Ona Batlle, Leila Ouahabi, & Guro Reiten - The Evolution of the wing-back position

The position has changed over time and this season is showing us how imperitive they've become to the modern game.

The current crop of coaches at top clubs have now enforced more stringent philosophies that have bred exciting and enticing attacking tactics. At the heart of this attacking upturn have been the roles of the full-backs and wing-backs. Several of the current tactical setups have the wide defenders as a core, essential part of the plan given their use as a central and even primary source of attacking output.

When you think of a wing-back, you think of a marauding wide player that dominates the overlap and whips in a perfect cross. While this description is still accurate to an extent, the new modern-day version is much more diverse and unpredictable. They are not only faux “wing merchants” but rather a blend of a technical midfielder’s intelligence and a winger’s attacking instinct combined with a hint of a defender’s defensive acumen. They occupy interior channels, attack half-spaces, and tuck inside as extra central midfielders.

Of course, they still provide overlapping runs – they wouldn’t be wing-backs without that trademark run but their usage has become much more sophisticated. Coaches are now capable of developing succinct and detailed tactical plans using the wing-back/full-back in creative ways.

Clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Lyon have all used their wide defenders uniquely. Each of them have made a big impact so far and while it may have taken some experimentation, the outcomes seem to be positive in the long run. 

The intrigue of analysing these trends lies in the players’ roles more than the system. Though it does facilitate and encourage their behavioural patterns, the players’ inherent style has contributed towards the positive impact. We’ll look at how these teams and players have used their full-backs and the distinct differences between them. 

So far we’ve seen Ona Batlle, Guilia Gwinn, Ellie Carpenter, Leila Ouahabi, and Guro Reiten all showcase various styles of the full-back playing style. Each one has been a key outlet for their side and a core fundamental tactical weapon to breaking down opposition defences. Om Arvind has explained Gwinn’s position in great detail here, however, I will look to compare a couple of teams and discuss specific players and how they’ve used their wing-backs so far this season.

---

Chelsea - Emma Hayes’ flying wing-backs

Emma Hayes’ decision to move to a 3-4-3 system has prompted the use of wing-backs. Chelsea have probably been the side that has benefited greatly from the wide players with their impact being felt more than most. Indeed, the 3-at-the-back formation means the wing-backs are extremely important to the overall functioning of the system.

Chelsea’s wing-back formation has encouraged the two wide players to become the primary wide outlets. This is clearly seen in their overall positioning in most games where they provide the width and offer an extra passing option. This pass network against Juventus shows how high both Reiten (#11) and Erin Cuthbert (#22) are in this system.

This has been more visible than the 4-4-2 diamond they played last season, where they were positioned lower and had one less defender available. Here, Chelsea can load up in midfield with one wing-back coming across whilst being naturally higher up the pitch, harnessing the power of the front three. 

Being high up the pitch, both players will take up attacking positions that not only create crossing options but also space for the three narrower forwards to operate in. The pass network is indicative of this and shows how wide the two wing-backs actually position themselves.

Chelsea’s right-sided wing-back is quite the opposite. The right wing-back is tasked with being more direct in attack and narrower out of possession. Erin Cuthbert is an unorthodox option but one that has given Chelsea an extra protective layer down the right side of midfield. The right wing-back’s task is to sit slightly deeper and narrower in the build-up and give Chelsea an extra body in midfield.

Chelsea position their wing-backs in a pendulum to create a lop-sided attacking structure to create space and overloads on one side. Once the ball reaches the final third, the right wing-back will join the attack and provide an attacking option. With Chelsea building up through a zig-zag motion from back to front, the wing-backs are afforded time and space to push up and into space.

The left wing-back is much more attacking and will hold width more so than her right-sided teammate. Guro Reiten has been one of the WSL’s surprise packages in her re-introduction as a left wing-back. Here, Reiten drives forward on the left and brings a very direct approach which brings a penalty. The Norwegian was previously accustomed to playing a left-winger role and even tucked inside to play as a central midfielder, but Emma Hayes’ decision to opt to a 3-4-3 system has prompted a change.

Playing at left wing-back naturally pushes Reiten higher up which has given her the freedom to attack the opposition box. Chelsea’s structure is specific until the final third which encourages creativity. Using Reiten in this position means Chelsea can better leverage her attacking qualities but also get more players in attacking positions, creating numerical superiority.

Theoretically, the two wing-backs will become spare players as the ball-side player of the front three drops in to combine with a central midfielder to overload the half-space. Both wing-backs are competent attacking players but individually provide different skillsets. Reiten being a natural winger means you are exposed to better wing play and a reliable supply outlet whilst Cuthbert brings dynamism and energy that allows her to cover in defensive transitions both in midfield and defence.

Manchester United - The inverted full-back

Since Marc Skinner’s arrival at Manchester United, we’ve yet to see them truly hit their stride with stop-start performances from them so far. Skinner seemingly has a structure in place but his use of the two wing-backs has had some effect on the team’s attack. Hannah Blundell has hit the ground running after her move from Chelsea this summer, but it’s Ona Batlle who has really made an impact on the team playing at both left-back and right-back.

