Unpopular (AKA fickle) opinion time on AWB.....

[Suvvernmanc]

AWB is not the attacking fullback we wanted. He has his own attributes that make him a great player. His ball retention is brilliant and obviously his tackling. This is why I would play him as the 3rd CB alongside Maguire and Lindelof. And then sign a better attacking righ side fullback so we have 2 choices depending on who we are playing and how we want to setup tactically we could play a back 4.

Ethan Laird might even be that player.

 

[Carl S Bridge]

Absolute bollocks. Brandon Williams already shown far more. The lad can defend and go forwards and is playing on the left despite being right footed.


AWB can't pass mate. Can't cross. Can't do anything in possession. He's a poor footballer.

Excellent defensively but is that enough for a team aspiring to be back at the top? Suited to a team like Palace who defend for 75 mins every week.

Watching him try to attack today was comical. He's appalling on the ball.

What did Williams do when going forward? Seems to me he just wants to stop, cut inside and pass backwards.

Seems to me he offers the least attacking threat out of any of our full backs. But I guess he's young, academy grown so no one cares yet.

 

[Fts 74]

AWB is not the attacking fullback we wanted. He has his own attributes that make him a great player. His ball retention is brilliant and obviously his tackling. This is why I would play him as the 3rd CB alongside Maguire and Lindelof. And then sign a better attacking righ side fullback so we have 2 choices depending on who we are playing and how we want to setup tactically we could play a back 4.

Ethan Laird might even be that player.

I agree with one exception, someone to replace lindeloff.

 

[Pogba's Barber]

This is weird timing as Williams was by far the poorest player on the pitch on the ball last night.

I like Williams but making shit up to use him to slag off another one of our players is just fecking weird.

Honestly this forum had become a joke. Players do well and visibly run themselves into the ground, then get slagged off for it anyway.

Really? You rate Lingard's, Martial's and Greenwood's contributions higher? "by far the poorest" is pushing it

 

[Suvvernmanc]

I agree with one exception, someone to replace lindeloff.

Lindelof showed last night what he can do. He is still not consistent enough but when playing in a 3, he gets less responsibility which is good for him.

Playing a back 3 needs 5 or 6 CBs. Maguire, Lindelof, Axel, AWB, Smalling plus 1 more would be good. Sell Jones and Rojo.

 

[evil_geko]

Right back should defend first, and he is a brilliant defender, that is good enough for me. We have 90% of other team positions that should be looked at that are priorities before looking at weaknesses of a brilliant defender like AWB. People are never happy.

 

[romufc]

Right back should defend first, and he is a brilliant defender, that is good enough for me. We have 90% of other team positions that should be looked at that are priorities before looking at weaknesses of a brilliant defender like AWB. People are never happy.

Didn't the same fans complain that Young is terrible defensively last year?

 

[Bestietom]

AWB is a very good tackler and ball winner, his ball retention will improve also. I don't know why fans continually pick on a player to slag off. We should be showing encouragement to him. There are times I wish that he was a CB with the saving tackles he makes.

 

[noodlehair]

Really? You rate Lingard's, Martial's and Greenwood's contributions higher? "by far the poorest" is pushing it

He either gave the ball away or went backwards every single time, including more than a few occasions where he had options available to him. So yes I would say poorest. The others you mentioned had poor games but we barely got the ball to any of them and Williams more than anyone else had the opportunity to get it to them a lot more.

I'm not criticising him as he's only just come into the team and I rate him, but using him to criticise Bissaka is dumb and makes no sense. It's just attacking our own players for the sake of it.

I honestly have no idea what people expect Bissaka to do. He's going to be criticised for eternity by idiots on here now because they've set the bar so high that there isn't a fullback in the world who can reach it.

 

[b82REZ]

Didn't the same fans complain that Young is terrible defensively last year?

I agree the hypocrisy about full backs is ridiculous on here. Rafael used to be crucified for not being good enough defensively but the narrative has switched as have the expectations on that particular position. It started with Pep's Barca when they were essentially auxiliary midfielders to now where TAA is arguably the most creative outlet for the runaway league leaders.

I do rate AWB but agree he does need to work on his attacking output but some of the hyperbole on both sides of the argument are daft.

 

[sammyhol]

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make because I haven't said anything to contrary to this. I was just correcting your revisionism about Ashley Cole.

fair enough, and I would agree to some degree that Cole was definitely seen as attacking when he broke through compared the previous outgoing group of FBs, but over the course of his career I would say he is better remembered for his defensive capabilities than his attacking capabilities, and in today’s era he would be considered pretty limited from an attacking perspective, which is the point I was trying to make.

agree to disagree I guess

 

[Siorac]

It feels this is what some fans are not understanding because we are desperate. He is a defender, not a winger.

