Ederson playing midfield? The biggest change in world football / soccer in the last ten years is surely goalkeepers who now have skills on the ball. And I mean skills as in touch and control and the ability to laser a ball to a teammate making a run down the field. So when will we see keepers playing even more up field and get more involved in the play.
Alisson Becker Assist to Salah
There’s of course the sweeper keeper, made famous by Bayern Munich Manuel Neuer, but then there’s Ederson, who made a brief appearance in the midfield, playing a few passes after winning the ball with his chest. Will there come a time when a keeper makes a surprise run into the attack? Keepers are getting impressive, with their ability to play with both feet and play first time long balls after receiving a ball back to their feet. The days of keepers picking up a back pass with their hands seem ancient.
Here’s Ederson playing in the midfield for a brief moment – exchanging a few passes against Wolves. Ederson has a nice passing triangle setup with Foden and Fernandinho and does seems to want to go back to his goal!
Watch Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson playing in the midfield.
And then of course there’s the famous quote from Ederson on playing in the midfield better than Kevin de Bruyne!
🗣️”If I were to go outfield, I would not ask to be a striker. I would prefer to play in midfield, in De Bruyne’s place. If someone asked me to play, I would say: ‘Take off De Bruyne and play me!’ It would not change anything!” #MCFC
-Ederson pic.twitter.com/hh3H8jGBFc
— Football Talk (@Football_TaIk) September 6, 2021