I think that goal has given him a ton of confidence. He's clearly got the brain and the technique required (to become a top footballer), but it's his physicality that worries me. He does seem quite small - but that shouldn't matter if he plays in a possession based team like ours.I really can't make my mind up about this guy! Has gone from doing impressions of a mannequin that is magnetically drawn to whoever is playing right center back to completely running the right wing in the last game and a half he has played. He is definitely going to be interesting to follow over the next few years one way or the other!
The physicality is only a worry for me if he would be told to defend alot or stay back in a back 3.I think that goal has given him a ton of confidence. He's clearly got the brain and the technique required (to become a top footballer), but it's his physicality that worries me. He does seem quite small - but that shouldn't matter if he plays in a possession based team like ours.
I'd say he's our most promising defender coming through the youth academy since Micah did all those years ago. I'll always give Tosin a shout too, a brilliant player who I reckon will become an England international before the '26 World Cup.
Yep, I agree. I think he's shown a few signs of having that aggressive streak in him too. I do see him in a CDM role in the future (which works perfectly with Pep's inverted full-backs tactic).The physicality is only a worry for me if he would be told to defend alot or stay back in a back 3.
But if his role is to bomb forward or come into midfield, then rather than physicality (ahem Bernardo Silva), whats more important is aggression, size does not matter there.
Bernie, Kante monsters at being aggressive. Joshua Kimmich very successful as a box to box midfielder even though he isn't that big either.