Newcastle United share Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold problem as new team selection awaits
Probably the least glamorous position in any team is full-back. He is seen as straight bat and pad, the workhorse while the midfield creator, tricky winger, and bludgeoning centre-forward are the blue eyed boys. At school if you couldn't do their job you might just get a game at No.2 or 3.
What is a fascinating by-product of Newcastle United at the moment is their young defenders Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall. They are unquestionably the future of the club but the modern trend opens up intriguing situations. What are full-backs? Defenders or an early outlet for attacking?
In the days of Frank Clark, a double European winner with United and Nottingham Forest, the first job of a full-back was to defend, the second to overlap. Now it is the other way round.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold is said to be world class and, yes, he is in possession. But defensively it must be admitted he can be poor at times. United's young pair can surge forward like a Rolls Royce but are still learning the shrewdness of their art when playing is going the other way.
Livramento failed to cover his right sided central defender when Wolves broke at speed in a counter attack which brought their goal _ the basic drill of defending from right-back _ and eventually got hooked for Kieran Trippier while Hall can be caught ball watching on the other flank. It is a modern dilemma.
It must be emphasised that as footballers both Livramento and Hall are excellent technicians. I have sung their praises many times, especially Tino. It is just that today's game has evolved in a significantly different way, the emphasis being much more on front foot football rather than defensive nous.
It triggered an illuminating discussion I had this week with Steve Watson, primarily a right-back in United's Entertainers who has evolved into an excellent coach of defenders since stepping into that role both with Darlington in non-league football and Newcastle's academy. We were to-ing and fro-ing backwards and forwards.
Similarly John Anderson, who played almost 350 times for United so knows a little of what is required, has expressed a concern about Hall's defensive awareness while acknowledging his forward play.
So do you go Livramento or Trippier at Fulham? Hall or Lloyd Kelly? England have a similar debate _ who is their best left-back?
United's team sheet come Saturday afternoon will produce a telling insight even before a ball is kicked. I doubt if many Geordies expected the three team changes Eddie Howe revealed at Wolves _ while most thought Sandro Tonali would start ahead of Sean Longstaff the boss instead dropped Harvey Barnes for Jacob Murphy, Kelly for Hall and more predictably Emil Krafth for Fabian Schar.
In fairness Howe acted quickly and ruthlessly at half-time dragging off Longstaff and Joelinton and thrusting Barnes and Tonali into battle which turned the match and the result.
I was one of the voices promoting Tonali and Barnes pre-match at Wolves and I'm doing so again now. Surely they played themselves into Eddie's good books and will begin where they left off.
There is another thought...can and should Joe Willock be shoehorned into a midfield bursting with alternatives? He provides something others do not with his ball carrying and athleticism. Yes, Howe's starting list will be fascinating once again and if he initially got it wrong at Molineux then may he hit the sweet spot at Craven Cottage rather than give it only a 45 minute whirl.
It must be said that United's boss has hardly done anything untoward all season _ four wins and a draw in five league and cup matches is a magnificent return achieved against a backdrop of off-field rumblings.
Indeed 10 points from four fixtures is Newcastle's best PL start to a season since Kevin Keegan won all his first four games in 1995-96 but theories abound as to why performances have not matched results. Could it be as some suggest that United are low on intensity, their original hallmark for success, because performance director James Bunce in trying to solve the mystery of a crippling injury list has looked to ease off the relentless pressing power in training?
Anyone can smash any record _ ask Liverpool home to Nottingham Forest _ but Fulham ought not to strike fear into Geordie hearts. With the right application, attitude and determination to go with collective ability it should be more than possible to remain unbeaten.
With habitual champions Manchester City next up in the Premier League the Fulham result is extra important and, yes, for 24 hours at least United can actually plant their flag at the summit of the PL with a victory given that City don't host Arsenal until Sunday.
Wow, wouldn't that be something even this early in a long and arduous season!