Invisiblewall.net: Gilberto Silva News

Source: Sports Network – USA

London, England (Sports Network) – Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo has been urged to join Arsenal by former Gunner Gilberto Silva.

Melo, 26, has been linked with a move from Italian club Fiorentina in recent weeks.

The former Mallorca, Racing and Almeria defensive midfielder played a key role in Brazil’s successful Confederations Cup campaign.

Melo started Sunday’s 3-2 final victory over the United States alongside Gilberto and the former Gunners midfielder believes his compatriot would be a perfect fit at the Emirates Stadium.

Gilberto spent six seasons with the north London club before moving on to Panathinaikos last summer.

“We heard rumors and he asked me. I said it’s a fantastic club and if he’s interested he should go without thinking,” said Gilberto.

“He is exactly what they need – a powerful player with quality.

“If they got him it would be great because he is a player they need at the moment.”

(Courtesy of sportbox.tv)

From Reuters

By Mitch Phillips

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Brazil midfielder Gilberto Silva said his side had kept faith in their ability and always believed they would come back to beat the United States in Sunday’s Confederations Cup final.

The five-times world champions trailed 2-0 at halftime to the hard-running Americans after goals by Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan.

Luis Fabiano pulled one back at the start of the second half and leveled after 74 minutes before captain Lucio headed the winner six minutes from time.

“When we went in at halftime we only heard about was how we were going to come back and we got that at first goal at an important time,” he told reporters.

“It was great that we managed it. It was very hard and we had to fight for it.

“Our first goal was crucial to keep our belief. We scored early enough so that we knew we had plenty of time maybe to go to extra time. Then we got the second one. After that kept the ball, we moved them from side to side, we kept our patience and we got the third.”

Gilberto said his side had not been surprised by the quality of the Americans, who looked down and out in the qualifying stages but reached the final after ending Spain’s 35-match unbeaten run in the semi-finals.

“We didn’t expect to concede two goals or concede them in the way we did but we expected a very hard game,” he said.

“We watched the game against Spain and it was basically the same. They work very hard and defend very determinedly.”

Gilberto said the tournament was important to the team who have now won it three times.

“It’s not easy to get to a final and we know how hard we had to work to do that,” he said. “We also knew what we had to do in this game and winning for the national team still feels the same as the first time.”

Source: FIFA.com

Gilberto Silva, rugged, determined and with a knack for snuffing out opposition attacks, has become one of Brazil’s most prized performers. Not the most skillful or creative man in the A Seleção here at the 2009 Confederations Cup, the former Arsenal hero spoke to FIFA.com about his role, and his love for what he does, on the eve of a final rematch with USA.

“I am always comfortable doing the hard work in the middle, for me it is an honour,” the 32-year-old destroyer told FIFA.com. “It’s what I was made to do. For me it’s simple: I do my job in the best way I can and support from deep. If I do my job, then the other guys can do theirs and be creative, score goals. Look at the players we have – Kaka, Robinho, Luis Fabiano – they don’t need Gilberto Silva up there to help with the creating!”

Born of poverty, Gilberto Silva was introduced early to the rigours of hard work. Toiling as a common labourer in a factory in his younger days, the Lagoa de Prato native always made time to work at his football. His father, a blacksmith, made sure to teach him a craft in case fantasies of football success proved elusive. After an unhappy stint in the lower leagues with America Mineiro it seemed young Gilberto Silva was headed for calloused hands, countless splinters and a future as a carpenter. Had he not joined the academy at local side Atletico Mineiro for one last try at football glory in 2000, he might well be making furniture right now.

The player’s raw power and ball-winning in midfield eventually caught the eye of Arsenal boss and expert talent spotter Arsene Wenger. In 2002, after two terms with Atletico, he set sail for London where he fast became a Highbury hero with his work rate and dedication to the cause. Through six seasons at the club he even managed to score 17 goals and win the Premier League title once and the FA Cup twice. “Arsenal means a lot to me,” remarked Silva, who speaks fluent English and now plays in Greece with Panathinaikos. “The fans were always good to me and it was a special time in my life.”

