Inverted wingers

[biotech]

If a left-footed wide player plays on the right wing, or a right-footed player plays on the left wing, he is described as an inverted winger. In theory is this allows the player to cut inside, more easily, to pass or shoot as opposed to delivering a traditional cross. Has this ever been tried with Boyle and would increase his scoring rate?

[SweetDreams]

I noticed he got moved over to the left at some point in the second half against Motherwell.

[J-C]

Horgan is a prime example, Man City, Man U, Liverpool all have players who do it, very common nowadays.

[Greenbeard]

I noticed he got moved over to the left at some point in the second half against Motherwell.
I'm all for mixing things up to mess around with the opposition defence but Boyle on the left didn't produce anything last Sat. MInd he was just as bad on the right or coming through the inside right position.

[jacomo]

Boyle has played on the left and is not very good at it imo.

Daryl Horgan is a right footed player but often plays on the left, so he qualifies as an inverted winger I suppose.

[vercol36]

Did Boyle not start off on the left for us? I have a vague memory of seeing him on the right for the first time and thinking...that's odd

[Speedy]

If a left-footed wide player plays on the right wing, or a right-footed player plays on the left wing, he is described as an inverted winger. In theory is this allows the player to cut inside, more easily, to pass or shoot as opposed to delivering a traditional cross. Has this ever been tried with Boyle and would increase his scoring rate?

Would make a mess of the song.

Not for me :greengrin

[MWHIBBIES]

Boyle has played on the left and is not very good at it imo.

Daryl Horgan is a right footed player but often plays on the left, so he qualifies as an inverted winger I suppose.

Yeah, it really isn't Boyle at all. Never done anything when he was moved over there during games.

[tamig]

If a left-footed wide player plays on the right wing, or a right-footed player plays on the left wing, he is described as an inverted winger. In theory is this allows the player to cut inside, more easily, to pass or shoot as opposed to delivering a traditional cross. Has this ever been tried with Boyle and would increase his scoring rate?

When we play with two wide players, they’ve quite often swapped sides during games - depending on how things are going. We’ve done it many times in the past.

[BlackSheep]

Boyle is very right footed... while he can use his left for passing, the occasional shot, it’s not the strongest especially when dribbling... which inverted wingers need to have in abundance, two footed dribbling... otherwise the defenders well know you are going to cut inside... thus defeating the purpose.

[Jones28]

He’s too right footed. There’s no point if he has to continually chop on to his right foot, any gains he’s made by burning away from the defender with pace are lost. If he’s on the right he can speed away and get a cross in before the defender can catch him.

[Vault Boy]

Horgan is far more comfortable on his left than Boyle is, that means he's less likely to be exposed on the left as he can go outside or cut in. Boyle would always be looking to shift it on to his right, which makes the defender's life a lot easier.

[lord bunberry]

I don’t like inverted wingers, I like to see my wingers hit the byline and cross it. Players who get the opposition facing their own goal generally cause havoc.

[Winston Ingram]

If a left-footed wide player plays on the right wing, or a right-footed player plays on the left wing, he is described as an inverted winger. In theory is this allows the player to cut inside, more easily, to pass or shoot as opposed to delivering a traditional cross. Has this ever been tried with Boyle and would increase his scoring rate?

You clearly haven't seen Boyle play on the left. It increases Boyles losing the ball rate

[Winston Ingram]

Yeah, it really isn't Boyle at all. Never done anything when he was moved over there during games.

Boyle's main asset is his pace and getting passed his fullback. He doesn't have the trickery to play on the left

[MWHIBBIES]

I don’t like inverted wingers, I like to see my wingers hit the byline and cross it. Players who get the opposition facing their own goal generally cause havoc.

Best wide players in the world for the past 15 years have all been inverted types. Neymar, Messi, Ronaldo, Robben, Ribery, Mahrez, Salah, Mane. They caused far more havoc than any traditional winger has. Bale the only real traditional winger who has been anywhere that level and he has often played on the right, cutting inside. Wingers hitting the byline has become a rareity. Its more likely to be overlapping fullbacks who do that now.

[Brightside]

If a left-footed wide player plays on the right wing, or a right-footed player plays on the left wing, he is described as an inverted winger. In theory is this allows the player to cut inside, more easily, to pass or shoot as opposed to delivering a traditional cross. Has this ever been tried with Boyle and would increase his scoring rate?

We do it all the time.

[hibsbollah]

I don’t like inverted wingers, I like to see my wingers hit the byline and cross it. Players who get the opposition facing their own goal generally cause havoc.

You’re old school :agree:

My favourite inverted winger was Quaresma. More talent than CR7 but no work ethic at all.

[biotech]

You clearly haven't seen Boyle play on the left. It increases Boyles losing the ball rate
No, I don’t recall seeing him play on the left, but have seen top players deploy in this fashion. This why I asked the question and if he’s not suited to it, fair enough. My feeling is Boyle could contribute more goals and this might have facilitated that.

