Post by northwesthoop on Aug 15, 2019 14:16:03 GMT
What a revelation Manning has been at left back. He impressed in the last few games of last season and has got even better this season.
As the previous post rightly said he did just return from Rotherham to warm the bench for a few months after January but when he got his chance he really took it.
You certainly wouldn't know he is technically out of position! His workrate and dead ball delivery are a real asset to the team and it has been so refreshing watching him getting forward and setting up goals after years of Bidwell getting a nose bleed every time he crossed the half way line. Manning is comfortable on the ball which aids this style of play too and he loves a tackle so suits the defensive side of the role.
I genuinely can't see how Lee Wallace takes over from Manning at this point.
Manning has certainly taken his chance and his dead ball delivery and his crossing have been a bonus. He catches the eye because his natural inclination is to get forward. The other thing that Manning does well is to take a penalty.
Defensively he still has lots to learn but that's understandable because playing as a wing back is still something he is learning. He can only improve and the more he plays the better his understanding with Barbet will become. You would hope that Barbet would be talking to him and telling him when to push forward and support whoever is wide left.
As northwesthoop says, Wallace will have to be good to push Manning out of the team. I have never seen Wallace play but you would assume he is a more natural defender.
I like to see a settled defence who play together on a regular basis and understand the strenghs and weaknessess of their team mates. I think that Warburton is more likely to pick his team based on the opponents and tactically he we might see Manning playing at home whilst he might use Wallace when he thinks that we could come under lots of pressure.
I liked Bidwell and always thought he did well for us and was probably one of the first names on the team sheet. Im certain that Manning will only get better and that if he can improve his defending then he will also be one of the first names on the team sheet.
