"I want to play always with a left-footed centre-back"

[Pogue Mahone]

Didn't think the gaffer would bemuse me quite so early on in the season but come on, that's a crazy way to build a team.

Surely he can't be that inflexible? If he is going to be stubborn about this, can anyone name some really good left-footed CBs we could sign?

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Otamendi. Left sided, right foot (exception?).

What about Garay, is he left footed?

 

[DatIrishFella]

Otamendi

Is Mciahel Goodman can edit his post then so can I.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I find these obsessions strange.

Our best centre back partnership in recent times had no left footed CB. Barcelona who dominated through possession football didn't had first choice right footers. It's just silly IMO.

 

[izec]

There are no left footed top class CBs. Ramos, Otamenid, Hummels are all right footed, but play on the left side. The only one with a left foot we could get is Laporte, but he is still young.

Annoys me.

 

[Varun]

There are no top left footed CBs around so he'll have to make do with someone who's right footed but good with the ball on the left side. Ramos.

 

[ClosetDevil]

Maybe he's just throwing everyone off.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Chiellini is literally the only CB I can think of (had to Google it to make sure) that is left footed and actually quite good.

 

[Kazi]

Good job we have Rojo then

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Is Mciahel Goodman can edit his post then so can I.

Because he's left sided (like Hummels) I always just assume Otamendi is left footed. Couldn't wait to mention his name because we've been linked with the guy non-stop all window, thought OP was taking the piss.

Just to add, I think this left footed stuff is overdone in the minds of some people. If a player is good enough I don't think LvG will care if he's right footed.

 

[Jev]

It's idiotic but he didn't even follow it last year by benching Rojo.

 

[duffer]

Why? Because most forwards are right footed? Seems weird.

You lot need to keep an eye on this lunatic, it'll be star signs and midichlorians next.

 

[SambaBoy]

Makes no sense with the personnel we have. Smalling is our best CB and he's right footed and the two signings we are linked with are right footed (Otamendi and Ramos) unless he plans to have Rojo as the left sided CB.

 

[MDFC Manager]

It's idiotic but he didn't even follow it last year by benching Rojo.

He later said it's only a preference and other players can, and have, played there

 

[Gopher Brown]

In a central position surely it doesn't make much of a difference though. I can understand wingers and fullbacks needing a certain foot, but not centre backs. Surely he wants them passing short to midfield rather than attempting long aerial passes, and the foot you use for short passes doesn't matter a great deal.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Also why does it only apply to centre backs? Why not central midfield as well?

 

[Cnaiür urs Skiötha]

Rojo it is then. With our midfield packed Blind will be first backup to Shaw. Rojo is a better CB than LB and would do well beside one of Smalling/Jones.

 

[LR7]

It's why Blackett got chances early on (plus injuries) last season. But LvG isn't totally inflexible as we played two right footed centre back pairings plenty of times last season even when Rojo was available. I just think it's his preference.

 

[MDFC Manager]

It's why Blackett got chances early on (plus injuries) last season. But LvG isn't totally inflexible as we played two right footed centre back pairings plenty of times last season even when Rojo was available. I just think it's his preference.

True. If he was truly inflexible, our CB targets wouldn't figure Ramos and Otamendi, and Hummels previously.

 

[NK86]

Why? Because most forwards are right footed? Seems weird.

You lot need to keep an eye on this lunatic, it'll be star signs and midichlorians next.

i was just watching star wars episode 4 a lil while back

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Just train your players to be two footed. Gym work + practice. It's not hard. No excuse for being totally one footed if you're a professional footballer and your 9 to 5 is football.

 

[Lawman]

Just train your players to be two footed. Gym work + practice. It's not hard. No excuse for being totally one footed if you're a professional footballer and your 9 to 5 is football.

Football is not 9-5 buddy and if was that easy all footballers would be two footed. So yes it is hard.

 

[ivaldo]

Blackett + 1 then.

 

[kps88]

In the next sentence he does go on to say how Jones, Smalling and McNair all played in that slot last season which suggests it's not something set in stone. Just his preference in an ideal world, albeit a bizarre one. If he started playing Blind there while leaving CBs on the bench, we would have had a problem.

 

[ADJUDICATOR]

Chiellini and Badstuber are the only experienced ones I can think of that are still playing at at the top level ( not cruising or past it like Agger ). I don't know how Badstuber is doing at the moment though.

Other than that there's Inigo Martinez who was highly rated at one point. The rest are young with potential: Laporte, Romagnoli, Umtiti, Nastasic, (FM Legend) Balanta and so on.