When one thinks of the great Brazilians past and present – from Tostao and Pele to Romario and Ronaldo – it’s usually the attackers, the creators, who take pride of place. But for Gilberto Silva, in many ways a latest version of his current coach Dunga; the ball-winning midfield general feels he is a craftsman himself. In the end, it his graft and grit that allows the elegant aspects of Brazilian football to flower. “Brazilian teams always smile and laugh; it’s important for our football,” he adds, explaining what makes Brazil special. “We’re all mates. We enjoy each other’s company. We try to take that atmosphere and camaraderie and transform it into good football, good attacking football.”

With 71 caps through seven years in the Brazilian national team, Gilberto Silva, nicknamed ‘The Invisible Wall,’ was a FIFA World Cupâ„¢ winner in 2002, won the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2007 Copa America. His opinion on Brazil’s performances so far are straight-forward and direct, just like his play.

“We didn’t have a brilliant start, but things go better for us once we settled,” said the soft-spoken player, who plays the Mandolin and guitar in his spare time. “Our win overUSA settled us into our rhythm and we began to express ourselves since then. But when we meet them again in the final it will be a totally different game. They played a great game against Spain, who are a really top side. They worked very hard, made it difficult for them to play, and scored two goals. We’ll need to be very well prepared, but I’m sure we will be. We believe in our football. We believe we can win. We have a very strong squad.

“This is a very difficult tournament, some of the best teams in the world are here and the games come very fast. It’s easy to get tired with so many games coming so fast,” he concluded with a gentle smile. The FIFA Confederations Cup is hard work, as many of the participating players have taken pains to point out. But if one man is ready to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty for the cause, it’s Brazil’s midfield anchor, Gilberto Silva, the beating heart of side.

Source: Reuters

By Mike Collett

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – There is more to Brazil than flowing moves, goals and flamboyance according to midfielder Gilberto Silva, who said South Africa gave them their toughest match of the Confederations Cup Thursday.

Brazil needed an 88th minute goal from a direct free-kick from late substitute Daniel Alves to beat the hosts 1-0 in a closely fought semi-final and qualify for Sunday’s showpiece against the United States at Ellis Park.

The victory came in stark contrast to their three group matches, which ended in 3-0 wins over the United States and Italy and a 4-3 win over Egypt.

The goals did not flow against the hosts but Silva said the overall performance was just as good in terms of their development.

Brazil are looking to win the Confederations Cup for the second successive tournament and the Panathinaikos midfielder said it was important for them to be in the final, a year ahead of the World Cup in South Africa.

SIXTH INTERNATIONAL

“To be in the final once again after a difficult match was is very important for us,” Silva told reporters.

“This whole tournament has been very important to us a year before the World Cup because we have played some important games and given 100 percent every time.

“I think we have done a great job and hope we can finish in a good way Sunday.

“But you cannot score lots of goals in every match. You need to show some strength, some patience and you have to stay focussed. You cannot win every game easily.”

The semi-final was Brazil’s sixth international in less than three weeks — and was also their 200th win in all senior FIFA competitions.

Coach Dunga told reporters afterwards it was important they ended the competition with another victory Sunday.

“It is important to win every game,” he said. “Although it will be hard against the United States, who showed against Spain what a good team they are, I still think we can beat them again.”

Brazil were far too strong for the U.S. when they met in a group match last week and should be again Sunday, but will need more composure in front of goal to do so.

Kaka, Robinho and the usually impressive Luis Fabiano looked lacklustre against the South Africans and need to recharge their batteries one more time before their season finally draws to a close.

“We will relax and study the Americans and know what we have to do,” said Dunga, whose side will start as one of the favourites to do well in the World Cup next year.

