Yeovil Town loanee Dakari Mafico has said his preferred position is in the centre of midfield, but is happy to be learning a new side to his game at left wing-back.
The Cardiff City youngster has been a sensation since joining on loan until the end of the season at the start of January and impressed in a central role during last weekend’s 1-1 draw with league leaders Rochdale at Huish Park.
However, he was switched back to the left wing-back position which he has filled on many occasions since his arrival in Somerset for the 2-1 defeat at home to Aldershot Town on Tuesday night.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Josh Perkins on Thursday ahead of the trip to third-placed Carlisle United this weekend, the 19-year-old said: “I try and help where I can. I know my preferred position is to play in the middle, but I have been on the left in most games and that has been a different side to my game that I need to develop. I have enjoyed it so far, when I get to be in the middle, that is where I enjoy it the most and obviously I show my best qualities. But it is about where I can help the team, bring my quality on the ball and drive us forward up the pitch and work on my defensive skills as well.
“I am mostly a number six, that is my main position, but being able to do a bit of both, sometimes I roll in as an eight. But when I am out wide as a left wing-back, I get to work on the one-on-one aspect of my game which I might not get as much in midfielder. It is all positive. This season at Cardiff I played at left-back for the first game of the season and I think I may have played it for one season when I was about nine. I am having to learn quickly and coming (to Yeovil) and having to do the same thing has only helped me with versatility. That obviously gives me more opportunities in the team, but if my name is on the team-sheet, I am happy.”
Mafico was selected as your Player of the Month for January in our regular post-match polls after picking up topping the Man of the Match charts in three matches having arrived at the club. His performance against Rochdale also saw him pick up 45.6% of the vote.
The Cardiff academy product is expected to be in the Yeovil squad which makes the almost 700-mile round journey to Carlisle United this weekend, but knows the Glovers face a tough test against a side which has won seven of their last ten matches on home soil.
Mafico said: “We were not good enough *against Aldershot Town) on Tuesday in all aspects of the performance, but if we can replicate Saturday’s performance (against Rochdale) against Carlisle we could have a good day. It will be tough physically especially going away to them, it will be a tough game but we are confident if we apply ourselves in the right way as we did on Saturday we will be able to get a good result.”