While wingers might no longer be quite as in-vogue as they were in the past, Ryan Giggs is still regarded as one of the finest wingers of all-time. The Manchester United academy prospect came through at the club, going on to make well over 700 appearances in the red of United. In that time, he also collected 64 caps for his country, Wales, whilst playing in the 2012 Olympics for Great Britain.

A consummate professional on the field, Giggs was lauded his longevity, going from a pacey wide player to an intelligent playmaker as his career reached the latter stages.

What made Ryan Giggs so special?

Giggs was a crucial player for United; a regular goalscorer who had a habit of appearing on the biggest of stages. He was a capable playmaker, too, rated for his excellent crossing, overlapping runs, and dribbling style. Though never the trickiest winger in the world, Giggs used his turn of pace and movement off the ball to his and his teams advantage, often creating openings that other wingers would not see.

A hard-working and tactically intelligent winger, too, Giggs spent much of his professional career acting as a mentor to younger players. He was also regularly lauded for his outstanding fitness, which played a key role in still being a regular for United right up to playing retirement in 2014.

What does Ryan Giggs do now?

Giggs has enjoyed some coaching roles, both at Manchester United and now with his national side in Wales. However, personal issues have stopped Giggs from taking on the Wales job as intended, with his private issues leading to missing huge sums of time as the manager since he took on the role in 2018. A regular presence on the training field when available, though, Giggs is believed to have a bright future in management.

Though rarely as heralded as their outfield counterparts, some goalkeepers can become de facto legends at their club sides. When Chelsea signed Petr Čech from Stade Rennais, few would have expected him to become one of the most important players in the history of Chelsea Football Club. With over 300 games for the club, though, Cech became a regular for both Chelsea and then latterly rival club Arsenal, playing over 100 games for the Gunners.

He holds the records for the most clean sheets in a row in England, as well as the most clean sheets recorded by a keeper in English football.

What made Petr Čech so special?

A cat-like goalkeeper, Čech was often a key deciding factor in various wins for Celsae over the years. He regularly played a key role in Final victories and other major wins, becoming one of the best examples of a goalkeeper who can win his team points.

Known for his incredible agility and also his ability to save penalties, he became a crucial part of the English football scene as he dominated in nets for Chelsea for close to 11 years, followed by 4 years of success at Arsenal.

What does Petr Čech do now?

Today, Cech has taken part in playing goals for the Guildford Phoenix, playing for them during the 2019-20 season. In football, he has taken on a role at Chelsea, where he took on the position of Technical Director. At the club, he has played a key role in developing strategy, pinpointing long-term goals for the club, and also liaising with the fans in times of disharmony.

He played a key role in calming down the Chelsea support after the Blues were leaked as part of the European Super League project, diffusing the situation and eventually playing a role in the club exiting from the ESL discussion.

Having arrived in England from Barcelona, a huge amount was expected of Oriol Romeu. And despite never really making a meaningful impression at Chelsea, the Spaniard has slowly but surely grown into a key performer for Southampton over the years. Though high un-Spanish in the way he plays, Romeu has long offered a new kind of play that simply is not seen very common in the La Liga game.

For England, though? He has been a perfect addition to a league that needs players who can make up the miles.

What makes Oriol Romeu worth watching?

At 29, Romeu has developed into a mature and intelligent midfielder who can take control of the game with relative ease. He’s become well rated for his accurate passing, often completing in excess of 80% of his passes. On top of that, his crisp passing is improved with the smart use of the ball – he often moves the ball forward quickly, helping to keep pace in the Saints attack.

On top of that, he often wins the ball in the air with ease and tends to be a strong competitor at set plays defensively, offering another useful part to the midfield.

Things to improve for Oriol Romeu

There are many things that could be improved upon for Romeu, mainly his offensive contribution. Though a strong passer of the ball and good at keeping possession progressive enough, he takes less than one shot per game and tends to struggle with making goals or creating attacks.

He also has a habit of giving away dangerous fouls. Though this is likely part of the agreement given how well he plays defensively, it is something that could be improved – and probably plays a role in why Romeu has never moved on beyond the South Coast outfit since he first started to impress.

As one of the few kids to break through from the Burnley academy, Dwight McNeil brings interest from all over the Premier League. The 21-year-old is often one of the main shows to watch for Burnley fans, providing a zip from the wide areas that they tend to lack without him.

Despite playing in a side that might lack a touch of invention, McNeil is the kind of player who gets ‘bums off seats’, as they say. A flighty winger with good delivery and shooting – the future looks bright for the academy prospect.

What makes Dwight McNeil worth watching?

As a regular in the Burnley team, a contribution of just five goals can sound poor but it shows the limits Burnley have offensively. When Burnley do attack on a more consistent basis, McNeil tends to come to life. At his best when Burnley break quickly, too, he offers an invention in the wide areas that makes him a big change from the standard Burnley wide player.

Most commonly playing off the left, he offers a solid outlet for keeping the ball, for moving forward, and for crossing from deep for the eager Burnley strikers.

Things to improve for Dwight McNeil

Simple – consistency. His finishing is poor despite being a good long range shooter, and he can be a bit too ambitious with the ball at times. While that might work in a more attacking side, in Burnley’s system he tends to make poor choices in trying to be too aggressive with his passing, shooting, or dribbling.

His crossing is his main asset, and something he could look to use on a more regular basis to help get Burley up the pitch easier. He’s a quality striker of the ball; a touch more thought before playing that killer ball, though, could improve his game massively.