Can Aaron Wan-Bissaka be an attacking right wingback in this formation?

[Dante]

It seems like after most games people are surprised that he's not as bad going forward as they expected. Is it time to readjust those expectations?

He's a strong dribbler with the ball. He's pacy. He's quick to release the ball when he gets near the box. All of those things make him a danger on the wing, even if it's not always elegant.

His biggest weakness is his touch in tight areas. And he lacks the creativity to be a passing threat during the buildup.

Is that enough to be a RWB for Manchester United?

 

[hobbers]

No. He's terrible going forward.

Ben Davies put in a worse display yesterday than Shaw did vs Liverpool, with and without the ball. AWB won't have such an easy time of it against any other team in the league.

 

[Buster15]

It seems like after most games people are surprised that he's not as bad going forward as they expected. Is it time to readjust those expectations?

He's a strong dribbler with the ball. He's pacy. He's quick to release the ball when he gets near the box. All of those things make him a danger on the wing, even if it's not always elegant.

His biggest weakness is his touch in tight areas. And he lacks the creativity to be a passing threat during the buildup.

Is that enough to be a RWB for Manchester United?

I agree with you that he has some limitations offensively. But he is as you say quick and can defend well.
Not brilliant. But not bad either.
He only has to make one mistake and the Match Day thread goes ballistic.

 

[Yorkeontop]

Yes. A coached up AWB would do damage in this system.

 

[Dante]

The variety of opinions on AWB always surprises me. Some think he's a top player. Others think he's wank. There seem to be very few opinions in the middle.

 

[Flytan]

He has time to improve but I really think a lot of people here overrate him when he looks good going forward. The reason he looks good is because defenders intentionally give him space since they know he can't pass. He dribbles past defenders and up the field because teams are happy to let him cross the ball.

Maybe he gets better one day.

 

[largelyworried]

I'd rather do a Conte and play a genuine attacker at wingback instead of a defender. But AWB has gotten better at attacking since he joined us and, sure, if he has less defending to do I'm sure he'll get more attacking done.

 

[stretford_oslo]

He looks like has zero confidence going forward.

 

[Rado_N]

Whilst I understand the clutching to something positive, people really need to stop drawing conclusions from beating a truly shite Spurs.

 

[Stack]

He is horribly one footed and a few times in the game against Spurs he had to adjust to suit how stronger foot and in doing so lost the moment for an early cross.

 

[Sandikan]

The variety of opinions on AWB always surprises me. Some think he's a top player. Others think he's wank. There seem to be very few opinions in the middle.

Welcome to internet football fans.

 

[Bebestation]

He has time to improve but I really think a lot of people here overrate him when he looks good going forward. The reason he looks good is because defenders intentionally give him space since they know he can't pass. He dribbles past defenders and up the field because teams are happy to let him cross the ball.

Maybe he gets better one day.

I think this is false - I think he gets through tight spaces.

I think the play he did with Bruno Fernandes yesterday is what I see in his passing and dribbling - it's not perfect but it's good and can be tricky for the opposition.

 

[AndyMUFC86]

I’d really love to see AWB play at right CB in a 3. I’m convinced this will be his best position.
Although he has improved on the ball over the past 6 months he lacks composure when in forward areas. I don’t think he is ready to be placed in a back 2 as I would be worried about his positional play but in a 3 he would have room to develop that. His strongest asset is 1 on 1 defending. As a right sided CB in a 3 he would still be in the wide areas against wide players on a regular basis.
This back 3 is perfect for him IMO and we just need to buy a new RWB who can offer lots going forward to allow this change.

 

[golden_blunder]

People that say he can’t get out of tight spots need to open their eyes and watch more

 

[DickDastardly]

While he's a defensive God, not afraid to tackle, always on point and most of all - really comfortable at what he does............He's quite the opposite once he's over that half line.

You could see he's not used to it, there is nothing natural in his offensive play. He looks scared, his first touch is weak, once a player closes him down it's over.

If you compare it to let's say Bale in his days at Spurs as a wingback - it's night and day.

And let's not go into his crossing......one word. Dross.

So, no, he can't be an attacking right wingback in any formation.

 

[Flytan]

I think this is false - I think he gets through tight spaces.

I think the play he did with Bruno Fernandes yesterday is what I see in his passing and dribbling - it's not perfect but it's good and can be tricky for the opposition.

