ON JANUARY 22nd the David Silva exhibition went into cold storage. After his assist for Samir Nasri’s 56th-minute opener in Manchester City’s 3-2 win against Tottenham Hotspur, the Gran Canarian stopped bewitching defences, a dip in form that threatens the club’s hopes of a first championship for 44 years.
Silva, the player of the first half of the season, has become the star the Premier League forgot. Before January 22nd he had scored five times in the league and set up 12 goals. Since, there has been nothing: no goals, no assists.
His last league goal was the winner in the 1-0 home victory against Arsenal on December 18th when City were flying. If the drought continues to the end of the campaign, Silva (26) will have managed only one more than last season’s mark of four.
Now, when Roberto Mancini nominates a number to change the side’s shape to try to salvage a game, it is Silva’s 21 that goes up.
Last Saturday, at 3-1 down to Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium, he was replaced by Carlos Tevez after 58 minutes and City scored twice to claim the draw. A goal down the week before at Stoke City, Silva lasted just over an hour before he ceded the field for Adam Johnson, and Yaya Toure managed a late equaliser. In mid-March there were 14 minutes remaining against Chelsea when Edin Dzeko got the call and City went on to triumph 2-1, the last time Mancini’s faltering side managed to collect all three points.
Silva last completed a league outing for City in late February. Mancini, who is conscious City need to win at Arsenal tomorrow, whether or not Manchester United defeat QPR earlier in the day, says fatigue may be catching up with Silva: “I don’t know how many games he has played for us in the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League plus internationals. And it is normal that a player can arrive at a moment when he can’t play 100 per cent.”
Silva’s current count is 46 games. Standing at 5ft 8in and hailing from the sunny climes of the Canary Islands, his figures began dipping as the long attritional winter months began.
He would never, though, plead exhaustion or the difficulty of adapting a game honed on his home soil. “On the contrary, it’s the opposite,” Silva says. “The weather helps, because you are always in the street playing football and have a happy life and are able to express yourself.”
Mancini confirms Silva’s contentment and that he has tailored his approach to suit the English game. The manager prefers to point to a general trend among his players: “Yes, he is happy in England. David has improved his strength for the Premier League. David Silva always plays here [a high level] and now maybe he is here [lower]. After seven months it is natural that some players are tired but this applies not only to us but other teams.
“In this moment it is important to be strong. It is easy to stick together when you are on the top for seven months and you are winning virtually every game. But when you build a new team you also have to face and overcome these difficult moments and that helps you improve.”
City’s recent league run shows only one victory from their last four outings, starting with the 1-0 defeat at Swansea City last month, just as United begin their usual early-spring canter at the title.
Earlier this season Silva said: “For sure United will be there at the last minute but we will take it game by game. If we go to the derby with the same amount of difference in points it could be the decider but we have to get there.”
But as Silva’s levels have fallen, so the gap has widened to Alex Ferguson’s men, who may enjoy an eight-point advantage when City start against Arsenal. If Silva can resume his earlier majesty, the club may yet find the surge to go on and finally to become champions.
Silva by the numbers
0
Goals scored by the midfielder for Manchester City since Christmas. He had five to his name before the festive period
4
Assists for goals provided by the Spaniard in past 13 games, compared to eight in the previous 17 matches
23
Dribbles completed by 26-year-old in 13 games played since Christmas compared to 40 in 17 matches before
7
Matches won by Manchester City with Silva in the side since Christmas compared to 14 before
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