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That stat is fecking insane. He makes almost as many tackles as numbers 2-5 combined.
Is his skillset underutilised? Should he be used as a floater to shutdown the best opposition attacker (regardless of position?)
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - a statistical anomaly?
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That stat is fecking insane. He makes almost as many tackles as numbers 2-5 combined.
Is his skillset underutilised? Should he be used as a floater to shutdown the best opposition attacker (regardless of position?)
He paired with an attacking FB for games we have the ball is the ideal scenario imo. I’d rather sell Dalot than AWB
Honestly, I really like the guy but that profile isn’t for us going forward. It’s the same as the argument around De Gea - another statistical anomaly.
What it should mean though is that for the right team he could be world class and therefore we should be able to ask a good fee for him.
That said if he wanted to stick around as second choice that’s cool too.
What it should mean though is that for the right team he could be world class and therefore we should be able to ask a good fee for him.
That said if he wanted to stick around as second choice that’s cool too.
Completely agree. We need a squad. Dalot is not good enough to be a first choice attacking or defensive full back. AWB has excellent defensive attributes and is definitely improving going forward. Hanging on to him gives us real contrast if we do buy in someone like Frimpong. Proper options.
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His footwork at times over the last few weeks has been excellent. He is certainly improving.
No, because his tackling is so good only on the wing where he has the side of the pitch as his ally. You'd need a second floating player next to him to act as a deterrent for him to be as effective.
Well, we already knew he was good at tackling. But considering how often he has to tackle players, I think it shows his troubles elsewhere.
It goes to show how stupid oppo tactics and plans are more than anything. AWB is positionally suspect so if you are a winger, clever off the ball runs and movement is how to get the better of him. You need to get in behind AWB to be effective.
Taking him on by getting ball to feet and running at him is clearly idiotic, yet still they try.
Taking him on by getting ball to feet and running at him is clearly idiotic, yet still they try.
Is there a stat for "Most time caught out of position and having to make a last-ditch tackle" ?
For me his problems defensively are positioning and awareness, he doesn't read situations well enough so he ends up being reactive rather than proactive.
His tackling is good, but in reality it just ain't enough.
I'd go further: his tackling is so exceptional that it compensates for his deficiencies enough to make him able to play in this league.
If he is coachable sufficiently, and I don't think that's impossible although not easy given some obvious improvements of late, he may remain a useful squad member.
He makes this many tackles because he’s out of position. Once his athleticism goes with age, he’ll be a major liability. I’d sell him on now to get a more modern and intelligent RB.
The way AWB is slated, you would think he's some headless chicken. He loses concentration sometimes, but besides maybe Kyle Walker, few fullbacks are as dependable 1v1 as him. I like him and in games where you might not have the ball for long periods (ie. European knockout matches), he's good. Not every fullback will be Dani Alves or needs to be. He's fine for the level United are currently at.
The thing is Manchester United are not fine at the level we are currently at. To improve that level, we need better players.
I like how people are trying to turn this into a negative. He is the best tackler because he is the best tackler; it is as simple as that. He makes more tackles because he is just much better at it.
I don't see how consistently dominating wingers is a negative. I guarantee if we sell him that he will end up at another big club. The ability to completely shut down a wing isn't a common talent.
I don't see how consistently dominating wingers is a negative. I guarantee if we sell him that he will end up at another big club. The ability to completely shut down a wing isn't a common talent.
I don't think it does, he's just not good enough all round, neither is Dalot. For now, they do a job, but they are nothing special.
Ideally both need to be shipped out and replaced.
That was suggested in the Frimpong transfer thread as well, but it doesn't work that way. You don't have back-up to play a completely different plan B (which in reality virtually no team actually has; plan B is a tweak of Plan A), you have back-up for rotation, to fill in when the starteris injured or suspended, and to provide competition to the starter. So if Ten Hag wants his backs to be strong in attack, then Wan-Bissaka doesn't fit the bill and should be sold - cause United would also need a back-up with strong attacking skills and can't afford having three senior RBs in the squad.
(Except of course if Wan-Bissaka could be coached into being that attacking fullback. Or if Ten Hag does not in fact wants an attacking fullback. And of course, squads cannot be hold overhauled instantly, so this may all require time anyway.)
Agree
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That stat is fecking insane. He makes almost as many tackles as numbers 2-5 combined.
Is his skillset underutilised? Should he be used as a floater to shutdown the best opposition attacker (regardless of position?)
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Great defenders dont have to tackle much
Don't know what you are all saying. But I feel more comfortable with AWB at right back than Dalot. This is coming from someone who rates Dalot really high. Give both of them long term contracts. Few players are better than them
Me too. He's not the best RB, but he's improving.
I was never a fan but he raised attacking game a lot this year. Tackles....yeah, he is the king in that.
Although i don't think that he is good enough to be first choice. I would keep him as backup and Dalot as backup for left back.
Although i don't think that he is good enough to be first choice. I would keep him as backup and Dalot as backup for left back.
Yeah I'm happy with both of them and Mengi as our right back options. They can all be coached and are young enough to develop.
He’s improved a lot in the last few months on his all round game. I’ve always been a fan of him over Dalot, frustrated at times, but overall a fan. I think he got a bit fecked under Ole to be quite honest. It seems like he just wasn’t coached on the attacking side of the game at all until this season, hence the big improvement, still not great but an improvement. I feel at this point it may be too late to coach him into being a great attacking player. I’d like us to keep him but also wouldn’t be miffed if we sold him in the summer.
No, he should not be used to man mark opponents all over the pitch. There's a reason that tactic is sparsely utilised. It takes a man out of the game when his sole job is running around expending all his energy tracking one opponent's runs. You have taken one player and inevitably ruined his attacking output because it's hard to attack when you have to be in tune with your targets whereabouts and movements. It also gives initiative to the opponent because if they know you've got one man dragged all over the pitch there are going to be spaces.
If the whole team is going man to man it seems to make more sense in modern, positional styles of football than having one man on an assignment purely to mark. Occasionally this type of thing can be used and he's a good candidate for it, but not as an every match tactic.
Besides, he has good recovery pace so he doesn't need to be on an assignment to shut down an attacker. He can contribute in attacking play and still get back to shut his winger down. You've somehow removed the relevance of one of his best attributes.
If the whole team is going man to man it seems to make more sense in modern, positional styles of football than having one man on an assignment purely to mark. Occasionally this type of thing can be used and he's a good candidate for it, but not as an every match tactic.
Besides, he has good recovery pace so he doesn't need to be on an assignment to shut down an attacker. He can contribute in attacking play and still get back to shut his winger down. You've somehow removed the relevance of one of his best attributes.
And he barely played before the World Cup….
It's such a weird statistic.
There are still painful memories under Ole with the combination of him playing passively and often tucking in with a haemorrhaged Lindelof playing next to Maguire, but I've really enjoyed watching him in 2023 under EtH.
We all know he has limitations in the ball playing side of things, but up against some of the absolute best dribblers in world football he has always done a great job.
I really thought Dalot was the better of the two but I think come May we'll be saying AWB has had the better season all things considered.
There are still painful memories under Ole with the combination of him playing passively and often tucking in with a haemorrhaged Lindelof playing next to Maguire, but I've really enjoyed watching him in 2023 under EtH.
We all know he has limitations in the ball playing side of things, but up against some of the absolute best dribblers in world football he has always done a great job.
I really thought Dalot was the better of the two but I think come May we'll be saying AWB has had the better season all things considered.
Yep he knows how to tackle. We’ve known this since he arrived to be fair.
He was dribbled 56 times? I would never think that. Seems too much.
That's since 2017/18. He's played about 200 games in that time.
I used to think football was about scoring goals and making sure opponents don't score. Here we have a guy who even if he is positionally weak, makes sure the opponent doesn't score by taking the ball off them. But revolutionary geniuses here would make you believe that's a bad thing because he doesn't do it in a way they prefer to see.
