Which position do you think will become obsolete in the future?

[horsechoker]

Certain positions fall out of usage due to the constant change in tactics at the top level.

For example, a solitary sweeper is no longer used although certain defenders may perform this as a secondary role.

Pure number tens are starting to disappear but players like Fernandes are keeping the role alive.

Traditional wingers have become rarer with inside forwards being preferred by many top clubs.

 

[Nani Nana]

Don't think any will disappear, some go in and out of fashion. Sweeper should reappear.

I think the position with least relative talent is full-backs. Probably because players are not going through academies with that position in mind. Most end up there because they could not make it further up the pitch.

Full-backs might go out of fashion...

 

[horsechoker]

Don't think any will disappear, some go in and out of fashion. Sweeper should reappear.

I think the position with least relative talent is full-backs. Probably because players are not going through academies with that position in mind. Most end up there because they could not make it further up the pitch.

Full-backs might go out of fashion...

That's arguably the most in vogue position at the moment, traditional full-backs have disappeared and they're more like defensive wingers which is part of the reason why traditional wingers have become rarer.

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

Don't think any will disappear, some go in and out of fashion. Sweeper should reappear.

I think the position with least relative talent is full-backs. Probably because players are not going through academies with that position in mind. Most end up there because they could not make it further up the pitch.

Full-backs might go out of fashion...

Interesting take when we're in the age where fullbacks are as important as they've ever been.

I agree with OP about the #10, although the fall of pure playmakers who don't contribute defensively has been well documented over the past few years.

 

[Sandikan]

The holding midfielder. As in a midfielder who just sits there and intercepts, and can only do the basics.

More of a move to the deep lying playmaker.


If only we could go back to the mid 90s, proper 4-4-2, two proper wingers who could cross and play on their actual side. There would be 2 strikers so crosses actually had a chance of finding their man.
The two centre mids could both get up and back, and could do a bit of everything.

The full backs could actually defend, and the centre backs' main job was to defend first

 

[Flanders Devil]

The traditional Keeper is all but gone. There is the expectation that the model keeper is capable of playing like another CB / Midfielder.

I don’t see this trend reversing compared to say a winger or sweeper.
The biggest case in point recently is Joe Hart. Gone from England #1 and a highly rated PL keeper to a back up squad option in a mid table team.

 

[He'sRaldo]

Players' versatility nowadays means that these roles don't disappear, but mix with others to form new hybrid roles. With that in mind I don't think any position has disappeared, but they've all evolved and will continue to do so.

The best bet for the prediction of which position will evolve the next, is to look at the most limited role in terms of versatility, and try and imagine which ways it can be more efficient.

 

[K stand Red]

Referees, Linesman and VAR

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

The old fashioned hard man “just clear it” John Terry Nemanja Vidic type centre backs seem to have all but gone.

The target man seems to have nearly died out too. And before anyone says it, Lewandowski, Kane, Lukaku & Calvert-Lewin are not target men. Andy Carroll & Ashley Barnes are.

 

[Steve Bruce]

The old fashioned number 9 is all but gone.

Most forward lines seem to have 3 forwards but few are fox in a box or look to get on the end of crosses etc eg Shearer.

Traditional wingers eg giggs & full backs are rare.

Ffs bissaka gets critisized for just being brilliant at defending.

 

[Lay]

Wingers. Everyone will congregate into the middle and run around pressing madly. Full backs will do the wingers job.

No defensive midfielders. It’ll just be 2-3 midfielders running around with little to no technical ability

 

[Hammondo]

Goalie!

 

[norm87cro]

Honestly guys the CF position is really rare in todays football. The 4 3 3 made sure of that and even the likes of Kane track back to be involved in the build up.

 

[R77]

RB, RCM, RF and RWM. Solskjaer will spearhead a tactical revolution where all players occupy the left half space, even those that nominally start on the right. All the players will be so good that it'll be unstoppable.

Seriously though...

