David Silva

[Mr. Evans]

Videos:

Spoiler: show

[Korinov]

Yes, there's more genuine placement than raw power there, and in any case it's indeed a 5 years old video. His classic set for that period has yellow SP anyway, if I'm not mistaken.

[CHarper]

here a video of some goals this season

[axxis]

His first touch is better than other 94ers I think. Feels like he has magnets in his boots. 95-96 i suppose.

[Mr. Evans]

Agree with a 95.

[Yazid]

Agree also, above xavi but below iniesta.

[Los Muchachos]

I also agree with TECH 95.

[MuriloG98]

Agree with Technique 95.

[Yazid]

Spa should be higher off the back of the euros, most of the Spanish midfield are underrated in passing IMO. Silva should be looking at about 92 spa.

[jurgens]

SPA Ladder:

Silva 90
-> Rosicky 89 <-
Modric 88
Arteta 88
Mata 87
Cabaye 86
Scholes 86

Silva is obviously too low as he is the best short passer in the EPL by a fair margin,

What do people think of this? Konami gave him 93 this year, personally I disagree. I think silvas passing ability is over-rated and I honestly think Yaya is a better grounded passer than him.

[CHarper]

What do people think of this? Konami gave him 93 this year, personally I disagree. I think silvas passing ability is over-rated and I honestly think Yaya is a better grounded passer than him.

I think that is very well given the punctuation that Konami this year (93), his short pass is fantastic, delivering the ball, as with the hands.
an accuracy as good as that of Iniesta and Xavi
Yaya could be around 89 without a doubt, but not give of Silva fantastic passes.
I would leave in 87

[Mr. Evans]

Little speed but great accuracy. With Iniesta on a 94, Silva is a easy 92/93.

[jurgens]

I really fail to see why, his killer balls miss the target so much, and it's not like he plays exceptionally hard passes like Iniesta of Xavi.

[Mr. Evans]

I don't see Iniesta play incredibly difficult passes with far greater succes than Silva. Not much between them for me though Silva's passes are far more easy to intercept. Plus Silva has a better eye for the final ball and creates far more chances. Xavi is of another level but that's already clear with his SPA on 96 or so.

[CHarper]

[vinnie]

My memory of silva is kinda vague now, but along with videos my impression is;

his short (ground) passes seem to have very little pace on them, like mid greens SPS approx.

and he doesn't seem quite as agile as 88

is this a fair assessment?

[CHarper]

My memory of silva is kinda vague now, but along with videos my impression is;

his short (ground) passes seem to have very little pace on them, like mid greens SPS approx.

and he doesn't seem quite as agile as 88

is this a fair assessment?

Silva was the man most assists last season,
and their movements to avoid the opponent are bright, with ease drained,
Short pass speed is good with 82, do not see why decrease.
keep the idea that he is so similar in the game with Iniesta.

[ballmer]

For what it's worth, I don't find Silva's SPA as impressive as Iniesta's. I don't recall having seen Silva make ground passes as difficult as Iniesta. Still quality, obviously, but I wouldn't give him over 91. And his, I too think 80 is the max. Like vinnie, I see them as represented with mid-greens; I don't understand why Konami gave him 84/85 SPS, from memory.

I think he's deserving of that agility though.

Assists doesn't directly correlate with high passing stats though charper - players with far lower passing stats get loads of assists too - Alves, Di Maria, Ronaldo to name a few.

[CHarper]

statistics are a reference.
maybe not as fantastic as Iniesta, but close enough.
in terms of SPA, would put 92 and SPS 82.
AGILITY 88 seems to me sufficient

[the sloth]

Where did the idea that you only deserve high SPA if you try "difficult " passes come from since I am hearing this terminology bandied about lately? Is it different from a "technical" pass?

Is there any sort of testing that has been done to prove that SPA should determine this? Please provide a link to the testing.

Please define a "difficult" pass for those of us not in the loop here because it seems that people are rating things using different standards and I am very much a person who needs a clearly spelt out definition.

[ballmer]

Well... I don't know if I'm parrotting some buzz word, but what I personally mean is that Iniesta successfully performs more impressive passes; passes that require greater accuracy. So, broadly speaking, a simple pass forward into open space does not require as much accuracy, technique, whatever you'll call it, as a pass that splits multiple defenders/is through the tiniest of gaps etc. Some of Messi's this year for instance have required inch-perfect accuracy to squeeze through impossible gaps between numerous defenders, speed of the pass aside.

Simply, the best of Iniesta's passes demonstrate greater accuracy and difficulty than the best of Silva's passes in my opinion.