No logic at all. Thought he was very average yeaterday on the left. Cant remember a run forward
29
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 25
- Clean sheets
- 4
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 3
- Yellow cards
- 5
Came in this thread expecting to see some praise, as I thought he did well and didn’t give Johnson anything. Instead I see a majority of the posts saying he’s not a footballer.
He defended very well, and I think this is one of the matches where he has displayed the most energy that I can remember. Ran up and down the pitch like a man obsessed. Gave Johnson nothing, and he's both tricky and very fast. I thought AWB was one of our best performers - brought the ball out well from defense on several occasions.
He was - dribbled himself out of tight positions a few times, made some lung busting runs both in attack and defense and handled the press very well throughout the match. The fact that Brennan Johnson got nothing from him also suggests he had a good match.
This is all about standards, expectations and of course opinions, so that's all good. And in my opinion, if some Manchester United fans are satisfied with AWB as a full-back then that sends a worrying message to me, about what type of team people wish to see. He is an extremely limited player. He cannot be trusted in possession. He offers no outlet. He is dreadful going forward. Can hardly kick the ball, let alone ping a pass, spot a pass even! One-on-one he does well, because he's athletic.. so is that it? That's what we want now? An athelete? His positional play is poor. He loses concentration. He certainly is no inspiration or steady force for us. Compare him to Dalot, who does not have his athleticism, but is by far a better footballer.
Compare him to Shaw. Compare him Martinez. Then look at Trippier. Reece James. Roberston. Kyle Walker. Look at the Spurs right back Pedro Porro.
I don't understand why people want players of this ability at Manchester United. I really don't get that. Ask yourself this: If AWB was available, on the transfer market now at another club, would you want Man Utd to buy him?
Compare him to Shaw. Compare him Martinez. Then look at Trippier. Reece James. Roberston. Kyle Walker. Look at the Spurs right back Pedro Porro.
I don't understand why people want players of this ability at Manchester United. I really don't get that. Ask yourself this: If AWB was available, on the transfer market now at another club, would you want Man Utd to buy him?
The fact that there are people who keep saying “he cannot be trusted in possession” means we have a few who are still spinning this absolutely nonsensical narrative. How many times do you you see him lose or give the ball up in possession? If you opened your eyes you’d see that he dribbles out of presses no problem, gets forward (was at the centre of the 18 yard box yesterday bursting forward, which created an opening that was missed), holds the ball well. His tacking is only 1 string on his bow and he kept Johnson quiet yesterday in a position he doesn’t normally play. What more do people expect?
I'm so glad someone else can see it. He's actually quite good on the ball, albeit in an unconventional fashion. His gangly, un-coordinated running style with the ball actually seems to keep opposition teams guessing.
When you add his exceptional one-on-one defending, you actually have a very solid player. I think it's his inability to cross with any degree of accuracy that lets him down but he's WAY down the list of players I'd be looking to move on.
He’s a better dribbler than Antony, though that might be a low bar!
He was fine, did well. I would still sell him and bring up in better RB and relegate Dalot to the bench.
The issue with him is mainly he lack of composure and technique in the final third which is important for a fullback for a top side. He is actually decent and getting the ball into the box, but ask him to shoot etc, forget it.
The issue with him is mainly he lack of composure and technique in the final third which is important for a fullback for a top side. He is actually decent and getting the ball into the box, but ask him to shoot etc, forget it.
And how many goals do other fullbacks score for context?
Seriously? At the top sides clearly more than him, see Reece James, Trippier, Trent AA for context.
However the more important point was his composure in the final third and his delivery into the box is ok/decent not top tier which is what we should be aiming for
This also applied to Luke Shaw in terms of his attacking play
I’m talking about this season for context
Pretty sure you replied to my post and I was not just talking about this seaaon. We need to improve in the fullback position and have done for a few years. Its one of the reasons we signed AWB in the first place but he was not the right signing
Linked in a deal for Olise with him going the other way. Can only hope.
I honestly feel like I see a different player to many in the fanbase. He very rarely loses the ball. His ability to keep the ball and dribble forward is very good. He got a yellow card, even though his tackle wasn't even a foul, and even after that, he still defended brilliantly the rest of the match.
I do not understand why people dislike him so much.
He was good as a LB, which is remarkable considering he hasn't played there before. Agree with some of the above posters who say he is deceptively comfortable beating the press be it through dribbling or passing, despite his unorthodox style of dribbling. There was a period of time in the second half where Spurs were boxing us in in our own half, and AWB picked out a terrific and sharp pass out to Rashford in a Martinez-esque manner. So, he has that in his locker. Not his job to score goals but he can do better in his final delivery for sure.
Good post. Agree with almost everything, except that Dalot is a far better footballer; although, it's true that he at least looks like a footballer when compared to AWB.
Shaw pulled out on the day of the game and they've planned all week with d'alto rb Shaw lb. Ten hag didn't want to deviate too much from that so stuck awb at lb. Source is talk of the devils podcast.
To be fair to Dalot I'd say he's a fine athelte also, but while he is better technically than Wan Bissaka he doesn't offer any more in attack than AWB. It could be argued that AWB is marginally better going forward.
I’d take that, although of our two not-good-enough-right-backs I’d have kept AWB and sold Dalot. I guess AWB has more value?