[calumhibee1]

Best wide players in the world for the past 15 years have all been inverted types. Neymar, Messi, Ronaldo, Robben, Ribery, Mahrez, Salah, Mane. They caused far more havoc than any traditional winger has. Bale the only real traditional winger who has been anywhere that level and he has often played on the right, cutting inside. Wingers hitting the byline has become a rareity. Its more likely to be overlapping fullbacks who do that now.

:agree:

I think the problem at our level is that wingers that aren’t at the elite level are just not really good enough to play on their wrong side. It works fine with the best players in the world, but it’s not nearly as common further down the footballing food chain. At the top level though I’d say it’s definitely the way to go.

[Mibbes Aye]

I’m not having this ‘inverted winger’ nonsense.

Call it by its proper name - the ‘Matty Done role’ :agree:

[ancient hibee]

Arthur Duncan regularly destroyed the right back and then crossed over to do the same to the left back.

[scotiaf]

Horgan has 2 feet and can play either side, Martin is better running onto the ball or striking from the right side.

[Inconsequential]

Peter Weir of Aberdeen was a classic example of a two footed winger. Played usually on the left wing and in 1981 scored two goals against Ipswich in the UEFA Cup, one with his right and the other with his left. Ipswich were well and truly inverted at that point. :wink:

[Iain G]

If a left-footed wide player plays on the right wing, or a right-footed player plays on the left wing, he is described as an inverted winger. In theory is this allows the player to cut inside, more easily, to pass or shoot as opposed to delivering a traditional cross. Has this ever been tried with Boyle and would increase his scoring rate?

For many years now Hibs have generally deployed a variation on this, the "introverted winger". These players were equally as accomplished at playing left or right sides and produced equal amounts on either wing. This is a specialist role that lulls the supporter and the opposition full back into thinking a quality final ball is to be produced or the full back skinned repeatedly with ease for around 45 minutes of their debut game then that level is never seen again as the winger disapears into their shell, never to see their likes again.

[J-C]

Best wide players in the world for the past 15 years have all been inverted types. Neymar, Messi, Ronaldo, Robben, Ribery, Mahrez, Salah, Mane. They caused far more havoc than any traditional winger has. Bale the only real traditional winger who has been anywhere that level and he has often played on the right, cutting inside. Wingers hitting the byline has become a rareity. Its more likely to be overlapping fullbacks who do that now.

I would also add that most of them are attacking forwards, in most of these top teams out and out strikers are few and far between, they play a front 3 who are all comfortable playing across the front line.

[Billy Whizz]

Horgan is a prime example, Man City, Man U, Liverpool all have players who do it, very common nowadays.

Horgan is comfortable with both feet

[Billy Whizz]

Fraser Murray is a rightie, but his best position is outside leftt

[MWHIBBIES]

I would also add that most of them are attacking forwards, in most of these top teams out and out strikers are few and far between, they play a front 3 who are all comfortable playing across the front line.

Sort of. Aguero is a striker. So is Benzema. So is Lewandowski. So is Kane. Their effectiveness is massively reduced on the wing. For 20 minutes as a tactical change, sure, it works. For 90 minutes every week, no chance.

All the players I've listed, apart from maybe Ronaldo in recent years and Messi, are wide players. Sure they switch around at times but they do the majority of their work from wide.

[J-C]

Fraser Murray is a rightie, but his best position is outside leftt

You've seen a lot more of Murray, do you think he has enough pace for that position or is his skill more important and why have few managers played him there. Also that was the reason I mentioned Horgan as he's most comfortable on the left but also the right if needed.

[Smartie]

No, I don’t recall seeing him play on the left, but have seen top players deploy in this fashion. This why I asked the question and if he’s not suited to it, fair enough. My feeling is Boyle could contribute more goals and this might have facilitated that.

For all Boyle is a more complete player than when he joined us, he’s still all about the pace. That set of attributes is only really suited to playing on one side, blasting into a position where he has time and space to deliver the best possible end product.

Inverted wingers need to be much more technical, ie have a better shot from distance, or final ball than Boyle has.

It also needs a fullback who bombs forward and overlaps and bombs forward, so you still have the byeline/ cross threat.

Horgan on a good day is a cracking inverted winger. Boyle will never be one and tbh his limitations as a player and our over-reliance on him can mean that he can be nullified.

[Alfred E Newman]

Old Lex used to invert the full backs occasionally as well as the wingers. Never worked! 😂

[jacomo]

Old Lex used to invert the full backs occasionally as well as the wingers. Never worked! 😂


I remember Lewis being asked to play right back (by Pat I think). He tried his best as always, but clearly not where he should be playing.

In defence it just doesn’t work imo. Left footers on the left, righties on the right.

Don’t mention Paolo Maldini - the exception that proves the rule. He had two gifted feet anyhow.