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Sunderland manager Steve Bruce considering permanent left wing position for Steed Malbranque
Black Cats boss impressed with midfielder's recent displays...
17 Mar 2010 14:00:00
By Joe Whitbread
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is considering moving Steed Malbranque to left wing permanently after the Frenchman inpressed there against Bolton and Manchester City.
The former Spurs man is more used to playing on the right, but has helped the Black Cats take four points from both games while on the left, and Bruce admits he may have to keep him there.
Bruce told the Sunderland Echo: "Maybe playing on the left suits him better than on the right.
"It could be his best position these days and it might be that we leave him there.
"I'd already taken note of the fact that he had a good game against Spurs earlier in the season playing in that position – being a right footer playing on the left means he can cut inside just as comfortably as going out wide.
"It gives him an extra option when he's got the ball and it's something we'll look at closely"
Since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008, the 30-year-old has made 58 appearances, scoring one goal. After seeing the left-footed Adam Johnson equalise for Manchester City on Saturday from the right-wing, Bruce believes the switch could pay dividends.
"If you're right-footed and on the right, you usually have to beat people down the right using pace on the wing – if you cut infield, you tend to move the ball backwards," he said.
"But if you're right-footed on the left and you cut inside, things open up for you if you've got good feet and Steed has definitely got good feet."
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The former Spurs man is more used to playing on the right, but has helped the Black Cats take four points from both games while on the left, and Bruce admits he may have to keep him there.
Bruce told the Sunderland Echo: "Maybe playing on the left suits him better than on the right.
"It could be his best position these days and it might be that we leave him there.
"I'd already taken note of the fact that he had a good game against Spurs earlier in the season playing in that position – being a right footer playing on the left means he can cut inside just as comfortably as going out wide.
"It gives him an extra option when he's got the ball and it's something we'll look at closely"
Since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008, the 30-year-old has made 58 appearances, scoring one goal. After seeing the left-footed Adam Johnson equalise for Manchester City on Saturday from the right-wing, Bruce believes the switch could pay dividends.
"If you're right-footed and on the right, you usually have to beat people down the right using pace on the wing – if you cut infield, you tend to move the ball backwards," he said.
"But if you're right-footed on the left and you cut inside, things open up for you if you've got good feet and Steed has definitely got good feet."
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