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

[Wan]

I agree the hypocrisy about full backs is ridiculous on here. Rafael used to be crucified for not being good enough defensively but the narrative has switched as have the expectations on that particular position. It started with Pep's Barca when they were essentially auxiliary midfielders to now where TAA is arguably the most creative outlet for the runaway league leaders.

I do rate AWB but agree he does need to work on his attacking output but some of the hyperbole on both sides of the argument are daft.

Why can't a fullback do both? Under SAF, our CBs always have to cover the fullback positions. And a lot of times they get forward well enough with their pace to cause problems.

I like him. Tackles anything that moves. Good pace, hard to beat. But we spent 50m on him. Of course we expect a lot better going forward. We're not asking him to provide crosses ala TAA/Irwin/Dani Alves levels, but just be a good footballer that knows how to control the ball and run with it at times.

 

[Samid]

Apparently this was the best RB we could find after scouting 804 players in that position. Well done Woodward and Judge.

 

[bond19821982]

Just play Dalot.

Play AWB where you have to defend and counter attack. God knows what's Ole doing in training. He hasn't improved at all since joining attacking wise.

 

[Suedesi]

Fully agree with the opening post.

Tremendous athlete, not a ball player.

 

[ash_86]

Thought he was very good at both ends of the pitch? Put some wonderful balls in. Almost a last min winner from Dalot from his cross.

 

[Hal9000]

He seems to lack confidence going forward. The one or two balls he actually put in were alright. How ever he seems to get in the final 3rd then want to get rid of it as soon as possible.

 

[fergies coat]

He had a good game. I can't believe some people on here. He is not a problem. The problem Is he hasn't got a decent right winger in front of him.

 

[Litch]

He needs to be coached which I'm not entirely sure many are....

 

[Snow]

Just play Dalot.

Play AWB where you have to defend and counter attack. God knows what's Ole doing in training. He hasn't improved at all since joining attacking wise.

Did you not see the defending he had to do today? Wolves is a good counter-attacking team and you want him on the pitch against such an opponent. A cross matters little. He put some good ones in today but we were up against a deep team with 9 men behind the ball at all times, 3 tall CBs and at most no more than 2 players of our own inside their box. It's pathetic to watch the lack of runs the team makes. It's been this way for years.

 

[Colin Clarke]

I have stuck to my guns from the off on this. He's a very good tackler with his spider like legs but on the ball I don't even think he's in the top 10 right backs in the league let alone Europe. £50m seems like a hell of a lot of money for someone who can tackle.

What else is he offering? Looks petrified when the ball comes his way. I heard someone on a fan cam call him the best right back in the league earlier today. Can we stop this nonsense right now? He's not even close. You have to be able to play football too and he can't quite frankly.

I actually thought he played well today, defensively he was excellent. I do think offensively Dalot offers a lot more. But Wan-Bisaka wasn't the problem today . Periera was poor, James looks lost and was easily bullied, Martial just wasn't at the races either. Fernandez looked a great buy and will cause the opposition problems when Matic or Pogba are back and he can be pushed forward.

 

[TheRedHearted]

We have to start crossing earlier. I know the game has changed but look at how many goals we scored in that historical season from early early crosses to someone gunning down the far post

 

[Sandikan]

Thought he was very good at both ends of the pitch? Put some wonderful balls in. Almost a last min winner from Dalot from his cross.

Yeah I was gonna say, he looks pretty good today.
But generally, some people get an idea in their heads and nothing will change their mind.

 

[Leonzo1]

Poor first half. Much better second one.
He is quite clumsy going forward but I am confident he can improve on that. Already better going forward then he was when he joined us.
Reckon he'll reach his peak in about 2 years.

 

[ash_86]

Yeah I was gonna say, he looks pretty good today.
But generally, some people get an idea in their heads and nothing will change their mind.

Pretty much. Sad when a young player has come in and actually had a good game and still not getting any credit.

 

[Canagel]

Literally doing two man's jobs . RB forced to play as RW and dribble past two defenders to cross because no one to link with

Only at Man Utd

 

[The Irish Connection]

Played better 2nd half today, a better attacker in the box and could well have set up the winner.

 

[Adcuth]

He's not a right back, all of his attributes cry out defensive midfielder. I swear he'd be world class in that position

 

[Woodenlung]

Right back is the least of our problems. Our team can't create enough clear cut chances from midfield, the main creative hub of any side. So what's a full back supposed to do?

You could drop Alexander-Arnold and Robertson, two of the best attacking fullbacks around, into our squad and they'd look just as bad

 

[GwilDor]

Not ready to throw him under the bus , but he definately has room to grow.

Defensively: His positioning is over-relying on the pace and tackle timing. He is very much living on margins. We've only seen him give away a pen once (i think). How he has gotten away with only 4 yellows in PL so far is beyond me. I'm very afraid that AWB is on a run that will eventually end. The hope is that he has superhuman timing skills and can develop his attacking confidence and ability to turn to the inside while attacking.
I have a feeling our future success depends on Maguire and AWB being long term successes in the starting 11.

 

[Judas]

He's left all alone to do the attacking on that side all too often, doesn't do him many favours when he's already not the best in an attacking sense. Again the tactics and the way our players interact is woeful. We look like a bunch of strangers out there.

 

[arthurka]

Apart from some really desperate last ditch tackling (and he's even getting poor at that as well), he is a nothing player.

Yes, no.. He had a fine game but putting your attacking output on your fullbacks should be something you go for as a last final push. If not you are in deep shit.

 

[VP89]

He was really good in the second half and really shit in the first.

Only one difference, which was him being stationed further back and stick to shape before Ole changed it up. The problem in his performances isn't really him, it's the manager.

