Luke Ayling was so impressive on Tuesday night against West Bromwich Albion, Marcelo Bielsa was asked if he saw the defender’s long-term future at centre-back.
Yesterday, the 29-year-old’s latest lesson was delivered by Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, a little bump in the road en route to what may be his long-term destination with Leeds United.
Ayling had his fair share of injury problems in the openng chapter of Bielsa’s tenure, but he has started every league game since October 5, 2019, apart from that hungover haze at Derby County in July.
The point is, he must have at least another four years at the top level based on that fitness record, though some attributes will wane, his pace, for example.
You don’t need me to point out the importance of speed to a full-back, but it can be less exposed in the middle of a backline.
Ayling might say he is not tall enough to play in the middle permanently, but he has not looked out of place in the air since stepping in against West Ham United last month.
Difficult episodes like that at Tottenham Hotpsur Stadium yesterday are going to provide crucial grounding for him as he takes those steps, knowingly or not, towards centre-half.
They do not come much more clinical, physical or intelligent than Kane, an elite-level striker in the prime years of his career.
There were still those confident flashes of a ball-playing defender in Ayling’s runs from defence.
If there was space to run into, he would do it with authority and capitalise on the open grass Tanguy Ndombele was vacating to track Kalvin Phillips.
There were misplaced passes, there were errors and there was a gulf between him and the forwards in open play at times, but Ayling’s head didn’t drop and he remained the vocal leader he has grown into under Bielsa.
If he gets the rest he probably deserves at Crawley Town in the FA Cup, it’s another 13 days between now and league action with Brighton & Hove Albion.
If Diego Llorente and Liam Cooper each recover in time for that match, it may well spell the end of the latest chapter in the Ayling experiment, but don’t rule out a more permanent switch inside on the horizon.
Who knows, he may even move forward into Phillips’s role against the Seagulls based on Bielsa’s comments this week.
“When he plays as a full-back he also shines,” he said. “As a centre-back he’s shining and I think if he played as a defensive midfielder he would also be efficient.
“He’s a player who has qualities. Normally he uses a big percentage of his virtues because he forces it upon himself and he has the character to take risks without making errors which is what distinguishes the best players.
“They choose well, they execute well and when they take risks they don't make mistakes.”
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