Topic title says it all, 5-10 years ago there was a long list of great fast explosive skillful wingers, players who would use a trick/pace to beat a man and cross.To name some: Quaresma, Figo, Ronaldo(04-07) Joaquin, Robinho (05-08), Messi(06-09), Vicente. Hopefully y'all got the point. While now a days there is maybe only Navas and Cuadrado, but the latter is more of a wingback.

Question is, what lead to the decline? Do you agree that they're in decline or is there still lots of players like that out there, do you think they would still be useful in todays system, or will it be a while until we see players like that again.

All answers are appreciated

I'm not fully sure, but maybe tactics and formation?

A lot of is expected from wide players nowadays. They can't really be one dimensional.

Quaresma

You could of come with a better example...Overmars for example

And to answer your question, this isnt new...and its not really the death of anything.

Purely, coaches theorise (is that a word?) that instead of having a winger play down the flank, why not have the fullback do it and therefore you can use the former "winger" as a player who can do other things..be it play more in the middle, attack the box or what have you.

And this itself isnt new either. Only, that now at a young age, more and more coaches likely identify those players talents and convert them into fullbacks.

Guys like Alba for example, would of been a winger 20 years ago..and probably not that great of one either.

That being said, Navas isnt alone..Bale, Lennon are still very much wingers in the old mode (Bale expanding his game to some degree now, but no more than Luis Figo did either)...then you have players like Di Maria who prior to Madrid was a prototypical wing player, ...I am sure with some deep thinking there are more out there too.

I think it is more death of a winger, most players want to play down the centre nowadays so many wingers drift in to the center. They will come back eventually.

they are not dead, i think about every team want to have at least one natural winger that can go wide, make separation and get a cross in. THose players, when talented, just look to add more to their game and to cut inside more.

RM: Di Maria, before it was Pedro Leon
Chelsea: signed Moses just for that, and looked at Willian before him
Barca: i think we can put Sanchez in that category, altho he can play cneter
Valencia: feghouilli, the young Bernat coming up
Man utd: Nani, Valencia, Young
Spurs: Lennon, Bale
Arsenal: Walcott although he wants to score more to feature more
PSG: Menez, Lavezzi
Bayern: Ribery, Robben

and it goes on and on. those guys are wingers to me, what happens nowadays is just that no coach like dani said, want a player that is useful only when he sticks to the touch line. coach want their players to do it many things, that's how ribery grew to fame, Robben, now Bale.

Is it any coincidence that this apparent demise of the fast, explosive, skillful winger has coincided with the rise of the fast, explosive, skillful wide forward?

Forza Rossoneri wrote:Is it any coincidence that this apparent demise of the fast, explosive, skillful winger has coincided with the rise of the fast, explosive, skillful wide forward?

well it only makes sense to put those closer to opponent goal specially with zonal marking that's based on covering free space and avoid man marking

Any more of these picture posts/one liners. Will automatically be deleted and of course the poster to be sanctioned.

Appreciate all the answers.

For the ones that do think that those type of players are in decline, do you think the death of 4-4-2 has anything to do with it?

@Dani
I put Quarsema based on his playing style.

@Nick
A lot of the players you mentioned are quite different than the wingers years ago, I mean the players now are more likely to cut inside and play on the wing that is opposite to there stronger foot. EX- Di Maria, Lavezzi, Ribery, Robben.

Casciavit wrote:Appreciate all the answers.

For the ones that do think that those type of players are in decline, do you think the death of 4-4-2 has anything to do with it?

@Dani
I put Quarsema based on his playing style.

@Nick
A lot of the players you mentioned are quite different than the wingers years ago, I mean the players now are more likely to cut inside and play on the wing that is opposite to there stronger foot. EX- Di Maria, Lavezzi, Ribery, Robben.

I know, I was more joking. I get your point.

And the players your talking about cut inside because of where they play..put Di Maria on the left, Robben on the left..they would go down the line.

Just like if you put Figo on the left instead of the right he played, he would come inside.

Nothing has changed, the players are the same.

Valencia, Lennon and all the others Nck mentioned fall under this.

I would say Cuenca rather than Alexis Nick btw.

Dani do you think the death of 4-4-2 has anything to do with it?

Well I still dont know what is...but no, not really.

None of the players you named in the OP played in that formation anyway.

So yeah, I dont see how formation can effect any of this.

Players dont play to fit positions..positions are made to fit players.

You don't consider them skillful? :
Gareth Bale
Antonio Valencia
Theo Walcott
Frank Ribery
Arjen Robben
Di Maria
Ashley Young