Ethan Nwaneri: Se Queda

[MikelHadADream]

We secured Lewis-Skelly. Just need to get Nwaneri over the line now. He started tonight's game on the bench (he played a couple days ago for u21s). Think he stays aswell .

There’s talk of him being played as a left back in the academy, in the Zinchenko role, you heard/seen this?

Having fullbacks that are as good as attacking midfielders on the ball is an an absolute cheat code in the modern game, would be interesting to see if this is the path for MLS.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Shan’t be bothered any way the wind blows babeh

 

[Rasmi]

There’s talk of him being played as a left back in the academy, in the Zinchenko role, you heard/seen this?

Having fullbacks that are as good as attacking midfielders on the ball is an an absolute cheat code in the modern game, would be interesting to see if this is the path for MLS.

The Zinchenko role is silly and not an actual football role. He is a midfielder and should be train as one. We wouldn’t be worse if if Zinchenko play med as left back and not make Martinelli suffering

I really think Arteta will seen change his position

 

[MikelHadADream]

The Zinchenko role is silly and not an actual football role. He is a midfielder and should be train as one. We wouldn’t be worse if if Zinchenko play med as left back and not make Martinelli suffering

I really think Arteta will seen change his position

Agreed, but just forget about the inverted fullback role for a second, fullbacks with the technique of midfield players are often the best ones in the business full stop. No coincidence Lahm, Marcelo and Alves have been the 3 best of the last generation and all could play number 10 for most clubs.

 

[Rasmi]

Agreed, but just forget about the inverted fullback role for a second, fullbacks with the technique of midfield players are often the best ones in the business full stop. No coincidence Lahm, Marcelo and Alves have been the 3 best of the last generation and all could play number 10 for most clubs.

A fullback will never be as important as midfielder. In fact if you told me you can have one elite player in your team. Fullback is the last position I would choose for elite player

 

[sergio_giorgini]

Skelly looks like he has everything to become a top player. I can only see horrific injuries and a bad attitude/poor work ethic stopping him. He has the physicality, athleticism, technique and guile. I wish he'd grow a couple more inches in height, that's prob the only thing I'd be critical of, but it's not a deal breaker. Everything else he needs to improve will be done with more reps and experience.

I don’t see it with Skelly. Think Nwaneri and Patino look more naturally gifted. But with most of these kids the kind of careers they go on to have depends mostly on their mental strength, attitude and dedication.

You only have to look at the contrast in career trajectory between Saka and Nelson. Reiss was arguably the more talented of the two, but it’s obvious he lacks the mentality and belief whereas Saka has it in abundance.

 

[MikelHadADream]

A fullback will never be as important as midfielder. In fact if you told me you can have one elite player in your team. Fullback is the last position I would choose for elite player

Never said it would be, but if your fullbacks have the technical quality of midfielders it’s a huge advantage.

 

[Rex Stone]

A fullback will never be as important as midfielder. In fact if you told me you can have one elite player in your team. Fullback is the last position I would choose for elite player

Trent was peak Liverpool’s best creator.

 

[MutableEarth]

There’s talk of him being played as a left back in the academy, in the Zinchenko role, you heard/seen this?

Having fullbacks that are as good as attacking midfielders on the ball is an an absolute cheat code in the modern game, would be interesting to see if this is the path for MLS.

I've seen it, watched the game where he played the role and he basically played the same way he always played. He can make that role work but I wouldn't do it personally. Someone that good must play in the middle IMO.

 

[db10_therza]

Never said it would be, but if your fullbacks have the technical quality of midfielders it’s a huge advantage.

It’s a cheat code right. What wins you games are differentials. All top teams should have elite midfielders. They cancel each other out. But someone like Zinchenko is our differential. It’s what allows us to dominate midfield (usually).

 

[Geofranco]

I don’t see it with Skelly. Think Nwaneri and Patino look more naturally gifted. But with most of these kids the kind of careers they go on to have depends mostly on their mental strength, attitude and dedication.

You only have to look at the contrast in career trajectory between Saka and Nelson. Reiss was arguably the more talented of the two, but it’s obvious he lacks the mentality and belief whereas Saka has it in abundance.

Reiss was gifted, but I was always concerned with his gait. He looked stiff and robotic in his movement, not a fluid athlete. Saka to me had it all. Physicality, athleticism, technique and guile. He wasn't the most technically gifted, but once in a while he'd do things that made you go, DAMN!! That dude is talented. I believe Lewis Skelly and Duberry are closest to Saka in this group in terms of mentality. They always step up when things get difficult and don't hide. I love Patino, but he is not more talented than Skelly. I would say Nwaneri prob has the most raw talent, but Duberry, Patino and Skelly are not far off. The way Skelly reads the game is pretty impressive for his age. Some of his interceptions and tackles were really impressive against Watford. And he is the best dribbler I have seen in the academy since Chris Willock.

 

[Rasmi]

It’s a cheat code right. What wins you games are differentials. All top teams should have elite midfielders. They cancel each other out. But someone like Zinchenko is our differential. It’s what allows us to dominate midfield (usually).

Zinchenko is also negating our left winger so that’s a minus

 

[yorch44]

The Zinchenko role is silly and not an actual football role. He is a midfielder and should be train as one. We wouldn’t be worse if if Zinchenko play med as left back and not make Martinelli suffering

I really think Arteta will seen change his position

People now thinks the only way to play football is with inverted fbs. But let's see Bayern, the have two midfielders and one super potent FB in Davies and it works perfectly and he and a tricky inverted winger can destroy teams with overlaps. Barcelona did this for years with Dani Alves.

