Tag: Right Backs

Game of Numbers #28 – The magic touch of fullbacks with Kieran Trippier & Joao Cancelo

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Game of Numbers, Match Analysis, Player Analysis, Premier League

It's been well established over the past decade that fullbacks have grown in prominence and importance in the final third. Just about every team will have their fullbacks involved as active members of the attack, if not one playing high up the pitch as another stays more reserved. Two of the leading figures over the past five-ten years have been Kieran Trippier and Joao Cancelo, each of whom had excellent performances this past weekend. Here is the magic touch of fullbacks as part of Game of Numbers #28, featuring Kieran Trippier and Joao Cancelo.

How I analyze fullbacks for pro clubs with Role Continuity

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Canadian Premier League, Data Analysis, Fullback, Player Analysis, Recruitment & Scouting, Wing-Back

In 2022, I established my 'Role Continuity Evaluation System', on the basis that players should be assessed by the metrics and traits important to their specific role on the pitch. Through this understanding, players are then classified into what is now 20 different roles, and assessed accordingly to see how they stack up to other players fulfilling the same player type. Here is an explanation of my scouting & analysis system, why I've coined it 'Role Continuity', and how I use the system to analyze fullbacks.

Niko Sigur – Player Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Canadian Premier League, Fullback, Player Analysis, Recruitment & Scouting, Subscriber Exclusives, Winger

Niko Sigur is a 19-year-old Canadian/Croatian currently playing right-back for Hajduk Split. After moving away from York University and Vaughn Azzurri, he chose to represent Croatia at international level. Since then, he's risen through their youth ranks and is now having a great time in Hajduk's first-team. This means his market value is currently listed at 700k, so the most likely scenario I see would be a loan.

Canadian Premier League Scouting Database – Zachary Fernandez

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Canadian Premier League, Fullback, Masterclasses, Player Analysis, Wing-Back

Under the increased attacking license given to him by Patrice Gheisar, Zachary Fernandez has excelled this season as an up-and-down wing-back capable of creating chances for fun. Here is why the 21-year-old Canadian full-back should be on your radar.

Canadian Premier League Scouting Database – Centre-Backs

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Canadian Premier League, Centre Backs, Data Analysis, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Recruitment & Scouting

All eight of our centre-backs are fairly similar in their approach, each standing out both in and out of possession. They could each hold their own in a high-possession system, and would likely continue to excel if put under the pressure of greater defensive responsibilities. But they also each have their own unique attributes that may work better in some contexts over others.

Canadian Premier League Scouting Database – Right-Backs

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Canadian Premier League, Data Analysis, Fullback, Player Analysis, Recruitment & Scouting

While it's abundantly important to focus on the growth of our own nation in the beautiful game, it's also abundantly clear that one of the primary aims of the CPL is to develop talent that can be sold to other leagues in the world. In some ways, this is a sad reality as some of our very best players leave early on in the season for pastures new, in some cases only to sit on the bench! But in other ways, it allows our league to gain recognition in the world market, and has the potential to allow Canadian soccer players to take their development to the next level for higher profile teams. Today we break into the first of this long-haul series, studying the very best right-backs in the Canadian Premier League. Here is our analysis.

The multiple layers of Trent Alexander-Arnold

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Fullback, Masterclasses, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Player Education, Premier League, Wing-Back

Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of the best right-backs in the world of football, and possibly one of the greatest the Premier League has ever witnessed. So for all the extremities that he accomplishes in attack, it becomes very normal for fan-bases across the globe to try and poke holes in his game and conjure up reasons that go against his greatness.