Justin Ellis Showing Another Side of His Game

Justin Ellis has quickly established himself as one of Orlando City’s most promising young attacking players. Now, as he continues to develop, the 19-year-old is showing that his value extends beyond what he can do with the ball at his feet.

Ellis has spent much of his young career playing in central midfield or higher up the field, where his creativity and attacking instincts have made him an exciting part of Orlando City’s future. But over the last two games, he’s taken on a different challenge, moving to the right side and showing a willingness to adapt to what the team needs.

The position is new for Ellis, and it comes with considerably more defensive responsibility. Yet, instead of simply adjusting to a different spot on the field, he’s beginning to show that the move could help him become a more complete player.

“Obviously, this is a new position for me,” Ellis said after Orlando City’s 1-0 victory over San Diego FC. “Last game was the first time I played this new role, off the right a little bit. It’s so much more defending than centrally.”

For a young player who has made his biggest impact by creating and attacking, the change represents a significant adjustment. But Ellis has embraced it, even if the right side isn’t necessarily where he’d prefer to play.

“Do I prefer it? No,” Ellis said. “But will I do it? Yes.”

That willingness has allowed Ellis to remain an important part of Orlando’s attack while also taking on responsibilities that could prove valuable to his long-term development.

Ellis’ move to the right hasn’t come because Orlando suddenly stopped believing in what he could do centrally. Instead, it’s primarily the result of the Lions having more attacking options available.

Earlier in the season, Ellis benefited from circumstances that opened up opportunities in the center. Martin Ojeda was dealing with an injury, Marco Pašalić was slow to return from the World Cup amid Hull City transfer reports, and Daryl Dike was still building his fitness. That gave Ellis more opportunities to play centrally and higher up the field. The addition of Antoine Griezmann further cluttered the attack.

Ellis knew those opportunities would eventually become more difficult to come by as Orlando’s attacking group strengthened.

“I had a feeling that this was going to come at some point in the season, because we’re bringing in great players up top,” Ellis said. “I think I was lucky to have that much time in the central position because Tincho (Ojeda) was injured and then Daryl was just building his fitness. But I knew at some point.”

Rather than viewing the move as losing a role, Ellis has approached it as another opportunity to contribute. And that flexibility could become increasingly important for Orlando.

The Lions have a deep collection of attacking options, giving head coach Martin Perelman a number of players capable of influencing the game in different ways. For Ellis, being able to operate in more than one position gives him another avenue to get on the field and another way to help the team.

But playing on the right has also forced him to expand his responsibilities. The biggest difference for Ellis has been what happens when Orlando doesn’t have the ball. Playing centrally allowed him to concentrate more on finding space and influencing the attack. On the right, he has to think about the players around him and the defensive structure.

“I have to help out Griffin (Dorsey) and we’re always talking,” Ellis said.

That communication has become an important part of the adjustment. Ellis said he, Dorsey, Joran Gerbet, and David Brekalo, along with the other players on the right side, have spent time at training developing an understanding of their responsibilities.

“It’s just communication. It’s also me willing to sacrifice as well,” Ellis said. “I think me, Grif, Joran, David, our whole right side on defense, we talk a lot at training, we all know our job.”

For Ellis, that sacrifice means doing more of the work that doesn’t necessarily show up in the statistics. He has to defend wider areas, help teammates behind him, recognize when to stay with his assignment, and when to provide support elsewhere.

It’s a different side of the game for a player whose natural instincts are often geared toward getting forward. But it’s also the part of his game that Perelman believes is developing the most.

“I think the biggest change for Justin is defensively,” Perelman said Saturday night. “I think for him, the biggest change, and where he is improving and developing the most, is on the defensive side.”

That makes Ellis’ move to the right about more than simply finding a place for him in the lineup. It’s giving him an opportunity to develop an area of his game that could make his already impressive attacking ability even more valuable.

Perelman said there isn’t much that needs to be changed about Ellis’ attacking instincts. The coach sees something unique in the teenager’s ability with the ball.

“Offensively, I don’t think there is a coach who can help Justin,” Perelman said. “He’s so talented and so unique.”

Instead, Orlando’s focus is on helping Ellis learn how to combine those natural attacking abilities with the other aspects of his game.

That includes learning from the experienced players now surrounding him in the attack. Griezmann, Ojeda, Dike, Pašalić, Tyrese Spicer, and Iván Angulo are among the options Orlando can put in front of Ellis, giving the young player an opportunity to learn alongside established attackers.

Perelman said Ellis can continue developing his own game while learning how to connect with those players.

“We try to help him there, but again, I think he’s working defensively,” Perelman said.

That work was particularly noticeable to Perelman against San Diego. Despite the fact that Ellis’ attacking talent is what initially made him stand out, his manager was most impressed by what he did defensively.

“I think what I like most from him now is how he is defending,” Perelman said. “His defensive game today, for me, was amazing.”

That’s significant praise for Ellis, particularly because defensive play hasn’t traditionally been the first thing associated with his game. But it’s also exactly why Perelman believes the new role can be beneficial.

“I think this is important for him because he’s completing his profile as a player,” Perelman said.

At just 19 years old, Ellis still has plenty of time to determine exactly what kind of player he will become. His attacking ability has already made him one of the most intriguing young players on Orlando’s roster. Now he’s learning how to contribute in other ways.

The challenge now for Perelman and the Orlando City coaching staff is making sure that Ellis’ development doesn’t come at the expense of the qualities that make him special.

Moving to the right means Ellis is often receiving the ball in different areas and playing deeper than he did centrally. But once he gets possession, Perelman still wants him to trust his instincts.

The key is  having the freedom to make decisions once he has the ball.

“On the ball is different,” Ellis said. “I’m playing a lot deeper. But I don’t mind it. As long as the coach gives me freedom. Once I have the ball, he tells me, just play your game. I’m not going to tell you what to do when you have the ball.”

That balance has allowed Ellis to embrace the defensive demands of the position without feeling as though he has to become a completely different player. He can be disciplined without the ball and creative with it. He can sacrifice for the players around him and still look for opportunities to attack.

And he can play somewhere that isn’t necessarily his preferred position while continuing to develop the qualities that have made him such an exciting young player. That versatility could prove increasingly valuable as Orlando’s roster continues to take shape.

Ellis doesn’t necessarily need to become a permanent right-sided player. The value of these last two matches may ultimately be less about where he plays and more about what he learns from playing there.

For a young attacking player, learning to defend is part of becoming a more complete player. For Orlando City, discovering that Ellis can do it could give the club another option and another dimension to a player who already has plenty of attacking ones.

“Being an ’07 with that quality, and if he is going to defend like that, then the future is bright for him,” Perelman said.

Ellis may not prefer playing on the right. But he understands that being willing to do it can make him a better player. And after two matches in his new role, he’s already showing that his future may be about much more than what he can do in the middle of the field.