For my money, he's one of the best young defenders on the planet. An absolutely outstanding signing, so glad we didn't settle for someone like Muenier.
29
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 46
- Clean sheets
- 18
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 4
- Yellow cards
- 9
- Status
He is player of the season for me.
That's Nuno Santos!
By the way, did anyone notice Sterling moved progressively more central because Aaron dominated him so utterly?
Please keep this man healthy for years to come.
I have to admit I was starting to have my doubts about him over the Christmas period. It just didn’t look like the attacking side of the game was in his locker..
But starting to look much more effective going forwards now, as well as continuing to impress defensively.
Long may it continue.. happy to eat my words.
But starting to look much more effective going forwards now, as well as continuing to impress defensively.
Long may it continue.. happy to eat my words.
I thought that was his best performance of the season. My 2nd choice for MOTM behind Fred.
Absolutely tremendous! Sterling must fecking hate coming up against him as once again AWB had him comfortably tucked away in his back pocket. Nothing ever gets past him and when they unexpectedly think they do, he puts in an excellent and clean slide tackle. Didn’t put a foot wrong all game. I thought he also got forward really well and picked out some excellent passes down the right channel.
Absolutely tremendous! Sterling must fecking hate coming up against him as once again AWB had him comfortably tucked away in his back pocket. Nothing ever gets past him and when they unexpectedly think they do, he puts in an excellent and clean slide tackle. Didn’t put a foot wrong all game. I thought he also got forward really well and picked out some excellent passes down the right channel.
He looked tired and jaded today though he stopped almost everything on his side. I think he should be rested for the EL games for the coming round.
Just read on F365, that like when sometimes managers get defenders to double up on talents like Messi or Ronaldo, soon they'll be doubling up wingers on Wan-Bissaka in an attempt to get past him.
Wan Bissaka emptying his pockets when he got home
-keys
-phone
-huh... sterling
-keys
-phone
-huh... sterling
Wasn't his last encounter with Sterling one where people were hailing it as the greatest defensive defensive performance they had seen despite him getting beaten a good 3-4 times?
Now this was a proper shut down. Sterling couldn't really have any impact on the game as AWB had his number.
Now this was a proper shut down. Sterling couldn't really have any impact on the game as AWB had his number.
Tbf Sterling's form has been down in the shitters since the start of the year. He has been one of their worst players.
The game where we beat them at the Etihad, Sterling was in top form.
Fair enough. I did think the praise over that peformance was way over the top. I mean, AWB isn't some half decent defender. He'd kept the likes of Mane very quiet before.
Does this guy have lungs? Are you sure?
AWB is great at defending 1 on 1 but he's got a way to go with other parts of the defensive game, in my view. Positioning and aerially in particular
A joy to watch defend. So good in fact, he even got me to make a post.
in terms of defending he's one of the best full backs I've seen at United
psychologically it seems like he's got Sterlings number, and I'd be surprised if he's on the left the next time we play city
psychologically it seems like he's got Sterlings number, and I'd be surprised if he's on the left the next time we play city
It's like cr7 vs Ashley Cole back in the day.
Let's not forget the crosses that he prevents.
He just shut down their left flank completely. Must be in Sterling's head at this point.
Improving so much going forward too. My man of the match yesterday.
Improving so much going forward too. My man of the match yesterday.
Superb defender but still don't think he's that great on the ball. He doesn't get beat often though 1 on 1. He's like a wall.
He was fantastic yesterday.
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
What a commanding all around performance
Thought he was dreadful against Everton but bounced back very well yesterday, great performance
I agree. Amazing. Effort. Speed.
#MeToo
Wan Bissaka emptying his pockets when he got home
-keys
-phone
-huh... sterling
Well done. He is a joy to watch though, I’ve not enjoyed watching a defender simply defend in years.
"Mahrez from other side, he is Wan Bissaka's problem", before he even finished the word AWB won the tackle and played beautiful pass to James.