“I don’t know if we are the favourites to win the World Cup,” Silva added. “But we are improving all the time.”

(Reporting by Mike Collett; Editing by John O’Brien)

From IOL Sport

By Sapa and Nkareng Matshe

Here’s a quick reality check for Bafana Bafana. Their opponents, Brazil, in Thursday’s Confederations Cup semi-final at Ellis Park are not only in irresistible form, but influential midfielder Gilberto Silva says the team is “improving with every game”.

According to Silva, the five-times world champions, who have already accounted for Egypt, USA and Italy in the tournament while compiling an imposing 10-3 goal record, are close to being “in a 100 percent groove”.

“We have a group boasting great individual talent and skill,” said Silva. “But with a complement of young newcomers joining the squad alongside the established players, we needed the time and match competition to gel into an effective unit.

“That is what has now happened,” added Silva after five consecutive wins and a goal tally of 16-4 has restored Brazil to their traditional pedestal as “the team to fear”.

“However with everything falling into place,” said the Brazilian midfielder, “we are still enthusiastic and looking to get better. Ninety-nine percent is good, but we are striving for 100 percent.”

Source: Four-four-two

BRAZIL midfielder Gilberto Silva believes that limiting space for the Italian players to play their natural game was key to the crushing 3-0 Confederations Cup victory in Pretoria tonight.

Luis Fabiano was the star for the South Americans, scoring twice to set them on their way, before an own goal from Andrea Dossena in first-half stoppage time made it three goals in a remarkable seven-minute spell.

The world champions improved in the second half, but not enough to score the one goal they required to take the final semi-final spot, which went to the United States courtesy of their 3-0 triumph over Egypt.

“We came into this game with very good concentration because we knew we were going to play a very good team with a lot of quality,” the former Arsenal midfielder said.

“We tried from the beginning not to give them space, especially the midfield players, who have a lot of quality to put balls forward for their strikers.

“From then on, we got the ball and the speed going forward was crucial. Our counter attacks were decisive to scoring the goals.

“It was important for us to win, but the way we played was really good, especially the three goals in the first half. That gave us more room to relax in the second half. I think the way the team played was very good.”

Gilberto, who now plays for Panathinaikos in Greece, also felt that the players being together in the national set-up for a month – they came together prior to a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in early June – was aiding their progress.

He continued: “We’re getting better and better with each game. The team has now been together for almost a month, since the game against Uruguay in the qualifying games for the World Cup, which has given us a lot more confidence.

“I can say that we are understanding each other a lot more. But it’s important to continue keeping the focus.

“For the moment you can say that Brazil are almost 100% in the way we are playing, but off course, every game we want to improve and get the right results.”

His midfield partner Kaka was equally impressed with the win, but had words of sympathy for several of his former team-mates at AC Milan, who he recently left for Real Madrid.

He said: “We played very, very well today and are very happy for that. We are also happy for eliminating Italy, because it is a great national team with good players.

“It was the first time I played against Italy and for me it was important to win and we won, so I’m very happy with that.

“I’m sorry for my ex-team-mates Andrea Pirlo, (Gennaro) Gattuso and (Gianluca) Zambrotta, but the Brazilian team won and I am grateful for that.”

Defeat for the Italians, coupled with USA beating Egypt, left all three sides on three points in Group B, well behind Brazil on nine.

Egypt’s goal difference was minus three, ruling them out, while the Azzurri and Americans finished on minus two but the States went through by virtue of scoring one more goal.

Italy striker Giuseppe Rossi was disappointed with the loss, but confident that they would bounce back even stronger.

“Today was a tough game,” he said. “We lost 3-0 and it’s sad off course because we wanted to go through. But this loss was against a very good team like Brazil.

“We had or chances and could have done better but that’s football. We have great players in this team, which hopefully will be back here in South Africa at the World Cup next year.

“It was a tough game today, but as I said, we just have to take it on the chin and come back again stronger.”

