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

[Thiagoal]

We do have Dalot and Jose said that he is the best young RB in Europe so I would not give up on him yet.
If we get teams who are going to park the bus then once Dalot is up to speed we should play him: I do not think it is that big a deal if we bench AWB in these games as Pep bought the guy from Juve for more money and he has only been bought as back up to Walker.

I actually think Ethan Laird will turn out twice the player of Dalot... time will tell

 

[Bondi77]

I actually think Ethan Laird will turn out twice the player of Dalot... time will tell

Both have big potential, all depends on which one realises it.
With Ole spending big on AWB and his age I think Ole will make sure he gets every chance he can to play in every game of importance so both of those young men will really have to shine when given the opportunity.

 

[Sing you a song]

It is weakness, but it doesn't help that we don't have a proper right winger. Add someone like Sancho there and it will help him a lot, it will allow Sancho freedom to focus on attacking and finding space while AWB can do what he does best and defend.

No point in getting a right winger when we have no forwards capable of getting on the end of crosses . James has put a lot of crosses in this season but we very rarely score from them

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

Alot of our players deserve criticism, but AWB certainly doesn't. He does need to improve his attacking senses, but this is his first season at a 'big club' and is still young. That will come. Get off his back man and turn your attention to the 7 or 8 other useless idiots that churn out bad performances on nearly a weekly basis.

 

[redmanc]

AWB is the least of our worries right now...

 

[Tom Van Persie]

He's been very good for us. The least of our problems.

 

[Shimo]

I had the unpopular opinion after the City game that I didn't think AWB deserved the MOTM. While he had some very good moments defending Sterling one on one and made a good tackle in the box from the Lindelof mistake, there were lots of moments that were other parts of his game that were glossed over. And as unpopular as that take on that performance was, I still think he is an excellent signing. First and foremost, we have got to have defenders that can defend. Some have mentioned Dalot but, while he may be good going forward, I find that he can be got around too easily and that I think can't be coached.

Am not a fan of changing out the fullbacks depending upon the opponents - like maybe playing Dalot in games where we will defend less and need more attacking ability. Even if in the short term that maybe something Ole can do. But, over the rest of the season and especially in the summer, the coaching staff need to spend time working with AWB on the attacking side of play. Even just working on developing a little better crossing would be huge but, I see a decent dribbler in him, he just has a lot of that Valencia-itis where he doesn't take on his defenders and just get a ball in or never puts in a early cross.

Even a decent improvement on his attacking ability and better use of the ball will make him an incredible right back but, it is going to take a lot of work from the staff and him.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

I had the unpopular opinion after the City game that I didn't think AWB deserved the MOTM. While he had some very good moments defending Sterling one on one and made a good tackle in the box from the Lindelof mistake, there were lots of moments that were other parts of his game that were glossed over. And as unpopular as that take on that performance was, I still think he is an excellent signing. First and foremost, we have got to have defenders that can defend. Some have mentioned Dalot but, while he may be good going forward, I find that he can be got around too easily and that I think can't be coached.

Am not a fan of changing out the fullbacks depending upon the opponents - like maybe playing Dalot in games where we will defend less and need more attacking ability. Even if in the short term that maybe something Ole can do. But, over the rest of the season and especially in the summer, the coaching staff need to spend time working with AWB on the attacking side of play. Even just working on developing a little better crossing would be huge but, I see a decent dribbler in him, he just has a lot of that Valencia-itis where he doesn't take on his defenders and just get a ball in or never puts in a early cross.

Even a decent improvement on his attacking ability and better use of the ball will make him an incredible right back but, it is going to take a lot of work from the staff and him.

Curious, who was man of the match for you against City?

 

[kopviolator]

I cant believe this thread. The boy has done well.

 

[Galinha]

U can't blame AWB.. Please watch the City game again, and look how he won every duel against Sterling. He took the offensive runs and helped James too. He just need to know what to do, when a team sit deep..

