GOOCH ON NEW POSITION Lynden Gooch has been working on his one-on-one defending, and says he is enjoying his new role as a right-back despite previously wanting to play further up the pitch. RIGHT BACK “I’m playing more as a defender working on defending a lot one-vs-one and the way the manager wants me to play. I’ve taken to the role and really enjoyed it and am all in on it." SETTLED POSITION “Obviously in the past I have wanted to play further forward but at this stage of my career this is probably a settled position for me and that’s what I’ve wanted, I’ve wanted to play in a position and know my role and I’m doing that. Hopefully I can just keep playing and keep doing well for the team.” ATTACKING FULLBACKS Nowadays full-backs are really attacking. There are fantastic players who are playing in the Premier League, Trent (Alexander-Arnold), Reece James, players like that who are really good on the ball. I take pride in trying to help the team build from the back and I think my passing has improved as well coming out from the back and starting attacks." LEARNING FROM BARDO “I’ve had plenty of players here who have played that role. I was Phil Bardsley’s boot boy so I know what he was all about.” BALANCE “It’s a bit different, obviously with Ross or Ellis sometimes you have that out ball in behind and at the minute we have a lot of players who want the ball to feet. It’s trying to find the balance of people who want to stretch the game for us as well." SHORT PASSING “We’ve got a lot of technical players who want to get the ball down and play so there’s no point in hoofing the ball forward when you’ve got loads of little number 10s so to speak. It’s a different way of playing but we’ve got those players to do that.” DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCES “I think I was marking their captain who was about 6 ft 4. You have to do your best to try and be aggressive and have that pride to keep the ball out of the net. I think that side, considering how small we are as a team, at the minute is really good.”
'I learned from Bardo that if you abandon position all the time and put a shot into orbit from thirty-five yards out the fans will forgive absolutely any level of performance or lack of behaviour'
'I learned from Bardo If you win loadsa money lie on your back in the casino and throw money in the air your boss wont like it
much better to have settled position to 'specialise' in than 3 or 4 different ones per game. for all that went on, bardo was a solid player for us and not a bad lad to be 'understudy to.
Bardsley made the most of his limited talent ... ... his goal at Old Trafford was part of one of my best nights ever.
