Full Back types

Today, I cover the subject of the traits of the wing backs. There are 3 types, which I'll cover in different comments, so as you will know what is each one and choose to your formations the type you want.

1. Defensive wing back:

"Player style: Defensive Full-back. A solid full-back who prefers to stay back and stick to defensive duties."

This type is the typical wing back. He is just like any other defender, who will cover his position in the wing. As a winger, he has better dribble than ball possession. This type is not good in advancing from the side, as we are used to see, but he is very good in covering the side. He is mostly useful against wing attackers and he offers a good stop to advances from the sides with long balls. If you play from the middle, it is good to have this type of wing defender, so as not to have holes in your defensive line, even though that means that you don't interchange the ball to the sides with the ease you want. This type of wing back can also play as CB, where he is normally the low back. The defensive wing back has defensive value above his general OPR.

2. Offensive fullback or simply fullback:

"Player style: Offensive Full-back. An attack-minded full back who will run upfield and join the attack when presented with a chance."

The most common wing defender, who is exactly what we have in mind when we talk about a wing defender. He does cover his position well, but he is a fast and eligible player, who can also offer a lot of things in the interchanges in the wing. It is common view of a fullback with a long ball to the CFs in an overlap, a tactic with which everyone of us is absolutely familiar. Most of the defenders of that type as good also as midfielders, even though their OPR in that position is not that good as in the defensive position. You can easily recognise a fullback if his defensive value is near the value of his OPR or slightly lower, not lower than 5 points.

3. Powerback.

"Player style: Full-back Finisher. An attacking full-back who enjoys joining the attack in high central areas."

This is an uncommon type of wing back, since we now go to the midfield area. There are not enough wing backs who can play with the same effect as defenders and midfielders, let alone attackers. This type of defender has very low value of defense, whereas his abilities and traits are close or similar to that of the midfielders. They offer a lot in the attack, as they are very good in wing rotation tactics and all the tactics we know, but they remain up in the field, thus leaving holes behind. Not ideal when you want mostly to defend, but the pressure they give from the back is vital if you want to press forth. They are recognised if the defensive value is much lower than their general OPR, with the difference higher that 5 points. The most common powerbacks are Marcelo of Real, Marcos Acuna of Sporting Lisbon or Alex Grimaldo of Benfica, to have an idea of what I call powerback.