Out last long term right back Neville was never full of teks and his stats weren't really stand out:

Neville got*:
-35 assists in 400 games
-178 crosses in 400 games with 30% accuracy
-Average of 6 passes a game
*from season 2006+

So from 2006 onwards he played 400 games? I don't quite understand these stats. 178 crosses in 400 games simply cannot be right, that is one cross in every three games.

The difference is he had Ronaldo, Poborsky, Sharpe, Giggs and Beckham as his wingers.

One of those names is not like the others.

 

[fps]

A lot of the opinions offered in this thread are unpopular because they’re wrong. He’s improving as an attacker all the time, is a ferocious tackler, Young, able, brilliant.

 

[AshRK]

AWB is not the attacking fullback we wanted. He has his own attributes that make him a great player. His ball retention is brilliant and obviously his tackling. This is why I would play him as the 3rd CB alongside Maguire and Lindelof. And then sign a better attacking righ side fullback so we have 2 choices depending on who we are playing and how we want to setup tactically we could play a back 4.

Ethan Laird might even be that player.

This. AWB is an excellent defender Ole playing him as a wing back has got to be one of the daftest thing, especially while chasing a goal. Play him as a RCB and play Dalot as RWB.

 

[b82REZ]

fair enough, and I would agree to some degree that Cole was definitely seen as attacking when he broke through compared the previous outgoing group of FBs, but over the course of his career I would say he is better remembered for his defensive capabilities than his attacking capabilities, and in today’s era he would be considered pretty limited from an attacking perspective, which is the point I was trying to make.

agree to disagree I guess

That's exactly the point I made. You cannot hold a FB from the 2000s to the standards to FBs nowadays. Undoubtedly Cole was considered an attacking FB during his playing career but that role has evolved whereas FBs used to a lot more rounded in Cole's era.

 

[el3mel]

It feels this is what some fans are not understanding because we are desperate. He is a defender, not a winger.

Out last long term right back Neville was never full of teks and his stats weren't really stand out:

Neville got*:
-35 assists in 400 games
-178 crosses in 400 games with 30% accuracy
-Average of 6 passes a game
*from season 2006+

The difference is he had Ronaldo, Poborsky, Sharpe, Giggs and Beckham as his wingers. Who has AWB got? James one week, Martial the other, Perrera another week. In addition, I think it was the Burnley game and he put in a ball across the 6-yard box and no one at all was there. Our strikers and midfield movement is offering no outlets for the lad, you can see it multiple times a game he throws his hands up in frustration hem passes it side ways or back as there is no movement.

This lad should not be relied on for his crossing because we have TERRIBLE right-wing play. Let his grow as a 22 year old defender and put in a quality right-winger who can do the majority of the assist play

The game has moved on. Back then that was more than enough but currently offensive full backs are crucial for big teams.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

This. AWB is an excellent defender Ole playing him as a wing back has got to be one of the daftest thing, especially while chasing a goal. Play him as a RCB and play Dalot as RWB.

Agree 100%.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

What did Williams do when going forward? Seems to me he just wants to stop, cut inside and pass backwards.

Seems to me he offers the least attacking threat out of any of our full backs. But I guess he's young, academy grown so no one cares yet.

Ermmm.......he's scored a goal and won a penalty hasn't he?

 

[Hammondo]

The game has moved on. Back then that was more than enough but currently offensive full backs are crucial for big teams.

Defending is still the most important job for a fullback.

 

[el3mel]

Defending is still the most important job for a fullback.

However it's no more an excuse for being useless going forward, regardless from AWB situation. Tbh I'm actually full ready to live with an offensive fullback who is inconsistent or poor defensively rather than a defensive fullback who is poor offensively. Marcelo for example was never a great defensive fullback however was considered at his peak the best in the world.

 

[poleglass red]

What did Williams do when going forward? Seems to me he just wants to stop, cut inside and pass backwards.

Seems to me he offers the least attacking threat out of any of our full backs. But I guess he's young, academy grown so no one cares yet.

that's weird, I have the total opposite view on him. He regularly wants to go forward, he makes overlapping runs and puts in crosses with both feet. He scored one, and missed an absolute sitter there recently as well. The issue people have with backpasses and sideways passes, all top full backs do it. The problem is when we do it, ball goes nowhere. Our mid has no creativity, throw a Pogba and a Fernandes in there and now that sideway pass that keeps us possession might then be played through for a goalscoring chance. For a kid in his 1st season with us, I think he has been a breath of fresh air

 

[Carl S Bridge]

Ermmm.......he's scored a goal and won a penalty hasn't he?

