Hull City boss, Leonid Slutsky has explained that he opted to play Ola Aina as left-wing-back during The Tigers’ last match in the English Championship simply because he wanted to try out some new tactics with the team.
Though the game eventually ended in a 2-2 draw at home against Ipswich Town, Slutsky says he has now regrets for tinkering with Aina on the left side of defence, rather than keep the lad on loan from Chelsea in his usual position on the right.
Slutsky appeared to have watched Aina play as a left-back with the Super Eagles against Algeria in Nigeria’s last World Cup qualifier as well as in the first half of last Tuesday’s 4-2 win against Argentina.
However, the former CSKA Moscow of Russia coach hinted that he might still make another switch in positions for the player, as he says his choices are based on current form and dictates of the particular point in time.
Aina had played predominantly from his normal role in fifteen of his appearances for Hull City prior to the contest against The Tractor Boys, but fellow-Chelsea loan defender, Fikayo Tomori replaced him at right-back in the week seventeen fixture.
Dramatically, Aina actually started his career as a right side winger with an eye for goal before he was converted to play as a full-back at Chelsea.
Slutsky explained his decision to switched Aina to left-back and play Tomori at right-back as a right choice made based on observations of the talents available to him.
The coach stated: “I felt that was the right decision made on form but of course things like this can change with each match