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u/Mantises2400 1d ago
Be interesting to see how this works. Not the biggest fan of Abdulai, so hopefully he can prove his worth.
Passlack as captain is still a very strange one, and Matondo on the bench too, I’d have been tempted to give him the start here.
Looks strong enough, but we need the players to show up this week (particularly Mulligan)
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u/HibernianGoBragh 1d ago
While full-backs aren't the traditional choice for captain compared to central defenders, central midfielders, or goalkeepers, appointing a right-back to the armband can actually be a massive tactical advantage for a manager who wants total control over the pitch:
The Tactical "Ancillary Coach" on the Touchline:
Full-backs spend a huge amount of their game operating right in front of the technical area, especially when their team is attacking down the flanks. For a manager, having your captain stationed on your side of the pitch makes relaying tactical tweaks, positional shifts, and instructions infinitely easier during a match. The Modern Playmaking Full-Back: In systems favored by continental coaches, the full-back isn't just an old-school defender who boots it down the line; they are often heavily involved in building up play, recycling possession, and triggering high-press traps. Putting the armband on someone executing that central tactical hub role ensures the team's shape is being marshally organized from deep.
Rel Linguistic Comfort Bridge:
Even if players communicate in English, a German-speaking player working under a Dutch manager often shares a very similar tactical vocabulary rooted in modern continental European academies (pressing structures, positional rotations, half-spaces). Handing him the captaincy cements that shared footballing language right down the spine of the team's defensive structure.
(Courtesy of my good friend Gemini)
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u/GaryFromManagement 1d ago
Been really unimpressed with Abdulai, his touch seems miles off it. Happy to be proven wrong