"Cool and composed" - Rio Ferdinand lauds 'ridiculous' Chelsea star for recent run of form

Former Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand has praised Chelsea defender Thiago Silva for his performance in the Carabao Cup final.

Silva was one of the best players for the Blues in their summit clash against Liverpool on Sunday and held things together in defense. The Brazilian played all 120 minutes of the contest and recorded 12 clearances, three interceptions, two blocks and a tackle in a fantastic display.

He also scored his spot-kick in the penalty shootout, which his side lost 11-10 to hand the Reds the title.

Ferdinand had plenty of praise for Silva following the encounter and said on his YouTube channel (via the Chelsea Chronicle):

“Thiago Silva, what he’s doing at 37-years-old is ridiculous. Cool and composed. Calm under pressure. He’s talking to teammates, talking them through the game. Shout out to Thiago Silva.”

The centre-back's best moment of the game was when he outpaced his entire defense while running from the halfway line to make a goal-line clearance. Had it not been for Silva, Liverpool would've opened the scoring through Mohamed Salah, who had chipped Edouard Mendy, albeit a little tamely.

Thiago Silva has had a good season with Chelsea

Silva did more than enough last season to prove that Chelsea were smart enough to sign him on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020. He has continued to excel this campaign as well and has been a massive presence in the Blues' defense.

The Brazilian was crucial as Thomas Tuchel's side raced to an early lead in the Premier League. Silva has also played in all but one of his side's UEFA Champions League matches this season. He was integral to their FIFA Club World Cup success last month as well.

Overall, he has made 31 appearances across all competitions in the ongoing season. Silva has contributed three goals and two assists in those matches while picking up the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup. He will hope to add to that tally with Chelsea still alive in the FA Cup. They take on Luton Town in the fifth round of the competition on Wednesday.

Very happy for this achievement, I thank God in the first place, the unconditional support of my family, my teammates and staff from @ChelseaFC, my friends and all the fans. Thank you 🙏🏽.
#ThiagoSilva #ChelseaFC #OhhhThiagoSilva #AbuDhabi #ClubWorldCup #MundialDeClubes2021 https://t.co/sZ0AWUx63Y

It is worth noting that the Blues have also extended his contract, with Silva set to stay at Stamford Bridge at least until the end of the 2022-23 campaign.