I might not have been clear, but yeah, he's a good dribble too. I'm just saying a lot of the time he gets space and into good areas is because the other teams know his end product is lacking

 

[Andycoleno9]

Not in a million years. At least at high level. He is good defensive fb in 4 at the back. Period

 

[SungSam7]

While he's a defensive God, not afraid to tackle, always on point and most of all - really comfortable at what he does............He's quite the opposite once he's over that half line.

You could see he's not used to it, there is nothing natural in his offensive play. He looks scared, his first touch is weak, once a player closes him down it's over.

If you compare it to let's say Bale in his days at Spurs as a wingback - it's night and day.

And let's not go into his crossing......one word. Dross.

So, no, he can't be an attacking right wingback in any formation.

Considering he was a winger at one stage in his career, if he didnt do a job then, we can safely say there is 10% chance he would do it now. It would be like watching an old Valencia again.

 

[Withnail]

He has time to improve but I really think a lot of people here overrate him when he looks good going forward. The reason he looks good is because defenders intentionally give him space since they know he can't pass. He dribbles past defenders and up the field because teams are happy to let him cross the ball.

Maybe he gets better one day.

I don't think any team is going to be happy to let any opposition player cross the ball no matter who they are.

He's got a few assists from crosses and could well have had one yesterday.

He does seem to be improving going forward. He was able to make space for the cross quite easily yesterday but maybe that's because Davies was terrible.

 

[Sultan]

He was a winger prior to becoming a full-back.

There are extremes in assessing Wan Bissaka in general. I don't think his positioning is not that of a top full-back. He gets caught out too frequently up the pitch. That may not always be his fault with our players losing possession too frequently. Regular match-going fans will also be aware the coaches on the touchline are instructing him to change his position at least a couple of times during a game.

I think he's a 6/10 player on both sides of the pitch. We have to remember he has not really played with a regular partner on his side of the pitch to build an understanding.

 

[Bebestation]

I said this in the Wan Bissaka thread -

Finding an attacking RWB isn't hard and we will do it easily, which we should.

At the same time I'm glad we went for Wan Bissaka because he is a useful specialist type of defensive RB that is not exactly easy to find either.

I absolutely love his slide tackles and on the goal clearances- we are seeing some nearly every 3 or 4 games now.

We don't need 2 types of the same player in my opinion- it's better we go for 2 alternatives and let a manager decide which player is best to use.

Ie what's better Origi or Firmino? Sancho or Greenwood for RW?

Likewise get a proper attacking RWB in then we have some proper quality RB's - some struggle to get past our RB, some struggle to defend against our RB.

 

[DickDastardly]

For all you saying he was a winger before.....fine. He was. I don't know, didn't follow him.
I'd like to see one of his matches as a winger to pass judgement on that issue.

However, it's one thing to play a winger for Crystal Palace U16 and another thing to play a wingback for Manchester United first team.

If he could improve his first time crossing, if he could improve his defensive positioning, and, if he could improve his left foot, yeah.....he could become a good wingback.
The thing is - that's a lot of fecking improving.
So far, he's way to readable for a wing/er/back. One dimensional.

And that one dimension - the sublime tackle, is the thing that sets him apart in football. Nothing else.

 

[sullydnl]

He isn't good enough on the ball as a fullback. He isn't going to suddenly be good enough as a wing-back.

 

[Redlyn]

I think he is limited and will never be great or even good going forward (it's just not his skillset) but he is ok defensively as his tackling and recoveries compensate for his suspect positioning. I think we need a more creative RB/RWB alternative irrespective of system since Dalot does not offer competition. AWB was really good at driving the ball upfield vs spurs then he would check back and hand it over and I suppose that will have to do for now.

 

[golden_blunder]

Some good attacking mixed with his sliding tackles

 

[Reiver]

I like Wan Bissaka a lot but I just can't see him as an attacking wing back.

 

[Becks00]

I'd rather do a Conte and play a genuine attacker at wingback instead of a defender. But AWB has gotten better at attacking since he joined us and, sure, if he has less defending to do I'm sure he'll get more attacking done.

I absolutely agree with all of this, i believe Rashford would be great as a wing back if Ole can coach him properly as regards what is required for the position and if AWB/Lindelof covers majority of the defsnsive responsiblity from the back three.

 

[wolvored]

Watcyh some old footage of him at Palace. He has regressed here.

