Thiago Silva has hailed the individual qualities of Chelsea youngster Reece James, who he’s got a great relationship with.
If you were to pick out the top players currently in Chelsea’s squad, Silva and James both belong near the top of the list.
Silva, who turned 38 last month, is the veteran Blues defender still turning in big performances each match. It’s no coincidence the Brazilian has played every minute of Graham Potter’s opening three games in charge as manager.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old England star James is operating at such a high level at this moment in time. According to Michael Owen, he’s definitely in the world’s top five right-backs.
Thiago Silva hailed Reece James
Silva has highlighted the hard work that James puts in, which is quite the compliment coming from someone still performing at the very top in his late-thirties.
“He’s a very young athlete but looks like he’s been playing football for so many years,” Silva said.
“It’s easy to talk about him because he is someone I really like.
“I hope he can continue with this winning mentality because he is a guy who works really hard and deserves all this success. He is one of the strengths of our team, both offensively and defensively.
“I hope he can continue like this, because is he keeps this winning mentality he has everything to be one of the best in history.”
It’s great to hear of a strong relationship between the duo, and hopefully James is picking Silva’s brain constantly for advice on where to improve.
The Chelsea youngsters are so fortunate to have someone with the experience and know-how of Silva in the dressing room.
Blues defence
Chelsea’s solid backline has been key to winning games of football in the last couple of years, but there’s no doubt that has disappeared in recent months.
Therefore, it was great to see the Blues cruise to a clean sheet in midweek during the 3-0 win over AC Milan in the Champions League.
For certain, it’s vital that Potter tries to restore the confidence to keep the ball out of the net.
They’ve got the personnel in the squad to rediscover the defensive solidity, with Silva still the general at the heart of it.
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