‘World-class’: Pat Nevin says one Chelsea player has been simply brilliant this season

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Pat Nevin still recognises Thiago Silva as a “world-class defender” after another brilliant season at Chelsea.

While others around him have capitulated during the 2022/23 season, Thiago Silva has impressed with a cool head and kept up his own extremely high standards.

The Blues will want to quickly forget about this campaign and never talk about it again. This is due to various managerial departures and a 12th-placed finish in the Premier League.

However, the performances of Silva in the Chelsea defence deserve special praise.

The 38-year-old centre-back may be in the twilight of his career, but he’s consistently the most dependable player in the Blues line-up.

We’re delighted he’s got another year left on his deal at Stamford Bridge!

Nevin has delivered a glowing verdict on Silva for his high levels during a third season as a Chelsea player:

“First things first, I am so glad the Chelsea fans chose Thiago Silva as Player of the Season. It may have been a difficult period, but he has been a shining light of professionalism and of brilliance on the field. You Blues fans know your stuff!” Nevin wrote for the club’s official website.

“The other day I was asked to put my team of the season together for the entire Premier League and waited for the abuse when I argued Thiago Silva should be in the discussion. In fact, there were no claims that I was just being Chelsea biased. Most people who know anything about the game accept that he is still a world-class defender, and classier on the ball than any other centre-back in the business.”

Kalidou Koulibaly previously said he feels “lucky” to play with Silva at Chelsea. Our guess is the rest of the Chelsea players feel exactly the same!

We think Silva could be so important when Mauricio Pochettino starts his managerial reign at Chelsea next season, but finding a long-term solution without him is going to be a real struggle.

Thankfully, the Blues have a young crop of centre-halves with big potential. Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill certainly fit into that category.

Chelsea youngsters should be pestering Silva on a daily basis to pick up tips and knowledge from him.