Comparing Marcos Alonso to Andy Robertson: Who has been the best left-back so far?
The free-flowing and dynamic nature of the modern game demands the defenders, particularly the full-backs, to shoulder attacking responsibilities to some extent. And both Liverpool and Chelsea have been blessed with exceptionally talented left-backs. While Andrew Robertson has managed to take his game to a new level under Jurgen Klopp’s stewardship, Marcos Alonso has been successful at rejuvenating a career that seemed to be in tatters a few seasons ago.
Andrew Robertson and Marcos Alonso are the perfect examples of modern-day full-backs and both have played a major role in their team’s successes this season. The Scotsman and the Spaniard have exhibited a rare breed of versatility and their contribution to the success of their respective teams has not been limited to their own half. While both have discharged their defensive duties with the required level of composure, they have not hesitated to venture forward and join the attack when the opportunity presented itself.
Both Liverpool and Chelsea boast of a perfect record in the current season so far and most of it has been down to the excellence of their respective left-backs. Let us take a look at the overall stats of Alonso and Robertson and make a comparison between the two.
It is a treat to watch Alonso play. Not only does the Spaniard boast of exceptional technique which allows him to run comfortably with the ball at his feet, but he also has a good range of passing. Running down the flanks, the Spaniard often drifts to the central areas of the park to link play with his teammates. As evident from the game against Arsenal, Alonso found Pedro with an accurate ground-cross from the left which led to Chelsea’s first goal. After that, he drifted inside to get into the box and tap in Eden Hazard’s cross from the left to score the winner. Alonso has a passing percentage of 88.9% in the Premier League so far.
On the other hand, Andrew Robertson is more potent in the left-flank with his marauding runs and tends to intimidate the defenders. Although his passing is comparable to Alonso’s, he is not that subtle while drifting to the central areas. He has the tendency to send in crosses more frequently but the quality of the delivery has let the team down on certain occasions.
Although his role is more limited to the flanks, Robertson does not take as many risks as Alonso does. Hence, Liverpool have not been exposed down the left as much as Chelsea. The Scotsman also has a passing percentage of 89.8% and there is little difference between the two in that aspect.
Comparing from the point of aerial ability, Alonso has done a lot better job than Robertson this season. Standing at 6ft 2 inches, the Spaniard is approximately 4 inches taller than the Scotsman and that has shown significantly so far. While Alonso has won an average of 3 aerial duels per game, Robertson has barely managed to win one.
To conclude, Alonso has shown better quality, positioning and composure while going forward but has often left open spaces for the opposition to exploit. Robertson, on the other hand, has been more solid defensively and most of the attacking responsibility has been shouldered by Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Scotsman has shown pace and urgency while going forward and has an assist to his name but he needs to work on the quality of his deliveries into the box.
