Is Arteta Over Complicating The Full Back Role ? by Dan Smith
Every season there is a trend others latch onto, usually led by those who are successful.
In the last couple of years, it’s been the use of full backs. Jurgen Klopp introduced a formation where having a hard working midfield meant his left and right back were his most attacking weapons.
This campaign Arsenal and Man City have introduced systems where defenders alter positions when they have the ball.
Zinchenko’s intelligence to time when to step into midfield was crucial to us being top of the table for so long.
John Stones stepping up from centreback to become an additional midfielder is one of the reasons City have retained their title.
I feel sorry for a youngster these days who grows up with dreams of being a defender.
Once upon a time, being decent in the air, timing your tackle and having a reading of the game were the qualities you needed to be a defender at a professional level.
Now you need so much more ….
These tactics took the opposition by surprise, but like most things, rival managers found solutions to deal with the issue, which is their job.
Mikel Arteta claimed Arsenal still had something to play for at the City Ground, but you wouldn’t think that as he seemed to experiment with his back 4.
Surely, he wouldn’t have done that had we not lost against Brighton?
Before kicking off on Saturday, pundits and fans were trying to work out who our manager intended to play where?
At times I’m not sure our players even knew ,as they passed the ball sideways for 90 minutes never looking like scoring.
We had our usual centreback playing left back for us for the first time, our usual right back being asked to play in the middle, and our DM a makeshift right back.
To clarify, those decisions were not based on injuries. A recognised left back and centreback were sat on the bench.
Some suggested that with Tierney and Holding expected to leave in the summer they didn’t start due to them avoiding injury?
Both come across too professional to have their integrity questioned, plus Tierney ended up coming on, as we ended up with the back 4 we should have started with.
This simply was our manager overthinking. You can see what he was trying to implement.
In possession he wanted Partey to step into midfield, at which point Kiwior would form a back three.
Or when White strode forward, your left and right back form a back three.
That works if your confident, but with our self-belief low, this was the wrong place and wrong time to be messing around.
Especially when you then in the second half essentially ask your defenders to resume their initial roles. White back on the right, Kiwior back in the middle and Party back in midfield.
Chaos!
One of the moments when this title race began to turn was when Alexander Arnold nutmegged Zinchenko at Anfield. This allowed Liverpool’s full back to get to the bar line and set up the equaliser.
You could argue we never recovered from that moment?
Zinchenko also failed to follow Theo Walcott’s run for Southampton’s second goal at the Emirates.
So while it’s great if your fullbacks are good on the ball, can time when to step into midfield, etc but first and foremost your fullbacks need to be able to defend .
You have to get that balance right.
Sometimes all you need to do is get the basics right.
A Nigel Winterburn and Lee Dixon wouldn’t be as skilful on the ball or know when to change positions.
They equally don’t concede that Liverpool equaliser or Saints second.
England have the same issue with Arnold.
Are his attacking qualities worth his defensive liabilities?
Southgate feels the juice is not worth the squeeze.
Before Arteta worries about which of his defenders can alter positions off the ball, first let’s make sure they can defend first!
Dan
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