5 best left-wingers in football this season (2021-22)
Wingers are often the most exciting players to watch on a football pitch. Granted the freedom of the flanks, they are tasked with finding space and moving the ball into dangerous areas. They are required to have a skillset replete with pace, trickery and the ability to whip in crosses.
The role of a winger has changed over time
There are mainly two types of wingers. One is the old fashioned kind that bombs past full-backs and whips in crosses from near the byline. The other is the inverted winger who likes to cut in from his wing and attack the box.
They look to dribble past defenders and weave intricate passes inside the final third or curl the ball into the top bin. Not all football teams use out-and-out wingers to progress down the flanks. Some systems use wing-backs who have to be good at both attacking and defending.
That being said, there is no shortage of world-class wingers in the world of football right now. Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best left-wingers from the 2021-22 season.
#5 Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Things were looking rather gloomy for Manchester City's Raheem Sterling in the opening stages of the 2021-22 season. Jack Grealish's arrival in the summer caused Sterling to fall down the pecking order.
Up until this season, Sterling had been a mainstay in Manchester City's starting lineup. He had been one of their most potent attacking weapons since joining the club in 2015.
But in recent weeks, Sterling has earned his place back in the starting XI. Jack Grealish has not exactly hit the ground running at the Etihad. As a result, Sterling was afforded a look-in and he has grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
In 19 appearances across all competitions this term, Sterling has scored four goals and provided three assists. He has only started 10 of those games and has been in great form in recent weeks.
Tonight's @EASPORTSFIFA Man of the Match is...
🌟 @sterling7 🌟
🦁 1-2 🔵 | #ManCity https://t.co/uVzc25eLNm
#4 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)
Lorenzo Insigne can be described as an archetypal inverted winger. The technically proficient Italian possesses a great burst of pace and has an array of tricks in his armory. The 30-year-old loves to cut in from the left wing and drop curlers into the top bin, which is something he has become excellent at.
Insigne has been a standout performer for Napoli in recent years and his form has been crucial to Napoli sitting at the top of the Serie A table. Insigne has scored five goals and provided six assists in 17 appearances across all competitions this term. He looks set to have yet another excellent season with the Partenopei.
Lorenzo Insigne’s agent: “He’s out of contract in June 2022. Napoli are offering a new contract with a 50% downward salary and Lorenzo was surprised by this proposal. We’re in talks and we’ll see”, he told ‘Il Roma’. 🔵 #Napoli
“MLS rumours for Insigne are completely fake”. 🇺🇸