http://www.theoriginalcoach.com/#!the-evolution-of-wide-players/c1vkf UEFA A licence coach, Gary Curneen, examines how the role of the winger and full-back is changing under the tutelage of Chelsea manager José Mourinho. [HR][/HR] Like many others at the time, I wondered why Juan Mata could not get a game at Chelsea under José Mourinho. A player who is wonderfully gifted and can carve open defences in the blink of an eye should surely be the first name on the team sheet of any Premier League side. The Portuguese schemer, however, showed the world why Juan Mata does not fit into his system, and more importantly, left us all wondering if that type of player fits into any successful system in the modern game. The Chelsea team that that has consistently been the best in the country this season includes two or three of Willian, Oscar, André Schürrle and Eden Hazard; players who frequently give a master class in defending and attacking as a unit. They show pace and power on the counter-attack, a willingness to work defensively for the team, and enough quality to give Chelsea invaluable victories, even when they see less of the ball that their opponent. On Sky Sportsâ Monday Night Football, Gary Neville summed up the evolution of the wide players in the modern game: âFull backs have got to be wingers, and wingers have got to be full backs. There is no excuse anymore.â German teams like Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, who are thriving in European competition, have also followed suit. This school of thought could not be highlighted any better than the winning goal in last seasonâs crucial game between Chelsea and Manchester City. David Silva, Manchester Cityâs left sided attacker, made two crucial decisions that contributed to the winner. Firstly, he opted to occupy a central position when the ball was in transition, which was a position where City already had the majority of their players. Secondly, he did not show any desire to recover and work for his team. As a result, this invited Branislav Ivanović to join in the Chelsea attack - almost wander into the attacking third - and score the winning goal. Now we cannot put the blame solely at Silva, who has been a revelation for Manchester City since he joined but would Mourinho have tolerated those decisions in his own Chelsea team? I think the fact that he let Mata go, and his subsequent struggles in Manchester, suggests not. When I attended the NSCAA Convention in Philadephia, Dave Carolan did a fantastic presentation about the physical demands in the game today and how this impacts our coaching. He identified Dani Alves as player now operating in a ânew positionâ within the modern game. He may primarily have defensive roles but will spend more time in the opposition half and is an integral part of the Barcelona attack. The average physical demands of Alves in one game include 11.30kms distance covered, and 39 sprints with only 46 seconds to recover between each one. These requirements are the highest of all physical parameters in the team. Alves may not have a fixed position but he has multiple responsibilities within the framework of the team so is expected to occupy the whole right side. When you look to the Chelsea team, you can see that Ivanovic plays this role. This is backed up with the fact his average position since the beginning of last season is on the half-way line. This evolution of wide players will challenge coaches in a number of ways. Tactically, can we now look at luxury players on both sides of the ball? Obviously, the Mata/Silva type attacker who has no defensive responsibilities is one. But how about the traditional defensive full-back who does not venture forward and stays connected to the central defender? Accommodating both types of players in your team today is giving up an awful lot and will be exploited against top opposition. The next challenge for coaches is how to develop these players. Training sessions today surely must require a level of intensity that can progress the already technically and physically efficient player to a higher level where they become fully equipped to deal with the demands of this unique position. The challenges extend to off the field too. These players will require every bit of help from the sport science staff to maximize their potential and thrive in a game now dominated by world-class athletes. And letâs not forget the psychology side of the game. How does the Chelsea boss convince multi-million pound talents to chase back towards their own goal and embrace huge workloads that they have never before experienced? Mourinho recently said his players were âhumble and ready to work hard defensivelyâ when the opponent has the ball. The qualities of a playerâs character seem to be almost as important as the physical and technical ones. Because for Mourinho, the master of maximizing team performance, it all matters. Big titles are sometimes won by small margins. Who knows how important this change in the game will have when the Premier League trophy is being lifted in May.
mourinho got shut of mata and luiz as quick as you lik. oscar adpated immediately, hazard took a couple month to realise he had to work. costa is ideally suited. Matic was bought for mourinho and fabregas is 1000 times the player he was at barca as the indulgence of him has ended and he's playing propoer midfield role. some would call it a straight jacket. I'd call chasing back and working for the team a simple requirement. indulged players exist right round the grounds. yaya is a fine example and why city are way off the ace now.
The modern day full back is a position I really like, unfortunately finding a player that can attack and defend is rare and this is why the cost of these players has rocketed. My lad plays this position and I love watching him as he does the attacking and defending roles brilliantly, you have to be so fit to play this position in the modern game.