Wow so he has 1 goal more than wan bissaka? Jesus so much more productive. At least wan bissaka goes down the outside and at least attempts to cross and has got 1 assist this season

 

[He'sRaldo]

that's weird, I have the total opposite view on him. He regularly wants to go forward, he makes overlapping runs and puts in crosses with both feet. He scored one, and missed an absolute sitter there recently as well. The issue people have with backpasses and sideways passes, all top full backs do it. The problem is when we do it, ball goes nowhere. Our mid has no creativity, throw a Pogba and a Fernandes in there and now that sideway pass that keeps us possession might then be played through for a goalscoring chance. For a kid in his 1st season with us, I think he has been a breath of fresh air

Honestly AWB has done all you mentioned including getting in the box to miss chances. The differences are, AWB has put in better crosses than Williams IMO, maybe because Williams is crossing with his weaker foot; and also AWB keeps width better than Williams. Also, Williams can sometimes attack a bit naively like a youth LB, which will probably be removed his game as he develops since he won't be cut the same slack for defensive lapses when he gets older.

The thing is, Williams is an academy graduate so no matter what people say, he will be judged with that context in mind. AWB is a fairly expensive signing from elsewhere, so the judgement will be a bit harsher. I don't think Williams has been particularly better than AWB attacking, but the perceptions of their work is going to be different.

 

[romufc]

I agree the hypocrisy about full backs is ridiculous on here. Rafael used to be crucified for not being good enough defensively but the narrative has switched as have the expectations on that particular position. It started with Pep's Barca when they were essentially auxiliary midfielders to now where TAA is arguably the most creative outlet for the runaway league leaders.

I do rate AWB but agree he does need to work on his attacking output but some of the hyperbole on both sides of the argument are daft.

Exactly, we have a fickle fan base where we are always looking to criticise players for what they cannot do rather than appreciate what they can.

We don't play the pep way, the reason why Trent and them have loads of assists is that they have 3/4 players in the box to cross to AWB has 0 on most occasions.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Wow so he has 1 goal more than wan bissaka? Jesus so much more productive. At least wan bissaka goes down the outside and at least attempts to cross and has got 1 assist this season

Delusional. Brandon Williams is 19 pal and has been thrown in because of injuries and an incompetent board. He's done fantastic. Lots of people even saying he's first choice already.

Wan Bassaka has done well defensively. WOuldn't say he gets forward as well as Williams at all. Not sure what games you've been watching.

 

[UmbroDays]

So from 2006 onwards he played 400 games? I don't quite understand these stats. 178 crosses in 400 games simply cannot be right, that is one cross in every three games.


One of those names is not like the others.

Stats are from Premier League site. They tracked the correct amount of games, but detailed information e.g. passes, crosses, etc have been tracked only since 06/07:
https://www.premierleague.com/stats/clarification

 

[Dinghy]

It's like having a worse version of Smalling at RB. That was a fecking shocking half from him.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

It's like having a worse version of Smalling at RB. That was a fecking shocking half from him.

Smalling had a pretty good spell as a fullback under Sir Alex.

 

[acnumber9]

I love how these threads just become a substitute for the player performances threads when the match is on.

 

[Isotope]

Wow, he's so bad. Like a bad version of Young, which I didn't think that's possible.

 

[Relevated]

Why does it always look like gravity is pushing him over when he tries a feint

 

[VorZakone]

I love how these threads just become a substitute for the player performances threads when the match is on.

Pretty much.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Apart from some really desperate last ditch tackling (and he's even getting poor at that as well), he is a nothing player.

 

[Eckers99]

I really like him but he's looked jaded the past few games. This has been his worst performance by a distance.

 

[Based Adnan]

His worst half for us so far by a country mile. Genuinely detrimental to our play in that half.

 

[Irwin99]

I’m not exactly convinced as yet but some of the criticism is harsh. Give him another year or two before judging him.

The attacking play thing has been talked about to death but the thing that’s concerning the most is the awkwardness of the way he receives the ball and passes it along. It’s not been encouraging all season.

 

[BusbyMalone]

You're fullbacks need to be creative outlets for you as well, and he's a million miles away from that

 

[Wan]

I agree the hypocrisy about full backs is ridiculous on here. Rafael used to be crucified for not being good enough defensively but the narrative has switched as have the expectations on that particular position. It started with Pep's Barca when they were essentially auxiliary midfielders to now where TAA is arguably the most creative outlet for the runaway league leaders.

I do rate AWB but agree he does need to work on his attacking output but some of the hyperbole on both sides of the argument are daft.

Why can't a fullback do both? Under SAF, our CBs always have to cover the fullback positions. And a lot of times they get forward well enough with their pace to cause problems.

I like him. Tackles anything that moves. Good pace, hard to beat. But we spent 50m on him. Of course we expect a lot better going forward. We're not asking him to provide crosses ala TAA/Irwin/Dani Alves levels, but just be a good footballer that knows how to control the ball and run with it at times.

 

[Samid]

Apparently this was the best RB we could find after scouting 804 players in that position. Well done Woodward and Judge.

 

[bond19821982]

Just play Dalot.

Play AWB where you have to defend and counter attack. God knows what's Ole doing in training. He hasn't improved at all since joining attacking wise.