Analysis: Is Antoni Sarcevic the answer at right wing-back?

[Cobi Budge]

Just to add to that, I’m definitely not saying I think Sarcevic should be at RWB, there are players better suited, however I’m just trying to dispel the myth that he’s unfit and can’t keep up with play, which simply isn’t true, one of his biggest attributes as a player is his energy & drive.

 

[Knibbsworth]

He is too good in midfield at the moment. He needs to start in the midfield three.

 

[PL2 3DQ]

It's a no from me.
Edwards, Byron Moore and George Cooper, three players with experience of playing at RWB, would be ahead of Sarcevic, Tafari Moore can also play there.

I wouldn't put Edwards there because that takes him out of CDM, and he is by far the best candidate for that position. As I mentioned at the end, Moore and Cooper would both be candidates to play there too - I even mentioned it when analysing Cooper - though as far as I am aware Cooper has never played right wing-back.

Edwards has regularly been subbed by Lowe with his post match comments hinting there were not enough forward passes from Edwards so perhaps he's not the best for that position with either Randell or Baxter coming in.

The team has struggled during Sarcevic's suspension and his power is needed in midfield, while there are several other candidates ahead of Sarcevic for the RWB role.

 

[Cobi Budge]

We have definitely missed Sarcevic’s energy & bite in midfield since his suspension, we haven’t won a game since. He’s very good at driving with the ball and enables us to step up a gear if we become a bit too static. If he’s coming back in, he should retake his place in the middle.

 

[WoodsyGreen]

Just to add to that, I’m definitely not saying I think Sarcevic should be at RWB, there are players better suited, however I’m just trying to dispel the myth that he’s unfit and can’t keep up with play, which simply isn’t true, one of his biggest attributes as a player is his energy & drive.

Maybe when he's at peak fitness. Trouble is whenever he has a spell out injured or suspended - which is pretty frequent - it takes him several matches to get back up to speed.

 

[NickSS]

It's a no from me.
Edwards, Byron Moore and George Cooper, three players with experience of playing at RWB, would be ahead of Sarcevic, Tafari Moore can also play there.

I wouldn't put Edwards there because that takes him out of CDM, and he is by far the best candidate for that position. As I mentioned at the end, Moore and Cooper would both be candidates to play there too - I even mentioned it when analysing Cooper - though as far as I am aware Cooper has never played right wing-back.

Edwards has regularly been subbed by Lowe with his post match comments hinting there were not enough forward passes from Edwards so perhaps he's not the best for that position with either Randell or Baxter coming in.

The team has struggled during Sarcevic's suspension and his power is needed in midfield, while there are several other candidates ahead of Sarcevic for the RWB role.

Edwards has been subbed once in the past four games, and the majority of those previous substitutions appear to be attempts to get Baxter up to speed before he came in at central midfield, where he has started recently. Moving Edwards permanently into RWB would be little other than shooting ourselves in the foot, we don't have another realistic alternative for that position which wouldn't leave us significantly weaker to counter attacks.

Let's not go over the top with Sarcevic in CM either. He's by far the worst in possession compared to his competitors (as detailed in the article) and Lowe has made it clear that he wants 70% possession in matches.

We also only won 2/4 that he has started in, and don't forget that by far the worst performance of the season (Newport) was one he also started. Performances have been better since he was dropped in an attacking sense. We're scoring more far goals (eight in four, plus other absolute sitters missed by Moore and Rudden, compared to four in three).

If you read the article, which I'm sure you did, you'll also see that part of the reason I picked Sarcevic as a right wing-back option is because it relieves the possession burden and allows him to pounce even more on the good work of others in the same way that McFadzean does. All McFadzean is really doing right now is making intelligent runs off his wing that leave him with simple crosses to create clear goalscoring opportunities.

What are Sarcevic's best strengths? Movement off the ball is one of them, and that is what is needed from wing-back, as McFadzean has showed time and time again in recent weeks. Riley can't yet do it, Sarcevic absolutely can.

As Cobi notes, Sarcevic is also an extremely hard worker - I am absolutely baffled by those who say otherwise (what do they watch at games?!)

So while G Cooper, B Moore and J Grant are options - as I note in the article - Sarcevic is potentially one who will adapt to it best, given he has good defensive attributes. Cooper would almost certainly bring extra attacking creativity to the team, but (as he showed against Bristol Rovers) totally lacks defensive awareness. At the moment, he's a winger that doesn't really know how to defend.

 

[The Doctor]

I suspect that there will be a quite radical reshuffle in time once everyone is fit and firing. We have already seen Grant come in for Sawyer and it is pretty obvious that Aimson will be in soon. My guess is that he will replace Wootton and not Canavan. That should help the right side because I think Aimson is better on the ball than Wootton. Baxter is pushing for a starting place and I don't suppose Copper_G is looking to warm the bench. I reckon the team may end up as:

Palmer

Aimson Canavan Grant

Moore (B) Baxter McFadzean

Cooper (G) Mayor

Telford Rudden

Or swap Baxter for Edwards/Randell and/or Cooper for Baxter/Sarcevic

 

[PL2 3DQ]

It's a no from me.
Edwards, Byron Moore and George Cooper, three players with experience of playing at RWB, would be ahead of Sarcevic, Tafari Moore can also play there.

