Neymar: Why Left Forward Is the Brazil International's Best Position

Neymar is a globally recognised name—the whole world is talking about him.

Well he's a delicate player, just like all skillful playmakers in his mould, and requires the correct management, treatment and position just like others before him.

This article looks at Neymar's strengths and weaknesses and looks to outline reasons why the left forward position is most suited to his game.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Defensively Inept, Unwilling

To judge a players' best position you must look at what they can and can't do.

Neymar can't tackle, mark or track. In fact, even if he could, he probably wouldn't anyway. It's not in his game and it's part of what makes him the kind of player he is.

When Santos are not in possession of the ball, they rely on their midfield three to regain the ball rather than burden their wingers with the responsibility of tracking back.

Neymar's "type," if you will, are often quite difficult to manage. As Carlos Queiroz found out the hard way, you have to keep the best player in your team happy to prosper results-wise.

Don't ask Neymar to track back.

Utilise His Dribbling Skills

There are times when, as a central striker, you are tightly marked and penned in by central defenders.

The pitch can get quite congested should the opposing manager wish for it, so fast strikers sometimes find themselves with nowhere to run and no way to make an impact.

A very deep line can also hinder a player's explosiveness, as it simply doesn't allow them to see the grass ahead of them and burst into it.

Neymar is so much more than a player who can break the offside trap and beat the goalkeeper one vs. one. He does need space to pull off his more elaborate tricks, but thrives more coming in off the touchline and around the edge of the opposition penalty area.

There's more space available in the wide positions and quality central players who aren't getting any joy will often drift to the outside.

Utilise His Breakaway Pace

You can easily use Neymar as an out-ball option. If your team is under pressure, stick the Brazilian on the halfway line and deliver the ball to his feet.

He can deliver reprieve to your team by holding onto the ball, taking it away from danger or drawing a foul.

If, on the off chance a team hasn't left enough players back to deal with the threat of Neymar, finding him quickly in a wide position gives him the chance to break, at pace, and run at opposing defences.

If you were to place him centrally, he'd be marked by two covering defenders—such is his reputation—meaning it would take an exorbitant amount of skill and endeavour to find space for a counterattack.

Sidestep His Physical, Aerial Weakness

The weaknesses in Neymar's game are obvious. Aside from the defensive unwillingness and ineptitude I alluded to earlier in the slideshow, his physique provides a problem.

He is one of the smallest players in world football and while that won't stop him from becoming one of the greatest ever, it does limit where he can play.

His physical restrictions don't matter in a wide role, but would hinder him playing centrally against some of Europe's top defenders.

You might say Lionel Messi plays just fine up front, but he doesn't play in anything close to a traditional striking role. His role requires drifting, drawing out and excellent positional awareness.

Neymar's game is not built on positional excellent, but tricks, skills and individual brilliance. I don't believe he could fulfil the false-nine role Messi does at Barcelona—he doesn't have the patience or the necessary teamwork skills.

Pair Him One vs. One with a Full-Back

Neymar will beat anybody one vs. one. Anybody.

Your best bet to unlock his potential is to pair him against an unlucky full-back and allow him to wreak havoc.

He frequently stars whilst playing in a wide position and there are very few full-backs brave enough to take him on solo.

He either draws a foul, wins a throw or takes it past his opponent. Either way, he gains positive yardage on the pitch for his team and demands a careful, defensive mentality from his counterpart.

Wide Forward Demands Extreme Coverage

If Neymar can't find a one vs. one, he will at least draw double or sometimes triple coverage as teams prepare for the worst.

Obviously, this creates space, holes and pockets for his teammates to drift into, meaning the opposing defensive lines are stretched to their very limit.

When Neymar appears on the corner of your penalty box, your whole team has probably been rearranged without you knowing.

Look at how Cristiano Ronaldo plays for both Real Madrid and Portugal. He is the left-sided forward in a front three, enabling freedom, focus and impact upon the game.

Freedom Is a Necessity

Speaking of freedom, there are times a star player must be given a free role to unlock their potential.

If a defensive scheme has effectively locked Neymar down, it's a necessity for him to drift. The least formation-destructive position you can utilise as a "drifter" is the wide forward role.

Playing as a striker or central midfielder, drifting rips out the spine of the team and leaves them without a focal point of attack or structure.

Modern-day football has seen the inverted winger—a loose form of drifting—come in and dominate football. If your going to find some space, you need to be in this position to do it.

Conclusion

Neymar is a skillful player who is not limited to playing one position. He's been tried in different roles though, and I firmly believe left forward or "wide left" is where he can be most effective.

That's not to say he isn't a capable striker, as a high defensive line will get scorched by his pace, composure and finishing skills.

Not many teams will look to squeeze the play and risk this against such an explosive and talented forward though, so wide left with freedom and space is the way to get Neymar going on a consistent basis.

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