D
Dustin
Active Member
Walker:
Too many are overlooking how much the role of fullback has changed in our team over the past decade and how that has become even more so since our switch to 3 in the back. The drop in play between a first string and second string fullback now can have an immediate noticeable impact on our team's ability to create chances, maintain balance and control the game - they are more offensive players than defensive in our set up. The amount of sprints they are asked to do and ground they are asked to cover is more than the full backs - or traditional wingers - of old. Further having diversity in fullback type has become a very viable tactical tool for our team. With this in mind, I think we should start thinking of depth in the full back position in the same way you would think of an attacking midfielder. Playing our current 3-4-2-1 formation, we will need two top full backs to win the league. 45 million for Walker is silly money, but there is no way that he is not a top quality full back in that position. Unless he has a known permanent injury or major fall-out, letting him go next season would be an open acknowledgement that we are not serious about being title contenders, particularly if we sold to City.
I see these top two positions more likely to cost us points next season, and far more important than any others to add cover to:
1. CB - this needs to be an athletic CB that is comfortable on the ball with his left foot. This is not only an issue because we are playing 3 of them without adequate cover, but it is also cover for Wanyama as it frees up Dier. Currently we have a lot of versatility in cover between the back 3 and DM, but very little depth. Another CB is top priority.
2. CM cover for Dembele. Basically a decision on Harry Winks needs to be made. Is he our long term Dembele replacement? If not, another midfielder to cover and one day replace Dembele is needed. When Dembele is not available we automatically lose a part of our game. Winks has did well last season, but is he the one? Either way, Wanyama + Dier is not a versatile option and also takes us out of our preferred back 3.
...3. What about Striker? ...First I'll say now that I still believe that Jansen can play a long-term role in our set-up. He lacks quickness, but has everything else we need in a good role-player frontman. He can play target man, he can put in a hard shift, he can certainly get back to scoring some goals, but most of all, he's the perfect type of player for Son and Dele to play off of. He's not going to score 20+ goals a season, he just doesn't have the quickness I'm afraid, but with Son and Dele in the line-up, we don't need our that type of goal-scorer up front to still win games handily. Point is, we're not as thin up front as we would be in a more traditional set up. Should we try to pick up one more? Hell yes, but it will take quite a buy to find another striker that gets game-time to how Dele and Son fit into the equation and the versatility of Jansen.
...4. Finally, what about in our attacking mids? We could always be better? I worry a bit about if a long-term absence of Eriksen would be a major drain of points, could Winks step up? Would Son + Dele in a 2 be enough to overpower teams? Will Lamela ever come back and make his mark? So much of if we need cover here depends on the MPs understanding of Winks and Lamela (and also if Sissoko ever is likely to get with the programme). So for me, if we were to have a high profile move in this area it would signal a lack of faith in those players, but if we don't, it would signal some confidence in their revival.
Good to see you folks are still hanging around...
