Unpopular (AKA fickle) opinion time on AWB.....

[afrocentricity]

I don't know if we get a different result yesterday with Dalot, but I wouldn't mind him stepping back in. It wouldn't go against ETH principles as we have to rotate anyway, and it wasn't one of AWB better games. I like having 2 decent FBs... I just hope one of them takes the step up to Evra or Neville levels

 

[Stacks]

He's played fairly well of late I will give him that but I don't change my mind on players after a small upturn in form like many on here do.

Thought he handled Martinelli well today but he still cost us a cheap goal because he can't defend his back post. He also offers zero threat in attack. Overall it's still been a pretty disastrous signing for 50m.

just seeing the £50 million tag I completely forgot about. That's insane.

 

[mctrials23]

I think this is how quite a few of our players are going to be. Not as poor as their previous form has suggested but they still have fundamental issues in their game. AwB will cost you goals. Cheap goals. Completely unnecessary ones. For Arsenals first he even looks at the attacker before letting him trot in for the tap in. I don't know how easy that is to coach out of players. Its concentration and application.

Its these sort of games that sort the men from the boys. The tight ones against good opposition. The ones where you can't switch off. Trent is a great example of the extreme end of this. When Liverpool are dominating and flying high, his weakness as a defender isn't so apparent. When things are tough and you aren't firing on all cylinders, you can't afford to have defenders who can't defend.

 

[Speako]

I bet he woke up with an ETH sized hand mark across the back of his mullet this morning.

 

[SirReginald]

I don't know if we get a different result yesterday with Dalot, but I wouldn't mind him stepping back in. It wouldn't go against ETH principles as we have to rotate anyway, and it wasn't one of AWB better games. I like having 2 decent FBs... I just hope one of them takes the step up to Evra or Neville levels

Evra was world class. So that’s unlikely.

 

[Sylar]

I don't know if we get a different result yesterday with Dalot, but I wouldn't mind him stepping back in. It wouldn't go against ETH principles as we have to rotate anyway, and it wasn't one of AWB better games. I like having 2 decent FBs... I just hope one of them takes the step up to Evra or Neville levels

Think the first goal doesnt happen for two reasons. Dalot is good in those situations where DDG passes out. However even if he loses the ball, and same play happen (eg corner, and then cross), Dalot has shown his backpost defending is fantastic.

Theres a possibility the third goal doesnt happen because Dalot would have better positioning.

 

[romufc]

I don't know if we get a different result yesterday with Dalot, but I wouldn't mind him stepping back in. It wouldn't go against ETH principles as we have to rotate anyway, and it wasn't one of AWB better games. I like having 2 decent FBs... I just hope one of them takes the step up to Evra or Neville levels

Dalot is actually very good on the ball, we have seen him this season in build up, so our possession would have been better, less likely to be under pressure all game.

The first goal, he could have prevented the corner by playing to another player or won a throw in. However; we conceded from a corner and there was a fair bit of play from his mistake to the goal. There was a game earlier this season, I forgot who against but I think Dalot won about 6/7 back post headers, might have been Liverpool but I am convinced Dalot defends that better. AWB has always had a weakness defending his back post.

Finally, the third goal, AWB just backs off, doesn't engage the ball carrier, doesn't mark the wide man, he needs to do one or the other.

 

[Long Time Red]

Dalot is actually very good on the ball, we have seen him this season in build up, so our possession would have been better, less likely to be under pressure all game.

The first goal, he could have prevented the corner by playing to another player or won a throw in. However; we conceded from a corner and there was a fair bit of play from his mistake to the goal. There was a game earlier this season, I forgot who against but I think Dalot won about 6/7 back post headers, might have been Liverpool but I am convinced Dalot defends that better. AWB has always had a weakness defending his back post.

Finally, the third goal, AWB just backs off, doesn't engage the ball carrier, doesn't mark the wide man, he needs to do one or the other.

This is nonsense.

Dalot isn't in AWB's league in terms of 1 v 1 defending and would have found it extremely difficult being isolated with Martinelli so many times.

Over the last 2 seasons Dalot's faced 2.41 dribbles and been dribbled past 1.02 times per 90 minutes, Wan-Bissaka has faced 1.17 dribbles and been dribbled past 0.27 times.

Dalot is certainly in a different league in back post heading and is better in the buildup but to imply we would have got a better result with Dalot in team is ridiculous.

Wan-Bissaka had a good game yesterday, I've seen all of our fullbacks from Neville to Irwin to Evra all make mistakes so to expect perfection every game is realistic.

 

[bond19821982]

Dalot is actually very good on the ball, we have seen him this season in build up, so our possession would have been better, less likely to be under pressure all game.

The first goal, he could have prevented the corner by playing to another player or won a throw in. However; we conceded from a corner and there was a fair bit of play from his mistake to the goal. There was a game earlier this season, I forgot who against but I think Dalot won about 6/7 back post headers, might have been Liverpool but I am convinced Dalot defends that better. AWB has always had a weakness defending his back post.

Finally, the third goal, AWB just backs off, doesn't engage the ball carrier, doesn't mark the wide man, he needs to do one or the other.

Except the tackle, AWB has always been bad at everything in defending too. His marking is bad, jumping is bad and awareness is also bad. He can tackle for sure probably one of the best in the world.
Time to move on. Hopefully his half decent performances give us a good buyer.

 

[romufc]

This is nonsense.

Dalot isn't in AWB's league in terms of 1 v 1 defending and would have found it extremely difficult being isolated with Martinelli so many times.

Over the last 2 seasons Dalot's faced 2.41 dribbles and been dribbled past 1.02 times per 90 minutes, Wan-Bissaka has faced 1.17 dribbles and been dribbled past 0.27 times.

Dalot is certainly in a different league in back post heading and is better in the buildup but to imply we would have got a better result with Dalot in team is ridiculous.

Wan-Bissaka had a good game yesterday, I've seen all of our fullbacks from Neville to Irwin to Evra all make mistakes so to expect perfection every game is realistic.

Where in my post have I said the result is different? I said the 2 goals could be avoided because the way Dalot plays.

We can compare different league campaigns all we like but the fact is Dalot is an improved player this year.

I have seen his defending improve alot more in the last 6 months.

There is a difference between mistakes and weakness btw. AWB has glaring weaknesses and only 1 thing going in his favour, 1 v 1 defending.

His possession play and back post play is a weakness not a mistake. A mistake is something that you dont expect. I expect AWB to be pressed and lose possession. I expect AWB to fall asleep on the back post, its happened so many times to call it a mistake.

 

[Tapori]

Infinitely better than under Ole and credit to him and the coaches.
Can he improve to iron out his difficiencies? I hope so.