THE RIGHT WINGER SERIES PT8: CONCLUSION
So we have taken 7 weeks to get to this point: Who is England’s best Right Winger? After profiling 5 men; Beckham, Walcott, Bentley, Lennon, Wright-Phillips and Milner what conclusion have we come to?
England currently have some pretty good options in the midfield. Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick, Barry etc. Owen Hargreaves is returning to full fitness…
Capello seems to have settled on Lampard and Barry as his first choice partnership in the middle – although a fit Hargreaves could change that. This means that Gerrard has been used in a fluid left wing position. He drifts in and out and links up play. Therefore the only place left to debate really is the right wing.
Joe Cole and Ashley Young would be my back-up left wingers, so that means we only have 2 or 3 places left in the squad.
In a squad you want a couple of options. With that in mind I would pick Lennon, Walcott and Beckham.
Lennon should be England’s first choice winger. He is an out and out winger. He’s fast, tricky, a good crosser and possesses decent goal scoring ability. He can create space and goal scoring opportunities and that’s what being a winger is all about.
Beckham still has one of the best right foots in the game. His leadership and calm, mature head is a valuable asset to the team. And if plan A isn’t working, throw on Beckham and Crouch and I can guarantee you a goal.
Walcott is a good winger. He is lightening fast and has a good eye for a gap. He can also double-up as a striker.
A midfield with Gerrard, Lampard and Lennon sounds very dangerous. And looking across to the bench and seeing J.Cole, Young, Beckham and Walcott instills belief that England could just have the squad to challenge for top honors.
Read ‘Part 1-7′ here:
THE RIGHT WINGER SERIES PT7: MILNER
Leeds United have produced many great players. The list of past Leeds players is a long and interesting one. Rio Ferdinand, Jonathan Woodgate, Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell, Alan Smith and many more. We have already had a look at one of their past wingers. Aaron Lennon made is debut for Leeds at just 16 years old. Today we look at another player who made his Leeds debut at just 16 – James Milner.
James Milner wouldn’t be described as a ‘typical winger’. He certainly possesses the ability to beat defenders – more because of clever play than speed and trickery however.
Milner has made an amazing 46 England U21 appearances! So what does James add to the team?
Milner is a great all-round player who is comfortable on the right or left wing. He has decent pace, a good eye for a pass and is happy to get stuck in and make some tackles. He reminds me a little of Park Ji Sung or Dirk Kuyt. He isn’t a prolific scorer (9 goals in his 46 appearances) but his ability to launch himself up the pitch and deliver a clever through ball, creates opportunities for others to score.
In my opinion wingers are in the side to create goal scoring opportunities. They hang wide to create space, they cut in to make use of that space or they use the channel to draw defenders away so attackers can utilize the created space. Yes, the more they can score the better but their main purpose – for me – is to create goal scoring opportunities. Be it a clever pass, a pin-point cross, a shot that gets parried…
James Milner does that job. His ability to read the game makes him a very dangerous player to have on the field. He can slot happily into the middle of the field as well as right or left back. England have a pretty good starting 11 and I don’t think Milner is good enough to be pushing his way in there yet but his adaptability could be an invaluable asset to the squad. Milner has been used mainly on the left for England of late. He probably finds himself behind Beckham, Lennon and Walcott. With the right so full of options, Joe Cole returning to full fitness and Ashley Young finding good form his place on the plane is far from guaranteed.
Read ‘Part 1-6′ here:
I AM… A STRIKER
So you are a striker? What kind of a striker are you? A powerful forward who likes to get the ball on his head so you can flick it into space? Maybe you are the speedy poacher looking for the flick on. Could you be a powerhouse who can’t be pushed off the ball? Maybe a silky, mafia-inspired master of the delicate touch…
There are many different styles of strikers and forwards. Rooney, Defoe, Crouch, Cole, Drogba… they all have different strengths and weaknesses. I don’t think there is such a thing as a perfect striker. You need a poacher, someone who can provide space and deft touches and a powerful, pacy front man.
So which boots do all these guys use? Well once again they haven’t made it easy to pick.
Manchester United’s front pair, Rooney and Berbatov both wear power boots – T90’s and Predators respectively.
Chelsea’s Drogba (in Vapours) and Anelka (in V1.10s) sport speed boots.
Arsenal mix it up with van Persie in Predators and both Eduardo and Bendtner in Vapours.
Of the four strikers that Spurs boast, three wear speed boots, while Robbie Keane wears T90 power boots.
So far the main absentees are the ‘touch’ or ‘heritage’ boots. Karim Benzema used to wear AdiPures but has switched to the newly released Predator X. Carlos Tevez wears Nike Tiempos as does Aston Villa’s Heskey and West Ham’s Carlton Cole.
