Right Forward Position: What is the Solution?

[TH1239]

Despite the great start to the season, it's hard not to notice the lack of production we've gotten alongside Kane and Son upfront. There's no shortage of proven talent for the right-wing forward position, but the attacking intent and productivity have been absent so far this season.

Bergwijn and Lucas have started the majority of matches and have only 1 goal (a tap-in) and no assists between them. They offer excellent workrate and defensive solidity tracking back, and have the dribbling, pace, and ball striking ability to be formidable in a front three, but have been off the pace for some time. Then there's Bale, who at his best, could be the difference between a title contender and a title pretender. However, he's clearly not been fit, nor playing his best in largely appearances limited to the Europa League. Lamela, when fit, has arguably been the most influential of the players in the aforementioned position, but his continual injuries are a problem, and Mourinho seems to prefer to use him as a bench option. Other unorthodox options for the position are Lo Celso and possibly even Dele playing on the inside right, with Aurier overlapping them. I suppose you could even play Vinicius in place of someone on the right in some matches.

I'm not sure what the best option is and perhaps it depends on the opponent. Bale in matches where we have possession and then one of the more defensive minded forwards for the more difficult away matches is something I've seen posited here. One thing is for sure and that's over the course of a season, you can't rely on two players to score and assist 80% of your goals. For now, you can understand Mourinho persisting with Bergwijn given that he is probably the one who will have a long-term future at the club, but perhaps the upcoming fixture glut will give others a chance to cement a place.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

Bale today with the overlapping full back would have been fine. If Bergwijn must start against the teams we are going to camp in our own half against then ok, but he is a complete non entity going forward.

The bigger problem was our approach today against a mediocre, mid table team like Palace.

 

[yankspurs]

Maybe letting the RW actually attack? Its been more of a defensive role all season. We complain about only having 2 goal threats yet we use our 3rd attacking option really as a wing back. Its like we’re using 3 players to defend on the right flank. Ridiculous.

 

[Yiddo21]

He should try Lo Celso at least. Although this wanker of a manager will probably make him play like an auxillary right back as well.

You could have Pele or Maradona on the right wing it means fuck all if they're expected to spend 90% of their time chasing back, closing down the opposition teams left sided players.

 

[Blake Griffin]

lamela would probably be my first choice if he could actually stay fit, i'm not really convinced by any of them though.

dele did play lw under poch quite a bit, maybe worth a try in some games with son on the right.

 

[mr ashley]

He should try Lo Celso at least. Although this wanker of a manager will probably make him play like an auxillary right back as well.

You could have Pele or Maradona on the right wing it means fuck all if they're expected to spend 90% of their time chasing back, closing down the opposition teams left sided players.

I wish we could have had some other managers in the last few years who were wankers of this calibre.
Never understand the outright hatred from fans of our team of someone working daily to make our team into winners. (And doing a pretty good job so far).
Weird.

 

[ardiles&villa]

lamela would probably be my first choice if he could actually stay fit, i'm not really convinced by any of them though.

dele did play lw under poch quite a bit, maybe worth a try in some games with son on the right.

he scored a fair few from there if I remember correctly

 

[wiggo24]

Maybe letting the RW actually attack? Its been more of a defensive role all season. We complain about only having 2 goal threats yet we use our 3rd attacking option really as a wing back. Its like we’re using 3 players to defend on the right flank. Ridiculous.

To be fair in defence we basically set up as a 4-4-2 with Ndombele and Kane pressing high as the two, so the left and right wingers (Son and another) actually contribute a similar level defensively.

Son manages to score so often partly because Kane always looks for him but also just because he's a really good player who doesn't let the defensive element stop him getting into good positions. None of our RWs have worked that balance out yet for me which is why they're either too attacking (Bale) or too defensive (Lucas and Bergwijn).

Do think that a really elite RW would be able to contribute with a decent goal output - not sure it's just the tactics limiting Bergwijn.

 

[wizgell]

The solution is to decide whether we want our right sided forward to be a right sided forward or a right sided midfield player.

At present we have out and out attacking players, like Bergwijn, playing as a deep right sided midfielder with their wings clipped.

