Silvera, who was expected to leave Boro at the start of the summer, has been a revelation at left wing-back and, with Boro yet to strengthen in that area of the pitch, has established himself in Rob Edwards’ side.
Silvera, a winger by trade, is the “first to admit” the defensive side of his game needs work, but the 24-year-old is doing all he can on the Rockliffe training pitches to improve and learn the role.
“It’s a new position for me. I’m very grateful that I’m on the pitch and I’m playing, and when we’re winning it’s even better – especially in front of the fans, which is an amazing feeling,” said the Australian, who had two difficult loan spells at Portsmouth and Blackpool last season.
“I’m learning this new position and I just want to keep working hard and hopefully more good performances come.
“It’s a lot to learn. The defending is the side of my game that I would admit isn’t my strongest, but I’ve been getting so much guidance off the coaches and Rob has been really good.
“So it’s layers that I’m adding to my game. It helps with the experience we have at the back as well.
“Alfie Jones is next to me, then Dael and Bill [Luke Ayling] alongside him. They’re just constantly talking and it massively helps.
“It makes a world of difference when I’m a bit foreign to that.”
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For all Silvera admits he’s adapting to the defensive side of his game, when Boro are on the front foot he thinks he’s a good fit for the system and style of play.
“As a team we are good at having the ball, and that allows me to get into positions where I am able to use my attacking abilities,” he said.
“If I just keep working on the defensive side of it, the attacking side will take care of itself.
“I’m enjoying it. It’s a lot of work up and down the pitch all game. It helps that we all help each other out as a team, we all get back and all do the work together.
“But then in attack, I’m starting from a deeper position and I think I can affect the game.
“The way that we play, when we’re on our day we keep the ball well and it allows me to get in a higher position.
“Even on the break, I know I’ve got some speed so I can get forward quickly from a deeper position and take advantage of that.
“The way the rest of the boys play, it helps me to get into good positions so that when I receive the ball I’m not too deep, I’m more in that winger position where I’m more comfortable anyway. It’s effective.
“Even when things are happening on the other side of the pitch, we know we can get through teams with short passes, but I can be out there on the opposite side almost free and providing an option for that out ball. It brings a bit of variation to the team which is good.”
After last season’s challenges, Silvera is thrilled to be back in the first team picture at the Riverside, and has played a key role in Boro’s excellent start to the campaign, with successive wins and clean sheets against Swansea and Millwall.
He said: “Things are going well. I’m just so happy to be back at Middlesbrough where I know I can improve and do well.
“With the start of the season and how it’s gone, I think it’s clear everyone is putting in that hard work to improve themselves and help the team. It’s pushing everybody to be better and I’m fortunate it’s coming out in my performances at the moment.
“It’s amazing when you win and it’s always the way you want to start the season.
“To do it in the way that we’ve done it with the clean sheets, it’s massive for us. If we keep that up, then with the attacking talent we have, I think we can score goals and we’ll continue to pick up positive results.
“We set the base in the first game of the season for how we went to play and I’m grateful that we’ve gone into that next game in the league and we’ve built on that, especially away at such a tough place.
“But it is just the start. It’s a long season. We have that base where we know we can fight, we can hold our position from 1-0 up. We keep pushing and keep playing our way. As long as we have that, I think it can have a good season.”
Silvera and his Boro teammates celebrated in front of the away end after Saturday’s success at Millwall, and there was a fine turnout at the club’s open training session at the Riverside on Monday.
Silvera said: “It’s amazing. Credit to them because without their support we don’t get that extra push in games. I’m grateful to be able to spend time with them.”