I wouldn't put Edwards there because that takes him out of CDM, and he is by far the best candidate for that position. As I mentioned at the end, Moore and Cooper would both be candidates to play there too - I even mentioned it when analysing Cooper - though as far as I am aware Cooper has never played right wing-back.

Edwards has regularly been subbed by Lowe with his post match comments hinting there were not enough forward passes from Edwards so perhaps he's not the best for that position with either Randell or Baxter coming in.

The team has struggled during Sarcevic's suspension and his power is needed in midfield, while there are several other candidates ahead of Sarcevic for the RWB role.

Edwards has been subbed once in the past four games, and the majority of those previous substitutions appear to be attempts to get Baxter up to speed before he came in at central midfield, where he has started recently. Moving Edwards permanently into RWB would be little other than shooting ourselves in the foot, we don't have another realistic alternative for that position which wouldn't leave us significantly weaker to counter attacks.

Let's not go over the top with Sarcevic in CM either. He's by far the worst in possession compared to his competitors (as detailed in the article) and Lowe has made it clear that he wants 70% possession in matches.

We also only won 2/4 that he has started in, and don't forget that by far the worst performance of the season (Newport) was one he also started. Performances have been better since he was dropped in an attacking sense. We're scoring more far goals (eight in four, plus other absolute sitters missed by Moore and Rudden, compared to four in three).

If you read the article, which I'm sure you did, you'll also see that part of the reason I picked Sarcevic as a right wing-back option is because it relieves the possession burden and allows him to pounce even more on the good work of others in the same way that McFadzean does. All McFadzean is really doing right now is making intelligent runs off his wing that leave him with simple crosses to create clear goalscoring opportunities.

What are Sarcevic's best strengths? Movement off the ball is one of them, and that is what is needed from wing-back, as McFadzean has showed time and time again in recent weeks. Riley can't yet do it, Sarcevic absolutely can.

As Cobi notes, Sarcevic is also an extremely hard worker - I am absolutely baffled by those who say otherwise (what do they watch at games?!)

So while G Cooper, B Moore and J Grant are options - as I note in the article - Sarcevic is potentially one who will adapt to it best, given he has good defensive attributes. Cooper would almost certainly bring extra attacking creativity to the team, but (as he showed against Bristol Rovers) totally lacks defensive awareness. At the moment, he's a winger that doesn't really know how to defend.

Edwards has been subbed 4 times in 7 league games, I would say that is regular.

 

[Balham Green]

It's a no from me.
Edwards, Byron Moore and George Cooper, three players with experience of playing at RWB, would be ahead of Sarcevic, Tafari Moore can also play there.

I wouldn't put Edwards there because that takes him out of CDM, and he is by far the best candidate for that position. As I mentioned at the end, Moore and Cooper would both be candidates to play there too - I even mentioned it when analysing Cooper - though as far as I am aware Cooper has never played right wing-back.

Edwards has regularly been subbed by Lowe with his post match comments hinting there were not enough forward passes from Edwards so perhaps he's not the best for that position with either Randell or Baxter coming in.

The team has struggled during Sarcevic's suspension and his power is needed in midfield, while there are several other candidates ahead of Sarcevic for the RWB role.

Edwards has been subbed once in the past four games, and the majority of those previous substitutions appear to be attempts to get Baxter up to speed before he came in at central midfield, where he has started recently. Moving Edwards permanently into RWB would be little other than shooting ourselves in the foot, we don't have another realistic alternative for that position which wouldn't leave us significantly weaker to counter attacks.

Let's not go over the top with Sarcevic in CM either. He's by far the worst in possession compared to his competitors (as detailed in the article) and Lowe has made it clear that he wants 70% possession in matches.

We also only won 2/4 that he has started in, and don't forget that by far the worst performance of the season (Newport) was one he also started. Performances have been better since he was dropped in an attacking sense. We're scoring more far goals (eight in four, plus other absolute sitters missed by Moore and Rudden, compared to four in three).

If you read the article, which I'm sure you did, you'll also see that part of the reason I picked Sarcevic as a right wing-back option is because it relieves the possession burden and allows him to pounce even more on the good work of others in the same way that McFadzean does. All McFadzean is really doing right now is making intelligent runs off his wing that leave him with simple crosses to create clear goalscoring opportunities.

What are Sarcevic's best strengths? Movement off the ball is one of them, and that is what is needed from wing-back, as McFadzean has showed time and time again in recent weeks. Riley can't yet do it, Sarcevic absolutely can.

As Cobi notes, Sarcevic is also an extremely hard worker - I am absolutely baffled by those who say otherwise (what do they watch at games?!)

So while G Cooper, B Moore and J Grant are options - as I note in the article - Sarcevic is potentially one who will adapt to it best, given he has good defensive attributes. Cooper would almost certainly bring extra attacking creativity to the team, but (as he showed against Bristol Rovers) totally lacks defensive awareness. At the moment, he's a winger that doesn't really know how to defend.

Newport is definitely not by far the worst performance of the season. Take it you weren't at Northampton! Sarcevic is not suited to right wing back and it will never happen. Even if he was suited how long would it take for him to learn the role?