They’ve used a 4-2-3-1 system for most of the season with the full-backs given license to push up in turns, depending on the side of play. Hannah Blundell has been an attacking threat and keeping the width on the left while Batlle has played a narrower role on the right but is still more involved in the attacks. Both full-backs have been given a chance to push up and affect the final third and the graphic is a demonstration of the general positions they’ve taken up.

Skinner’s idea is to leverage the half-spaces and depending on who is deployed in the wide areas, determine how United want to use their full-backs to attack. We’ve seen Alessia Russo and Kirsty Hanson take up right wing roles having played them in very different manners. We’ve seen Hanson hold width on the right while Leah Galton will be an inside-forward on the left. This balance of wingers indicates the type of full-backs United tend to use. 

You can see the pass network showing both Blundell and Batlle in line with the midfield but aren’t as wide in the build-up. The wingers start narrow and eventually adjust based on the opposition and side of the build-up. So in theory, Blundell will hold width on the left flank and provide an overlapping option while Batlle will be much more of a narrower presence using the half-spaces depending on the side of attack. However, the half-spaces are important in the way United build up and attack given that Ella Toone roams from her number 10 position to collect and overload these areas. Batlle has been the more intriguing full-back because of her inward movements and how that affects United’s style of play.

This sort of play around the interior channels means there is much more scope for developing relationships between players and encourages fluency on the right-hand side. Batlle’s heat map shows her general movement patterns, with the majority of her position taken up in a more interior position than a very wide one. Toone, Hanson, and Batlle are versatile but the relationship developing between Toone and Batlle is becoming increasingly potent, and that is breeding unpredictability in the final third. Defenders will be dragged out of position once more urgency and fluidity enters their game.

This passage against Everton is indicative of how Batlle influences this sort of play. Here, Batlle starts on the right in a wide position during build-up before playing a direct pass towards Toone in the final third. Alessia Russo occupies the left-back area while Batlle drives inside from her right-back position. Batlle’s return pass to Toone prompts Russo to come inside while the Spaniard moves out wide and Toone drives forward. Though the final pass wasn’t quite accurate, there is a semblance of a working structure in this move alone.

Barcelona - Faux Wingers

The champions of Europe have started this season in the same manner as they left the last – winning in dominant fashion. Barcelona’s famous style of play has continued to be a reason for success even with the change in coach over the summer. Jonatan Giráldez so far has kept much of the identity that has encapsulated the Blaugranes’ style in a nutshell.

However, they did make a couple of additions over the summer by adding in Fridolina Rolfö and Ingrid Engen on free transfers from Wolfsburg. While Engen is still making her way into the team on a more regular basis, Rolfö has made an impact in an unlikely position – left-back. Injury to Leila Ouahabi has meant Rolfö has had to fill in at left-back but given Barcelona’s play style, that doesn’t change her own play style very much.

Barcelona’s 4-3-3 is very fluid and attacking with a possession-dominant style that induces silky exchanges and interchangeable positions between players. The two full-backs are very complimentary of their wingers in a classic overlapping or underlapping scenario. Barcelona have used Ouahabi, Rolfö, and Ana-Maria Crnogorčević who are all different in many respects.

Mariona Caldentey will drift into midfield spaces in the interior channels with Ouahabi/Rolfö keeping width. Caroline Graham Hansen, however, will be more unpredictable and come inside or stay out wide as the situation presents itself. This means Marta Torrejon is more of a supporting figure in a *slightly* deeper position in comparison. This is reminiscent of what you’re already used to seeing as a full-back pairing, but there is a difference. 

There is a lot of detail to document behind Barcelona’s attacking structure, but this is the general crux of their play. This pass network is from Barcelona’s UEFA Women’s Champions League tie against Hoffenheim that depicts the average positions of their players. The #15 (Ouahabi) is situated very high and wide, given how the wide defenders integrate with their attacking teammates. What more we can conclude from this is that Barcelona play their full-backs as auxiliary second wingers to create more dominance in the final third. Their idea of creating numerical overloads in each zone requires more players to be present and with that comes the ultra-attacking full-back.

Again, in this pass network in the other game against Hoffenheim, you can see Rolfö (#16) in a much more advanced position though she is the designated left-back. Torrejon (#8), by contrast, is much deeper, making up the numbers in midfield and defence.

Here, as Lieke Martens drives forward against Hoffenheim, you can see numerous Barcelona players in the attacking third, heading for the box. The far side has Rolfö running in behind as the widest player. As the ball is crossed in, the Swede gambles with a back post run and just narrowly misses the ball. However, the intention of getting into very attacking areas is clear.

Even here, Ouahabi gets herself into a wide attacking position to play in a cross for the opposite-sided winger to attack at the back post. In this case, it’s Rolfö playing in a more natural attacking position but the idea is nonetheless the same.

---

Barcelona’s attacking model works well because of the possession-dominant style they employ which in turn allows the full-back to become very attacking. A lot of these teams use their full-backs in similar ways, but each have their own tweaked style and concept to match their structure. These three teams were used to show various methods of how effective and important full-backs/wing-backs have been in the current season and how they’ve recently evolved between structures.

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images