Players' versatility nowadays means that these roles don't disappear, but mix with others to form new hybrid roles. With that in mind I don't think any position has disappeared, but they've all evolved and will continue to do so.

This is probably the best reduction.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

The only position that has remained unchanged from start of football is probably the box to box midfielders. From the old school Half Backs to modern B2Bs it's remained stabled across eras.

 

[djembatheking]

For me personally, doggie.

 

[Chipper]

Everyone will be a raumdeuter.

 

[Sky1981]

Certain positions fall out of usage due to the constant change in tactics at the top level.

For example, a solitary sweeper is no longer used although certain defenders may perform this as a secondary role.

Pure number tens are starting to disappear but players like Fernandes are keeping the role alive.

Traditional wingers have become rarer with inside forwards being preferred by many top clubs.

Pure number 10 that's good enough to build the team around him is very rare. And it's still risky to pin your whole future on one man. Injury being the most unpredictable.

At the end of the day 3 pts is 3 pts. If teams can achive that by a better method of a better system that relies on collective system the result would be preferable.

Teams like united of old is the best example. We have our fair share of star player but the system won us the league. Nobody is indispensable to the point that we rely too much on one player. Ronaldo is just too good but we will still be functioning without him, probably not as good. Napoli without maradonna wont win anything

 

[SirReginald]

The traditional Keeper is all but gone. There is the expectation that the model keeper is capable of playing like another CB / Midfielder.

I don’t see this trend reversing compared to say a winger or sweeper.
The biggest case in point recently is Joe Hart. Gone from England #1 and a highly rated PL keeper to a back up squad option in a mid table team.

Was he though? Even at his peak he was still nowhere near Cech and VDS. I think sky tried to hype him up but no fan rated the guy. Then again I remember Sky looking at his flaws and every shot on target to his bottom left was a goal. He was alright but if he was class he would have got game time at teams like Burnley.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

1. The SS?
Second Striker.

2. And defensive FBs, as people demand more and more attacking input from Full Backs.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Interesting take when we're in the age where fullbacks are as important as they've ever been.

I agree with OP about the #10, although the fall of pure playmakers who don't contribute defensively has been well documented over the past few years.

agreed, with the demise of the winger (for the time being), fullbacks have never been so important, or valuable. Certainly used to be a position you could Chuck players in to give them an easier start to the first team.

 

[Dancfc]

That's arguably the most in vogue position at the moment, traditional full-backs have disappeared and they're more like defensive wingers which is part of the reason why traditional wingers have become rarer.

That's it pretty much.

Players who were wingers in the early 00s would be fullbacks/wingbacks in today's game, Beckham prime example.

 

[yumtum]

Think any sort of specialist player (apart from goalkeeper).

We've already seen the likes of Riquelme dissappear, as mentioned the sweeper, and pure defensive midfielders like Makalele will be a thing of the past, same as the pure #9 - they're all sort of hybrids now, an Inzaghi wouldn't get a sniff at a top club in this day and age, the sport demands you be good at every discipline in the position you play in.

Positions won't change, but the players within that position will have to, as amazing as AWB is defensively, he's fast becoming a relic in this era where the fullback is required to perform better in attack than in defence.

 

[Idxomer]

That's it pretty much.

Players who were wingers in the early 00s would be fullbacks/wingbacks in today's game, Beckham prime example.

Beckham would be primarily a midfielder.

 

[roonster09]

Beckham would be primarily a midfielder.

Yeah Beckham would have been awesome CM or KdB type player.

 

[thepolice123]

A more apt discussion would be roles/playing styles. The pitch is still same, every area needs to be filled up, therefore no position will be rendered obsolete.

 

[United58]

The traditional Keeper is all but gone. There is the expectation that the model keeper is capable of playing like another CB / Midfielder.

I don’t see this trend reversing compared to say a winger or sweeper.
The biggest case in point recently is Joe Hart. Gone from England #1 and a highly rated PL keeper to a back up squad option in a mid table team.