AWB VS. Walker VS. Arnold

Games: 16 - 15 - 17
Tackles: 70 - 14 - 26
Tackle success: 70 % - 57 % - 69 %
Interceptions: 34 - 11 - 26
Duels won: 117 - 52 - 47
Duels lost: 65 - 49 - 69
Fouls: 7 - 16 - 12
Passes: 752 - 1017 - 1062
Assist: 0 - 2 - 6
Crosses: 40 - 30 - 181

The stats screams, he's an excellent player, who just need to get some help with the tactics. But we have a clueless coaching team. More Crosses than Walker, that must say something.

 

[Samid]

I can live with AWB being average on the ball but excellent in defense. But watching players like Lingard playing at number 10 while being absolutely horrendous footballer for this level, and how Fred can’t execute a simple pass every other time is absolutely criminal.

I don't get this caf obsession of justifying one player's flaws by taking the thread off topic and bringing up something completely unrelated. This thread is about AWB being woeful in possession. You've got hundreds of other more appropriate threads to moan about Lingard, Fred and whichever other player.

Modern day full backs playing for supposed top teams are meant to be complete footballers. Defensive cohesion has improved so much over the last couple of decades that you now need the X factor from your defensive players if you want to break down parked buses on a regular basis. And with the 100 point standards set by City and Pool, if we are to even challenge them any time soon we can't afford to carry passengers.

He will be great in games where we are expected to defend for most parts. But that's only about 10% of our games. In most other games he is currently surplus to requirements because he's clueless in possession. Opponents have him figured out already. They give him all the space in the world because they actually want the ball played out to him. That way they can kill two birds with one stone, firstly winning possession from his indecisiveness and secondly starting a counter by already leaving this excellent tackler behind.

With possession he genuinely looks like the kid at school who gets picked last because he lacks any motor skills whatsoever. 17 (!) dispossessions already in the league. Arnold has 5 and Robertson has 2. And that doesn't even tell half the story considering the latter two have several hundred more touches than AWB.

The reality is that he looks petrified with the ball. Unless he improves miraculously he won't make it here (not as a RB at least). Irrespective of Lingard, Fred or whoever else.

 

[Buster15]

AWB is the least of our worries right now...

Spot on.
Isn't it obvious that he and Maguire have started to go backwards. And James is beginning to stall.
That tells me that there is something fundamentally wrong with the coaching setup.

Can anyone remember the last time that the coaches actually improved a player or players.

 

[Galinha]

Spot on.
Isn't it obvious that he and Maguire have started to go backwards. And James is beginning to stall.
That tells me that there is something fundamentally wrong with the coaching setup.

Can anyone remember the last time that the coaches actually improved a player or players.

Exactly!

The question is, how it’s possible to have so many duels and tackles. The only answer is, he need to do the dirty work for the midfield and Lindelöfs lack of qualities.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

He's been distinctly average. Still conceding goals for fun and he offers zero in attack.

So far I don't even think he's as good as Rafael was for us. Quite far behind actually. He'll never get in the England team. Nowhere near good enough on the ball.

 

[Irrational.]

I'm happy with him. LB is our most pressing issue, along with midfield, RW and forward.

 

[NoLogo]

Spot on.
Isn't it obvious that he and Maguire have started to go backwards. And James is beginning to stall.
That tells me that there is something fundamentally wrong with the coaching setup.

Can anyone remember the last time that the coaches actually improved a player or players.

I said this before. Every player in our first team seems to decline and this isn't just a thing happening recently, it has actually been the case for the entire time since SAF retired, maybe this started even in his later years. I can't really pinpoint but it's so obvious that something in our training methods is borked and it's been consistent throughout 4 different managers.

We also have this symptom that a lot of the players start really well with us, just take Matic, he had some excellent games at the start for us and now he seems like a championship level player. Maybe it's time we refresh our entire coaches team a bit?

 

[::sonny::]

Great in tackles but offer zero in the attack and this is something you’re are gonna pay in some way, because his role is formed by two duties defend and attack

the penalty of yesterday don’t see it as a big issue, it’s part of the risk of his style of play

 

[AshRK]

This thread is funny as he is least of our worries. People blaming him for not able to attack is the lamest thing when half of our attackers themselves cannot attack. Mistakes are bound to happen but so far he has been the signing of our season.

