The Vital Importance of Ball-Playing Centrebacks

As football evolves and player roles continue to shift, more and more importance has been given to the center-back. While they’re not the type of player to get all the media attention, modern systems have transformed the center-back into one of the most sought-after positions, with the price tag of world-class players in this position rapidly trending upwards. This trend has been led by the rise in possession football and the increased popularity of building from the back, meaning the ball-playing center-back has become a core element of any successful team.

In this article, we’ll be taking a look at three players from this graph that have their own unique approach to this role. To get a good understanding of the different styles of play, we’ll be exploring the main requirements of this position, the types of ball-playing center-backs, and analyzing the playstyles of Reuben Diaz, Virgil Van Dijk, and Alessandro Bastoni. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of the different approaches to ball progression in the center-back position and how these players have excelled in their respective teams.

Key Takeaways

• The center-back position has become one of the most sought-after positions in modern football due to the rise of possession football and building from the back.
• There are generally two types of ball-playing center-backs: the ball player and the ball carrier.
• Reuben Diaz excels by keeping it simple, Virgil Van Dijk is unpredictable, and Alessandro Bastoni has exceptional vision.

Evolution of the Center-Back Role

As football evolves and player roles continue to shift, more and more importance has been given to the center-back. While they may not be the type of player to get all the media attention, modern systems have transformed the center-back into one of the most sought-after positions, with the price tag of world-class players in this position rapidly trending upwards. This trend has been led by the rise in possession football and the increased popularity of building from the back, meaning the ball-playing center-back has become a core element of any successful team.

The center-back’s role has shifted from purely defensive to starting attacks, both during build-up and when the team is attacking in the opposition’s half, acting as support and finding the right space to move the ball. There are generally speaking two different types of ball-playing center-backs: the ball player and the ball carrier. The ball player is someone who relies on their passing range to help the team progress, while the ball carrier is a center-back who looks to break the first line themselves, pushing into the midfield and giving the team more support.

The evolution of the center-back role has been driven by the increase in possession football and the high press. The center-back’s responsibility has shifted from purely defensive to starting attacks, both during build-up and when the team is attacking in the opposition’s half, acting as support and finding the right space to move the ball. The ball-playing center-back has become a core element of any successful team, and the list of world-class players in this position is constantly expanding.

To get a good understanding of the different styles of play, let’s take a look at three players that have their own unique approach to ball progression. The first player we’re going to look at is someone who excels by keeping it simple, and that is Man City’s Ruben Diaz. The second player is Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk, the perfect hybrid of old-school physical defender and modern ball-playing center-back. Finally, we’ll look at Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni, who has a completely different approach compared to the previous two, with a focus on vision and direct play.

Main Requirements of the Position

As football evolves and player roles continue to shift, more and more importance has been given to the center-back position. The ball-playing center-back has become a core element of any successful team, with their responsibility shifting from purely defensive to starting attacks. In this section, we will take a look at the main requirements of this position.

As the name suggests, a ball-playing center-back is a defender who excels in ball progression. They are known for their passing range, their ability to drive the ball forward, and their defensive qualities. This means they are usually physically strong, have great vision, and are excellent under pressure. They are also capable of stopping the opposition from creating any chances.

There are generally two different types of ball-playing center-backs: the ball player and the ball carrier. The ball player is someone who relies on their passing range to help the team progress, while the ball carrier is a center-back who looks to break the first line themselves, pushing into the midfield and giving the team more support.

The playstyle of a ball-playing center-back is directly linked to the increase in possession football and the high press. Their responsibility is to shift from purely defensive to starting attacks, both during build-up and when the team is attacking in the opposition’s half, acting as support and finding the right space to move the ball.

The main requirements of this position are patience, unpredictability, and vision. A ball-playing center-back needs to be patient, rarely panicking when being closed down, and inviting pressure to free up space for other players. They also need to be unpredictable, always allowing them to find the right pass, and have the vision to see the entire field and make quick decisions.

In summary, the ball-playing center-back is a crucial position in modern football. They need to be physically strong, have great vision, and be excellent under pressure. They must be patient, unpredictable, and have the vision to see the entire field and make quick decisions. The ball-playing center-back is a key element in any successful team, and their importance is only set to increase as football continues to evolve.

Types of Ball Playing Center-Backs

As football evolves and player roles continue to shift, more and more importance has been given to the center-back position. Modern systems have transformed the center-back into one of the most sought-after positions, with the price tag of world-class players in this position rapidly trending upwards. This trend has been led by the rise in possession football and the increased popularity of building from the back, meaning the ball-playing center-back has become a core element of any successful team.