AWB is an absolute monster, attacker never know when he is going to hit them with the most perfect tackle. He is a definite player of the season candidate for us.
| R | Player | Apps | Mins | Total Tackles | Dribbled Past | TotalAttempted Tackles | Tackle win % |
| 1 | Ricardo Pereira Leicester, 26, D(LR),M(R) | 27 | 2430 | 117 | 52 | 169 | 69.23% |
| 2 | Aaron Wan-Bissaka Manchester United, 22, D(R),M(R) | 26 | 2331 | 99 | 19 | 118 | 83.90% |
| 3 | Declan Rice West Ham, 21, D(C),DMC | 29 | 2610 | 87 | 44 | 131 | 66.41% |
| 4 | Wilfred Ndidi Leicester, 23, DMC | 22 | 1809 | 87 | 34 | 121 | 71.90% |
| 5 | João Moutinho Wolverhampton Wanderers, 33, M(C) | 29 | 2436 | 79 | 84 | 163 | 48.47% |
| 6 | Djibril Sidibé Everton, 27, D(LR),M(R) | 21 | 1641 | 78 | 28 | 106 | 73.58% |
| 7 | Jonny Wolverhampton Wanderers, 26, D(CLR),M(L) | 26 | 2197 | 77 | 44 | 121 | 63.64% |
| 8 | Serge Aurier Tottenham, 27, D(CLR),M(R) | 24 | 1915 | 74 | 24 | 98 | 75.51% |
| 9 | James Ward-Prowse Southampton, 25, M(CR) | 29 | 2610 | 72 | 45 | 117 | 61.54% |
| 10 | James McArthur Crystal Palace, 32, M(CLR) | 28 | 2433 | 68 | 52 | 120 | 56.67% |
| 11 | Etienne Capoue Watford, 31, D(C),M(CL) | 24 | 2140 | 66 | 43 | 109 | 60.55% |
| 12 | Pierre-Emile Højbjerg Southampton, 24, M(C) | 28 | 2447 | 66 | 50 | 116 | 56.90% |
| 13 | Emiliano Buendía Norwich, 23, M(R) | 28 | 2016 | 65 | 61 | 126 | 51.59% |
| 14 | Frederic Guilbert Aston Villa, 25, D(CLR),M(R) | 22 | 1810 | 65 | 29 | 94 | 69.15% |
| 15 | Philip Billing Bournemouth, 23, DMC | 27 | 2168 | 65 | 42 | 107 | 60.75% |
| 16 | César Azpilicueta Chelsea, 30, D(CLR),M(R) | 27 | 2420 | 64 | 26 | 90 | 71.11% |
| 17 | Enda Stevens Sheffield United, 29, D(CL),M(L) | 28 | 2447 | 63 | 37 | 100 | 63.00% |
| 18 | Ryan Fredericks West Ham, 27, D(R),M(R) | 20 | 1688 | 63 | 19 | 82 | 76.83% |
| 19 | James McCarthy Crystal Palace, 29, M(C) | 24 | 1174 | 62 | 26 | 88 | 70.45% |
| 20 | Chris Basham Sheffield United, 31, D(CR),M(CR) | 28 | 2440 | 61 | 23 | 84 | 72.62% |
| 21 | Dale Stephens Brighton, 30, M(C) | 24 | 1944 | 59 | 42 | 101 | 58.42% |
| 22 | Richarlison Everton, 22, AM(CLR),FW | 27 | 2358 | 59 | 26 | 85 | 69.41% |
| 23 | Davy Pröpper Brighton, 28, M(C) | 26 | 2340 | 58 | 42 | 100 | 58.00% |
| 24 | Jorginho Chelsea, 28, DMC | 26 | 2016 | 58 | 45 | 103 | 56.31% |
| 25 | Lucas Digne Everton, 26, D(L),M(L) | 26 | 2245 | 58 | 26 | 84 | 69.05% |
| 26 | Leander Dendoncker Wolverhampton Wanderers, 24, D(C),DMC | 29 | 2282 | 56 | 31 | 87 | 64.37% |
| 27 | Dan Burn Brighton, 27, D(CL) | 25 | 2149 | 55 | 26 | 81 | 67.90% |
| 28 | Jordan Henderson Liverpool, 29, M(CLR) | 25 | 1891 | 55 | 29 | 84 | 65.48% |
| 29 | Oliver Norwood Sheffield United, 28, M(C) | 28 | 2382 | 55 | 55 | 110 | 50.00% |
| 30 | Abdoulaye Doucouré Watford, 27, M(C) | 28 | 2450 | 54 | 34 | 88 | 61.36% |
| 31 | Fred Manchester United, 27, M(C) | 25 | 2027 | 54 | 74 | 128 | 42.19% |
| 32 | Cheikhou Kouyaté Crystal Palace, 30, D(CR),DMC | 27 | 1993 | 53 | 17 | 70 | 75.71% |
| 33 | Jan Bednarek Southampton, 23, D(C) | 27 | 2428 | 53 | 24 | 77 | 68.83% |
| 34 | Martín Montoya Brighton, 28, D(LR),M(R) | 23 | 1711 | 53 | 25 | 78 | 67.95% |
| 35 | James Maddison Leicester, 23, AM(CLR) | 27 | 2314 | 52 | 40 | 92 | 56.52% |
| 36 | George Baldock Sheffield United, 27, D(R),M(R) | 28 | 2520 | 50 | 16 | 66 | 75.76% |
| 37 | Isaac Hayden Newcastle United, 24, DMC | 24 | 1969 | 49 | 27 | 76 | 64.47% |
| 38 | James Tarkowski Burnley, 27, D(C) | 29 | 2610 | 49 | 19 | 68 | 72.06% |
| 39 | Marvelous Nakamba Aston Villa, 26, DMC | 20 | 1545 | 49 | 38 | 87 | 56.32% |
| 40 | Luka Milivojevic Crystal Palace, 28, DMC | 23 | 1986 | 48 | 36 | 84 | 57.14% |
AWB wins many tackles and with exception win %.