 

[wizgell]

Maybe letting the RW actually attack? Its been more of a defensive role all season. We complain about only having 2 goal threats yet we use our 3rd attacking option really as a wing back. Its like we’re using 3 players to defend on the right flank. Ridiculous.

So glad someone else has spotted that! Twitter is full of people bashing Bergwijn for his lack of attacking play yesterday.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

For me not Bergwijn, not Dele and not Lo Celso
Preferably Lamela when fit, but it's wintertime so he is in hibernation.
Lucas to be rotated in over the weeks without EL footie.
Bale for when he stops having a nervous breakdown every time he is on the pitch.
Son when Bergwijn is on the pitch too.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

I think we will need to focus our summer 2021 transfer market efforts on bringing in this player (or someone with the potential to be).

For the time being, it’s a game by game decision. Stevie and Lamela are both solid enough and work hard but are obviously players we could look to upgrade on.

 

[Japhet]

Bale today with the overlapping full back would have been fine. If Bergwijn must start against the teams we are going to camp in our own half against then ok, but he is a complete non entity going forward.

The bigger problem was our approach today against a mediocre, mid table team like Palace.

I think the plan was to stop Zaha v Palace (which ultimately didn't work since he bought the free kick that led to their goal). Bale wouldn't have been any use in that scenario and Bergwijn put in a shift defensively. Bit disappointing that the combined Aurier, Sissoko and Bergwijn still couldn't bottle him up, but that's just as much to do with Kevin Friend giving a foul every time Zaha flopped to the ground and gave him the 'puppy eyes'.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

I think the plan was to stop Zaha v Palace (which ultimately didn't work since he bought the free kick that led to their goal). Bale wouldn't have been any use in that scenario and Bergwijn put in a shift defensively. Bit disappointing that the combined Aurier, Sissoko and Bergwijn still couldn't bottle him up, but that's just as much to do with Kevin Friend giving a foul every time Zaha flopped to the ground and gave him the 'puppy eyes'.

Zaha played as their central striker. Bergwijn was no use whatsoever in trying to keep Zaha quiet because they weren't that close to each other. It's all moot anyway since apparently Bale was ill which made it a toss up between Bergwijn and Lucas which is anyone's guess as Bale wasn't even available.

This new phrase of "putting in a shift defensively" when talking about one of our primary attacking positions is going to start grating soon.

 

[Japhet]

Zaha played as their central striker. Bergwijn was no use whatsoever in trying to keep Zaha quiet because they weren't that close to each other. It's all moot anyway since apparently Bale was ill which made it a toss up between Bergwijn and Lucas which is anyone's guess as Bale wasn't even available.

This new phrase of "putting in a shift defensively" when talking about one of our primary attacking positions is going to start grating soon.

What was Benteke doing if Zaha was their central striker?

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

What was Benteke doing if Zaha was their central striker?

Well they played with 2 strikers up front but if picking it apart, zaha might have been ever so slightly more advanced.

 

[Spurs_Bear]

What was Benteke doing if Zaha was their central striker?

No idea, barely noticed him. Because he's shit.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I wish we could have had some other managers in the last few years who were wankers of this calibre.
Never understand the outright hatred from fans of our team of someone working daily to make our team into winners. (And doing a pretty good job so far).
Weird.

They’ll all be coming out today mate. Slight blip against perceived inferior side and he’s a wanker according to this guy and he plays with pussy tactics according to another poster.

I’d say try not to nibble, but that would make me a hypocrite of the highest order.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

They’ll all be coming out today mate. Slight blip against perceived inferior side and he’s a wanker according to this guy and he plays with pussy tactics according to another poster.

I’d say try not to nibble, but that would make me a hypocrite of the highest order.

'Do as I say, not as I do' is not hypocrisy, it's a way of life.

 

[brasil_spur]

Surely it should be Bale, of course he is not back to full prime Bale yet (and maybe never will be), but he is still deadly from set pieces (could've been very useful yesterday) and with a roaming full back in support his guile and skill will be needed more than his speed and fitness. With Sissoko already dropping in to cover across RB then needing a RW to play a defensive role isn't hugely necessary IMO.

Bergwijn offered next to nothing in the game yesterday, his pace would have been more useful if he had come on as a sub with 15 mins left to help push back Palace, but starting him was a mistake IMO. I'd be annoyed to see him in our PL starting lineup in the next game.