 

[DickDastardly]

Some good attacking mixed with his sliding tackles

That video just highlights everything we said.
Wonderful tackler, probably one of the best sliding tacklers in the game, ever. The boy just oozes class when tackling. There is no passing him.

The other part - the attacking part - again, nothing there to it. Weak.

What irks me in his attacking play - he keeps the ball far from his feet, zero close control.
Also, his legs are so far apart it's funny to watch. His crossing, really weak. Comparing it to let's say TAA or Robertson, light years away.

Can't honestly see what anybody sees in his attacking play to even consider him as a RWB.

His strenghts are on our side of the center line.

Then again, maybe i'm blind.

 

[Hoof the ball]

My concern with Aaron is that he has an aversion to horizontal balls into half-spaces where a United player is available. They're not difficult balls, per-se, but you need some courage to play them. Walker, for example, does have the courage or the vision to see this pass (often into KdB or Foden), and it advances the attack. AWB, by contrast, either doesn't see it, or he sees it, doesn't fancy it, and looks to dribble it wider or slide it back.

Could he be trained to be a bit more courageous with his passing inside? Yes, but now we're talking about tactical instructions, and who even knows if AWB can mentally overcome his hesitancy in key areas. It's as much mentality as it is technical.

 

[RUCK4444]

Baffles me how some cannot allow themselves to change their opinion on him when he’s proven in many games he’s already better going forward than many claim (I mean this place would have you beliefs he’s the worst in the league going forward and that we should give that fraud Dalot a chance instead) but he’s also got more to give.

Currently he gets forward more than Shaw does and we should be making more of the cutbacks he’s providing, those are standard Man City goal fodder.

 

[RUCK4444]

Also like to add that negative shite from Keane before the game was pathetic from him, love Keane but it’s like his mission to rip apart our players, yes they aren’t his quality but they don’t need their confidence ripped apart by a former club legend either.

 

[Bebestation]

Literally set up Cavani perfectly last match and Cavani decided to dummy thinking Ronaldo was behind him.

His crossing is going to get better the more he plays RWB so I actually hopes it happens for a while.

I think some just see totally attacking football games in their eyes the same way people just value technical players the most.

I don't really see things like that.

I value what Wan Bissaka brings to our team, a very under valued player here.

 

[harms]

No.

 

[harms]

The variety of opinions on AWB always surprises me. Some think he's a top player. Others think he's wank. There seem to be very few opinions in the middle.

You rarely get a player today who is so amazing at one thing in particular (as in tackling & one-on-one defending in general — which is generally the most visible defensive skill for a fan so it often becomes associated with defending in general) and so bad at the other(s). So the way that you value those particular aspects of the game can drastically affect your assessment of him. In reality, he's a good player with a huge amplitude between his best and worst performances (similar to Maguire) — and fans are also quite prone to immediate overreactions.

Those who argue that he is good or potentially good attacking-wise are either kidding themselves or forgot how a good attacking fullback looks like (which isn't that hard if you mostly watch United games to be fair).

 

[Ajr]

Would love to see him at RWB continuing this week but easier games it should be Dalot, Sancho or Lingard or someone else

 

[Blood Mage]

No, he'll never be a good attacking RB in any system or under any manager IMO. He's just an average footballer with a world-class tackle or two in him.

 

[caid]

Hes ok going forward, just that. He's strong, he's quick, he's unselfish. Theres not much craft or imagination so he doesn't synergise with McFred particularly well and will never be great but hes not the liability thats suggested at times. The team he's playing in has been wretched most of the season but his play after the Young Boys game has improved quite a bit. He reacted well to that and his personal form has been solid.

 

[harms]

Currently he gets forward more than Shaw and we should be making more of the cutbacks he’s providing, those are standard Man City goal fodder.

Yet Shaw has been our second best creator behind only Bruno and Wan-Bissaka... gets the ball & runs into free space often because teams consciously leave him unmarked because they prioritise to double-mark someone like Bruno/Rashford/Cavani etc. If he can't do it in those circumstances how on earth should a 23-years old player supposed to develop a completely new skillset that requires drastic improvement in his technical ability?

 

[Will Singh]

He’s already played it, is he good at it? Time will tell.
The question is what’s going to happen to Sancho who AWB will be keeping on the bench as he’s role now inherits the RW position?