The current Chelsea side looks a very different proposition when compared to last season and defender Thiago Silva has been a key attribute. Over £200 million has been spent on a multitude of different positions, and the preferred starting lineup now contains six new signings.
Frank Lampard and Chelsea paid top dollar to secure the likes of Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, but perhaps the best signing of them all was the one who cost nothing at all. That is, of course, Thiago Silva.
How Thiago Silva Has Transformed Lampard’s Chelsea Side
Massive Leader at the Back
Last season, the Chelsea defence shipped 54 goals in the Premier League. It was very clear to Lampard and his staff that no serious title challenge could be even considered until that was taken care of.
They conceded many goals for several reasons, with goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga being one of them. However, the biggest reason for their leaky defence was the lack of leadership at the back. When John Terry retired, the Blues still had Gary Cahill. Then, after Cahill retired, David Luiz was still there, who despite all his faults, was an excellent leader for the Blues.
Once Luiz moved to Arsenal last summer, Lampard had no leader to call on at the back. Cesar Azpilicueta is the captain, but he’s not the vocal leader or organiser of the backline that Terry and Cahill were. There was no one to take control, and the entire team suffered because of it.
Now, Silva has come in and changed everything. Having won plenty with Paris Saint-Germain, he made the switch to the toughest, most physical league in the world at the age of 36. But it has not affected him one bit.
He is a calming presence on the ball, a brilliant leader and, much like Terry, he is a warrior. There was a moment against Leeds United where he had injured his hamstring but refused to come off as Chelsea had no subs remaining. He was hobbling on one leg for ten minutes, but he needed to help his side win.
In just a few short months, the Brazilian has established himself as Chelsea’s main leader and given them exactly what they needed. He loves the club, and the feeling is mutual.
He’s Still Got it
Much of the talk surrounding Silva’s signing was whether or not he’d be able to handle the rigours of the Premier League. In England, they are tougher, faster, and more physical, and it’s a massive shift from Ligue 1 in France. At 36, many wondered if he was already past it and if he’d be a good fit for the league.
So far, he has proved all his doubters wrong. Silva has shown that he’s still a world-class centre-back, plain and simple. He’s not the most talented at the club, that’s between Werner or Hakim Ziyech. He also doesn’t have the most potential, that might be Mason Mount or Christian Pulisic. But he is arguably the most important player in this Chelsea team.
Without him, none of this talk of a title challenge would be possible. That’s why keeping him fit is vitally important, as well as keeping him fresh. As tough as it must be, Lampard has to use any opportunity he can to not play him, so that when he does, he can show everyone his quality.
He oozes class, and that will never change. But he is getting older, his legs are getting weaker, and he doesn’t have more than two to three years left at the top, so Lampard has to make the most of them.
Silva has played a massive role in the rebirth of this new-look Chelsea team. However, even at 36, the hard work is only just beginning.
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