Can a fullback play equally good at right or left?

[chriswallace85]

The season Beardsley won player of the year he was playing left back for the majority IIRC. Onuoha was the regular right back.

And he was still shit.

 

[Scimmy]

I would imagine it would be very hard for a right-footed full-back to ping in the kind of cross that Mickey Gray did for Quinny to head in against the Mags!

 

[shieldsdan86]

I think he has more of a baring on the forward play rather than defensively. In most cases any over lap or forward run from the fullback will result in him cutting back onto his favoured foot and the momentum of the attack is lost.

 

[andyj73]

A little debate going on here to whether a good fullback can play equally well on either side. For me a good full back can adapt and play right or left hand side of the pitch. OK they may favour their stronger foot but they can adapt and use their positional skills to perform to a good standard. For e.g. A few recent names who have done it are:

Irwin
Monreal
P.Nev

.. could be equally sh1te at both left and right back ..

 

[Midday Sun Englishman]

Why aye, I also don't have to tackle with the 'wrong foot', which no matter how well you do it never looks right because it always looks like your thighs clash first which makes it look like a foul (which it often is!) I find kicking with my left (weaker) foot isn't natural but I concentrate more so I can often time it better and hit it sweeter, strange really.

Strange indeed! I too find that I have to concentrate more and orient my body to use my left (weaker) effectively. On the right, everything is natural, quicker and more accurate.

Can you whip crosses in to the same standard with both feet?

I think defensively playing either side shouldnt be an issue, but when asked to go forward i think full backs in general (although are exceptions) cant do as good a job on wrong side.

It really is an issue. Tackling/marshaling on the weaker said, the natural tendency to move too far to the middle. It's tricky.

Nowadays though wingers seem to play on the wrong side as much as they play on their natural side and most spend more time cutting inside rather than going outside. In this case a right footed left back can be a good thing.

Good point, but the difference is that you shepherd the inverted winger into the help of the CB while simply stopping the long shot with your weaker foot. Stopping the outside winger is more up to you.

 

[1hardcoresuperstar1]

A little debate going on here to whether a good fullback can play equally well on either side. For me a good full back can adapt and play right or left hand side of the pitch. OK they may favour their stronger foot but they can adapt and use their positional skills to perform to a good standard. For e.g. A few recent names who have done it are:

Irwin
Monreal
P.Nev

I've played both and doesn't matter to me tho getting forward and crossing is easier on your natural side.

 

[mikemanc]

I think he has more of a baring on the forward play rather than defensively. In most cases any over lap or forward run from the fullback will result in him cutting back onto his favoured foot and the momentum of the attack is lost.

I agree the impact is probably more in the attacking third than defensively but as others have said that to a large extent is dependent on the winger in front of him. If he stays wide there's space for both, if he cuts inside you squeeze the field and nobody has any space.

I'm right footed but I found I played just as well on either flank, it just depends how comfortable you are on your wrong foot. So many times you see people tackling with the wrong foot and I just don't get it. Writing, passing, shooting I can understand being weaker on the wrong hand/foot, but tackling doesn't require much finesse that I think you struggle.

 

[Sid]

Vincent Candela was an excellent right footed left back. Very attacking full back when he played for Roma.

We seem to have full backs that are incapable of playing on either side of the pitch.