How versatile players gave variety to their managers

Tactically intelligent players who can adapt seamlessly to different roles came to the fore during the 2022/23 campaign.

Premier League head coaches are increasingly shifting the shape of their sides in and out of possession, with Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, Jurgen Klopp and Roberto De Zerbi among those who experimented, or evolved their approach, to become more fluid.

As a by-product of this, footballers with the propensity to understand positional play, who can attune their skillset to varying parts of the pitch, provide real added value.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the versatile players who caught the eye last term.

Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion)

A plethora of impressive individuals could lay claim to being Brighton & Hove Albion’s most valuable player last season, but De Zerbi would undoubtedly include 31-year-old German Gross on his own shortlist.

He is not quick, but his sharp tactical understanding, composure on the ball, and reliable distribution made him a must-pick for the Italian, who described him as “one of the best players I have had in my career.’

Gross arrived in English football in 2017 as a creative No 10, but began this season under Graham Potter playing on the right of a midfield three, or up front as part of a centre forward pairing.

De Zerbi saw that versatility too, using him in a variety of roles before settling on rotation between central midfield and right back.

The Italian demands that his midfield pivots drop into Brighton's own penalty box to help them pass out from the back, and Gross’ comfort in those situations made him an ideal partner for Moises Caicedo.

In total, Gross was used in seven different positions across 2022/23.

Pascal Gross positions played in 22/23

 Scoring nine goals and making eight assists, Gross was also incredibly productive.

Whether he was playing in an advanced position, driving from deep in central midfield, pressing in search of turnovers, or pushing forward from a full back role, inverted or wide, the Seagulls star always carried a threat.

Creating 80 chances (49 from open play), there were only three Premier League players – Kevin De Bruyne, Kieran Trippier and Bruno Fernandes - who laid on a greater number of opportunities.

Gross is a vastly underrated footballer who is rightly admired at Brighton.

Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal)

Creating midfield overloads by inverting full-backs is a trend that became much more commonplace last season.

Arteta’s use of left-back Zinchenko, in a hybrid role, made a tremendous difference to the way Arsenal played out from the back – and in turn helped them manufacture a glut of quality chances.

Drifting into central midfield to form a double pivot, the Gunners were able to add a fresh passing lane option for the man on the ball.

Ahead of Zinchenko, team-mates Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka pushed on to create a box midfield and the Ukrainian was excellent at moving the ball through the lines with a progressive pass.

This clip from Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Newcastle United, showcases the 3-2-4-1 tactical approach they used in possession.

With the Magpies blocking a pass into Jorginho, the astute Zinchenko inverts to offer Gabriel an outlet.

Then, as soon as Xhaka receives a forward pass from Zinchenko, he was able to play a through ball for Bukayo Saka to run onto in a 1v1.

 The Zinchenko-Xhaka axis created several chances and goals throughout the campaign.

Using Zinchenko's assurance on the ball to great effect, this pairing bypassed opponents with enormous regularity.

Of the team-mates Zinchenko spent more than 1,000 minutes alongside last season, it was Xhaka he passed to most per 90 minutes. 

Zinchenko's most passed to team-mates

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

Late on in the season, ironically beginning with a 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal, Jurgen Klopp introduced a very similar tactical approach with Liverpool.

In addition to creating clever overloads by tucking Alexander-Arnold into midfield, getting his best distributor onto the ball with greater frequency was also a bonus for Klopp.

Alexander-Arnold’s touches per match increased by around 44 per cent.

While Alexander-Arnold actually created slightly fewer chances in a hybrid role, his own assist count shot up rapidly, making seven goals in just 10 matches.

This tactical switch also had a positive impact on Liverpool’s results and performances.

Joelinton (Newcastle)

Eddie Howe also benefitted from the quality of another multi-purpose player, Joelinton.

The powerful Brazilian enjoyed a wonderful season, driving his side forward with desire and class.

The centre forward-turned-midfielder, began the campaign on the left of a three-man midfield, supporting the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin, Ryan Fraser and Jacob Murphy.

However, his season really came alive when Howe moved Joe Willock into that spot, pushing Joelinton into a left-sided forward position ahead of him.

Willock and Joelinton struck up a superb rapport.

Both hardworking off the ball, but also athletic when bursting forward, they interchanged positions quite brilliantly, often bamboozling opponents.

As shown on these passes and shot chalkboards from their outstanding 6-1 win at home to Tottenham Hotspur, Joelinton and Willock effectively job-shared the left-hand-side.

Joelinton display v Spurs

Willock display v Spurs

When injuries and suspensions hit the side, Joelinton did make a limited number of appearances as the deepest-lying central midfielder towards the end of the season and also on the right of midfield.

He was at his best down the left though and the team's record when Joelinton played ahead of Willock, was staggeringly good.

They won eight, drew three and lost none when they worked in tandem.

Out of possession their defending as a duo was tireless and during those 11 matches, Newcastle conceded just four goals. 

John Stones (Manchester City)

Finally, Stones reinvented himself in style last season, shining brightly as a defensive central midfield pivot alongside the irrepressible Rodri.

At first, Stones occasionally ‘popped out’ of the back four in possession to receive passes a little higher up the pitch.

We had seen this from Manchester City’s full backs before, but it was unusual to see a central defenders play in this way.

Seeing how well that worked, Guardiola soon implemented a new 3-2-4-1 formation that he persisted with at the end of the season.

This is a shape which has not been used once by any other Premier League manager since the start of 2021/22.

Stones made the adjustment in positioning look easy, and he was able to do so because his strengths are calmness on the ball and precise passing.

Of all top-flight players that featured in at least 20 starts, Stones lost possession the fewest number of times per 90 minutes last season.

His quality next to Rodri ensured Man City exerted control.

Players with best pass accuracy and least possession lost

*Min 20 starts

This 3-2-2-3 formation used by Guardiola in the final months of the campaign was an absolute triumph.

Man City’s four-man box midfield toyed with opponents, many of whom ended up moving players out of position to try and cope – leaving space elsewhere for the champions to exploit.

And from a defensive standpoint, without impacting their quality on the ball, Guardiola was able to name five exceptionally strong players, with all of them boasting experience as centre-backs.

Stones is the perfect example of an adaptable, tactically smart footballer who can effortlessly impress in different positions.

Footballers of his ilk, and those discussed earlier in the piece, afford their head coaches the luxury of tweaking their strategies, and setting teams up to perform in a more fluid manner.

A trend that has seen versatile players grow in importance, looks set to continue.