Can Silva solve Chiefs' scoring problems?

The life of a foreign striker at Kaizer Chiefs is not always easy. The pressure to deliver is a bit higher than it is for everyone else, especially over the last few seasons where success has not been a norm at Naturena. The latest to join Amakhosi is Flavio Silva, who was part of the team's preseason tour in the Netherlands. Silva, a Guinea-Bissau-born striker, is a player Amakhosi scouted after playing his football in Indonesia, but pressure in the Betway Premiership will be high for him to deliver. Ahead of the new season, Soccer Laduma asks if Silva can solve Chiefs' scoring problems or if he will join a long list of foreign strikers who were just not able to make the cut at Naturena.

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Silva's journey

Born in Guinea-Bissau, the 29-year-old Silva spent a big part of his playing career in Portugal, from his youth football days. His journey in youth football includes a stint at Benfica, and he later went on to play for their reserve side. He did not make a big impact in terms of scoring goals throughout his time in Portugal, playing for the likes of Mafra, Torreense, SC Covilha and Alverca. He moved around quite a lot without finding a stable home. It was in Indonesia where he made a name for himself as someone who can rattle the back of the net. According to Transfermarkt, Silva scored 23 goals in 29 appearances for Persik Kediri in the Indonesian Super League. Last season, he was at Persebaya Surabaya, where he scored nine goals in 33 appearances. He did fairly well during his time in Indonesia, but struggled in Portugal, where it was a bit more competitive. So, it remains to be seen if he can make a mark in the Betway Premiership and the CAF Confederation Cup, where Chiefs will be playing in the coming season. A lot of pressure will be on him to deliver.

What Silva offers Chiefs

Speed

From the preseason matches, it's clear that Flavio Silva is a player with pace that can give opposition defenders a problem. Having speed gives coach Nasreddine Nabi the option of playing him from the wide positions, if required. He can beat defenders if passes are played from midfield, which could benefit Chiefs. With his pace, he is constantly making runs into the box.

Aerial presence

At 1.84m, Silva can be useful for Amakhosi in the opposition box whenever set piece opportunities are presented. He has a good leap, and this will allow him to win aerial battles and possibly score goals with his head.

What the supporters have to say

The one thing that impressed me

Tshemedi Molopo - Chiefs supporter