Josh Dasilva Explained

Josh Dasilva
Full Name:Pelenda Joshua Tunga Dasilva
Birth Date:23 October 1998
Birth Place:Ilford, England
Height:1.84m (06.04feet)[1]
Currentclub:Brentford
Clubnumber:10
Position:Midfielder
Youthyears1:2006–2015
Youthclubs1:Arsenal
Years1:2015–2018
Clubs1:Arsenal
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2018–
Clubs2:Brentford
Caps2:137
Goals2:20
Nationalyears1:2017
Nationalteam1:England U19
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2017–2019
Nationalteam2:England U20
Nationalcaps2:9
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2020
Nationalteam3:England U21
Nationalcaps3:5
Nationalgoals3:1
Club-Update:21:52, 19 May 2024 (UTC)

Pelenda Joshua Tunga Dasilva (born 23 October 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Brentford.

Dasilva is a graduate of Arsenal's Hale End Academy. In search of a pathway into senior football, he transferred to Brentford in 2018. He was capped by England at youth level.

Club career

Arsenal

Dasilva began his career with Arsenal and joined the club's Hale End academy at the age of eight.[2] He progressed through the ranks and moved from left wing to forward,[3] before settling into a box-to-box midfield role,[4] [5] under the guidance of Thierry Henry and Kwame Ampadu.[6] After scoring 28 goals during the first year of his scholarship, he signed his first professional contract in August 2015 and was an unused substitute for the first team on two occasions during the 2016–17 season. Dasilva was an unused substitute on seven occasions during the first half of the 2017–18 season and made three appearances, all in EFL Cup matches. Despite progressing into the U23 team,[7] Dasilva failed to see a pathway into the first team squad turned down a new contract at the end of the 2017–18 season. He was released on 30 June 2018.

Brentford

2018–19

On 21 August 2018, Dasilva joined Championship club Brentford on a four-year contract, with the option of an further year, on a free transfer. After overcoming some fitness issues,[8] he made his debut as a substitute for Josh McEachran late in a 2–0 win over Millwall on 3 November 2018. Either side of the New Year, Dasilva made sporadic substitute appearances in league matches and made two FA Cup starts, before breaking into the starting lineup in March 2019. On 19 April 2019, he scored the first senior goal of his career in the return match versus Millwall, with "an unstoppable curling effort into the top corner from 30 yards",[9] which saved a 1–1 draw. Dasilva finished the 2018–19 season with 21 appearances and one goal.

2019–20

After beginning the 2019–20 season in a substitute role, Dasilva heeded head coach Thomas Frank's call to up his work rate and intensity. He subsequently broke into the starting lineup in early October 2019 and came into form, scoring six goals in a 10-match spell, which included the first hat-trick of his career in a 7–0 win over Luton Town on 30 November. His November 2019 performances saw him nominated for the EFL Championship Player of the Month award.[10] By the time Brentford's season ended with defeat in the 2020 Championship play-off final,[11] Dasilva had made 47 appearances and scored 10 goals.

2020–21

During the 2020–21 season, after seven appearances and two goals, Dasilva signed a new four-year contract on 4 October 2020.[12] His performance and goal in a 1–0 EFL Cup quarter-final victory over Premier League club Newcastle United on 22 December was recognised with a place in the EFL Cup Team of the Round.[13] In the following round versus Tottenham Hotspur, Dasilva was sent off for the first time in his senior career after receiving a straight red card for a challenge on Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.[14] By the time his season was ended by a hip injury in late February 2021,[15] Dasilva had made 35 appearances and scored seven goals. In his absence, Brentford were promoted to the Premier League after victory in the 2021 Championship play-off final.[16]

2021–22

Having spent four of the previous six months on crutches, Dasilva was left off Brentford's 25-man Premier League squad for the first half of the 2021–22 season.[17] After the window transfer window closed, he was named in the club's updated 25-man Premier League squad.[18] Following two behind closed doors friendly appearances, Dasilva made his first competitive appearance of the season as a substitute for Mads Roerslev after 72 minutes of a 4–1 FA Cup fourth round defeat to Everton on 5 February 2022. Dasilva was sent off on his fourth league appearance on 26 February and a hamstring injury suffered while suspended saw him miss a further seven weeks.[19] He played the remainder of the season in a substitute role and ended the campaign with 10 appearances.

2022–23

Following off-season training with a personal coach, alongside former Arsenal teammate Marcus McGuane, Dasilva returned fully fit for the 2022–23 season and he scored in each of his first two appearances of the regular season. Dasilva's 39 appearances was his highest tally since the 2019–20 season, though two-thirds of them came as a substitute. Dasilva's opening day goal versus Leicester City (one of four goals he scored during the season) was cited as Brentford head coach Thomas Frank's "moment of the season",[20] who admitted he "got emotional just thinking about it. (Dasilva's) been out for 18 months; almost a year, then a setback and another setback".[21]

