Left footed right midfielders

[Ronnie Whelan]

I know there are a few people on here who manage underage teams and even more who, at one stage were sure they were going to make it and I would like to get your thoughts on this:

 

When I graced the field with my pressence before a string of bad injuries ruined it for world football, I used to apply my skills on the right side of midfield, or at least, that was my preferred position. However we only had two managers at underage level and another at representative level. One insisted on playing me at left midfield. I can play with my left, but my right is stronger and I can put more dangerous balls in from the right. The idea was to capitalise when you cut inside the full back and get a chance to put on shot on goal.

 

Bulls*** I say. Wing play is about getting quality ball into the box. Sure if the oppoortunity arises then take a shot on, but the wingers should be utilised with this being their primary objective.

 

My name sake was on RTE as a pundit last night and commented after seeing a replay of Fabregas' first goal that Hlebs play was exactly why left footers should play on the right. Its still b******s even if Ronnie thinks to the contrary.

[John am Rhein]

You were good a left midfield. Cracking winner in the 1983 League Cup final.

 

And you played center midfield with distinction later on as well.

[Stevie H]

professional players have no excuse for not being able to use both feet equally well. they do nothing else apart from practice ffs.

 

i've always thought that left footed players are much more one-footed than right footers though, as if 100% of their technique was in the left foot whereas right footed players could use their left a bit better. can't think of too many left footed right midfielders yet there've been some fantastic right footed left midfielders. ronaldinho and pires off the top of my head of recent ones.

[_00_deathscar]

Left footed right midfielders - Messi, Zidane, Nedved.

Edited October 24, 2007 by _00_deathscar

[Stevie H]

Left footed right midfielders - Messi, Zidane, Nedved.

 

both zidane and nedved = right footed left midfielders.

[The Hitman]

Depends on the player.

Joe Cole,for instance-I think is much better as a right footed player on the left-hand side.This is because he hasn't really got the pace to go outside a player,on the right,and whip in a cross.

However,on the left-he can cut inside on his right foot and shoot.

 

It largely depends on what type of football you play.Not all wide players are wingers,and might prefer to cut inside onto their stronger foot.

[Gunga Din]

whenever i was playing, our manager would frequently play a left footed player on the right midfield and a left footer on the right side. the reason for this was our two of our strikers werent that tall, and he preferred the two wide midfielders to cut infield and plat to feet rather than get to the byline and cross. i always felt, however, that at times it left our full backs exposed and we played far too narrow.

[goodrobotusses]

Is a favourite trick of Strachan's, that. At Southampton he always played Fernandes on the right, as he does with Nakamura at Celtic. I guess it works for him, as those two were/are among their team's most potent attacking weapons. Neither is a flying winger, mind, so I guess that they work better as wide playmakers, who can either cut back and put the ball in, or drift inside to effect play that way. On the left I guess they'd have to stick to playing it Beckham-style - too slow to beat a full-back, therefore reliant on their own full-back to take the man away before crossing from deep.

[John am Rhein]

professional players have no excuse for not being able to use both feet equally well. they do nothing else apart from practice ffs.

 

i've always thought that left footed players are much more one-footed than right footers though, as if 100% of their technique was in the left foot whereas right footed players could use their left a bit better. can't think of too many left footed right midfielders yet there've been some fantastic right footed left midfielders. ronaldinho and pires off the top of my head of recent ones.

 

Three words: John Arne F*cking Riise

[John am Rhein]

Generally speaking, cutting inside (preferably on a stronger foot) is a better option than trying to get to the bye line and cross. Far more ways to create a chance with the 'inside' option than the other way. 'outside right/outside left' football went out in the mid 60s really.

[Ronnie Whelan]

It largely depends on what type of football you play.Not all wide players are wingers,and might prefer to cut inside onto their stronger foot.

 

It definitely does depend on the type of football and the ability of your centre forwards, both in the air and on the ground. When it comes to wingers I like to see them attack the full back and get a ball into box in 4-4-2 old school type of way.

