Comments on: Tale Of The Tape: Carlos Cuellar vs Luke Young

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 28 May 2010 02:44:40 +0000

“No, Cuellar isn’t a right back, I agree.
But you’ve proven he’s on a par with someone who I’ve heard some Villa fans saying is the best English RB (LY).”

yeah, i think so too. it’s close and probably still subjective in the final analysis, but it’s not the no brainer some seem to think it is.

By: tubbydunne

tubbydunne — Mon, 24 May 2010 21:36:19 +0000

Interesting stats and they support a feeling I always had, that L. Young isn’t as effective going forward as he is given credit for.
Since Carlos has made the R.B. position his own a myth has grown that Villa are missing a huge attacking threat with Young sitting on the bench and that’s all it is, a myth.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 24 May 2010 21:10:28 +0000

“No, Cuellar isn’t a right back, I agree.
But you’ve proven he’s on a par with someone who I’ve heard some Villa fans saying is the best English RB (LY).”

yeah, i think so too. it’s close and probably still subjective in the final analysis, but it’s not the no brainer some seem to think it is.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 24 May 2010 21:08:53 +0000

“Unless they cut into the middle somewhat, much as you suggested about our wingers?”

true enough, but the point was the wingers have the option to cut inside, the full backs provide the options on the overlap. warnock is very good at that, cuellar…. not so much.

eh, dion dublin was pretty handy at centre half himself.

i’m with you, milner is exceptionally versatile, but decent players should be comfortable in more than one position or role.

By: Badger

Badger — Mon, 24 May 2010 20:11:32 +0000

“full backs lose all their attacking benefits if they’re on the wrong side and can’t use their other foot so well”.

Unless they cut into the middle somewhat, much as you suggested about our wingers?

I’ve just been on News and Views, looking at John Lerwell’s memoirs.
He speaks of Alan Evans, who was a striker.
He just happened to be one of the finest Centre halfs I’ve seen down the Villa.

A certain Mr Barry could play various positions, as can James Milner.

I guess I just have a bee in my bonnet when people say you can only play one position.

No, Cuellar isn’t a right back, I agree.
But you’ve proven he’s on a par with someone who I’ve heard some Villa fans saying is the best English RB (LY).

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:20:54 +0000

nooo, i never cherry pick (well, mostly never!)

this is as fair a comparison as i can draw between them. it would probably benefit from a more detailed analysis of exactly where they’re passing. cuellar is prone to getting a bit far up the pitch, stopping and passing backwards, although less so now than in the past.

the problem with young as a left back is that he’s very right footed. full backs lose all their attacking benefits if they’re on the wrong side and can’t use their other foot so well.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:13:05 +0000

haha, no worries. we’ll call it the west coast effect!

By: Aaron

Aaron — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:07:01 +0000

Very poorly worded on my part; I intended for this to read as though we were in agreement re: Cuellar being the better option overall. And then I went and wrote it as though the opposite were true. When internetting late at night I need to perhaps save comments as drafts for posting after I’ve had coffee the next morning.

By: Badger

Badger — Mon, 24 May 2010 16:50:23 +0000

Nice stats.
I don’t see that you’ve cherry picked them to prove a point either.

So what is it with the vocal people on the net that insist you should always play players in the preferred position?

As it happens, I’d rather see LY at left back in place of Warnock.
(the latter has yet to convince me defensively and I hope he’s better next season).

But I’d obviously be talking out of my proverbial, as I’d be asking LY to play out of position too

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 24 May 2010 11:54:42 +0000

“I’m not convinced **(as you seem to be)** that Luke is any better overall”

no, i think you’ve missed the point.

over the course of several posts, i’ve said that luke young offers more in the final third in a system specifically designed to employ the power of full backs. it would be demented to claim otherwise.

but, based on what *has* happened, not some hypothetical, i’m perfectly convinced that cuellar has been the better *overall* option.

that’s the purpose of this post, the stats show that defensively he’s ahead, but offensively he’s not as far behind luke as some people imagine.

also, this:

“[...] but if he offers more going forward, he doesn’t deliver. Carlos has the goal and assist to his name, Luke has zip.”