He’s stepped in to a robust defence in the middle of an unbeaten run, but Bristol City right back Ross McCrorie says it is ‘not a problem’ to fill in at left back, even though he’s a right-sided player.
The Scottish international said it was ‘great’ to be back out on the pitch after a hamstring injury kept him out of the start of the season – and that followed the horrendous bone infection that sidelined him for almost a year and threatened his entire career.
With George Tanner nailing down a place as the starting right back, McCrorie has been champing at the bit to get back on the pitch, and opportunity knocked when first Hayden Roberts got injured, and then Cam Pring suffered a horrific cut to his ankle just 18 minutes in the Severnside Derby at the start of October. He came on at left back, and since then has looked secure in defence and a threat going forward.
Playing left back does need some adjustment, said the former Aberdeen man, who admits it’s not something he’s been used to.
“I played left back maybe a couple of times in the youth teams for boys that were injured,” he said. “But to be honest, it’s pretty similar to playing right back, so it’s just a lot of angles change, your body shape changes a lot as well. So there’s a few differences, but after that, you get adjusted after ten minutes, you get your bearings, and then after that it’s pretty comfortable,” he explained.
Luckily for City, McCrorie isn’t one of those fullbacks known for being completely one-footed. “As a youth player and growing up as a kid, you work on your weaker side. And I feel pretty comfortable on my left as well, so it’s not really a problem,” he explained. “For me, it’s the same position, full back. It’s what I grew up on as a youngster, and it’s good when you’re playing with good players on either side of you. I’ve got big (Luke) McNally as the centre back and Anis (Mehmeti) as the winger as well,” he said.
After coming on for Pring after just 18 minutes at home to Cardiff, McCrorie started the next game after the international break, and came up against a familiar face at right wing in Middlesbrough’s teenage flyer Ben Doak.
The 18-year-old is on loan from Liverpool, and known for his pace, but McCrorie used his experience to shut out the youngster. “I know wee Doaky from the Scotland team, I know him quite well. We were having a laugh on the pitch at times,” said McCrory, who was determined not to let the opportunity of getting playing time slip.
“I had that frustration at the start of the season where I pulled my hamstring and I wanted to get going. I’ve been sitting frustrated in the gym and doing the physio work, the rehab. So for me, it’s great to be back out there now and getting the minutes into my legs and I just want to get into a rhythm and keep my performances high and go to another level,” he explained.
Next up for the right back-turned-left back is Leeds, and the small but speedy figure of Wilfried Gnonto, who was one of Leeds’ stand out players in the Premiership before they were relegated.
But McCrory isn’t the kind of player who obsesses about their next opponent. At all. “If I’m being honest with you, I don’t know many of the Leeds boys, to be honest,” he said, with brutal frankness and a wee smile.
“I watch my clips and that, but I don’t really go by names. I’m not really into names, it’s just a number on the back of their tops to be honest. I watch the clips, so I know what winger I’m up against and stuff, whatever position I’m playing.
“For me, it’s another game. It’s your opponent, you’re one-v-one, you’re against him, it’s an individual battle, so I’m just focused on winning that individual battle,” he added.
Off the ball, McCrorie will be tested with the visit of Leeds, on the ball, there’s an onus to join in the attacks. The role of full back is changing rapidly at the elite levels of the game, with Pep Guardiola’s Man City, and Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal asking the likes of Gvardiol or Ben White to step inside and play as an extra central midfielder, or Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold starting a right back but becoming a midfield playmaker.
It’s something McCrorie would relish – but the system at City comes first. “We’ve got a system that we play at Bristol City and Man City do the inverted full backs, but the way we play – I don’t know what I tell you about our tactics and stuff – but we’ve got our system, we stick to it,” he said.
So while Liam Manning and Chris Hogg aren’t asking him to step in and play in midfield, getting forward is something McCrorie is keen to do. “I would be pretty comfortable to come inside – I’m right-footed – but even when I play right-back, I come in and pitch a lot,” he added.