Where does Emerson Palmieri rank in our pantheon of Premier League full-backs?
It stands to reason that the only man to win every UEFA trophy going sits atop the rest, having completed his collection by winning the less prestigious Conference League with us. Yet you’re unlikely to find anyone advocating for him above a man who never won a single team trophy or England cap (Julian Dicks).Just as the Terminator wouldn’t last five minutes in the modern era, the fleet-footed Italian probably would have struggled in the days when defenders were more grit than guile, making comparisons largely redundant. Nevertheless, in his third season in claret and blue, it’s time to give Emerson his due.
The initial delay in dislodging an aging Aaron Creswell owed more to David Moyes’ conservatism than any failings in Emerson’s game. Still, his reputation as an offensive full-back means that doubts about his defensive capabilities persist.
The fact that he has won trophies under the defensive-minded Antonio Conte, Thomas Tuchel and Moyes ought to dispel such qualms, though there’s no doubting he looks better running forward than back. The stereotype of his international heritage – born in Brazil but a nationalised Italian – probably best sums up his style: innate flair countermanded by tactical discipline.
Given his attacking prowess, the goal involvement stats surprisingly fail to measure up to Cress or Coufal but, as always, data fails to paint the whole picture.
His predecessor on the left and counterpart on the right have both been brilliant servants of the club but they are predictable, which is one of the reasons why they invite both more derision but also more affection than Emerson – you generally know what you’re gonna get with Aaron and Vlad.
Our number 33 doesn’t operate the channel in the same workmanlike fashion; he runs lines that pull opponents out of position, but only Paquetá, with whom he has an almost telepathic connection, seems able to read them. Lopetegui’s more forward-thinking philosophy will hopefully unlock the minds of some of our other players.
Our mercurial left-back is unlikely to ever follow in the footsteps of Stuart Pearce, Sebastien Schemmel or, indeed, Cresswell by winning Hammer of the Year – not with Kudus, Álvarez and Bowen around – but I think that says more about current standards than the individual supremacy of the old boys.
Anyway, Emerson’s already well-sorted for silverware. More telling is that fans haven’t been agitating for a new left-back in this busiest of summers and he looks set to be the only familiar face in a new-look back four this season, the only defender still standing from the days of low-block football.
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