 

[Empire]

I think he means capable of playing with his left foot and comfortable if he moves closer to the left flank, I remember in part of last season Jones found himself receiving the ball not far from the left touchline when he was playing LCB but he didn't look comfortable playing quick passes as he needed to use his right foot.

If the player has a good left foot that would be the manager's preference but I'm sure if Smalling performed considerably better than Rojo as LCB then the manager would choose the better player because above all else he wants to win.

 

[settembrini]

He's not that inflexible. It's his preference but not a necessity, we saw that last season.

Also I don't find it as baffling as some. He wants us to build from the back with our defenders being far more involved with possession than they were under previous managers, again we saw that last season. All other things being equal then a left sided centre back will be more comfortable bringing the ball forward if he is left footed and not right footed.

A good example of this was Evans in the 11/12 season. With Vidic injured and Ferdinand's abilities starting to decline with age Ferguson began deploying Evans as the right sided centre back and his game improved significantly.

Whenever I played, it was always on the left side of defence,' said Evans.

'Growing up I was probably always a bit more capable of using my left foot than whoever was alongside me in the centre, so I ended up on the left side.

'It's harder bringing the ball out of defence on your left side, though.

'When you're passing the ball five yards you're fine using your weaker foot but if you're driving into space and dribbling forward, you ideally want the ball on your good side.

'This season I've been able to move to the right-hand side and that's helped me.

'I've definitely felt more comfortable bringing the ball out and starting attacks.'

Unfortunately for Evans as soon as Vidic was fit Ferguson went straight back to his old players and he has hardly played a game on that side since.

 

[Sid234]

Anyone notice how he ignored mentioning Evans and Blackett in list of left footed cb options.

He talks about how Jones, Smalling and McNair have played as LCB to but the only left footed CB's he has available for next season are Rojo & Blind.

Pretty much confirms Evans' exit and maybe Blackett leaving on loan

 

[Getsme]

Anyone notice how he ignored mentioning Evans and Blackett in list of left footed cb options.

He talks about how Jones, Smalling and McNair have played as LCB to but the only left footed CB's he has available for next season are Rojo & Blind.

Pretty much confirms Evans' exit and maybe Blackett leaving on loan

Evans is right footed.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

He's not that inflexible. It's his preference but not a necessity, we saw that last season.

Also I don't find it as baffling as some. He wants us to build from the back with our defenders being far more involved with possession than they were under previous managers, again we saw that last season. All other things being equal then a left sided centre back will be more comfortable bringing the ball forward if he is left footed and not right footed.

A good example of this was Evans in the 11/12 season. With Vidic injured and Ferdinand's abilities starting to decline with age Ferguson began deploying Evans as the right sided centre back and his game improved significantly.



Unfortunately for Evans as soon as Vidic was fit Ferguson went straight back to his old players and he has hardly played a game on that side since.

Would you want blind to start ahead of schweinsteiger as a LCM due to him being left footed?

 

[Sid234]

Evans is right footed.

He can play with his left even though he's primarily right footed. And Van Gaal fails to mention him at all while he mentioned Smalling, Jones and McNair as players who have played LCB.

 

[Getsme]

He can play with his left even though he's primarily right footed. And Van Gaal fails to mention him at all while he mentioned Smalling, Jones and McNair as players who have played LCB.

Just saying.

 

[FreakyJim]

LVG reminds me of Dwight from the us office.

 

[settembrini]

Would you want blind to start ahead of schweinsteiger as a LCM due to him being left footed?

It would be one factor, amongst many, that I would consider.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

It would be one factor, amongst many, that I would consider.

If both were playing to their abilities who would you play?

 

[settembrini]

If both were playing to their abilities who would you play?

Schweinsteiger.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Schweinsteiger.

And so would Van Gaal, I'd say.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Schweinsteiger.

That's my point. It can be a slight preference but it can't be the deciding factor, nor do I think it is for lvg to be fair. But I find it confusing how it's only applied to central defence and not other areas.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Not this again! Right footed defensive midfield, now this? Maybe he wants a left sided centre back, who is comfortable on their left, otherwise why bid for Ramos (right footed centre back), when we've got Jones and Smalling, who would presumably occupy the right centre back role?

I just think Van Gaal wants someone who is comfortable at LCB. Ramos, Otamendi, Hummels, etc. Hope so anyway.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Is it because in possession football the centre backs split really wide? That would result in them playing less central than usual.