 

[DevilRed]

Needs to improve his crossing. Clearly he has the pace and desire to be able to beat a defender.

Just needs to work on that final ball. It should be one of the key goals for our coaching staff to improve him offensively in the coming years. Without a doubt its the only thing missing in his locker.

 

[VP89]

Needs to improve his crossing. Clearly he has the pace and desire to be able to beat a defender.

Just needs to work on that final ball. It should be one of the key goals for our coaching staff to improve him offensively in the coming years. Without a doubt its the only thing missing in his locker.

He delivered numerous good crosses today.

 

[DevilRed]

He delivered numerous good crosses today.

Most of them didn't even get past the first defender. Not sure what you were watching.

Sometimes he just seems to lack the confidence to go on and run or cross the ball quickly.

 

[sillwuka]

He needs more support when building attacks, we're asking alot of him to create space on his own to make crosses.

 

[VP89]

Most of them didn't even get past the first defender. Not sure what you were watching.

Sometimes he just seems to lack the confidence to go on and run or cross the ball quickly.

The one where numerous crosses could have been put away, in particular a brilliant one on a plate for Dalot.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

He put a good ball into the box right at the death but he's still a big issue for us. Up until that cross he looked clumsy again. He gets the most time and space on the ball of anyone in our team. He seems to get acres of space and nothing ever happens. Bit like Valencia really. He used to get the most space and never did much.

Defensively you can't fault the guy you really can't. However he just wastes too much of the ball. Daniel James is awful at moment. Pereira is too. Truth is we just aren't very good and don't deserve top 4.

 

[izec]

He's not a right back, all of his attributes cry out defensive midfielder. I swear he'd be world class in that position

Yeah for a side fighting relegation. He isnt a DM for a top club. You need positional sense, passing, technical skill, everything Wan Bissaka hasnt got. He is atheltic and can slide tackle, but that doesnt make a DM in the modern game, and not at a top club, or a club that wants to be a top club again. The same guys are saying that for Fosu-Mensah.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

The complaints about Wan-Bissaka seem to revolve around his poor attacking game. Well, you'd better strap in lads - because our current manager cannot coach attacking football, so if you expect him to suddenly improve going forward, you're in for a long wait. A better manager would improve him, Ole will stagnate him,you've already got fans claiming he was a waste of money. He wasn't - there is a very good player there but he is being hamstrung by a coaching team that cannot do their job and improve him.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

The complaints about Wan-Bissaka seem to revolve around his poor attacking game. Well, you'd better strap in lads - because our current manager cannot coach attacking football, so if you expect him to suddenly improve going forward, you're in for a long wait. A better manager would improve him, Ole will stagnate him,you've already got fans claiming he was a waste of money. He wasn't - there is a very good player there but he is being hamstrung by a coaching team that cannot do their job and improve him.

I haven't written him off and I have been very critical. Always said the lad can defend which is a good attribute considering he's a defender.

We need to buy a proper top drawer right winger though in summer.

 

[bond19821982]

The one where numerous crosses could have been put away, in particular a brilliant one on a plate for Dalot.

That was the only decent cross though. Again, Ole got it wrong today. It was always up against 5 man defence .

 

[thepolice123]

Every player will have deficiencies in their game. A good system will help mask their deficiencies and accentuate their strengths. He is obviously not very good at the attacking department but if given enough space he can power past the leftback to deliver a cross. Many times our pass circulation is a slow crawl. When he receives the ball on the flank, he already has a defender in his face.

Its similar TAA at Liverpool who everyone knows isn't the best at 1 v 1 defending but he hardly gets rinsed because they pile defensive support on his flank.

Our team is so shite right now that almost everyone is thrown out on the pitch to get exposed.

 

[hobbers]

The only solution to AWB being terrible in possession is signing a top right winger, like we've been crying out for for literally a decade.

But that won't be happening with Ole as manager so strap in for more AWB backpeddling antics.

 

[predator]

Agree with the view that he is excellent defensively and stamina wise but his attacking instincts are pretty much non existent compared to others in his position in the league. It'd be nice to see him cut in and have a shot every now and then instead of run his ass off to get a ultimately get a cross into nobody. He just needs a bit of ingenuity but imo this is something that you cant really develop as a player.
He is never going to be a Trent Arnold, Pereira or Kyle Walker and we have spent 50 million on him so what can we really do.

Hope I am wrong

 

[Rozay]

He's not a right back, all of his attributes cry out defensive midfielder. I swear he'd be world class in that position

Maybe in the lower leagues. Has he shown you any proficiency at passing the ball at all?

 

[Crashoutcassius]

Thought he was very good defensively again. Will need to improve game going forward... one nice run at the end shows what he has in his locker.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

I never felt Ashley Cole was particularly good going forwards for Chelsea or Arsenal before he joined Chelsea. But guess what? He never needed to be. Both teams had goals and assists galore in their ranks without having to rely on Cole. And Cole was a superb left back. One of best I have seen.

Sadly we are so poor in terms of creating chances we DO need more from AWB. Don't think it's his game at all though.

Need to buy some top forwards and a right winger for sure.

 

[Crashoutcassius]

The only solution to AWB being terrible in possession is signing a top right winger, like we've been crying out for for literally a decade.

But that won't be happening with Ole as manager so strap in for more AWB backpeddling antics.

why wont ole sign a winger? is that some wierd tin foil hat thing on redcafe at the moment, stepping in to take the place of the idea that he wouldn't sign non english?

 

[RooneyLegend]

He can barely run in a straight line gaining Pace with the ball under control and people expect him to develop attacking instincts. We're the only big club in world football that would spend 50 million on a player a limited as he is.