Most of those 19 times he was dribbled past he probably recovered to win the tackle anyway. People diminish defending by a full back in the modern game but it's incredible to watch. AWB is the only player in the word I would pay money to watch defend.
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
He wins...that ball so much 
Love the moment at the end there where Maguire comes steaming across to cover him and Wan Bissaka still makes the tackle ahead of him.
He is not an 'attacking fullback', as the majority are these days, so he will never be sitting up high battering on the door against a big opponent like this, but he actually attacked very effectively today. Went straight past Zinchenko and Otamendi a couple of times, slipped James through again and again, and his crosses were all dangerous. His passing was great throughout. Back in the days before so many fullbacks were glorified wingers, this would have been regarded as the perfect fullback performance. 10/10.
Absolutely perfect, well almost.
He is such a beast and actually loves defending. Deseptively quick and has very fast reactions.
A great signing.
That is a very good point.
God some of you lot are fickle, last time I checked in on this thread to see how Azza's been getting on he needed replacing..now he's POTY and you'd pay to watch him defend
That was great. Not all his moves forward come off, but most did and it's good that he's trying them. I never went for the talk of him being terminally limited on the ball but I still think he's suspect at times positionally, almost as if he wants the winger to get the ball so he can destroy them 1v1. He could stop things dead and start a counter if he put himself in the right place in the build-up a touch more often, that said there's nothing to criticise from that display, just immense.
Going out on a limb here... those posts are probably by different people.God some of you lot are fickle, last time I checked in on this thread to see how Azza's been getting on he needed replacing..now he's POTY and you'd pay to watch him defend
I love how intense his defending is, all the while he's chewing gum with a nonchalant look on his face.
One of the best defensive fullbacks I can ever remember.
The battle between Sterling and AWB is a joy to watch. Fair play to Sterling that he doesn't give up and keeps trying, but AWB just keeps batting him away
If we can add a proper winger in front of him that can hold the ball like Sancho or a Mahrez type, he'd get a lot more help going forward. In the first half he showed he's more than capable of flying forward, we just need to be better in possession.
The battle between Sterling and AWB is a joy to watch. Fair play to Sterling that he doesn't give up and keeps trying, but AWB just keeps batting him away
If we can add a proper winger in front of him that can hold the ball like Sancho or a Mahrez type, he'd get a lot more help going forward. In the first half he showed he's more than capable of flying forward, we just need to be better in possession.
I think that's exactly it, I remember reading one of his interviews a few weeks back where he gave some insight on his approach to defending and he specifically mentioned that his strategy against skillful and pacey wingers is to get in a really hard tackle or 2 early to show them a warning sign of things to come whenever they decide to have a go at him that day
He said he wants to get them second guessing whether it's a good decision attacking his flank with probable physical punishment to follow. It sounded like an intimidation thing to let them know that they'll need to work hard for every inch of space and chance in the final third when they come up against him and a lot of forwards end up making business decisions to save themselves the trouble as a result
People turn their noses on him because hes not as good going forward as TAA and Robertson, but being good in defense is imo just as important for a fullback as is his crossing skills. Sterling can cause all kinds of problems when he gets time and space and AWB had that left flank of theirs completely on lockdown yesterday
- Status