Football is evolving in front of us and England’s 3 most promising left backs are perfect examples

Nico O’Reilly, Mlyes Lewis-Skelly and Lewis Hall. The future of England’s left-back position - but what do they all have in common? When coming through the academy, they were all central midfielders. Some of the best midfielders among their age-group in the country. So why have they all been turned into left-backs?

Football tactics are seeming to evolve with every game that is played and in my opinion it is no longer the positions that are in the forefront of most of the game’s most brilliant managers. Football is about skill sets. With the tactical fluidity that every top side is implementing now in football, the same robust, traditional roles of positions that we have come to terms with growing up are now a thing of the past. How many teams play with full-backs whose main job is to overlap their winger and spam crosses into the box? How many teams play with centre-backs whose primary focus is defending first and ball-playing second. How many strikers are there that only have the job of putting the ball in the back of the net with no emphasis on general play and creating space? 

I could go on and on but the point stands - football has evolved. The three players I have mentioned would never have envisioned themselves growing up to be a left-back when in their respective academies but look where we are now. They’re playing there and they look great. But should this be a surprise? Technically amazing on the ball, strong carriers of the ball and very solid passers - everything that made them promising prospects in youth football, is still at the forefront of their games - just in a different way.

Another example is Ousmane Dembele who was traditionally always a traditional touchline winger. Luis Enrique said ‘to hell with that’ - you are completely two-footed and have some of the best ball-striking I’ve ever seen - I’m going to turn you into a borderline striker. And now look what’s happened, Dembele is having his best ever season and is one of the best players in the world.

Football is heading in a direction where your position no longer confines you to a box - what matters is what you are good at and how that can be used to improve your team. You may start the game as a centre-back but then see yourself mainly affecting it from midfield (John Stones), whatever it may be - just because you have spent your life in one position it no longer means that will be your position in the future.

In a given game, Bernardo Silva may see himself in 4 or 5 different positions on the pitch as a result of his manager's instructions. Cucurella is a left-back who is often seen picking up areas that you’d typically see a number 10 occupy. No one position is set, football has come too far now and the level of coaching majorly inspired by Pep Guardiola, has made these sort of tactical setups much more interesting, although this may not be reflected with sheer entertainment

Versatility is the new gold standard in football and it will be fascinating to see just how far this will take us.