by bigmick » Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:31 pm
With the Simao deal seemingly off, and with various other targets proving difficult it is about time that somebody asked the glaringly obvious. While I know most, (probably correctly) will say it's a resounding yes, the question is not as ridiculous as it may originally seem.
If things continue as they are the moment, it won't be long before the "experts" on the telly are not debating it so here goes.
I have long said that this preoccupation on here with "wingers" is an extreme case of barking up the wrong tree. The idea that we are going to get some tricky dicky winger with Mathewsesque swept back hair bamboozling fullbacks before planting a pinpoint cross onto the waiting bonce of Crouchinho is at odds with the way modern football is played. In almost every case, and I include Chelsea here, teams employ wide-midfielders not wingers. The distinction is that a wide-midfielder works for the team, tracking back and putting his foot in when necessary. A wide-midfielder doesn't hug the touchline, John Robertson style. He tracks infield aswell, he attacks the back post when the ball is crossed from the opposite flank, he'll come inside and have a shot or support the central strikers when the situation allows. He'll defend the front post when the opposition have a corner, heading it out before sprinting upfield to support the breakout frrom defence.
This here is the paradox that sooner or later will need to be addressed. We have the best right midfielder in the Premiership by an absolute distance. He is also the best English right midfielder, including Beckham and Wright-Phillips by a mile. He may even be one of, if not the best right midfielders in the sense of which I detail above anywhere in the World right now. This guy that we have does everything. He scores, he passes, he crosses, he tackles and he heads it. Only trouble is, he's a feckin good central midfielder aswell. Tell you one thing, if we do buy someone and he is 70% of the right-midfielder that Steven Gerrard is, then we'll have a really top player.
"se e in una bottigla ed e bianco, e latte".