When Oliver Glasner moved to Nottingham Forest from Crystal Palace, he set out to replicate the 3-4-2-1 system that had worked so well at Selhurst Park. A key part of that set-up is the two central midfielders, whom Glasner calls the "quarterbacks." At Palace he had the perfect one in Adam Wharton, defensively astute yet influential and creative in attack.
Glasner also had to replace Elliot Anderson, the heartbeat of the team who has joined Man City, in the same area of the pitch. Few expected the answer to both problems to be James McAtee.
Just a few months ago, McAtee was a forgotten man at Forest. Following his £30m move from Man City, he started just two Premier League games last term, and all four Forest managers never gave him a real chance. Glasner has found a role for him at the City Ground, but it has required a change in position. McAtee, who came through the ranks at City and England as an attacking No 10, has been asked to play much deeper.
The switch suits him. Pep Guardiola has long praised how good McAtee is in tighter spaces, and former City academy coach Brian Barry-Murphy has said the tighter the spaces, the more at home he is. As a small, left-footed talent, McAtee is acting as a strong tribute act to Wharton, threading the punchy passes through the lines that open up defences. In the first five Premier League games of the season, he has been one of the division's most creative players, with only five players creating more chances. His passes leading to a shot rank second in the league, level with Bruno Fernandes.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing