Here’s how David Silva produced yet another magical campaign...
Season overview:
Following Spain’s shock failure at the 2014 World Cup, Silva was back at City in time for the opening game of the campaign at Wembley where the Blues, missing several first-team regulars, were well beaten by Arsenal in the Community Shield.
For the second season in a row, David scored City’s first Premier League goal of the campaign when he put the Blues ahead at St James Park against Newcastle.
Though he added numerous assists in-between, it was another 12 games before he scored again, cutting in from the right and drifting past three players before curling a beauty past West Ham keeper to cap off a fine display - albeit in vain as the Blues went down 2-1.
The next game - against Newcastle United again, this time in the Capital One Cup - would be his last for six weeks after injuring his ankle early on and he was forced to miss the next eight games. After returning to the starting line-up against Leicester City in December, he wouldn’t miss another Premier League game all season and he hit a rich run of form in late December when he scored four goals in the pace of eight days.
He finished the campaign with 12 Premier League goals, second only to Sergio Aguero and ended as the joint-second top scorer in all competitions on what was his best season yet for finding the back of the net.
Almost a constant candidate in the Etihad Player of the Month awards, winning the December and February awards and being up for the honour on another three occasions - always a good barometer of consistency and form
...Etihad POTS nominees #2...
All in all, yet another superb season from one of the Club’s greatest midfielders of all time.
High point:
A sparkling display away to Stoke saw the Potters’ midfielders chasing shadows as Silva conducted the orchestra as he has so many times before - or perhaps his two-goal salvo against Newcastle in February when he received a rapturous standing ovation for just 59 minutes of wizardry - or Crystal Palace in December. Tough call!
Could it have been even better?
A dozen goals from midfield and nine assists from 32 Premier League starts was only two strikes less than PFA Player of the Year Eden Hazard and one fewer assist - draw your own conclusions! Silva’s contribution is never less than huge and the Spaniard continued to be integral to everything the Blues do.
Why you should vote:
Like Sergio Aguero, Silva was ignored in the PFA Team of the Year vote (for the third year running) - has there really been a player who has consistently been better than El Mago during that time? A crowd idol at City, David would be a worthy winner of the Etihad Player of the Season award.
Media verdict:
Newcastle (February): “..there are few better players to watch in English football than David Silva... although this isn’t really something we needed this game to learn. Two goals and an assist, three chances created and all in just 58 minutes. Manuel Pellegrini popped the ex-Valencia man in cotton wool for Wednesday night and the overwhelming reaction from everyone (probably excluding John Carver and any member of the Toon Army here) was disappointment.” Stuart Brennan, M.E.N
Crystal Palace: “Kolarov swept in a cross and this time Silva connected first-time with his left foot to beat Speroni from eight yards. It was a classy finish from a classy player and showed how much City missed him when he was sidelined with a knee injury.” Joe Bernstein, Daily Mail
Now watch…
Vote here
Next week, we feature the final candidate - Joe Hart -and remember, you can see the eventual winner revealed at this year’s City Live in August. Tickets available so don’t miss out.
