Joao Pedro has been a smashing success for Chelsea since signing from Brighton last summer, and his production has taken on another level since the hiring of former Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior.
Everyone is taking notice of the work Pedro is doing, especially beyond scoring goals. His all around play and off ball movement have been extraordinary, among the best in the Premier League.
Speaking on the Champions League Round of 16 broadcast between PSG and Chelsea for TNT Sport in Brazil, former Chelsea icon Thiago Silva spoke very highly of Joao Pedro, comparing his understanding of the game to the two best all around No. 9’s of the modern game, Harry Kane and Karim Benzema:
“Joao Pedro is basically on the same line as Benzema and Kane. I don’t mean technically, I mean in terms of movement: drifting away from you, almost playing like a false nine, and he’s physically strong.”
Silva was one of the smartest players when he played, so when he drops praise like this on a Chelsea player, you have to take notice. Pedro can be special for the Blues, and it looks like even Brighton did not rate him highly enough.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.