Fabio Da Silva: which one's he?

Sir Alex Ferguson’s consistent allusions [during the last 16 months] to the core of another great Manchester United squad already being in place, referred at least in part, to the burgeoning talents of their now 20 year old right-back: Rafael Da Silva.

Since joining United as an 18 year old, along with his twin brother Fabio in a £5.2million combined deal from Fluminense; Rafael has gone on to be named into the last two full Brazilian national squads - a result of performances for his club side against Ronaldinho, Gareth Bale and Frank Ribery, to name some. The United youngster’s metamorphosis into a key first-team player, also underwritten by Gary Neville’s recent retirement.

The young full-backs were first spotted by United at the Nike Cup of 2005, when the club's then Academy Manager, described them as “[ like] whippets. When they got knocked down, they just got straight back up again and got on with it. They were like bouncing balls - very, very quick".

But in seeking a comparison with Rafael, his brother Fabio’s progression at United pales, which is a surprise to many, given the general perceptions of their abilities prior to joining the club. Unfortunately for all concerned, likely complications were unwittingly implied during a joint interview with The Guardian in April 2009. To the question of “score a goal or keep a clean sheet?” they responded with interesting answers: Rafael stating “[keep a] clean sheet”; Fabio replying “[to] score a goal.”

Given their individual performance imperatives, variances unsurprisingly exist in their interpretation and application of the full-back role: where Rafael had always seemed to be playing “at” full-back – with a European version of the role innate to his nature; Fabio seemed much more like a footballer playing “from” full-back. During the pair’s development in Brazil, the trend had been for club teams and national teams to deploy two defensive shields in midfield; by extension, full-backs were given far greater license to attack.

With Fabio’s best attributes being the timing of his attacking headers, dead-ball skills, passing, long-shots, vision, goal-scoring intuition and good all-round technique, but without the capacities of a forward - the weakest part of the player’s game also, ironically being his defending – he was a natural for the Brazilian full-back role. Indeed, he was named captain of their national team for the Under 17 World Cup and in FIFA's report on Brazil's game against Ghana they intimated similar: "Brazil's calm and intricate build-up play was impressive to behold, as the imperious Fabio pulled the strings." He also finished as their leading scorer for the tournament, with an overhead kick included for good measure; finishing 2^nd top scored in the qualification process. No mean feats.


When playing for United's reserve team last season, Fabio scored six goals in eight games from left-back. But, top-level football is now different to that era where Paul Breitner was able to play full-back with a freedom of spirit more in keeping with Woodstock or the Summer of Love than Sir Alex Ferguson’s defence.

Appearances in the first-team have been scarcer for Fabio than they have for Rafael and although the player's season was seriously disrupted by injury [a shoulder injury implied], a myriad of factors have predicated differentials between their performances, thus far: regularly imperious, Patrice Evra's form at left-back chief among them.

The irregular presence of a left-footed player on the wing; Nani, Park and Giggs all taking turns  in front of Fabio, seemed to accentuate his right-footedness. And of course, the full-backs who excel playing on the opposite side to their preferred foot are also fewer in numbers than their counterparts.

But given the obstacles in his place, a question remains for the club and player: where now for Fabio Da Silva?

Whether the energy of a Gareth Bale on the left-wing in front of Fabio at left-back could countenance their lack of defensive awareness is uncertain, but perhaps a left-footed Brazilian winger educated in that same environment could enable him to fulfill his potential there.

But regardless, it does seem counter-intuitive for the player to remain as a full-back and United seem to have started to affect a repositioning of him. During a recent behind closed doors game, he appeared in defensive midfield in the first-half and attacking midfield in the second; also appearing in midfield for the reserves. It would be close to full-circle, since the player commenced his career [at Boa Esperança] in centre-midfield; a conversion to full-back being instigated upon his joining Fluminense.

It could be argued that a loan-period would accelerate the player's renaissance as an attacking force; perhaps in a slower European league, allowing him to develop his own style, without the performance expectations of Old Trafford; to build his confidence; and to give him an identity beyond being the “other Da Silva twin”. Regardless, it seems that United could have a player on their hands with a performance ceiling beyond that of Marek Hamsik, IMO.