Glen Johnson warns Mauricio Pochettino over deploying Levi Colwill as left-back
Former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson has raised a major concern over the Blues star Levi Colwill this season and has fired a warning to Mauricio Pochettino about the defender.
Colwill has not missed a single minute of Premier League action for the Blues this term, having established himself in the XI after an impressive loan at Brighton. Pochettino is a huge fan of the player and it is thought the Argentine boss refused to let him leave for Brighton permanently in the summer transfer window.
The 20-year-old can be deployed as a centre-back or left-back and has played in both roles under Pochettino. But Johnson has urged Pochettino to stop using Colwill as a left-back because he could get ‘found out’ and ‘isolated’ in the position.
Why Johnson is Concerned About Colwill as a Left-Back
‘If you asked Levi Colwill he’d probably tell you he doesn’t want to be playing left-back,’ Johnson told Compare.bet. ‘He’s not the quickest and for me to be a full back you have to have some pace and so he looks like he’s playing out of position.
‘It’s great that the manager trusts him enough to give him minutes but it would be best to play him where he plays best, which is at centre-back. He’s technically good, good at passing it through the lines, and reads the game well but he just needs the right players around him.
‘He could get found out at left-back because he could get isolated out there.’
Pochettino’s Options at Left-Back
With Johnson’s warning in mind, Pochettino will need to find an alternative option at left-back if he is to continue deploying Colwill as a centre-back. The Blues have plenty of options in defence, with Ben Chilwell, Marcos Alonso, Emerson Palmieri and Reece James all capable of playing in the position.
Chilwell is likely to be the first choice left-back for Pochettino, but Alonso and Palmieri could also be used in the role if needed. James is another option, although he is more suited to playing as a right-back. The 20-year-old has been impressive for Chelsea this season and could be used as a makeshift left-back if needed.
Conclusion
Johnson’s warning to Pochettino over Colwill’s deployment as a left-back should not be taken lightly. The Blues have plenty of options at left-back, so it would be wise for Pochettino to consider deploying Colwill in his preferred position of centre-back.