When you think of a perfect right back(if there is one) only a few players come to mind. Some of this players might have left the top 5 leagues and are now playing in lower divisions. My perfect right back with have the abilities of prime Marcelo. A right back who really had everything and you could see how important he was whenever he was in a game.
The “modern game”, as we all call it has evolved the work that the back four players do. In the past, the back 4 were important for covering and defending the team from conceding goals. This days full-backs as they are called or the modern full back has a lot of responsibility at hand.
Apart from defending, you are required to have the strength to go forward. A full back who can defend but can’t move into an attacking position with the ball is seen useless. But then again, a full back who can go up with the ball but can’t defend too is seen as a liability.
This brings the debate of converting Trent into a midfielder instead of allowing him to be a fullback. He has one qualify of a right back. Not a lot of players in world football can provide the attacking threat that Trent holds at his feet. His crossing is out of this world but then he can’t defend. When you are able to exploit his side against Liverpool, then you will have it easy.
But then when we talk of crossing one other player in the form of Wan-Bissaka comes to mind. I’ve always wondered why United haven’t considered turning him into a Center back instead of allowing him to play as a right back when he doesn’t possess all the qualities of a modern full back.
Wan-Bissaka can defend really well, he can dribble but the problem we have is with his crossing. In the modern game, a lot of managers make use of the wings and if your full back can’t give you that threat then it’s useless.
We know how good he is defensively, but when someone comes with better quality he has to sit on the bench. This is when Dalot comes into the picture. Dalot is one a manager would love to have as a right back. Apart from his crossing, he can actually defend very well but not like Wan-Bissaka.
I agree that Dalot is better going forward but when it comes to defending one on one not many players in premier league can contest Wan-Bissaka.
But now the problem is, would you risk having someone who can’t cross or you will rather have someone who can do a bit of both? But mind you, the one who can do both is not as good defensively as the one who can’t cross.