To be fair his shot stopping ability did drop significantly, it wasn't just that he was too "old school" for the modern game

 

[Dave Smith]

Think any sort of specialist player (apart from goalkeeper).

We've already seen the likes of Riquelme dissappear, as mentioned the sweeper, and pure defensive midfielders like Makalele will be a thing of the past, same as the pure #9 - they're all sort of hybrids now, an Inzaghi wouldn't get a sniff at a top club in this day and age, the sport demands you be good at every discipline in the position you play in.

Positions won't change, but the players within that position will have to, as amazing as AWB is defensively, he's fast becoming a relic in this era where the fullback is required to perform better in attack than in defence.

Agree with all of this. In another thread people where bemoaning modern football and its obsession with pressing. This obsession has consequently really hit the No.9, FB positions hard and now requires different qualities from the players that play those positions. I say this as now days players who play in those positions need to be super mobile and have excellent ball control.

Since, I have been watching football (the early 90's) the one position I can really say has disappeared in the SS. If I had to guess I would say of all the positions DMF may go, as I can see the sweeper coming back in fashion as it would help teams handle the high press a little easier.

 

[friendlytramp]

Full backs the obvious one. Wide midfielders or wing backs to pick up the slack.

 

[Offside]

Wingers. Everyone will congregate into the middle and run around pressing madly. Full backs will do the wingers job.

No defensive midfielders. It’ll just be 2-3 midfielders running around with little to no technical ability

Proper wingers are already gone. Then they’ll be back soon enough. Football goes in circles.

 

[Winzaghi]

Pure fox in the box #9's. Kane was one of the last of a dying breed, but even he has added more to his game and plays deeper now. Undoubtedly makes him a better player, but there was an art to his #9 game from 2015-17 that is sort of lost now.

 

[UpWithRivers]

Right wingers will be obsolete, heading the ball will be over rated, attacking full backs not needed, CB's with pace bah humbug, keeper thats good with feet and can catch balls into the box will be scorned...just United we're talking about right?

 

[Stig]

The only position that has remained unchanged from start of football is probably the box to box midfielders. From the old school Half Backs to modern B2Bs it's remained stabled across eras.

Who are our current box to box midfielders..

I would say that we dont have one and it is part of our current problem if being one dimensional.

 

[cyberman]

Dm. There used to be the deep laying midfielders and the Makeleles that sat in front of the back 4 but its becoming more and more about pressing and covering ground. Dms now tend to get isolated or have the false 9 fall back on him limiting his scope and influence when in possession

 

[harms]

The target man seems to have nearly died out too. And before anyone says it, Lewandowski, Kane, Lukaku & Calvert-Lewin are not target men. Andy Carroll & Ashley Barnes are.

So by your definition target man is just a bad forward?

 

[harms]

Pure fox in the box #9's. Kane was one of the last of a dying breed, but even he has added more to his game and plays deeper now. Undoubtedly makes him a better player, but there was an art to his #9 game from 2015-17 that is sort of lost now.

Haaland is one of the hottest prospects around and he's as close to a pure fox in the box number 9 as possible.

 

[Champ]

Someone mentioned sweeper going out of fashion and not being used....every goalkeeper now is expected to be just that, a sweeper.
Positions don't change or disappear, they evolve, as football changes so do the aspect of the position.

 

[POF]

1. The SS?
Second Striker.

2. And defensive FBs, as people demand more and more attacking input from Full Backs.

Agree completely with this.

A Robbie Keane/Kevin Phillips type striker would struggle. Even a Michael Owen. A goal scorer who lacks physicality or creativity doesn't really fit the modern game.

Also agree with you re full backs. They're now wingers with incredible fitness levels who can get up and down.

 

[Skills]

Deep lying midfielders. CBs will increasingly take on more and more of that responsibility.

 

[paraguayo]

Positions don't exist