I understand the importance and differentials between the two, but have they always been so strict?
I see so many people talk about how stupid some people are suggesting RCB’s to play LCB and vice versa, but I can’t remember previous generations being so limited, though perhaps that’s due to the lesser responsibility on ball playing duties?
One thing I will never ever support is playing 2 left footed centre backs in a back 4
Why is that different to playing 2 right footers? I get one of each is better but don’t see the difference in both right or left.
It hardly happens, so it feels kinda weird/wrong haha
It’s going to happen with Villa when Mings is back from injury. Both him and Torres are left footed.
Pep isn’t happy just hoarding all the good left-footed CBs, but he wants to rub the hoard in our face smh
It has become more important because of how often teams play out the back. But if a club’s best CBs are all right footed they will make due.
It’s not essential to have a left footed centre back paired with a right footed CB but it helps. Modern thinkers of the game like Wenger and Guardiola like(d) to have left footed CBs in their squads.
It’s probably increased as the expectation on centre backs to be able to pass out from the back as increased. You’ve always had centre backs who’re good passers, but it’s a more important part of the modern game. So CBs who’re on the “wrong” side are slightly disadvantaged in that their passing range is a little reduced.
Wasn’t so much of an issue in the past where CBs were typically expected to just win headers and tackles and either launch the ball up the pitch or play a very simple pass in possession.
It really depends on how you want to play. Before Pep started playing John Stones as a hybrid CB/DM, he’d start on the right and Dias the weaker passer even though he’s also right footed, would start on the left. Stones would be in charge of progressing the ball out while Dias was just there to pass back to the keeper or the inverted full back. When Stones was injured, Dias would go back to the right and either Ake or Laporte would progress the ball
It never used to be a thing, not in England anyway. In the past, very few centre backs were left-footed. Left-footers were traditionally more technically gifted than average, so they would usually be employed in more creative roles.