 

 

Messi and/or Ronaldinho play left or right on a 4-3-3 which is entirely different than a winger on 4-4-2.

Edited October 24, 2007 by Ronnie Whelan

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

professional players have no excuse for not being able to use both feet equally well. they do nothing else apart from practice ffs.

 

i've always thought that left footed players are much more one-footed than right footers though, as if 100% of their technique was in the left foot whereas right footed players could use their left a bit better. can't think of too many left footed right midfielders yet there've been some fantastic right footed left midfielders. ronaldinho and pires off the top of my head of recent ones.

Riise being an exception, obviously...

 

If I was a pro, I'd spend an hour each day afetr training working on my weaker foot (left). Dead-balls, moving balls, volleying etc - get a coach to kick, throw balls to you etc

[John am Rhein]

It definitely does depend on the type of football and the ability of your centre forwards, both in the air and on the ground. When it comes to stikers I like to see them attack the full back and get a ball into box in 4-4-2 old school type of way.

 

[Stevie H]

Generally speaking, cutting inside (preferably on a stronger foot) is a better option than trying to get to the bye line and cross. Far more ways to create a chance with the 'inside' option than the other way. 'outside right/outside left' football went out in the mid 60s really.

arsenal being a case in point. wide mid cuts in and has more passing options including the overlapping fullback. wide mids who go outside maybe have two forwards to aim for and the possibility of a midfielder coming on for the pullback.

[John am Rhein]

arsenal being a case in point. wide mid cuts in and has more passing options including the overlapping fullback. wide mids who go outside maybe have two forwards to aim for and the possibility of a midfielder coming on for the pullback.

 

And if this player is a left footer on the right or a right footer on the left then there's also the considerable danger of him having a shot himself.

[Stevie H]

Riise being an exception, obviously...

 

If I was a pro, I'd spend an hour each day afetr training working on my weaker foot (left). Dead-balls, moving balls, volleying etc - get a coach to kick, throw balls to you etc

as a kid one of the first training exercises i got told to do was practise banging a ball back and to against a wall with a boot only on your left foot, just a sock on your right. made you practise your touch and feel for the ball with your weaker foot and i ended up being both footed by about the age of thirteen or so.

[Stevie H]

And if this player is a left footer on the right or a right footer on the left then there's also the considerable danger of him having a shot himself.

as with arsenal's diaby recently. cf also henry and pires.

[fred milne]

as with arsenal's diaby recently. cf also henry and pires.

Its definitely something Wenger likes. Overmars was right-footed and Ljundberg was at his best on the left (e.g. run-in to 2001-2 season when Pires did his cruciate). Is Rosicky right-footed?

[Stevie H]

Its definitely something Wenger likes. Overmars was right-footed and Ljundberg was at his best on the left (e.g. run-in to 2001-2 season when Pires did his cruciate). Is Rosicky right-footed?

he is. tallies with arsenal's very attacking leftbacks cole and clichy.

[Murphman]

Left footers do indeed look more one footed than right footers, don't know why but they do yet I've see no evidence to say that it's anything other than an illusion.

 

Unless your 'weaker' foot is strong enough to smash a wicked outswinging cross to the far post from the byline adjacent to the corner flag you shouldn't be on that side of the park unless it's a temporary switch to unsettle the opposition.

 

In my opinion.

[fred milne]

he is. tallies with arsenal's very attacking leftbacks cole and clichy.

And Silvinho. Not so much Winterburn.

[The Hitman]

Three words: John Arne F*cking Riise

That's four words.

And maybe that's why he's so crap these days,he's been getting f*cked by John Arne.

[Ronnie Whelan]

Even that wouldnt explain how bad he has been.

[Stevie H]

And Silvinho. Not so much Winterburn.

though of course wenger inherited winterburn rather than signed him.

[John am Rhein]

That's four words.

 

knew it would work!