AND YOU, WHAT DO YOU PLAY?

In the modern game specialist are just ending. Except the only real specialist there (by force or by circumstances), which is the goalkeeper, nowadays there is almost no player that can only play in one position. That about "I'm right Full-Back, left Midfielder or Striker" is over. Today demands versatility, the player who, depending of the game and/or circumstances can make different functions: the Full-Back that makes 6 or 8 goals per season or the Winger that recover 3 or 4 balls per game. This, as examples, is the most important today.  Or maybe not? Is it possible that it is more interesting for us a striker that recovers balls and gives options for second-line players than a striker with little ability to work? Is it possible to want a Central Defender that can play as Full-back or Defensive Midfielder because he is fast and has good placement on the pitch, but has no height? Is it possible to prefer a winger that plays “wrong-footed” than a "classic" one?

I say yes. That EVERYTHING is possible.  ALL is useful.  But ALL means ALL. That is, it can be good "business as usual" as "news". Anything can be useful, if we use it correctly and appropriately. The first job of a Full-back is to defend his flank. The first job of a Winger is to cross balls and, the first job of a Striker is to score goals. And all this, go through the usual: to know the characteristics of the players we have, be clear about how the team plays, and be clear about the type of player that is needed or that can improve our team. Let us be clear, too, that any team in the World wants Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robben or Rooney. But we're not talking about these players. We are talking about those, considered good or very good players who do not have that "status". Players who stand out enough, but when you get to a certain role, they lose much of their meaning. Or players who do nothing spectacular, but don’t do anything wrong.

It can be that, for that about trying to make as few mistakes as possible, since more and more games are decided by small details (or small errors), is much sought this type of player. As not everyone has the ability to acquire great "cracks", they seek the easiest. And not always it is. You have to know very well to see the potential of a player to guess that he can play several positions and in none of them, he will do badly. Maybe at none he will be a consummate specialist, but, as he has what they call "reliability", he can solve problems that may arise.

Now, we go to the opposite side. And what if we are able to produce a stopper that is a stopper? Or a winger that is a winger? Aren’t we interested on it? I think that, many times, we train the players without thinking about what they could do. Do not confuse "what they do" with "what they could do." Not the same. A player can be very good finishing on goal, but he is unable to create a play. It, therefore, seems logical to play Striker. Now, what kind of striker? Because not all Strikers are the same. Neither all the Wingers. There are some of them very good at crossing when running; others do it better in a static position. And, like this, any type of player you want. Even the Goalkeeper, that we said he was a specialist, can be of many types: the one that saves very well, the ones with strengths on aerials balls. Others are very good with feet, others are very good at 1v1, etc..

Therefore, I think it's a basic job of the coaches to discover, as soon as possible, the strengths and weaknesses of the players, to enhance ones and to correct others. Then, we will have players who are very good at many things. If you only do one good thing, you have to do it in an amazing way, because if not, unlikely you’ll triumph. The more records you master, more options, and this is learned when you are a child, when you start to play football. It is essential to learn the "Principles of the Game" young, to know how to orientate a mark or how to put the foot to send a ball across the field or, what it is a cover or a delay. The best players are the ones with more knowledge about these things.

By the way, and you, what do you play?

Jordi Pascual

You can follow me on Twitter: @JordiPascualP