There are generally speaking two different types of ball-playing center-backs: the ball player and the ball carrier. The ball player is someone who relies on their passing range to help the team progress, while the ball carrier is a center-back who looks to break the first line themselves, pushing into the midfield and giving the team more support.

A ball player would be someone like Brighton’s Lewis Dunk, relying on his passing accuracy and completing the most progressive passes than any other center-back in the league.

On the other hand, an example of a ball carrier would be someone like Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger, often bursting through the first line of pressure and into the midfield, ranking in the top one percent of center-backs in the league for expected threat from carries.

However, not all center-backs are the same, and some will have specific roles depending on the team and their personal style of play. For example, Manchester City’s Ruben Diaz excels by keeping it simple, with an incredible pass completion rate but pretty average numbers for switches and progressive passes. Diaz is crucial in Man City’s season, and the majority of attacks would start through him. He boasts one of the best pass completion rates in the league while also completing the most passes per 100 touches than any other player. While his passing is accurate, it’s rarely extremely progressive, and his style mostly allows other players to gain more of an advantage.

Another type of ball-playing center-back is Virgil Van Dijk, the perfect hybrid of an old-school physical defender and modern ball-playing center-back. He is extremely accurate in switches and long balls forward, ranking second for expected threat from passes at 0.1 per game. Van Dijk is also unpredictable and always allows him to find the right pass. He stops the ball to look forward, giving him more options of where to move the ball next and making it harder for the opposition to predict.

Finally, Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni has a completely different approach compared to the previous two. He ranks first amongst center-backs in Serie A for progressive passes and expected threat from passes. The key word for Bastoni is vision, even when Inter are being pressed high up the pitch. He often plays these incredibly long direct balls into the striker and instantly helps the team gain ground. Bastoni is crucial in Enzagi’s system for helping the team progress as Inter lineup in a 3-5-2, with Bastoni starting as the left center-back, giving him more freedom to push up in the inside channel.

In conclusion, the ball-playing center-back position has become a crucial element in modern football, with different types of players excelling in their unique approaches. The ball player and ball carrier styles, as well as players like Diaz, Van Dijk, and Bastoni, showcase the diversity and importance of this position in the modern game.

Player Analysis

In modern football, the center-back position has become one of the most important positions on the field. With the rise in possession football and the increased popularity of building from the back, the ball-playing center-back has become a core element of any successful team. In this article, we will take a look at three players who have their own unique approach to this role.

The first player we will analyze is Manchester City’s Ruben Diaz. Diaz is known for his incredible pass completion rate and his ability to start attacks from the back. He rarely panics when being closed down and invites pressure to free up space for other players. Diaz’s positioning is consistently the furthest point back and in a central position, meaning he is often protected, giving his teammates an easy option if they’re under pressure. He is also an excellent defender, making him a crucial player for Manchester City.

The second player we will analyze is Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk. Van Dijk is the perfect hybrid of old-school physical defender and modern ball-playing center-back. He is extremely accurate with his switches and long balls forward, ranking second for expected threat from passes in the Premier League. Van Dijk’s unpredictability and ability to play with both feet make his switches in play so effective. He rarely pushes up and his positioning as the furthest point back is also to provide cover when needed, as he is also an excellent defender.

The third player we will analyze is Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni. Bastoni is known for his vision and ability to make progressive passes. He ranks first amongst center-backs in Serie A for progressive passes and expected threat from passes. Even when Inter Milan is being pressed high up the pitch, Bastoni often plays incredibly long direct balls into the striker, instantly helping the team gain ground. He is crucial in Antonio Conte’s system for helping the team progress.

In conclusion, these three players have their own unique approach to the ball-playing center-back role. Diaz excels by keeping it simple and being patient, Van Dijk is unpredictable and has excellent vision, while Bastoni is known for his progressive passes and ability to make direct balls into the striker. All three players are crucial to their respective teams and have helped transform the center-back position into one of the most sought-after positions in modern football.

Player Analysis: Reuben Diaz

Reuben Diaz is a ball-playing center-back who excels in ball progression. He boasts one of the best pass completion rates in the league and completes the most passes per 100 touches than any other player. Diaz’s style mostly allows other players to gain more of an advantage. The key word for understanding his style is patience.

