[The Original]

Is there anything to back this up?

Antony clearly has more attacking contributions and the opposition are likely to give AWB space on the ball because he's less dangerous. Antony gets double teamed in the final third.

Just an observation so I could be wrong, but what I mean is, specifically when AWB and Anthony link up, it seems to me that more often than not its AWB who makes the penetration, which is really more of criticism of how useless Anthony is at dribbling or beating a man with pace.

 

[Solius]

Just an observation so I could be wrong, but what I mean is, specifically when AWB and Anthony link up, it seems to me that more often than not its AWB who makes the penetration, which is really more of criticism of how useless Anthony is at dribbling or beating a man with pace.

I don't think this is the case at all. There are very few wingers who consistently beat their man, especially when being doubled up on. In fact we've seen Antony do it a lot in the middle area of the pitch before surging forward. Lots of room for improvement of course but I think he's been good overall.

I'd also argue again that AWB though massively improved is given all this space because he is not a threat in attack. He doesn't exactly get assists or goals.

 

[Ekeke]

Let's wait and see. I'm of the opinion ten Hag wants a more attacking right back, you clearly aren't.

I think he did, which is why AWB has got better at it and has had some performances where he attacked better on the right than Antony

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Has to be said at this point, it's funny how AWB is a better dribbler/has more penetration than Anthony. They do link up well but often its AWB who makes the telling attacking contribution.

Really ? How many telling attacking contributions does Awb have this season?

 

[scottser]

AWB is probably one of the most gifted tacklers I've seen in a United jersey. While I've never considered him to be a full-back, surely he could transition to a DM without too much hassle?

 

[Solius]

AWB is probably one of the most gifted tacklers I've seen in a United jersey. While I've never considered him to be a full-back, surely he could transition to a DM without too much hassle?

It would likely be lots of hassle. Playing DM is way more than just good tackling. In fact it doesn't really even come into it that much. I'd value positioning, reading of the game, composure and press resistance over good tackling.

 

[Oranges038]

He played v well yesterday, he managed Mitoma relatively well, a v v dangerous player. I think he will always be a 2nd choice though because the limitations in his game are v apparent. His last ditch recovery tackles are great to observe, but this also highlights his frailties... good defenders should not need to be making these 'rescue' tackles so often, and his all-round game needs such work. It's improving for sure and Manchester United under ETH is the best place for him. But he isn't our first choice right-back, can't be.

So many of them are from the wrong side too, like one he made on Mitoma yesterday. A good defender, with good positioning and tackling shouldn't need to go to ground as much as he does.

He's improved but he's still way off the levels required. I maintain that he never was or never will be good enough for a top team. RB is an area that we definitely need 2 new players for in the next window or 2. We just can't keep going round in circles with him and Dalot.

 

[sglowrider]

 

[The Original]

Really ? How many telling attacking contributions does Awb have this season?

I don't necessarily mean AWB is particularly impactful as an attacking outlet - I mean simply when the two of AWB and Anthony link up, AWB tends to be the one to make the cross or end up in the box. From the wide areas, I'd say AWB is more of an attacking tool - even if not a particularly dangerous one. I could be wrong of course.

 

[Rolaholic]

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[LawCharltonBest]

I like him and have always rated him, not surprised that he’s doing well since being in the team

 

[Dve]

I like him and have always rated him, not surprised that he’s doing well since being in the team

Same here. People were mainly judging him based on his last period under Ole where the whole team fell apart, although he was not as bad as Maguire and Shaw. People were happy enough about him his first two season, although some were complaining about his offensive contribution - a criticism I expect to return as soon as we get used to him being good again.

I always defended Bissaka, however, and would be very sad to see him leave. His tackles are just bloody entertaining to watch. There is no one else like him.

 

[zaafi]

This whole "he only tackles because his positioning is terrible" is so tiresome. He is a clean tackler, and is extremely skilled at it so why not use it to his advantage? His tackles very rarely end up as fouls, and often end up winning possession after tackling too.
Would you say Phillip Lahm was a bad defender or had bad positioning because he tackled the opponents?

 

[Solius]

So many of them are from the wrong side too, like one he made on Mitoma yesterday. A good defender, with good positioning and tackling shouldn't need to go to ground as much as he does.

He's improved but he's still way off the levels required. I maintain that he never was or never will be good enough for a top team. RB is an area that we definitely need 2 new players for in the next window or 2. We just can't keep going round in circles with him and Dalot.

I don’t really buy into this. Especially with AWB. How do we know a lot of the time he isn’t making tackles in a situation where no other player would even think about it because they know they won’t get there. It’s not like he’s getting caught out and then flying back to last minute tackle. He just uses it as a weapon. His way of defending is to contain the player if possible and if they attempt to go by him that’s when he makes the tackle.

 

[Jam]

He wasn’t frozen. He was injured.

He played 4 minutes before the World Cup. He wasn't injured August - January.

He was frozen out.