Winners Brazil will now go on to face Group A runners-up and hosts South Africa in the second semi-final on Thursday, while European champions Spain will take on the United States on Wednesday.

Copyright (c) 2009 Press Association

Source: Reuters

PRETORIA, June 18 (Reuters) – Better concentration was the key to a vastly improved performance by Brazil on Thursday as they beat the United States 3-0 for their second win at the Confederations Cup, said midfielder Gilberto Silva.

“We were very concerned when we slept a little bit in the first game and lost our concentration,” said Greek-based Gilberto referring to a last-gasp 4-3 win over Egypt in their opening Group B game on Monday.

“Maybe we were a little bit tired. We did not want to concede two quick goals again and today we were a lot better.

“We were very concentrated, particularly in our movement around the park and in our defence. We played naturally and didn’t let them into the game.”

The former Arsenal captain, who now plays for Panathinaikos, said the fluid performance against the Americans was important to re-establish a rhythm to Brazil’s play.

“Once we scored our first goal everything became natural to us,” he added.

Coach Dunga, who has taken Brazil on a 13-match unbeaten run, said rest had also been key.

“What changed was physiological. Before Egypt we had played two (World Cup) qualifying games and had travelled without sleeping. Now we’ve had time to rest. We have adapted to the different time zone and prepared well.”

Next up for Brazil are Italy in their last group game on Sunday. “We are two great teams and you never know what will happen,” Dunga added in the post-match news conference.

U.S. coach Bob Bradley blamed a tentative start for his team’s quick collapse, precipitated by a goal from Felipe Melo after seven minutes.

“Brazil are always a difficult team to play but when you go down early it becomes almost impossible,” he told reporters after the Americans suffered a second defeat at the tournament.

They are now eliminated after losing 3-1 to Italy in their opening Group B game on Monday.

From this fantastic article by Goal.com on how commentators can change the perception of a match:

Often these (wrong) interpretations of the football commentators tend to mislead the people. Goal.com Greece’s Michael Paterakis recounts one such incident, “In February I was in Spain for the Villarreal-Panathinaikos match in the Champions League. From the press galleries we were all agreeing that Gilberto Silva was Panathinaikos’ best player along with Giorgos Karagounis. I wrote that in my post-match player ratings piece. A few minutes later I received a call from my brother in Athens. He exclaimed, “Are you serious? Gilberto was the worst player on the pitch!” I later found out the commentator would often remark that the Brazilian was playing badly. That way he totally altered the reality of the game.”

Source: AFP

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (AFP) — Superstar Kaka, buoyed by his recent high-profile move from AC Milan to Real Madrid, is ready to accept more responsibility as a senior player with Brazil.

The 27-year-old, who signed a six-year contract with the Spanish giants for a reported fee of 65 million euros earlier this month, recognises his growing stature as a senior player in Dunga’s national team.

His willingness to step up was evident in Brazil’s 4-3 victory over Egypt in the Confederations Cup here.

When the referee blew for a penalty in injury time with the scores tied 3-3, the Brazil No.10 showed no hesitation, immediately making his way to the spot before placing his strike past goalkeeper Essam El Hadary.

“Yes, I’m now a leader within the squad. Definitely not the only one, but one of several,” he told Fifa.com.

“It is to be expected that more senior players such as myself, Gilberto Silva, Lucio or even Robinho should take on more responsibilities.

“It’s a role that I take in my stride as it’s a natural progression, it’s not something that was forced upon me.”

Source

Report: Juventus Set To Offload Christian Poulsen & Olof Mellberg

According to Sky Sport Italia, Scandinavian duo Olof Mellberg and Christian Poulsen are set to leave Juventus after a single season in Turin. It is reported that the players will relocate to Greek club Panathinaikos and Turkish side Fenerbahce respectively.

Mellberg should sign on the dotted line over the next few hours and it is also suggested that Brazilian defensive midfielder Gilberto Silva could move to Turin in part-exchange.