Diaz rarely panics when being closed down and invites pressure to free space for other players. He spends the majority of his time circulating the ball around the backline, waiting for central options to open up. Diaz’s positioning is consistently the furthest point back and in a central position, meaning he is often protected, giving his teammates an easy option if they’re under pressure.

The majority of attacks for Manchester City would start through Diaz. He is crucial in Man City’s season, and his style allows other players to gain more of an advantage. Diaz never rushes his choice, doesn’t overcomplicate his passes, and never looks for the spectacular assist. Diaz is effective because he never rushes his choice, and he never looks for the spectacular assist.

Diaz’s play style is perfect for Man City’s objective, which is to play centrally before moving it out wide in the final third. Diaz’s positioning sees him as the furthest point back, meaning he is often protected, giving his teammates an easy option if they’re under pressure. Diaz is so effective because he never rushes his choice, doesn’t overcomplicate his passes, and never looks for the spectacular assist.

Player Analysis: Virgil Van Dijk

Van Dijk is a perfect hybrid of old-school physical Defender and modern ball-playing center-back. He ranks second for expected threat from passes in the Premier League, showing how he helps the team gain ground with his accurate switches in play and long balls forward.

One thing that sets Van Dijk apart from other center-backs is his ability to stop the ball during build-up play. By stopping the ball and looking forward, he has more options of where to move the ball next, making it harder for the opposition to predict. This unpredictability and his ability to play with both feet is also why his switches in play are so effective.

Van Dijk’s positioning is consistently the furthest point back and in a central position, similar to what we see with Ruben Diaz. The vast majority of his passes are from side to side, but when the moment is right, he looks for a pinpoint switch into the winger. He has the responsibility of recognizing when the wingers are in an advantaged position and will move the ball to them with incredible accuracy.

Even the way Van Dijk makes his switches is hard to predict, mostly because of his body shape and technique. He has barely any backlift on his switches, which means the opposition has little time to react. He is also capable of doing this with his left foot, as we can see with his excellent ball into space for Robertson.

Van Dijk rarely pushes up, and his positioning as the furthest point back is also to provide cover when needed, as above all, he is also an excellent defender. His perfect blend of physicality, ball-playing ability, and defensive qualities make him a complete center-back and one of the best in the world.

Player Analysis: Alessandro Bastoni

Alessandro Bastoni, the left center-back for Inter Milan, has a unique approach to ball progression that sets him apart from other ball playing center-backs. According to data from Soccer Moon, Bastoni ranks first among center-backs in Serie A for both progressive passes and expected threat from passes.

Bastoni’s style of play is characterized by his exceptional vision on the pitch. He is able to make long, direct passes into the striker, even when being pressed high up the pitch. This allows his team to gain ground quickly and transition from build up to attack smoothly.

In Inter’s 3-5-2 system, Bastoni starts as the left center-back, giving him more freedom to push up in the inside channel. His role is crucial in Antonio Conte’s system as he is responsible for helping the team progress and transition from defense to attack.

Bastoni’s ability to read the game and make accurate passes has earned him a reputation as one of the best ball playing center-backs in Serie A. His style of play is different from other center-backs, as he relies more on his vision and passing ability than on physical strength or defensive qualities.

Overall, Bastoni’s unique approach to the ball playing center-back role has made him an important player for Inter Milan. His vision and passing ability have helped the team progress and transition from defense to attack, making him a key player in their success.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the role of the ball playing center-back has become increasingly important in modern football. With the rise of possession football and the increased popularity of building from the back, the ball playing center-back has become a core element of any successful team. The list of world-class players in this position is constantly expanding, and there are generally two different types of ball playing center-backs: the ball player and the ball carrier.

Lewis Dunk, Ruben Diaz, Virgil Van Dijk, and Alessandro Bastoni are just a few examples of the different styles of play that exist among ball playing center-backs. While each player has their own unique approach, they all share the common goal of helping their team progress the ball up the field while also maintaining their defensive responsibilities.

Ruben Diaz is a player who excels by keeping it simple, relying on his passing accuracy to start attacks for his team. Virgil Van Dijk, on the other hand, is a perfect hybrid of old-school physical defender and modern ball playing center-back, with extremely accurate switches and long balls forward. Finally, Alessandro Bastoni is a player who has a completely different approach compared to the previous two, with his vision and ability to play long direct balls into the striker.

In summary, the ball playing center-back is a crucial position in modern football, and the list of world-class players in this position is constantly expanding. While each player has their own unique approach, they all share the common goal of helping their team progress the ball up the field while also maintaining their defensive responsibilities.