Invisiblewall.net: Gilberto Silva News

From Times LIVE:

Gilberto seemed to struggle in a fairly easy game against North Korea. He played fairly “invisibly” as usual, but slowness on his part let North Korea in for their only goal. He said:

“We expected a lot of difficulties in this game, but we didn’t expect North Korea to face Brazil and play their normal game.”

“I am not sure if they will play the same way against us as they will against the other two teams.

“But winning was most important and at the end of the day we got the result.”

True enough.

Brazil won 2-1 against North Korea on June 15th.

North Korea set up a defensive blockade for almost an hour until Brazil managed to break through and score.

Brazil then took a 2-0 lead through an Elano goal, but North Korea grabbed a late consolation goal to bring the score to 2-1 – scoring their first ever World Cup goal.

Gilberto Silva was largely anonymous for the game – in the words of the English commentator, “Gilberto just keeps Brazil ticking over…”. However, he was largely to blame for the goal conceded; he failed to cut out the run from the North Korean scorer as he moved towards the Brazilian goal.

Aside from that, he was largely untroubled. Much bigger tests for Brazil and Gilberto will follow very soon.

From: Goal.com

Gilberto has been talking to Sky Sports about whether Fabregas should stay at Arsenal:

I think [that he should stay].

I hope he stays. He is a big person and must ask himself and think very carefully if he has to go or not.

But of course the final decision [is something] he has to do. In case this situation happens, it will be a big blow for Arsenal.

But let’s wait and see.

Gilberto Silva has spoken.

From this article at Times Live, Gilberto Silva has been talking about the criticism levelled at him before he’s even taken to the pitch for the world cup in South Africa.

Tomorrow is Brazil’s first game against North Korea, and he’ll play in the team. Of the criticism, he said to Times Live,

Gilberto Silva says the criticism doesn’t make him mad: “It actually gives me motivation. The motivation I have now comes from this criticism against me.”

Gilberto Silva’s success with the Brazilian team is unquestionable. Besides winning the 2002 World Cup, he also helped Brazil win the 2005 and 2009 Confederations Cups, as well as the 2007 Copa America, when he was the team’s captain.

In the warm-up against Tanzania on Monday he played his 93rd match for Brazil, surpassing all-time great Pele.

But he remains one of the least talked about players in the squad, even when the team is missing several stars, as it is now.

Gilberto Silva complains that many fans and parts of the local media usually categorize him as “old” instead of “experienced,” something he doesn’t see done for many other top international players.

“When they talk about (Sebastian) Veron, they say how much his experience will help Argentina,” Gilberto Silva said. “That’s not the case for me.”

Having gone through glory in 2002 and disappointment in 2006, Gilberto Silva feels he can help Brazil’s newcomers. Coach Dunga left many stars out of the squad and picked several lesser-known players who have shown their full commitment to the national team.

“I have no doubt that my experience in these past World Cups will help,” Gilberto Silva said. “I already know how it is and I can pass what I have learned to the other players. The motivation I have for this competition is the same. It’s like I’m playing in my first World Cup.”

Gilberto Silva started every match when Brazil won the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, with performances that brought a contract with Arsenal and established him as one of the top defensive midfielders in the world.

He left Arsenal in 2008, unhappy because coach Arsene Wenger didn’t appoint him permanent captain after striker Thierry Henry left for Barcelona.

Dunga asked Gilberto Silva to be Brazil’s captain ahead of the 2010 World Cup, but the midfielder didn’t think it would be a fair on former leader Lucio. Gilberto Silva was only appointed captain at the 2007 Copa America because Lucio didn’t play.

“I had gone through a difficult experience myself with Arsenal, and I told that to Dunga,” Gilberto Silva said. “Lucio is the captain.” The elegant midfielder is not known for his scoring ability and says he doesn’t try to move forward too much to keep from “getting in the strikers’ way.”

But he wouldn’t mind finding the net at the World Cup, especially after surpassing Pele’s mark with the national team.

“Unfortunately, I don’t play in the same position that Pele used to play,” Gilberto Silva said. “But maybe I’ll have a chance to score one of those nice goals he used to score all the time. Who knows?”

Gilberto has defended the fact that Brazil are travelling to South Africa with its oldest ever squad – and arguably, one without experience on the international stage.

Gilberto Silva said the following of the players in the squad:

“These players are winners at their clubs, they are in their first World Cup but they have won many titles already. Once in a while they will come with a question about how it’s going to be like (at the World Cup), but it’s normal. The most important thing is to try to make them feel comfortable, as if they were with their clubs.”

Full article from The Canadian Press.

AFP reports that Gilberto has been talking about how serious Brazil are taking this world cup:

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — Experienced midfielder Gilberto Silva said yeserday that Brazil were “not here to have a good time” but win a sixth title as they prepared to start on their World Cup campaign in South Africa.

“We are not here to have a good time — our message is we want to be champions,” said the Panathinaikos veteran and former Arsenal man.

“If I told you we shall be champions then I’ll need a crystal ball. I cannot say that but since we started working three and a half years ago to get here that’s what we have been working towards — to get to the final and win it.”

He added that with his experience of lifting the trophy in 2002 and his presence in 2006 “I have the potential to make a big contribution”.

Although he is now in the twilight of his career at 33, he added that the issue of his age “at one stage annoyed me — but since it has been a source of inspiration. You can be sure of my motivation. I owe that to myself after all the criticism of which I have been the object”.

Gilberto won his 93rd cap in the warm-up win over Tanzania on Monday and he hopes now to start on June 15 against North Korea in Johannesburg.

Brazil also face Portugal and Ivory Coast in Group G.

The Hindu reports that Gilberto Silva still isn’t worried about playing in the shadow of his team mates.

What’s important is to play a good World Cup.

The team is well prepared because for us the World Cup started for us three years, eight months ago.

This is my third World Cup and I see players who have won championships with their clubs but are at their first World Cup. I can help to answer their questions and satisfy their curiosity and show them how to feel at home.

We don’t have much information about North Korea but we were able to watch the friendly against Nigeria.

I don’t think that they’ll play the same way against us but we expect an opponent that will be tough to break down.

Nobody has a problem with how Dunga works with the squad. The results are proof of that. People can think what they want but we have faith in our coach.