Jags
Player Valuation: £10m
Is Heitinga actually the most important part of the Martinez revolution?
During the pre-season matches which I watched (Juve, Madrid, Austrians), I felt that Heitinga was, at times, the most influential player on the pitch (save Mirallas). This is because, when we played 3 at the back, and he was the central player, I felt he was actually further forward than the other centre backs, and into centre midfield, where the onus on him was not on last ditch defending, something Distin and Jags excel at, and Heitinga struggles with, but rather on an option between the centre backs, and the midfield.
This is a position I feel too deep for Gibson or Fellaini naturally, and too far forward for Jags or Distin. I see this as being a possible position for Stones in the future.
Also, I thought that a number formation such as 343 was impossible to impose on this, as when Heitinga got the ball and we attacked through the middle, we looked very 433, or 4123, yet when the wing-backs received the ball, it looked more 343. Then, when defending, we looked more 523, so i doubt we will play 3 at the back, 4 at the back, or 5 at the back, but a mixture of all 3, every game.
Thoughts??
During the pre-season matches which I watched (Juve, Madrid, Austrians), I felt that Heitinga was, at times, the most influential player on the pitch (save Mirallas). This is because, when we played 3 at the back, and he was the central player, I felt he was actually further forward than the other centre backs, and into centre midfield, where the onus on him was not on last ditch defending, something Distin and Jags excel at, and Heitinga struggles with, but rather on an option between the centre backs, and the midfield.
This is a position I feel too deep for Gibson or Fellaini naturally, and too far forward for Jags or Distin. I see this as being a possible position for Stones in the future.
Also, I thought that a number formation such as 343 was impossible to impose on this, as when Heitinga got the ball and we attacked through the middle, we looked very 433, or 4123, yet when the wing-backs received the ball, it looked more 343. Then, when defending, we looked more 523, so i doubt we will play 3 at the back, 4 at the back, or 5 at the back, but a mixture of all 3, every game.
Thoughts??
