In the modern age of football there are many different formations that use wing backs to attack down the flanks. A wonderful sight in the game is seeing the wing-back fly up and down the touchline terrorising the opposition and creating attacking opportunities.

​

Their role basically involves a great deal of running and they can be hard to defend against as you never know where they're going to be. Often they will pick the ball up deep and support the attacking players by making overlapping runs and crosses.

​

The Hawks Wing-Backs in our formation are usually employed to supply all of the width for the team in the Midfield and Attacking third.

​

However the modern wing-back also has defensive responsibilities to support the defensive back 3. They must have the ability, when needed, to fall back and mark opposing players to lessen the threat of conceding a goal-scoring or crossing opportunity.

​

One of the key roles in our formation is to defend high up the pitch and we need our wing backs to also move into midfield to support the CDM.

 

Our rule is simple. The Wing Back on the opposite side of the pitch from the ball moves into Midfield as a double CDM to help add protection to the midfield.

 

Some formations have wing back players that mainly focus on defending, and some that focus more on attack. To be a useful wing-back, you've got to be good at all parts of the game.

​

We want our Wing-Backs to have a good tactical awareness as a wing back who is regularly out of position and does not defend makes hard work for his defence. It is vital in our formation to have a good understanding of the positional rotations between attacking wing back play, covering in midfield and when to provide extra defensive support.

 

Player requirements :

 

• Fit with lots of stamina

• Positional discipline

• Ability to judge when to move forward

• Awareness of team mates and pitch situation

• Crossing ability

• Fast to sense danger and defend

• A hard worker

 

Phillip Lamn, Dani Alves & Ashley Cole are excellent examples of the modern day wing backs.