2023–24

Following his first appearance of the 2023–24 season, in Brentford's second match of the campaign, Dasilva missed more than four months due to a hamstring injury.[22] He returned to match play with a start in a 1–1 FA Cup third round draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers on 5 January 2024. Following three further appearances, he suffered a season-ending "significant" knee ligament injury in training in early February,[23] for which he underwent surgery.[24] On 17 May 2024, it was announced that Dasilva had signed a new one-year contract, with the option of a further year.[25]

International career

Dasilva was a part of the England U19 squad which won the 2017 UEFA European U19 Championship and made three appearances in the tournament.[26] He appeared in each match of the U20 team's 2017–18 Under 20 Elite League campaign and was a late inclusion in the squad for the 2019 Toulon Tournament.[27] [28] Dasilva won five caps and scored one goal for England at U21 level, all in 2021 UEFA European U21 Championship qualifying matches. In February 2020, Dasilva stated that he would be open to playing for Angola and in May 2023,[29] he was contacted by DR Congo.[30]

Personal life

Dasilva is of Angolan descent. He attended Beal High School in Redbridge, London.

Career statistics

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Arsenal2016–17Premier League0000000000
2017–18Premier League000030000030
Total000030000030
Brentford2018–19Championship1714000211
2019–20Championship42102000304710
2020–21Championship305005200357
2021–22Premier League901000100
2022–23Premier League3641020394
2023–24Premier League30200050
Total13720100723015722
Career total13720100102003016022

Honours

England U19

2017

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Josh Dasilva . 2 August 2022 . Brentford F.C. . en-gb.
  2. News: Josh Dasilva signs long-term contract at Brentford . en-gb . 21 August 2018.
  3. Web site: Josh Dasilva . 21 August 2018 . www.arsenal.com . en.
  4. Web site: Josh Dasilva . 21 August 2018 . www.arsenal.com . en.
  5. Web site: Kershaw . Tom . 30 January 2020 . Josh Dasilva: 'I had to leave Arsenal – but I want them to win every game' . 31 January 2020 . The Independent . en.
  6. Web site: Goodwin . Adam . Josh Dasilva: Recipe For Success . 7 September 2022 . www.brentfordfc.com . en-gb.
  7. Web site: 'This is a moment I've always dreamed of' . 21 August 2018 . www.arsenal.com . en.
  8. News: Head of Medical Neil Greig provides an injury update . en-gb . 16 October 2018.
  9. Web site: Josh Dasilva nominated for Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month . 4 May 2019 . www.brentfordfc.com . en-gb.
  10. Web site: Josh Dasilva beaten to November Player of the Month prize . 14 December 2019 . www.brentfordfc.com . en-gb.
  11. Web site: Brentford 1 Fulham 2 . 4 August 2020 . www.brentfordfc.com . en-gb.
  12. Web site: Josh signs on until 2024 . 6 October 2020 . www.brentfordfc.com . en-gb.
  13. Web site: Bees pair named in Team of the Round . 28 December 2020 . www.brentfordfc.com . en-gb.
  14. News: Son and Sissoko send Spurs to Wembley . en-GB . BBC Sport . 5 January 2021.
  15. Web site: Harris . Jay . Josh Dasilva on Arsenal return, a career-threatening injury and losing his car keys on the Wembley pitch . subscription . 19 February 2022 . The Athletic . en.
  16. News: Bees beat Swans to reach Premier League . en-GB . BBC Sport . 30 May 2021.
  17. Web site: Brentford confirm Premier League squad list . 10 September 2021 . www.brentfordfc.com . en-gb.
  18. Web site: Updated squad lists for 2021/22 Premier League . 4 February 2022 . www.premierleague.com . en.
  19. Web site: Harris . Jay . Josh Dasilva feared his career could be over – now he's scoring stunning Premier League goals . subscription . 14 August 2022 . The Athletic . en.
  20. Web site: 26 May 2023 . Thomas Frank press conference: Brentford boss previews Man City . 28 May 2023 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
  21. Web site: Thomas hails Dasilva impact . 28 May 2023 . www.brentfordfc.com . en-gb.
  22. Web site: Dasilva to return for FA Cup clash . 5 January 2024 . Brentford FC.
  23. Web site: Dasilva to undergo knee ligament surgery . 7 February 2024 . Brentford FC.
  24. Web site: Frank gives expected timeframe on Mbeumo return . 23 February 2024 . www.brentfordfc.com . en-gb.
  25. Web site: Dasilva extends Brentford stay . 17 May 2024 . www.brentfordfc.com . en-gb.
  26. Web site: England Matches – Under-19's 2010–20 . 22 August 2018 . www.englandfootballonline.com.
  27. Web site: England Matches – Under-20's . 21 August 2018 . www.englandfootballonline.com.
  28. Web site: England U20s squad named by Paul Simpson for Maurice Revello Tournament in France . 1 June 2019 . TheFA.com.
  29. News: Kwenda . Stanley . 12 February 2020 . Josh Dasilva: Brentford midfielder is open to playing for Angola . en-gb . BBC Sport . 13 February 2020.
  30. Web site: 23 May 2023 . Joshua Dasilva, la pépite de Brentford convoitée par les Léopards de la RDC . 3 June 2023 . Lebarometre.cd . fr-FR.