Always find it a bit baffling that a right footed winger plays on the left and a left footed winger plays on right.
Over the years United have had great wingers, with pace and great crossing ability.
When you play a winger on the "wrong" side, they run down the wing at pace but have to put a foot on it to get it back to their better foot to be able to whip in a decent cross.
Hence the pace of Young and Di Maria is nullified as the switch back to their better foot gives the defenders vital seconds to get into position.
Could you ever imagine how David Beckham would have faired playing left side?
As with Di Maria last night, he was forced to come inside to conjested areas. Yes i know he delivered the cross for our goal but he looked far better on the left. Similarly didnt Ashley Young play mostly for Villa on the right?
I know switching wingers wont resolve everything but at least we can utilise pace a bit more rather than stopping to get it on their better foot all the time.
Simple things really.
Which Wing?
posted on 10/3/15
You should only use wingers on the wrong side if you've got fullbacks that are capable of bombing forward to provide the width, otherwise it defeats the whole purpose
posted on 10/3/15
comment by John Tezza (U20384)
posted 2 minutes ago
You should only use wingers on the wrong side if you've got fullbacks that are capable of bombing forward to provide the width, otherwise it defeats the whole purpose
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Exactly.
posted on 10/3/15
It depends on your teams tactics. If all you're concerned with is getting crosses into the box then yes, left wingers should play on the left and right wingers on the right. But is that the football you want United to play? Rooney, Falcao, RVP...even Fellaini are decent in the air but none are what you would consider prolific like Shearer or Crouch for example. You have to play to your teams strengths and at the moment that ain't high crosses into the box