Chelsea 0-1 Arsenal: 3 lessons learnt from derby defeat

Thiago Silva, signs of slowing down?

At 38 years and 48 days old, Silva remains an enigma for even the most ardent Blues supporter. Despite being the oldest outfield player in the Premier League this season, Silva’s quality, professionalism and leadership has been an ever-present – even as managers and owners alike have come and gone. The Brazilian’s performances in recent matches, however, have shown signs of a player that is perhaps finally slowing down. In the previous Premier League match against Brighton, Silva had been uncharacteristically sloppy in possession. Early on in the game, his careless attempt at a pass out wide to Conor Gallagher was duly intercepted by Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian then played in Leandro Trossard who should have scored.

Just moments later, Silva attempted yet another risky pass into the midfield which was once again intercepted. Trossard, the interceptor of the ball this time round, who would go on to round Kepa and score. On Sunday against the north Londoners, Silva was arguably at fault once more for the goal that Chelsea conceded from the corner. Carrying the ball out from the back, Silva took too long on the ball, allowing Gabriel Jesus to rob him of possession and have a shot at goal. While the shot from a tight angle was saved by Mendy, Chelsea would ultimately concede from the subsequent corner in what turned out to be the only goal of the game.

This was a costly mistake and while these errors had been few and far between in seasons past, Silva has been unusually shaky this season. Perhaps this is a result of the constant chopping and changing of formations or a natural consequence of having too many games to play in too short a time period. What is undeniable, however, is that Silva’s performance have failed to hit his own high standards in recent matches. Considering just how crucial a role the 38-year-old plays at the heart of the defence, it is no surprise that his recent downturn in form has coincided with Chelsea’s inability to maintain clean sheets. Regardless of whether this is a mere blip or the start of Silva’s gradual decline, it is clear that Todd Boehly will soon have to turn to the transfer market once again to safeguard the future of the Blues backline.