This time last year David Silva was walking on water. A September squall of goals, assists and man of the match awards saw him anointed Premier League player of the month and exalted by Roberto Mancini as “one of the best players in the world”. The approbation of Fantasy managers was no less enthusiastic, and by Christmas the Silva sect had insensibly swelled into a congregation considerable enough to preach his revelation as an article of Fantasy Football faith.
Happy would be our lot if bandwagons had brake lights, and the sudden blow of suspension or injury is kinder deliverance to Fantasy managers than the gradual, grinding decline of the kind that afflicted the City playmaker as the season drew to a close. An extended summer sojourn with the Spain squad failed to earn him a reprieve from the tiresome obligations of August international friendlies or September’s World Cup qualifiers, and with a further tour of duty looming Mancini’s plaintive plea to Spain boss Vicente Del Bosque to spare the rod hints at the effect on City’s fortunes he ascribes to Silva’s fitness.
The champions currently present a perplexing prospect to Fantasy managers. Whilst the absences of Sergio Aguero and Mario Balotelli allowed Carlos Tevez to make the early season hay, a fully fit front line will surely spell rotation, and with City’s fixtures very much on the up (SUN, wba, SWA, whm, TOT, AVL) potential investors might lament the untimely absence of places to securely hang a hat.
The only ever-present thus far in the Mancini midfield, Yaya Toure, continues to divide opinion in the Fantasy community. His often ambiguous role somewhere between attack and defence affords a wide spectrum of opinion as to his correct valuation. His two goals and an assist in the opening three games may gone some way to silencing the sceptics, but it remains to be seen whether a player whose threat from open play can appear confined to particular tactical circumstances will continue to justify his current price.
With fitness finally returning and three starts in the last four, Silva may now be in a position to compete with the Ivorian in terms of minutes. With 33 starts last season compared to Toure’s 31 he would appear every bit as central to Mancini’s plans, and in terms of Fantasy potential Silva has a clear edge. Both may expect to better their tallies of six goals apiece last season, but 17 assists for Silva compared with nine for Toure last time out is a fair reflection on Silva’s superior creativity, involvement and significantly more advanced pitch position.
With an assist in his last two and a single bonus point in City’s tricky trip to Craven Cottage, his recent FPL hauls reflect Silva’s ICT index superiority over the rest of the City midfield since his return to the starting lineup. Priced at a premium 9.6 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) and 9.0 in the Sky Sports game, Silva invites an interesting value judgment over Yaya (8.3 in FPL and 8.1 in Sky) for those looking to tap into the more secure City assets over their favourable run of fixtures.
Looking further afield: a blank at home to Norwich this weekend may serve to exhaust the humour of Eden Hazard’s increasingly twitchy owners, and if Silva can avoid strenuous exertion over the international break he could present strong competition to the in-form premium picks Gareth Bale and Juan Mata over the weeks to come.
