It was great to see Nordi Mukiele back in our starting line-up for Sunday's 1-0 win over Fulham at the Stadium of Light. One of our best performers in last season's successful Premier League campaign, eyes were looking for him to again be a key defender this year as the club looks to step up a level into Europe.
With no disrespect to our back four at Ipswich, but it's fair to say that Nordi was missed last week, with his electric pace and ability to get in a tackle, block or interception at key moments. Against Fulham, all of these attributes that he possesses were crucial in coming to the aid of our defence at just the right time throughout the 90 minutes.
There was one dangerous Fulham counter-attack where you could see he ran flat out, straining himself to the maximum to get back into our box and put the ball out for a corner, which left me thinking for one: 'How many of our other defenders would have had the pace to have got to the ball there?'
In the post-match analysis after Sunday, it's been said that Robin Roefs didn't have much to do during the game. Yet life for a goalkeeper over 90 minutes depends largely on the kind of day that his back four are having in front of him. On Sunday, it has to be said that Reinildo and Meunier had good games, but Nordi Mukiele was outstanding in his role in central defence.
I can understand why many would give the Man of the Match award to Granit Xhaka, with his passing up to an elite level all afternoon, but if it had not been for Mukiele's crucial interceptions, tackles and blocks throughout the 90 minutes when Fulham were mounting a series of dangerous-looking attacks, then just how would that game have gone?
It leaves a question of our 28-year-old Frenchman – a bargain at a reported £9.5 million plus add-ons when he signed last summer. Last season, he alternated between right-back and central defence, due in no small part to the success of the Ballard/Alderete partnership in central defence. As a right-back, he undoubtedly looks a class act, not just due to his defensive attributes but also with his ability to get forward and link with the attack.
But if this is the kind of level he can play at in the middle of our back four, and with the first-team squad also having two other players who can play at right-back – Trai Hume and Thomas Meunier – could a more central berth be where we expect to see him more often?
The likely outcome is that, with so many games on the horizon and when the inevitable injuries kick in, all candidates will feature in all positions at some point.
