Normal winger

A Normal Winger is a true multi-skilled player.

Normal wingers use a combination of wing and passing to attack. They use playmaking to create chances and prevent opponent chances They also use defence to stop an opponent's chances on that wing side.

Normal Wingers are a supreme multi-skilled player because they are being played "normal". That means that they are not sacrificing any of their contributions from their wing, passing, playmaking or defense skills. Other multi-skilled players must be repositioned and therefore suffer penalties for doing so, not Normal Wingers.

Skills

Winger

Normal Wingers use their wingskill and that is the reason why they have value. However, unlike Offensive Wingers, their value to the team relies a lot on their subskills.

However, keep in mind that a Wingers Wing skill is the number one contributor to wing attack.

Passing

Passing adds to the wing attack ratings of any winger: Offensive, Defensive or Normal. It is difficult to say exactly how much of the wing attack can be creditted to the passing of an offensive winger. There is a rule of thumb that states that about 3-4 levels of passing = 1 level of wing skill.

The two things that we do know is that:

1. Passing on all Wingers adds to your wing attack rating and not to the central attack rating.

2. Passing is not boosted by playing the Winger "Offensive", like an Offensive IM's passing is boosted. As is stated in the rules: Offensive Winger: More Winger, less Defending.

So, a Normal winger is not sacrificing their passing contribution by being played normal and not offensive. This makes passing potentially of more value for a Normal Winger than for an Offensive Winger and should not be under-estimated.

Playmaking

Wingers are modest midfielders too. When they are played normal they use 50% of their Playmaking skill (PM). For this reason, Stamina is important for a Normal Winger with PM.

Playmaking has two benefits for a Normal Winger.

1. Playmaking boosts the teams midfield and delivers potentially more chances for the winger to use their high Wing and Passing skills to convert into goals.

2. Playmaking indirectly makes-up for the any defensive failings of of your team by boosting midfield and taking opportunities away from your opponent.

Defense

Normal Wingers are an offensive tool, but they are a defensive tool as well. Their contribution to wing defence and to central defence can be very helpful.

Also, the decision to play any Winger over an Extra IM is a decision to forgoe some midfield contribution for some attack. Having strong defence on your Normal Winger can lessen that extra vulnerability.

You are also able to target your defensive allignment by playing a normal winger on the sude where your opponent normally plays a winger, without giving-up you wing attack on that side entirely.

Defense should be valued when looking for a Normal Winger. But since Mormal Wingers are misunderstood by most Hattrick managers, the defense can be bought at very reasonable prices.

The defensive contribution of a Normal Winger is such that they can also double as an Offensive Wingback (or even a Normal Wingback if the defense skill is high enough).

Defense and Pressing

When Pressing, the defensive skill of your entire team is added together to determine your Pressing skill rating. For a team that plays 4-5-1 pressing, the defense skill of your Wingers can be of value.

Where are All the Normal Wingers?

Most managers in Hattrick prefer to play a Winger either as a Winger Towrds Middle to ramp-up the midfield rating and sacrifice the wing attack rating, or as an Offensive Winger to ramp-up the wing attack rating and lessen the contribution to midfield.

However there have been a few changes to the game engine that have made wingers of more value, have made wing defences a little more vulnerable (FTW) and have encouraged the development of multi-skilled players.

Normal Wingers are multi-skilled players and it will take some time to find the right combination of skills suitable for an effective Normal Wingback. That skill-combination can be found in the lower divisions by buying older playes with even skills.