Full-backs are becoming an increasingly important part of a team, particularly to sides who play open, expansive football.
There aren’t an excessive amount of teams playing with ‘wingers’ in the Premier League this season. Many sides prefer to use their wider forwards further infield to get more bodies into the box, whilst still maintaining solidity in midfield.
Instead, it’s the full-backs who are being asked to provide width and get crosses into the area. Their defensive responsibilities mean many are covering a lot of ground for their teams week in, week out.
So which Premier League full-back pairings are offering the most to their teams? Here’s our top 10.
10. Adam Smith/Charlie Daniels
Bournemouth
A consistent Premier League pairing that are both important players for Eddie Howe. Bournemouth added to their squad with the £10.7m signing of Leganes left-back Diego Rico in July, but Charlie Daniels has completed all three of the Cherries’ Premier League matches so far this season.
Adam Smith has made the right-back position his own after joining the club from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2014. The pair can often be seen involved in much of Bournemouth’s attacking play, but their defensive capabilities have made them both reliable options for Howe.
9. Cédric Soares/Ryan Bertrand
Southampton
Two players that would definitely not be out of place playing in a side that has performed better than Southampton in recent years.
Cédric Soares has made 32 appearances for Portugal’s senior side since making his debut in October 2014 and played a big part in his country’s European Championship triumph in 2016.
Former Chelsea left-back Ryan Bertrand showcased his quality as recently as last weekend with a thumping strike against Leicester City at St. Mary’s.
8. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Patrick van Aanholt
Crystal Palace
Both of these players have developed a lot in the last year and have the potential to become one of the most dangerous full-back pairings in the Premier League.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 20, has been with Crystal Palace since the age of 11 and made his senior debut in February. He has since gone from strength to strength and plays with maturity beyond his years. He assisted Wilfried Zaha on the opening day of the Premier League season and impressed up against Sadio Mané before an unfortunate sending off in gameweek two.
Patrick van Aanholt continues to enhance his reputation as the league’s most bizarre, but effective full-back. The Dutchman can pop up in areas of the pitch where you’d never expect your left-back to be, but it often works.
He netted on five occasions last season and you wouldn’t bet against him scoring more during this campaign. Dovetailing with Jeffrey Schlupp – a player used in a similarly attacking left-back role previously – in Palace’s 4-4-2 seems to get the best out of the 28-year-old.
7. Seamus Coleman/Leighton Baines
Everton
A full-back pairing that, when fit, have been a real asset for Everton for a number of years.
Seamus Coleman, now 29, started his career as a right-winger but evolved into a dangerous full-back under the guidance of David Moyes and Roberto Martinez. A horrific leg break whilst playing for his country in March 2017 brought a brief halt to his progress, but the Irishman has been an ever-present for Marco Silva so far this season.
The Toffees added French left-back Lucas Digne to their squad for around £18m this summer, a player the club expect to eventually succeed Leighton Baines. But the former England full-back has completed all three of Everton’s Premier League matches so far this season and Digne faces a tough job to dislodge him from the team.
Whether Baines or Digne sit opposite Coleman, Everton possess one of the most well-balanced full-back pairings in the league.
6. Hector Bellerin/Nacho Monreal
Arsenal
A pair that, like most of Arsenal’s side, have endured a difficult year, but have the potential to be very important players for the Gunners under Unai Emery.
That may take time, though. In Arsenal’s most recent game against West Ham, Hector Bellerin actually set up a goal for Nacho Monreal, with the pair both causing trouble in the final third. But their attacking commitments often leave Emery’s side extremely exposed at the back.
It may take time to find the right balance – more to do with Arsenal’s system than the players themselves – but there’s no doubting that this pair could eventually thrive under the new regime at Arsenal.
Bellerin, specifically, already looks to be shouldering much of the attacking burden for the north London side this season.
5. Antonio Valencia/Luke Shaw
Manchester United
United have used a number of players in the full-back positions since Jose Mourinho took over at the club, but it appears they could have nailed down their pair for this season, fitness permitting.
Antonio Valencia has been named as club captain for this season and made his first appearance of the season in a right-wing-back role against Spurs on Monday.
On the other side, Luke Shaw looks to have finally got into Mourinho’s good books and has probably been United’s shining star in an otherwise underwhelming start to the season.
4. César Azpilicueta/Marcos Alonso
Chelsea
A pair that have been ever-present for Maurizio Sarri so far, having both completed all three of Chelsea’s opening Premier League matches.
Neither of these players were actually being used as ‘full-backs’ under Antonio Conte, but both Cesar Azpilicueta and Marco Alonso made a name for themselves in the full-back positions and have been restored to these roles for this season.
Alonso played a big part in much of Chelsea’s good attacking work last season and has already scored once and provided one assist in the Premier League during this campaign, despite having more defensive responsibility in Chelsea’s back four.
3. Kieran Trippier/Ben Davies
Tottenham
A pair that have been a big part of Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs revolution since his arrival from Southampton.
Kieran Trippier showcased his quality to the world this summer with some stellar performances for England in the World Cup, including a stunning free-kick in the semi-finals against Croatia. His quality from dead-ball situations is such an asset for Spurs. In his first two appearances of the season, the former Burnley man scored a free-kick against Fulham and set up a vital goal for Harry Kane at Old Trafford.
Ben Davies used to play back-up to Danny Rose at Spurs, but made the left-back spot his own in 2017/18. Rose had been touted to move on this summer but is now likely to stay at the club and fight for his place. Davies, though, was impressive at both ends of the pitch for Spurs last season and looks likely to carry on as first choice for now.
2. Trent Alexander-Arnold/Andy Robertson
Liverpool
The pairing that has probably developed more than any other in the Premier League during the last 12 months.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is still just 19 and started last season as nothing more than an academy prospect. Since then he has played in a Champions League final with the Reds and for England during the World Cup. It remains to be seen whether Jürgen Klopp will eventually move the youngster into midfield, where he played during most of his youth career, but his pace, energy and distribution from wide areas has become a huge asset for Liverpool.
Andy Robertson began last season as back-up for Alberto Moreno following his move from Hull City. But his determination to work his way into Klopp’s first XI saw him become one of the first names on the team sheet during the second half of the season. The pair of full-backs are perfect for a Klopp team.
1. Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy
Manchester City
The perfect modern-day full-backs.
Some eyebrows were raised when City spent a combined £105m on this pair before the 2017/18 season, but you can’t say it hasn’t paid off.
Kyle Walker was excellent in his debut season for City and, despite having been used as a right-sided centre-back for England at the World Cup, he has slotted in seamlessly again this season.
Benjamin Mendy, of course, missed much of last season with a knee injury, but is back with a bang this season. His dynamism combined with exceptional crossing ability will give Manchester City yet another dimension under Pep Guardiola. A cut above.
The post Ranked: The top 10 Premier League full-back pairings appeared first on Squawka News.
From Squawka NewsSquawka News https://ift.tt/2NAIMqN
No comments:
Post a Comment