Japhet Tanganga

Tanganga defends by imposing himself rather than waiting for danger to arrive, closing the distance on a forward early and daring him to try something in a tight space. He has said his own method against talented opponents is simply to get after them, and that mentality shows in how quickly he engages rather than sits off. It makes him equally useful at centre back or right back, since the approach barely changes with the position.

Injuries disrupted the years that should have established him at the top level, part of why he had to rebuild his reputation before Sheffield United trusted him with the captaincy. The tension for opponents is that his aggression invites risk, since stepping in early can be beaten by a sharp first touch. Watching how often he wins that contest says plenty about how the defensive line holds up.