Defensive Wingers

[Damocles]

This seems to be a developing trend over the last season or so now; buying full backs and then converting them into wingers.

It's a tough to thing to nail down why really. My presumption is that it's a effectiveness thing again. As we see more wide players who either press highly or are defensively minded, they move over to exploit the space from attacking full backs.

In the early 2000s, the solid, Neville type of fullback was all of the rage. As the game developed over the last decade, the switch has been made to the more attacking full backs such as the Alves, and Maicon type of player. Because of this, those clever wingers could always find extra space and would exploit it, especially in the last few years as defensive midfielders are starting to become less of a Makelele and more of a Pirlo type. This leaves the defence light in covering, and relies on those often young fullbacks to charge back and be positionally aware.

We look at Coleman, Bale, Kolarov, Fabio/Rafael today, Abate has done it for Milan, Johnson at Scouse, I've read that Stam does it at Wigan, etc. They have all looked quite shaky defensively, mainly due to them being exploited from the higher pressing midfielders.

Playing "proper full backs" seems to currently be the new thing, with these younger full backs just ahead of them which still provides the attacking options, whilst having defensive security.

I do despise Redknapp but he seems to be ahead of the game here. We seem to be heading for a much wider, faster paced game in this country in a few years time if this evolution is anything to go by.

Interesting to see how it all works in circles, and we seem to be rehashing tactical systems of ten years back.

 

[blueinsa]

I do despise Redknapp but he seems to be ahead of the game here. We seem to be heading for a much wider, faster paced game in this country in a few years time if this evolution is anything to go by.

Interesting to see how it all works in circles, and we seem to be rehashing tactical systems of ten years back.

Does the above not fly in the face of Bobby's tactics and your own firm beliefs in them Damo?

Is this the first sign of an admittance that Bobby maybe has it wrong?

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

This seems to be a developing trend over the last season or so now; buying full backs and then converting them into wingers.

It's a tough to thing to nail down why really. My presumption is that it's a effectiveness thing again. As we see more wide players who either press highly or are defensively minded, they move over to exploit the space from attacking full backs.

In the early 2000s, the solid, Neville type of fullback was all of the rage. As the game developed over the last decade, the switch has been made to the more attacking full backs such as the Alves, and Maicon type of player. Because of this, those clever wingers could always find extra space and would exploit it, especially in the last few years as defensive midfielders are starting to become less of a Makelele and more of a Pirlo type. This leaves the defence light in covering, and relies on those often young fullbacks to charge back and be positionally aware.

We look at Coleman, Bale, Kolarov, Fabio/Rafael today, Abate has done it for Milan, Johnson at Scouse, I've read that Stam does it at Wigan, etc. They have all looked quite shaky defensively, mainly due to them being exploited from the higher pressing midfielders.

Playing "proper full backs" seems to currently be the new thing, with these younger full backs just ahead of them which still provides the attacking options, whilst having defensive security.

I do despise Redknapp but he seems to be ahead of the game here. We seem to be heading for a much wider, faster paced game in this country in a few years time if this evolution is anything to go by.

Interesting to see how it all works in circles, and we seem to be rehashing tactical systems of ten years back.

interesting point, I think it's clear from the dearth of quality full backs in England and abroad too, I mean the urge for flexibility and I think the urge to only need 1 player to do 2 seperate things lead to it, but now teams are finding that it doesn't work and more conservative full backs are slowly starting to emerge back.

I do think the standard of full backs, in particular of left backs is pretty bloody poor though.

 

[Damocles]

I do despise Redknapp but he seems to be ahead of the game here. We seem to be heading for a much wider, faster paced game in this country in a few years time if this evolution is anything to go by.

Interesting to see how it all works in circles, and we seem to be rehashing tactical systems of ten years back.

Does the above not fly in the face of Bobby's tactics and your own firm beliefs in them Damo?

Is this the first sign of an admittance that Bobby maybe has it wrong?

No.

And for the record, I have pointed out problems within our system on numerous occasions, as you well know, as I was addressing you at the time!!

Also, moving Kolarov up the pitch seems to square with the development.

 

[pee dubya]

Probably a consequence of the highly unrealistic expectations (in my opinion) placed upon the modern fullback.

 

[Villan10]

I was never sure about flying full backs and then I've had the absolute pleasure of seeing Kyle Walker at Villa, it's absolutely fantastic. More of an attacking threat than all our other players and he plays RB, without ever letting up his defensive duties.

 

[Lucky Toma]

Begrudgingly I have to admit that Walker does look a real player Villan.

Shame he's not yours eh :)

 

[Villan10]

Begrudgingly I have to admit that Walker does look a real player Villan.

Shame he's not yours eh :)

I know, gutted. Best RB we've had in a very long time. Since I can remember actually, he'll be England's right back for a very long time, better than Johnson in my view, can't believe he goes back to Spuds....for fuck sake, I hate them and yet I really like Walker so there is some mix of hoping he keeps developing as a player but Spurs lose all the time.

 

[balkanno]

Indeed, the football more and more developed in the direction of the known from the Netherlands Totaal Voetbal (Photo 1).

I preffer all defend any attack. The consequence of the feed in the Full back would be that the defensive team even more trying to get all the men behind the ball to compensate for the numerical majority in the midfield. So the striker would have even more work backwards, which would have more room for the defender to follow, then a classic libero could march right back into midfield and so would create a new situation.

Because they are the only players on the pitch with space and opportunities for development, they play an increasingly important role to play in building and attacking game.

A combination of full-back and creative midfielder (Photo 2) would get even more Players strengths to bear and bring the Team a whole range of new opportunities. This measure would make more sense if the Fullback Defender has an dangerous and difficult to calculate net dragging from the left/right. At the same time we must also recognize that this Player must be effective with his game. He must be a typical shot of a come-withdrawing winger.

That's all about attacking Fullbacks.

 

[leighton]

The thing is at times for a defender it is a little bit easier for them to defend against this type of player in my view if they are a good defender. Not a lot of these type players will do a defender by a bit of skill it would be more of a foot race than anything else. There final ball has to be good to get the benefit out of them. I think now more so than ever the fullbacks crossing has to improve a lot playing this type of players. I would love 2 out and out wingers in this squad. We looked at Richards down the right on Thursday night he was lacking something different than using his speed to get by the defender that a winger would give to the team.