A narrative started when he and the rest weren’t playing well and it was all right backs fault hat he wasn’t TAA. So, expectations were already high. Then they can’t open their eyes and acknowledge his improvement, there has been so much that he has improved. Yes his final ball when crossing could be better but he’s hardly the only fullback or indeed wi get who could do better there. I feel this would improve when paired with a more direct winger that he can run past into space
I think I can kind of see the logic behind AWB at left back for that game. Porro is their most dangerous player so made sense to aim for more defensive solidity down that side and I think it worked for the most part, Porro was mainly dangerous from set pieces.
He's playing perfectly well, but it's the same old issues. He can't make a pass forward under anything resembling pressure, so the ball goes back to the keeper.
You can't have purely defensive players in a modern team, same as you can't really carry an old creative attacker. Having guys like this just mean we're a man down in attack.
And if we can't find a player who can do both you need to decide what's more important - trying to stop the opposition or trying to win. Reactive Vs proactive football. He needs to go.
You can't have purely defensive players in a modern team, same as you can't really carry an old creative attacker. Having guys like this just mean we're a man down in attack.
And if we can't find a player who can do both you need to decide what's more important - trying to stop the opposition or trying to win. Reactive Vs proactive football. He needs to go.
He's not a United footballer anyway and he's had years to to disprove that theory. Bin, not good enough.
Again that’s simply not true. Did you watch the match?
It is true though. I mean, not literally - he can pass a ball, and sometimes that ball will go forward - but it's always an easy pass. He's easy to play against.
He doesn't dictate what he's going to do, the opposition do. That's why he needs replacing.
He’s just not good enough for United like a lot of our players. In the champions league he was constantly caught out. His posistioning is awful. To me he’s gone lazy as well this season. He needs to be replaced.
Nah that isnt true. He's actually good at playing a constructive first time pass without taking an extra touch. Itll often go forward too albeit it towards the middle of the pitch
He is by no means graceful nor does he have end product like Robertson, TAA and Porro for example but he's a miles better defender and is absolutely fine in buildup especially given theres usually nobody wide right for him to work with so any constructive pass tends to have to be played inside where lots of bodies are and its easier to predict and defend, because we dont tend to play a line hugging right winger for him to play down the line. Garnacho is a bit more like that but hes only played a few games there. Greenwood, Antony, Mata etc have been who he has had to play with the most
It's a weird one with AWB. At times he can pass very well, with one-twos and his athleticism/stride means he can also evade a press and bring the ball out in tight situations.
Then there are other times where he's on his heels and his ability to receive a ball under pressure goes completely. He's plenty capable but I don't think he's mentally switched on enough to be a 'ball playing first' player if that makes sense.
Contrast that with Dalot, who is almost over eager to always play the ball, with half turns, take ons and passes in tight spaces or switches of play into more open space.
In theory both players have more than enough ability to play well in a Utd team but the lack of a playing style and poor coaching exposes their weaknesses. That can be said of all the players in the squad.
Having a terrible season. We should have cashed in last summer when his stock was higher.
What fee would entice a sale?
Palace and West Ham meant to have enquired.
Palace and West Ham meant to have enquired.
£20-30m I'd have thought. I'd sell him without a second thought. In fact, there aren't many I'd want to keep.
i actually think he has improved going forward. He is still not high quality up the pitch, but he has shown improvement. He is also much better than Dalot defensively - i am old fashioned so still think a defender needs to be a good defender.
For me, he is better than dalot but would surely not mind us signing an rb as both are not what i think would help get is back to a team that can compete for trophies.
We should be snapping anyones hand off for bids around the £20m mark
You're not old fashioned, but I do feel he's somewhat conned the masses into thinking he's a good defender with his ability to tackle. He's pretty suspect with his positioning, terrible defending the backpost and awful in the air.
Also the fact of the matter is that United should be dominating teams. You just can't do that with players like him in the team, he really struggled under pressure and we need to do better.
More myths. He can certainly improve in the air although most rightbacks are quite suspect with it so no surprise. There are a few who are good in the air so no reason he cant aspire to be a dependable challenger. His positioning is usually very good and is simply further up the pitch because those are our tactics - Despite posters insisting he doesnt or cant attack, our managers have pushed him on to be on the right wing and high up the pitch to make space for our wide right player picking up the ball and then going inside using the space his run creates. But positionally that leaves him our furthest forward player on the right, just like an overlapping run from the leftback leaves them furthest forward. If the wingers and attackers dont correctly make use of the runs and lose the ball then fullbacks have the furthest to run so they obviously need someone to cover them. This is usually the case because 90% of our attacks involved AWB making a run outside to help his right sided player on the ball, regardless of whether they attempt to pass to him.
He does occasionally play someone onside again like most rightbacks as fullbacks are usually the culprits. I would say both he and Dalot do this the standard amount compared to other teams I watch.
And he's not often caught out when pressured, certainly less than most of our defenders who take a poor touch into trouble or try to overplay and lose the ball in a dangerous areas.
A swap with a better rightback. The best 5 or so rightbacks that play in a back 4 (not right midfield with 3 CBs behind them playing a different system we dont use) are probably unavailable so it doesnt make any sense to weaken the position
true. This is why i would love to see a new RB signing. Awb is better than dalot, in my opinion, but he is not the player we would want when building the team that will concur the world.
He isnt. But if you're starting with a rightback you wont be conquering the top 4 let alone the world.
Well our right flank has certainly been one of our attacking strengths in the last few years, some myth that.