Full backs who actually defend?

[tomd2103]

Earl Barrett's and Steve Staunton are the best full back's I've seen in my time. Both cracking defenders but were both very capable of getting forwards.
Staunton had one of the best left foots I've seen at the Villa. Absolutely cracking player.

I'd put Alan Wright in that category as well.  A good, solid pro, the type of which don't seem to exist any more really. 

[peter w]

Part of the modern game now though isn't it? Full backs end up being where the space is and coaches now value them as an attacking / creative threat far more than they used to.

I rather like the KIND of full back Lambert wants. Extremely athletic, main focus is starting attacks. It is just that is a very very hard role to recruit.

Well, no. it's been part of the game for as long as I can remember following football and Villa. From the last 70's on the most of the best full-backs have always been those that have been able to attack. Look at Viv Anderson in the late 70s onwards. One of the best English full-backs and he was very good going forward. Like a wicketkeeper now having to be able to also, full-backs are expected to be able to attack. It's one of the universally accepted musts within the game tactically.

[tomd2103]

Part of the modern game now though isn't it? Full backs end up being where the space is and coaches now value them as an attacking / creative threat far more than they used to.

I rather like the KIND of full back Lambert wants. Extremely athletic, main focus is starting attacks. It is just that is a very very hard role to recruit.

Well, no. it's been part of the game for as long as I can remember following football and Villa. From the last 70's on the most of the best full-backs have always been those that have been able to attack. Look at Viv Anderson in the late 70s onwards. One of the best English full-backs and he was very good going forward. Like a wicketkeeper now having to be able to also, full-backs are expected to be able to attack. It's one of the universally accepted musts within the game tactically.

True Peter and surely being comfortable in possession and going forward must have always been viewed as desirable qualities in a full-back, as most attacks start from that position.  I think it was previously the case though that the role of the full-back was to be a solid defender first and foremost, and then get forward whenever and wherever possible.  I feel that has changed over the past few years though and the emphasis is now on what a full-back can produce going forward rather than on how good they are defensively.   

[Gregorys Boy]

I liked someone like Staunton who was good on the ball, and offered something going forward, while still being in place to furfil his defensive duties.  He really was a well rounded full-back, same with Alan Wright.  He created a number of chances going forward, but also was excellent in the tackle and had great pace from back to front.

I get that it is part of the modern game now, but to me a defender to should be good at defending first off all, and then anything else is a bonus.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Insightful posts. Good read. Cheers.

[Chris Smith]

I liked someone like Staunton who was good on the ball, and offered something going forward, while still being in place to furfil his defensive duties.  He really was a well rounded full-back, same with Alan Wright.  He created a number of chances going forward, but also was excellent in the tackle and had great pace from back to front.

I get that it is part of the modern game now, but to me a defender to should be good at defending first off all, and then anything else is a bonus.

I think the emphasis has changed because tackling is now seen as a last resort due to the shift in the way games are refereed. In the past an attacking full back was really just there to overlap and try to get a cross in, now they are expected to be comfortable on the ball and pass it rather than cross it. Also, because they don't tend to get marked they are the out ball when teams look to switch play so they become almost a supplementary midfield player, the regular use of 3-5-2 is an obvious result of that.

[Mister E]

Gidman was a marvellous attacking fullback, as was Colin Gibson.
In fact, Villa over the last 45 years have had a fine tradition of FB starting with Charlie Aitken, Mike Bradley, John Gidman and John Robson. These were both good defenders and also part of the attacking options. As above, the change in tackling standards, the increased fitness of players and the better pitches all mean that all players should be able to get around the pitch more dynamically and either close opponents down or offer an attacking option.
Now we have  ... errrr, well, Bennett and Lowton.

We've had some great fullbacks but are certainly deficient now.

[Holte L2]

It's crazy to think, that somebody like Steve Stuanton would cost you around £35m in the current market.

[RussellC]

Not sure if he's already been mentioned on this thread, but in recent times Wilfred Bouma was a player I wish we'd have seen more of in a Villa shirt.  Not particularly great going forward, but top drawer defensively and had the makings of being a bit of a cult hero.

[Gregorys Boy]

Not sure if he's already been mentioned on this thread, but in recent times Wilfred Bouma was a player I wish we'd have seen more of in a Villa shirt.  Not particularly great going forward, but top drawer defensively and had the makings of being a bit of a cult hero.

Yeah I was sad to see his Villa career cut short thought he was class, with a good work rate.

[Holte L2]

Not sure if he's already been mentioned on this thread, but in recent times Wilfred Bouma was a player I wish we'd have seen more of in a Villa shirt.  Not particularly great going forward, but top drawer defensively and had the makings of being a bit of a cult hero.

Yeah I was sad to see his Villa career cut short thought he was class, with a good work rate.

After being released by us, Bouma went back to PSV and played another 70 odd games in three seasons.  While we were left to be frustrated over in-ability of Stephen Warnock.

Nce one Martin.

[Lucky Eddie]

It's crazy to think, that somebody like Steve Stuanton would cost you around £35m in the current market.

Or you could just pick him up for nothing if he lied to his fans and ran down his contract.

[bobdylan]

Not sure if he's already been mentioned on this thread, but in recent times Wilfred Bouma was a player I wish we'd have seen more of in a Villa shirt.  Not particularly great going forward, but top drawer defensively and had the makings of being a bit of a cult hero.

Yeah I was sad to see his Villa career cut short thought he was class, with a good work rate.

After being released by us, Bouma went back to PSV and played another 70 odd games in three seasons.  While we were left to be frustrated over in-ability of Stephen Warnock.

Nce one Martin.

Also got back into the Dutch squad iirc.

[tomd2103]

I liked someone like Staunton who was good on the ball, and offered something going forward, while still being in place to furfil his defensive duties.  He really was a well rounded full-back, same with Alan Wright.  He created a number of chances going forward, but also was excellent in the tackle and had great pace from back to front.

I get that it is part of the modern game now, but to me a defender to should be good at defending first off all, and then anything else is a bonus.

I think the emphasis has changed because tackling is now seen as a last resort due to the shift in the way games are refereed. In the past an attacking full back was really just there to overlap and try to get a cross in, now they are expected to be comfortable on the ball and pass it rather than cross it. Also, because they don't tend to get marked they are the out ball when teams look to switch play so they become almost a supplementary midfield player, the regular use of 3-5-2 is an obvious result of that.

Agree, but I also feel the tactical shift has also had a major part to play.  Traditional wingers have almost gone out of the game now, so the attacking width has to be provided by the full-back.  In the past, the full-back would always have a winger in front of him, who would be pretty much his first choice of pass and apart from the odd overlap, the main attacking duty of the full-back was to support the winger.  With no wingers there, the ability to get forward more has become a requirement for full-backs.