David Wagner is not ruling out a return to his Max Aarons midfield experiment over Norwich City’s Championship run in.
Aarons lined up on the right of midfield for the 0-0 stalemate at Stoke prior to the international window.
The 23-year-old further underlined his versatility with two outings at left-back for the Young Lions, in recent friendlies against their French and Croatian counterparts.
Aarons started out as a winger in academy football before flourishing at full back in a senior career that has now passed 200 games for the Canaries.
“This is one example, when I speak about changing mindsets, and to be open and clear what we like to do,” said Wagner. “Obviously we set up in 4-4-1-1 (at Stoke) and I wanted to have wide midfielders, I didn't want wingers.
"I wanted wide midfielders because Stoke love to play the diagonal ball and get players in a one against one situation.
“Max, because he plays the way he does in terms of a full back, is used to playing relatively wide. This is why we decided to use him. And to be fair, we don't have a lot of wingers anyway, so it was a perfect fit, because it was a team which set up in a certain style, and we wanted to find an idea how you can play against them offensively and defensively.
“We thought Max was a good idea. And obviously, after what I've seen, when we meet opponents like this again he is a very good option because he did very, very well.”
Aarons himself appears open to the re-deployment.
“It's obviously a different starting position for me. I've been playing right-back for five years now, and it becomes natural where you are on the pitch,” he said, speaking over the international period.
“Building into that, I naturally play high anyway but starting there was a little bit different. I love it there and it was good. I really enjoyed it.
"I think playing so high does come naturally to me, but I still have a responsibility defensively.”
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