inside forwards / inverted wingers

[inijjer]

What are your thoughts on these within the 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 formations ?

The idea that a forward player defends the full back on his side but is given licence to cut in and get into the box. a la gerrard a few years ago, or babel or kuyt to a lesser extent ? or the fake ronaldo at utd or rooney until he was pushed central. or anyone on the wings at arsenal - roszik-whatisface-ski or henry to a certain extent or walcott

Everyone always goes on about our lack of natural width, but isn't that a bit nostalgic rather then based on modern football / tactics ?

The idea that a marked man on the wing running into space centrally is more dangerous rather then a man marked centrally pulling wide for space or a man marked on the wing running into space into the corner where he can be easily shepherded ?

 

[Buddha]

I'd be happy with a mix on the flanks. Someone with genuine width on one side and a wing forward on the other.

We've been so bereft of anyone with genuine width for so long that we are incredibly predictable to defend against.

I was hoping that Roy would make a priority a "winger-type" signing to mix things up a bit, but once again we're trying to win games with the likes of Kuyt and Jovanovic on the flanks. Awful.

 

[keniget]

I don't think you can say it's gone out of style in the modern game. A couple years ago I suppose you would look at teams and struggle to pick out many wingers, but you only had to go a year or two further back to reflect on Chelsea with Duff and Robben down the wings. And now they're back again. Bale and Lennon attack down the flanks for Spurs. United have Valencia who is an out and out winger as well as Nani who can mix it up. Arsenal have Walcott who provides a bit of width and Chelsea have Malouda who offers width on the left as well.

We could do with a pacey winger to give us the option of attacking down the flanks instead of going through the centre all the time, particularly on the left. You only have to see the sort of threat Johnson carries when he has a go at the fullback to realize the value of having players that can take on the opposition in this way.

 

[spider-Neil]

to get the best out of a winger you have to give them freedom, protection, and acknowledge they will drift in and out of the game and not give as much going back as they do going forwards...

no liverpool manager has been prepared to do that for years.

 

[Avmenon]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=41655.msg1165334#msg1165334 date=1283089250]
I don't think you can say it's gone out of style in the modern game. A couple years ago I suppose you would look at teams and struggle to pick out many wingers, but you only had to go a year or two further back to reflect on Chelsea with Duff and Robben down the wings. And now they're back again. Bale and Lennon attack down the flanks for Spurs. United have Valencia who is an out and out winger as well as Nani who can mix it up. Arsenal have Walcott who provides a bit of width and Chelsea have Malouda who offers width on the left as well.

We could do with a pacey winger to give us the option of attacking down the flanks instead of going through the centre all the time, particularly on the left. You only have to see the sort of threat Johnson carries when he has a go at the fullback to realize the value of having players that can take on the opposition in this way.
[/quote]

I don't think it's ever gone out of style tho; perhaps we were just seeing changing playing styles.

But it's probably safe to say that teams which can play with width and narrow interchangeably are going to be very hard to stop.

 

[the count]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=41655.msg1165606#msg1165606 date=1283098964]
to get the best out of Babel you have to give him freedom, protection, and acknowledge he will drift in and out of the game and not give as much going back as going forwards...

no liverpool manager has been prepared to do that for years.
[/quote]
😉