Once again it does seem that any boot will do. The biggest issue is not which boots you wear, but what your style of play is.
Do you call yourself Torres? Or Rooney? You would best fit into Power boots.
Is Drogba your role model? Defoe your hero? Perhaps a pair of speed boots would suit you best.
If you are a hard working team player like Tevez and Heskey – touch/heritage boots are calling your name.
For something a little different why not try a pair of Umbro Speciali boots. Umbro only have about a 6% share in the Premier League boot market but so far have 14 goals to their name. Mainly thanks to Sunderland’s David Bent. Although Michael Owen has helped a little too.
THE RIGHT WINGER PT6 – WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
Shaun Wright-Phillips is an interesting case. The former Chelsea player has always been there or there about when it comes to the England squad. He doesn’t seem to be Cappelo’s first choice right winger but how far down the pecking order is he? Beckham seems to have secured a place in the squad. Walcott has been injured for a while so hasn’t been picked. Aaron Lennon has been starting the last couple of games. So does that leave SWP only fourth? And therefore without a plane ticket…
There are certain players who when they get the ball, fear is visibly installed in defenders. Spectators want them to get the ball because they are exciting to watch. Their job is to run at defenders, whip in crosses, and cause chaos.
SWP doesn’t really do that for me. I sometimes think the defender should just let him run to the byline because when he tries to cross the ball, it will go out for a goal kick.
He does have ability; there is no doubt about that. I feel that his final ball however isn’t great. Sometimes his first touch can let him down and being small he can be easily pushed off the ball. I think many teams in the premier league would like to have him on their books because he is a talent. Perhaps, for me, just not world class.
Read ‘Part 1-5′ here:
I AM… A WINGER
In part three of the “I am” series, we take a look at wingers.
Wingers are there to give a team width, attacking edge and a bit of flair. Most often they are fast, tricky and good crossers of the ball.
Ronaldo, Lennon and Ribery spring to mind.
If we take a look at Manchester United, we notice that all of their wingers wear different boots. We have Nani in Nike Vapours, Valencia in Adidas Predators and Park can be seen in Nike Tiempo Legends.
For the most part wingers wear speed boots. Again, Ronaldo, Lennon, Ribery and Nani are good examples – they all wear Nike Vapours. Then you have the likes of Ashley Young and Arjen Robben who wear the new Adidas F50i’s.
Interestingly, one of the greatest wingers of all time: David Beckham, does not wear speed boots. Beckham is the face of Adidas Predators and has pretty much been wearing them since he began. The new United right winger, Antonio Valencia also sports these power boots.
You can find the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, the German winger wearing Adidas AdiPure – a touch boot. Park Ji Sung and Joe Cole also wear Nike’s touch boot – the Tiempo Legends. Another Chelsea boy, Florent Malouda has recently opted to wear the new Nike CTR360 boot – which is an interesting choice.
All in all, it again appears that there is no rule. Two pairs of boots that don’t seem to be worn at all however are Puma’s V-Konstrukt and Nike’s T90 Laser, both of which are power boots. Most wingers, it seems will go for speed or touch.
Another two pairs which haven’t been mentioned (mainly due to the lack of players who wear them) are Reebok and Puma’s version of the speed boot: The Instante Pro and V1.10 respectively. Ryan Giggs, another wing legend, is using his Reeboks to great effect and playing some of the best football of his life. One of Puma’s most recognizable wingers is David Bentley but he can’t seem to get off the bench.
My advice: If you are a fast, tricky winger – a Lennon type – your best bet is a speed boot. If you tend more towards beating one and then whipping in a cross, a Beckham style Predator boot is a good bet.
THE RIGHT WINGER PT5 – LENNON
Possibly the hardest thing about being a writer who has decided to remain neutral, is to in fact remain neutral!
Now I don’t want to be too harsh on anybody. Neither do I want to over sing someone’s praise.
I do however find it very hard not to sing the praise of Aaron Lennon!
To me Lennon is the future for England. Fast, tricky, confident, fast (yes I said that twice), he can run at and beat defenders, get crosses in and most importantly he scores goals – good ones!
On top of that he creates goals, that he and others can score. Some wingers may score the odd goal but it’s a case of right place, right time.
This boy can do all the hard work and put the ball in the net at the end.
Once again our good friend Sven, I think was on to something when he picked him to go to the 06 World Cup. Even then he was being primed as Beckham’s successor and that’s exactly what I think he should be.
Lennon had a rough season last year with a whack to his confidence, but (as with most of the Hotspur players) the arrival of Harry Redknapp has brought the best out of him again.
At still just 22 years of age, Lennon has plenty of years ahead of him to mature even more and become possibly one of the best wingers in the league and England’s main wide man.
