Thiago Silva Quotes

Every footballer enjoys having the ball at their feet. There are times in training you find yourself without the ball. I enjoy that side of it as well. If we can spend more time working with the ball then everyone will enjoy it.

Pastore has so many qualities. Every pass he makes puts our forwards into position and we create a lot of opportunities thanks to him.

Sometimes in midfield, it's nice because you do get a little bit more of the ball, and maybe out wide you rely on people to get you the ball.

Whenever you play against Fred - we certainly did it - you let him get it because he has to take three or four touches. He doesn't know how to do one or two touches. Anyone that watches his game, he gets it facing the wrong way, turns, turns, chops, chops and he'll give you the ball three or four times a game.

It is impossible to do it for the whole game, but when you have the ball for most of the game and have players like Samir Nasri, David Silva, Yaya Toure, and Raheem Sterling, they keep the ball so well.

We have to cut out some of our mistakes, but the main thing in English football is controlling the second ball. Without that, you cannot survive.

We have four parts of our game: working against the ball; in possession; losing the ball; winning the ball. If you are good in all four parts, you have a good chance of winning.

Busquets is a great player. I have many things to learn from him: how he shapes the game from the back, his positioning, the balance he provided in the midfielder.

When we are operating in tight spaces and when the opposition are closing us down, players like Messi can help us to create openings.

Centre-backs usually get criticised for clearing the ball long, but it's easier doing this than risking a pass. If you lose the ball at the back, it's almost a goal. Most centre-backs don't risk this kind of game, depending on the holding midfielder in front.

Jorginho is really suitable to the way I like to play. He is a player that has many good sides to him. He wants to work hard, and he's very fast in moving the ball, which is important for us, although there is also Cesc Fabregas, who has the same potential as Jorginho.

Playing in midfield is a different ball game. You have to be on the half-turn all the time, have a different picture in your head of what is behind you and in front of you. Playing at right-back is different again.

The way children are taught football doesn't encourage skill; the focus is on other areas.

Spalletti made a difference for me. He gives great importance to the details and, at minimum, wants the goalkeeper to know how to play with the ball at his feet.

If Lukaku is not as good as others with his first touch, then give him a ball that he can handle.

For me, David Silva is a fantastic player because his technique is incredible, and he understands when the right time to pass the ball is.

I'd say my main quality is keeping the ball and my passing.

Firstly, I am somebody who plays in a defensive role, and we need to start with that, but then I need to bring the ball forward and help the attack.

Dominating the midfield is the most important thing in modern football. To succeed, you have to be good at everything.

It is an important part of the role of a centre-back to focus on building up the game and initiating moves.

Each coach you have gives a little something to every player, but the one who changed my game the most was Mancini. He taught me to play more outside the area, dropping me back a bit.

As I'm growing up, going into holding midfield, I'm watching Busquets quite a lot for Barcelona. The way he controls the game, his reading of it, technically, defensively - everything about him cuts him out above the rest. I'm really enjoying watching him.

The formula to beat the press is simple; it's the execution that's tough. If you have the quality to do so, you pass your way through it. And if you don't, you just boot it over the top. And then it becomes a game of winning 'second balls'.

The game in Spain is more about technique and about getting more touches on the ball. That's why I like it so much.

Playing at fullback it's part of your role to get up and take those high balls.