We could easily do that with Partey, Zinchenko instead of Xhaka and Ødegaard. That way I am sure Zinchenko would explode as a player because he would not need to track back as a LB. Then you can have Nuno Tabares who is playing excellent and developing so well destroying FBs with his speed and dribbling, he is a beast. Then Martinelli/Trossard can attack with more freedom.

Obviously as good as Zinchenko is, and how well he covers the middle left he could help Nuno defensively. But actually the point is not defending but destroy teams with his speed and using the winger in 1vs1 and not letting him go always 1vs2.

Then, for other games you can always have the option of playing the inverted LB. And that's what options and flexibility offers. Teams wouldn't adapt so easily to our game play when you can overlap with Nuno or play centrally with Zinchenko.

Problem with Nuno is not his qualities or attributes, but if Arteta wants him to play inverted role and not attacking LB.

 

[Rasmi]

People now thinks the only way to play football is with inverted fbs. But let's see Bayern, the have two midfielders and one super potent FB in Davies and it works perfectly and he and a tricky inverted winger can destroy teams with overlaps. Barcelona did this for years with Dani Alves.

We could easily do that with Partey, Zinchenko instead of Xhaka and Ødegaard. That way I am sure Zinchenko would explode as a player because he would not need to track back as a LB. Then you can have Nuno Tabares who is playing excellent and developing so well destroying FBs with his speed and dribbling, he is a beast. Then Martinelli/Trossard can attack with more freedom.

Obviously as good as Zinchenko is, and how well he covers the middle left he could help Nuno defensively. But actually the point is not defending but destroy teams with his speed and using the winger in 1vs1 and not letting him go always 1vs2.

Then, for other games you can always have the option of playing the inverted LB. And that's what options and flexibility offers. Teams wouldn't adapt so easily to our game play when you can overlap with Nuno or play centrally with Zinchenko.

Problem with Nuno is not his qualities or attributes, but if Arteta wants him to play inverted role and not attacking LB.

Yeah this forum thinks everything Arteta does is the way to play football. When he has said several times. You have to use the players you have and then come up with something. He is no way as rigid as they think he is. Zinchenko is not great defender by any means and soon something has to change because his attack is not worth taking all space from Martinelli. I see an experienced player with big personality running over a young player. Arteta needs to get involved or that left side will be dead attacking wise

 

[Batman]

People now thinks the only way to play football is with inverted fbs. But let's see Bayern, the have two midfielders and one super potent FB in Davies and it works perfectly and he and a tricky inverted winger can destroy teams with overlaps. Barcelona did this for years with Dani Alves.

We could easily do that with Partey, Zinchenko instead of Xhaka and Ødegaard. That way I am sure Zinchenko would explode as a player because he would not need to track back as a LB. Then you can have Nuno Tabares who is playing excellent and developing so well destroying FBs with his speed and dribbling, he is a beast. Then Martinelli/Trossard can attack with more freedom.

Obviously as good as Zinchenko is, and how well he covers the middle left he could help Nuno defensively. But actually the point is not defending but destroy teams with his speed and using the winger in 1vs1 and not letting him go always 1vs2.

Then, for other games you can always have the option of playing the inverted LB. And that's what options and flexibility offers. Teams wouldn't adapt so easily to our game play when you can overlap with Nuno or play centrally with Zinchenko.

Problem with Nuno is not his qualities or attributes, but if Arteta wants him to play inverted role and not attacking LB.

I feel like people are forgetting about Tavares because of how poor he was last year but he really is developing into a monster and has everything physically to be that for us. He just has to buy into his role within the team. I do think he could play the inverted role, he's very good technically, his issues are positional awareness and decision making which are issues for a lot of young players and can certainly be corrected if Arteta is willing to live with a mistake or two.

 

[Anders Harbo]

I feel like people are forgetting about Tavares because of how poor he was last year but he really is developing into a monster and has everything physically to be that for us. He just has to buy into his role within the team. I do think he could play the inverted role, he's very good technically, his issues are positional awareness and decision making which are issues for a lot of young players and can certainly be corrected if Arteta is willing to live with a mistake or two.

If Tierney goes in the summer, Tavares will probably stay with us and have his chances in a congested fixture list next season.

 

[yorch44]

I feel like people are forgetting about Tavares because of how poor he was last year but he really is developing into a monster and has everything physically to be that for us. He just has to buy into his role within the team. I do think he could play the inverted role, he's very good technically, his issues are positional awareness and decision making which are issues for a lot of young players and can certainly be corrected if Arteta is willing to live with a mistake or two.

But playing the inverted role is wasting his physical attributes. He needs to play open in the wing overlapping. He is not a midfielder.

 

[Geofranco]

But playing the inverted role is wasting his physical attributes. He needs to play open in the wing overlapping. He is not a midfielder.

Tavares doesn't have the game intelligence to play that role either. His touch and weight of pass are also hit or miss or not executed with enough sharpness.

 

[yorch44]

Tavares doesn't have the game intelligence to play that role either. His touch and weight of pass are also hit or miss or not executed with enough sharpness.

Are you talking the inverted role or both roles? Have you even watch him this season in France? Or are you basing your point in the season he was here? Because in France he is been very good 1vs1.

 

[Batman]

But playing the inverted role is wasting his physical attributes. He needs to play open in the wing overlapping. He is not a midfielder.

Kyle Walker inverts at times for Pep. You can do both within the course of a game and just because you play an inverted role doesn't mean you can't use your pace. He also doesn't necessarily have to play the inverted role. He could easily play as more of a traditional overlapping LB. The point is that he's got the physical tools to have role here. He offers something different to what we have in the position.