Based on the improvements we've seen from him alone I'd be willing to give him another season of proper coaching and see how he develops
He has surprised me this season in his transitions, as it's one thing to shut down an attack but another thing entirely to turn that into a proper counter attack.
I want to see more of him and Antony before I write AWB off fully.
He has surprised me this season in his transitions, as it's one thing to shut down an attack but another thing entirely to turn that into a proper counter attack.
I want to see more of him and Antony before I write AWB off fully.
When EtH came in, AWB was told he was free to find another club, then lost his spot to Dalot. Since then, he’s worked hard at improving his game, and occasionally puts in imperial performances. Full credit to him for not throwing a fit, undermining the dressing room/manager, and for keeping his focus.
And who is this "special" right back you suggest we replace him with?
And you can develop those players. He's looked much better under the current manager.
Been saying, he can be used as something of a cheat code for us. People speak about his lack of offensive ability, which in itself is exaggerated IMO, but he can be an indirect huge attacking advantage. I see similarities with Kyle Walker, who is a bang average to rubbish footballer as far as I’m concerned with ridiculous athleticism which allows his managers to almost cheat by playing him simply because he won’t come up against anyone stronger and faster than him. This means that his teams can actually commit more players forward and therefore his presence lifts his team’s offence.
In any case, AWB isn’t bad anyway. He just looks awkward, but I’ve never gotten this ‘Dalot is better going forward’ argument because to me Wan Bissaka is better than him offensively too. He is better at carrying the ball forward, a better crosser and is actually a press resistant player.
In fact, here’s 9 mins of press resistance (and some other shit).
In any case, AWB isn’t bad anyway. He just looks awkward, but I’ve never gotten this ‘Dalot is better going forward’ argument because to me Wan Bissaka is better than him offensively too. He is better at carrying the ball forward, a better crosser and is actually a press resistant player.
In fact, here’s 9 mins of press resistance (and some other shit).
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I don’t get this sell Dalot or AWB you keep
Both and still sign Frimpong. We can easily have 5 fullbacks as Shaw also plays LCB and Mallacia is still learning and by far our weakest full back, if he’s not careful Alvaro Fernandes will take his squad place. We need 9 Top defenders in a squad of 26/27 as 4 or 5 players are always injured. Three Goalkeepers, Nine Defenders, Seven Midfielder options and Eight Striker options. The squads are getting bigger you can name 12 subs in Europe and 9 in the PL and now you can make 5-6 subs this is so much more important to have different options for different games abs Ofcourse you will have 1 or 2 of your youth team coming through to make up that 26/27 number.
Both and still sign Frimpong. We can easily have 5 fullbacks as Shaw also plays LCB and Mallacia is still learning and by far our weakest full back, if he’s not careful Alvaro Fernandes will take his squad place. We need 9 Top defenders in a squad of 26/27 as 4 or 5 players are always injured. Three Goalkeepers, Nine Defenders, Seven Midfielder options and Eight Striker options. The squads are getting bigger you can name 12 subs in Europe and 9 in the PL and now you can make 5-6 subs this is so much more important to have different options for different games abs Ofcourse you will have 1 or 2 of your youth team coming through to make up that 26/27 number.
It's strange. At one point it certainly seemed that teams and managers had started to change their tactics against us, significantly reducing how much they attempted to dribble down that side and instead focusing more on quick short passes to get in behind AWB, and also targeting his weakness in the air at the back post. But it's like him barely playing for 12 months (the second half of last season and the first half of this season) has resulted in them forgetting those lessons and most of them have gone back to how they were trying to beat him in his first season here. I guess the fact they don't know whether it'll be AWB or Dalot makes it a bit more difficult to fine-tune their gameplan in that regard, but it'll be interesting to see if things do start swinging back now that AWB does seem to be first choice again.
His goal line clearences are great for someone who isnt apparently aware
He hasnt let 1 back post goal this season but its a problem for people who dont rate him.
He hasnt let 1 back post goal this season but its a problem for people who dont rate him.
It could also be the case of Antony tracking back much more than Greenwood.