Versatility is one of those topics that sparks instant debate. You can see why coaches love it — one player who can cover three positions is useful — but there is a cost. Train everyone to be flexible from a young age and you risk fewer genuine specialists who own a position and its nuances.
How we got here
As you pointed out, there are names often raised in this conversation. Philip Lamb was mentioned, and players like Joshua Kimmich and David alaba come to mind as modern examples of multi-role pros. Then there are the midfield shapeshifters — Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis McAllister, Enzo Fernandez, Jude Bellingham, Luka Modric, Christian Eriksen — who all sit somewhere between the 6, the 8 and the 10.
To be fair, the coaching emphasis from youth setups increasingly favours comfort on the ball, tactical flexibility and reading different phases of play. That produces intelligent operators who can slot into several roles. It’s sensible from a squad-building perspective, especially with tight rosters and fixture congestion.
Winners and losers
So who wins? Managers and teams that need adaptability. Players who can reinvent themselves tend to enjoy longer careers. But what do we lose? The pure, position-specific instincts that come from years of repetition in one role. There’s a difference between a midfielder who can drop into defence in a pinch and a defender who has been drilled for years on the art of marking and positioning.
What it means for the traditional mould
The debate about the 6, the 8 and the 10 is useful because it reminds us what those roles once demanded. Modern football blends them, which is interesting and often exciting. But I miss the specialists too — the genuine deep-lying playmaker, the orthodox number ten, the defensive midfielder who just reads the game in a different way.
Ultimately this isn’t black and white. Flexibility is valuable, but development pathways should still allow room for specialists to emerge. Otherwise we end up with a bunch of jack-of-all-trades and fewer masters of one. And as supporters, that’s something to keep an eye on.
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