Chelsea youngster Levi Colwill has made a good start to the season, but Gary Neville was not convinced with everything he saw from him in his side’s 4-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur last night.
Levi Colwill is a central defender but has been used at left-back this term, including in the game versus Spurs, but Gary Neville suggested on Sky Sports yesterday (06/11/2023 at 20:12) that he is still playing too much like a centre-half.
It was not the 20-year-old’s best match, with Mauricio Pochettino taking him off at half-time for losing concentration following his confrontation with Pape Matar Sarr.
But again, overall, it has been a bright campaign for the Chelsea academy graduate, whose fine form recently saw him win his first England cap.
Levi Colwill needs to alter his defending
With Colwill now playing at full-back instead of in central defence, Neville says he needs to start coming out of his box more and cannot keep retreating into it.
While commentating on Chelsea’s victory over Tottenham for Sky Sports, the Manchester United legend said: “Colwill’s a young full-back. He’s not played all his football there, but what he’s going to have to learn is that you’re going to have to go out of the box and meet players. You can’t get dragged back into your box all the time.”
Levi Colwill will adapt
Colwill has not been playing at left-back for long, so the above is to be expected.
As the season goes on, he should be able to adapt to the position a bit better and modify his defending. And working under an excellent coach like Pochettino will certainly help.
The Argentine is the one who has decided that the England international should play at left-back instead of in central defence, so it is obviously a role he thinks he can fulfil and is going to help him get used to.
It remains to be seen whether it will be Colwill’s long-term position in the team. But with Ben Chilwell out injured, you would expect him to remain there for the time being.
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