Ian Maatsen has been one or the two or three biggest winners from this US tour so far. He got a start in the first friendly against Wrexham, playing at left wing, mainly because there weren’t enough good options to pick from, with so many players having only just joined the tour at that point, and ended up scoring twice and really impressing.
He’s also looked great in the two games since, against Newcastle and Brighton, again playing in a more advanced role than his usual full back spot.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Maatsen mused about his successes so far and his potential for helping the team this season:
“It’s been good. Nice weather. Good tour. A new coach. A lot of hard work. There are a lot of new players in the squad too, but it is a good group. We are all still getting used to each other but are enjoying it.
“It has been different, but I quite like it,’ he says. ‘I still find myself in positions on the pitch I know [from playing full-back] and it is good to be adaptable to help the team. That is the most important thing.
“The goals against Wrexham were a great start and gave me a little more confidence. But it’s always about the next step and thinking about what more I can do to help the team with my performance on the pitch.”
What he says about getting in similar positions makes sense – it will take some adjusting, of course, but playing as a flying wing back for Burnley last season will be very similar to playing as winger for Mauricio Pochettino this season – and that versatility may be his best chance of getting minutes this season.
Good Day!! I think the issue we have at hand is cucurrrel!! We can’t have 4players in One position but Maatsen has been Exceptionally Great and marvelous to have him Now or never we need to only drop Three! Chilwell which is number one Maatsen and lewis!! We need to cash out on cucurrrel now I Said this before and I will keep saying it again!! Another problem is Kapa the keeper we can’t compete with the likes of Liverpool Allison and Man u, onana or Man City Elderson! We don’t have a confident keeper to fill in the spaces for the defense you can’t translate a back pass to him and be sure he certainly will disappoint please we need the management to take note and for Conor you can’t get the Best of Enzo with Gallagher I said this before we need a technical player with flexibility Like caciedo and casimro and camviger of Madrid!! Conor is not a technical player no ball control nothing we need kante kind of player Now before the season starts!! Or else we find ourselves in difficult situation like last season!! thank you!!