 

[Lassitude42]

I don’t really buy into this. Especially with AWB. How do we know a lot of the time he isn’t making tackles in a situation where no other player would even think about it because they know they won’t get there. It’s not like he’s getting caught out and then flying back to last minute tackle. He just uses it as a weapon. His way of defending is to contain the player if possible and if they attempt to go by him that’s when he makes the tackle.

Yeah, I think that Maldini quote about "good defenders never needing to tackle" is nonsense. You can't just have magical positioning so that your opponents never have the ball in space or dribble at you. What you need is pace and tackling ability in those situations, and AWB has both. Being able to nullify quick breaks and opponents who can beat players one on one will save you plenty of goals in a season.

 

[Gandalf]

So many of them are from the wrong side too, like one he made on Mitoma yesterday. A good defender, with good positioning and tackling shouldn't need to go to ground as much as he does.

He's improved but he's still way off the levels required. I maintain that he never was or never will be good enough for a top team. RB is an area that we definitely need 2 new players for in the next window or 2. We just can't keep going round in circles with him and Dalot.

Specifically in that case it was a simply amazing piece of defending. Antony was not covering and so AWB was left in a 2 on 1 situation with Estupinian and Mitoma, he closed down Estupinian, passing off Mitoma who had cut infield, and yet still had the ability to get across and execute an inch perfect tackle on Mitoma when he was in position to shoot.

 

[Oranges038]

I don’t really buy into this. Especially with AWB. How do we know a lot of the time he isn’t making tackles in a situation where no other player would even think about it because they know they won’t get there. It’s not like he’s getting caught out and then flying back to last minute tackle. He just uses it as a weapon. His way of defending is to contain the player if possible and if they attempt to go by him that’s when he makes the tackle.

Of course. Because lunging in from the wrong side is good defending, just like he did exactly that on Mitoma on the edge of the box yesterday.....

I just don't see it with him, never have, never will.
A bit like DDG, he's got 1 redeeming quality and that's just it. Not good enough on the ball, not good enough going forward, not good enough positionally off the ball in attack or defence.

He's gotten a bit better but he's miles off being good enough. People cream themselves over a few good games and get carried away, but like Maguire, Fred, McT, Martial and maybe even with Sancho we are approaching the stage where we've got a large enough sample size over a number of years to see he just isn't ever going to be good enough for a team like Utd looking to get back to the top or the league.

 

[Rolaholic]

The first hand accounts of professionals who actually have to play against him regularly and absolutely hate it make a much more convincing case for his place in the squad than all the armchair analysts online making the case against it for me

 

[Solius]

Of course. Because lunging in from the wrong side is good defending, just like he did exactly that on Mitoma on the edge of the box yesterday.....

I just don't see it with him, never have, never will.
A bit like DDG, he's got 1 redeeming quality and that's just it. Not good enough on the ball, not good enough going forward, not good enough positionally off the ball in attack or defence.

He's gotten a bit better but he's miles off being good enough. People cream themselves over a few good games and get carried away, but like Maguire, Fred, McT, Martial and maybe even with Sancho we are approaching the stage where we've got a large enough sample size over a number of years to see he just isn't ever going to be good enough for a team like Utd looking to get back to the top or the league.

It is when it’s not your fault you’re in that position anyway and you still manage to make the tackle. Even Mitoma who literally went to university to study dribbling techniques and is one of the best dribblers in the league said he had a complete failure against AWB.

Whatever you think of his other attributes it cannot be denied he is an absolute specialist when it comes to tackling.

 

[MikeKing]

Of course. Because lunging in from the wrong side is good defending, just like he did exactly that on Mitoma on the edge of the box yesterday.....

I mean. It is good defending if you get the ball. The reason you don't see players do that successfully is just because it's so hard to get right, and that low success rate is a guide that makes it "not the advised way". There is no other reason for players not doing it than that. Wan Bissaka did it because he manages to do what others don't, in that particular field. Now if AWB did risky tackles a lot and failed again and again, and went against something he was advised not to do, yeah he would indeed be the bad defender doing the bad defending you're talking about. However that is quite the leap.

 

[Oranges038]

It is when it’s not your fault you’re in that position anyway and you still manage to make the tackle. Even Mitoma who literally went to university to study dribbling techniques and is one of the best dribblers in the league said he had a complete failure against AWB.

Whatever you think of his other attributes it cannot be denied he is an absolute specialist when it comes to tackling.

Watch the sequence of play again from 30 mins , he gets caught woefully out of position on the half way line, is he trying to press? What's he actually doing up there?

It's because of that, he has to scramble back and make that tackle, he only has to do it because he was badly positioned in the first place.

Another example of his woeful awareness and positioning is about 2 mins before that when Mitoma cut one back and Dalot cleared. He hasn't a clue what's going on and steps out, one ball gets played down the side of him and they are in.

Running directly at him might not work very wel, but it's way too easy to play around him.

 

[Ekeke]

So many of them are from the wrong side too, like one he made on Mitoma yesterday. A good defender, with good positioning and tackling shouldn't need to go to ground as much as he does.

