Even the best attacking midfielders in the world were deemed as luxury players not too long ago, seen as anachronistic throwbacks to a time of laissez-faire off-ball effort; expendable, if you want to really compete.
Things have turned 180 degrees with some of the best players in the world being given the license of a classic no.10 and deemed to be as essential as anyone else. Attacking midfielders have a vital role to play in the modern game, not just in their influence with the final pass but everything leading up to it: intensity off the ball, setting the tempo and dictating a game.
