrasting him with the physically dominant Virgil Van Dijk.
Thiago Silva's departure from Chelsea last summer, after four successful seasons, sparked mixed reactions among fans, especially as he continued his career in Brazil with Fluminense rather than retiring.
The failure to replace Silva with another experienced center-back has led Chelsea to defensive vulnerabilities, as pointed out by former player Ian Wright, who advocates for a player with Silva's leadership qualities.
Chelsea's strategy to have Reece James or Ben Chilwell take on Silva's role has not been successful; Chilwell was loaned out to Crystal Palace, while James is still adjusting to his leadership responsibilities.
Silva's continued high-level performance at Fluminense highlights what Chelsea lost, and the club's defensive struggles this season underline the consequences of not securing a proper replacement.
Rohit George, a content producer for The Sporting News, covers these developments, emphasizing the ongoing impact of Silva's exit on Chelsea's defensive capabilities and overall performance.
While Liverpool may have clinched the Premier League title and Mohamed Salah may be running away with the Premier League Golden Boot award, a couple of surprise names are having a prolific season in front of goal.
One of them is Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, who is having a prolific season in front of goal with 18 Premier League goals to his name so far. Together with Bryan Mbuemo, the duo is helping Brentford punch above their weight and challenge for European football next season.
On the back of their free-scoring seasons for Brentford, Wissa and Mbuemo were interviewed on The Obi One Podcast. When asked about the best defender he’s come up against, Wissa said: “[Virgil] Van Dijk and Thiago Silva”.
“There’s two different players. One is really, really strong, like he’s on you every time. You feel so small when you are beside him. And one is clever. Silva is so clever. I don’t say Van Dijk is not clever, but Thiago Silva is so clever. He’s always a step ahead of you. Honestly, he’s so good.”
At the end of last season, Silva left Chelsea on a free following the expiration of his contract. He walked away from Stamford Bridge last summer off the back of four incredible seasons with the Blues.
The departure of Silva divided opinion among Chelsea fans as he did not retire but chose to return to his native Brazil and play for Fluminense. Some fans believe that the Blues made a mistake letting the 40-year-old veteran go, as he continues to deliver the goods for his current team.
Why Chelsea made a mistake letting go of Thiago Silva
It could be argued that Chelsea made a mistake letting the Brazilian go as they have failed to find an experienced center-back to replace him, and that has negatively affected them at times this season.Former Arsenal star Ian Wright believes that Chelsea now need to sign someone like Thiago Silva since the Blues’ defence is crying out for some leadership and experience at the back.
Chelsea did not sign a replacement for Silva in the hope that either Reece James or Ben Chilwell would grow into that role, but that has not been the case.
While Chilwell was exiled this season and joined Crystal Palace on loan in January, Reece James is still growing into his role as club captain.
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