I certainly think he has the potential to do so! Aaron Lennon could become a name and player talked about all over Europe and I wouldn’t be surprised if ‘bigger’ teams come knocking!
Let’s just hope he doesn’t go to Liverpool – it didn’t work for Crouch and Keane.
Read ‘Part 1,2,3&4′ here:
I AM… A MIDFIELDER
Part two (or three if you count the introduction…) of the ‘I AM’ series where we look at which boots would best suit your style of play.
The midfield is so often called the ‘engine room’ of a team. I believe there are three types/styles of midfielder; defensive, central and attacking. Here are a couple of examples of each:
Defensive (CDM): Hargreaves, Palacios, Mascherano – hard tackling, ball winners.
Central (CM): Carrick, Alonso, Jenas – silky smooth, brilliant passers.
Attacking (CAM): Lampard, Gerrard, Fabregas – creative game runners.
Each type/style have their own traits.
CDM’s will be looking to dominate the area just in front of the back four. Sliding into tackles and clearing the area of danger, they work hard to stop any advance from the opposition’s play makers and attackers. Sounds to me like a job for a pair of power boots. All three of the examples I gave have been known to wear the Nike power boot, the T90 Laser.
CM’s are not scared to put in a solid tackle. They are not shy of sticking one in the back of the net either. Their greatest strength however is their passing ability. They control the play, build from the back, arrange the attack, slow down the play and push up the tempo. They very often run the show – but from behind the curtain. What they need most is a good touch. Hence all three of my examples have chosen touch boots – albeit from three different brands.
Everyone wants to be a CAM: charge late into the box, exchange deft little one-two passes, slip one past the keeper – it’s the life! Lampard uses the Adidas AdiPure touch boots, Gerrard is an avid Predator user. Touch or power? Both are useful and needed. Perhaps Fabregas has it right. The all new Nike CTR360 is labeled an “all round” boot. The best of both worlds? Perhaps Nike have created the ultimate midfielder’s boot? We will have to wait and see…
For something different why not try Under Armour’s Dominate Pro boot.
Read part 1 here:
THE RIGHT WINGER PT4 – WALCOTT
Possibly the fastest winger in the premiership, Theo went from zero to “who the hell is that?” to “this boy’s got talent” to “saviour of England” to “needs to mature – but great potential!”.
My personal opinion is that he should be a striker. In a brilliant display, Walcott scored a hat trick against Croatia last September all three of which, I feel where more classic ‘striker’ goals than ‘winger’ goals.
However with his improved crossing ability and desire to run at defenders – and easily past them – this boy is a real threat out wide.
Where he ends up on the pitch for England long term remains to be seen.
Fast, attacking, full of tricks and confident – that’s what you want in a winger and Theo seems to be everyone’s first choice.
I say even if he isn’t your first choice – take him. You get a decent winger and an extra option up front for free.
Read ‘Part 1,2&3′ here:
I AM – A NOTE FOR KEEPERS
In the introduction to this series I said that goal keepers should pick “the ones that you like best. There doesn’t seem to be any kind of pattern there!”
Well I haven’t discovered a pattern. What I did remember however was a pair of boots I saw a while back.
The Uhlsport Kickschuh Torkralle (what a name!) was designed with keepers in mind. What separates them from the pack are the “teeth” on the toe of the boot designed to give you the best grip possible.
Not the prettiest boot in the world… but then again you are there to stop goals being scored and not win the fancy dress award…
I AM… A DEFENDER
As I said in the introduction, this is by no means an exact science. There are always players who wear a different boot than the perceived norm. That is the same in this case!
First off, what traits do good defenders need? Well, it must be said that there are at least three different kinds of defenders. I will use Manchester United to illustrate this point (partly because they went so long without conceding last year, so they must be decent).
I believe a good centre pairing needs two types of defenders; a destroyer and a styler.
United have a very good “destroyer” in Vidic. This kind will break you in half and laugh about it as they walk away. Fearless warriors really. Think the likes of Terry, Cannavaro, Carragher… the list goes on.
Once you’ve won the ball you need to play it out and counter attack. That’s where a “styler” comes in. In this case it’s Ferdinand. Others in this mold are Carvalho, Agger, etc.
Add to that two fast (very important) and attack minded full backs and you have a potent back four.
United can field a back four with boots from Nike, Puma and Adidas. The most common one however would be the Nike Laser – a ‘power’ boot. Vidic wears Puma’s v-Konstrukt – also a power boot. Another boot used often is the Predator which is Adidas’ power boot. Now Gallas would go and use Vapors which are speed boots… but I did say this isn’t a science.
A picture of United’s first choice back four looks like this.
My deduction: If you are defender you should probably be looking at power boots.
For something different maybe have a look at the new Concave PT+ boots.