He's improved but he's still way off the levels required. I maintain that he never was or never will be good enough for a top team. RB is an area that we definitely need 2 new players for in the next window or 2. We just can't keep going round in circles with him and Dalot.

So I understand why you think this because its something most other players dont do. But that is one of the reasons why AWB is such a great tackler and why it wasnt a foul. They should learn from him and start to do it too.

AWB will use his left foot to tackle if thats the closest foot to the attacker. He's very successful with it. The right foot has longer to travel and most people would be expecting that timing to avoid the challenge. AWB doesnt give the attacker the same time others do and thats why he's more successful taking the ball from them.

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

He played 4 minutes before the World Cup. He wasn't injured August - January.

He was frozen out.

ETH said himself AWB was struggling with injuries and illness in that time period. Will find the interview if I can.

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

He played 4 minutes before the World Cup. He wasn't injured August - January.

He was frozen out.

https://www.clactonandfrintongazett...r-aaron-wan-bissaka-manchester-united-future/

 

[Long Time Red]

Watch the sequence of play again from 30 mins , he gets caught woefully out of position on the half way line, is he trying to press? What's he actually doing up there?

It's because of that, he has to scramble back and make that tackle, he only has to do it because he was badly positioned in the first place.

Another example of his woeful awareness and positioning is about 2 mins before that when Mitoma cut one back and Dalot cleared. He hasn't a clue what's going on and steps out, one ball gets played down the side of him and they are in.

Running directly at him might not work very wel, but it's way too easy to play around him.

I'm sorry Orange but you're a bit clueless.

Ten Hag wants him to be high out of possession and when he made the tackle from the wrong side he was coming back from that high position.

I think you like a few on here have been sucked into the hype around attacking fullbacks and that we somehow can't win without one.

Wan-Bissaka is as good as Kyle Walker at attacking and hasn't stopped Man City from winning the title and they're currently in the fight this season playing 4 centre backs.

Most teams biggest attacking threat is their left winger and having a right back that can shut them down gives us a fantastic chance of winning games.

Wan-Bissaka is more than competent on the ball and that's all we need him to be.

 

[Oranges038]

I'm sorry Orange but you're a bit clueless.

Ten Hag wants him to be high out of possession and when he made the tackle from the wrong side he was coming back from that high position.

I think you like a few on here have been sucked into the hype around attacking fullbacks and that we somehow can't win without one.

Wan-Bissaka is as good as Kyle Walker at attacking and hasn't stopped Man City from winning the title and they're currently in the fight this season playing 4 centre backs.

Most teams biggest attacking threat is their left winger and having a right back that can shut them down gives us a fantastic chance of winning games.

Wan-Bissaka is more than competent on the ball and that's all we need him to be.

I'm clueless? He's nowhere near Kyle Walker ffs.

Yes, he is to press high, in that instance everybodywas pressing high, but he was in a half way house of a press, he didn'tknow whether to go higher or drop back. So, then that particular tackle on Mitoma came from a Brighton goal kick where the whole press was bypassed easily, and he's on the half line and the ball goes well behind him before he reacts and sprints back. It's a good recovery tackle, but it's comes about because he's standing ball watching on the halfway line and reacts to the movement around him too late.

 

[city-puma]

What he lacks is forward passing and that is what Dalot is excellent in. But again, with these two players of different profiles, the manager would be happy enough to pick any he thinks critical to win a game. If the budget is tight the coming summer, it has to be the other positions to add new players.

 

[sglowrider]

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Give the man his flowers. He has worked hard to change his game.

 

[jackal&hyde]

He was very good vs Brighton. Credit where is due.

 

[Suedesi]

Ahead of Walker, Trippier or Reece James? Maybe he will get a call up if those arent available but otherwise i dont think AWB has much off an England future

Walker is warming the bench, Trippier is old and Reece James has been abysmal (and faces a long recovery)

 

[justsomebloke]

Walker is warming the bench, Trippier is old and Reece James has been abysmal (and faces a long recovery)

Beyond those 3 (and TAA), I honestly think they'll look at Ben White and maybe Kyle Walker-Peters before they turn to him.

 

[golden_blunder]

Beyond those 3 (and TAA), I honestly think they'll look at Ben White and maybe Kyle Walker-Peters before they turn to him.

Ben white has he not been playing LB for Arsenal?

 

[justsomebloke]

Ben white has he not been playing LB for Arsenal?

Nope, RB.

 

[golden_blunder]

Nope, RB.

Huh, learn something new everyday

not sure he will play under Southgate again though

 

[Based Adnan]

Anyone that thinks this guy will ever be good enough is kidding themselves, shocking stuff

 

[Idxomer]

Disgraceful performance.

 

[InfiniteBoredom]

I’m gonna give him some leeway and assume it was EtH’s instruction to stay in field, but even his 1v1 defending today was suspect, crosses came freely in from that side.

 

[Amar__]

Shocking player. I am pretty sure he was drunk or something similar.

 

[Kag]

He can get the feck out. Jogging around like he’s on some jolly.

Disgrace.