 

[Sylar]

Why cant we just teach him / coach him to improve on areas that need improvement. Hes just turned 22, so practice in crossing on the move is not out of bounds.

The way he tackles, I reckon hes gonna get a few wrong over the course of a season (may concede one or two penalties as a result). But seriously, if we are relying on him to be our main output of creativity on the right (instead of an addition) or expecting us to keep a clean sheet every game just to have a chance of not losing, we have huge other issues (which is the case).

I think learning to tackle is harder than learning to put in dangerous crosses by the way.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Wan-Bissaka is not amazing going forward but at least he is great at defending and if United had someone like Marcelo or Robertson bombing down the left then it would be a nice balance in defence. The problem is that instead it's the very average Shaw who is okay at defending and also sub-standard going forward. Barcelona at their peak as one of the greatest teams ever had Abidal and Dani Alves as full-backs. Wan-Bissaka can be Abidal, but United need a Dani Alves.

 

[Mickson]

Wan-Bissaka is not amazing going forward but at least he is great at defending and if United had someone like Marcelo or Robertson bombing down the left then it would be a nice balance in defence. The problem is that instead it's the very average Shaw who is okay at defending and also sub-standard going forward. Barcelona at their peak as one of the greatest teams ever had Abidal and Dani Alves as full-backs. Wan-Bissaka can be Abidal, but United need a Dani Alves.

Yes, that is a problem. Luke Shaw and AWB have played 249 games during their careers. Still, they have managed to produce fewer points than Alexander-Arnold did last season. Scary stuff.

 

[LVGSdive]

His future might be on the right side of a back three.

I would love to see him play there. That could be his strongest position.

 

[RedWat]

Yes, that is a problem. Luke Shaw and AWB have played 249 games during their careers. Still, they have managed to produce fewer points than Alexander-Arnold did last season. Scary stuff.

You are missing the point TAA is arguably Liverpools main attacking outlet creativity wise, it is not just a case that he is a good attacking RB, but currently in the world he is arguably the best attacking wise in his position(the same with Robertson on the other side) and Klopp has built his successful system around it. That TAA and Robertson are his main outlets to feed Salah/Mane/Firmino. Man City the record breaking PL Champions however do not use the same system and attacking full backs are not as essential as in Liverpools case.

Now if Ole's forming a playing system that was similar to Liverpools where the full backs are the attacking fulcrum then I can see your point and then questions may have to be asked as to why AWB was purchased as even though he is a great defensive full back he is not offensively and everyone should have seen that whilst he was at Palace. There should always be joined up thinking when you buy a player not just buy him just because he looks good, but will he fit the system you are trying to adopt.

As I do not believe Ole was looking to copy Liverpools system AWB as a great defensive full back was bought,, you hope with good coaching he will improve offensively (which seems not to be happening) but the question is what is Ole's system to make him an effective manager in the toughest league in the world?. He doesn't seems to have one as he is repeatedly making the same errors against 3/4 of the teams in the league.

 

[devilish]

I think 'Ole's' signings are massively overrated. We spend nearly the same amount of money we spent on Pogba on a CB whose nowhere near to WC let alone to the level of Rio or Stam. Strangely enough he doesn't get half the slack Pogba gets despite the former is a proven WC player and had been our main assist man + top scorer last season. Regarding AWB, we spent 50m on a defender who is useless going forward and lack the awareness needed to avoid constantly diving into tackles. If a foreign manager whose got no links to the club had spent so much money on players like that then he would have been slaughtered.

 

[Roughseas]

Hasn’t shown the least bit of improvement in his attacking in the 16 games he has played. I had always been a supporter of Shaw, as he has shown quality in his passing, but now I don't know who has to be replaced first.

 

[Sandikan]

Best defensive right back in the league for me.
It's just a sign of the times that people think full backs should be attacking first, and defensive second.

Like most positions in the team, they'd benefit if we had a better midfield.

Our attack only seem to be able to turn anything on against the best teams too.

But generally, AWB is near the bottom of our problem list. The left side is way more of an issue.

 

[Mickson]

You are missing the point TAA is arguably Liverpools main attacking outlet creativity wise, it is not just a case that he is a good attacking RB, but currently in the world he is arguably the best attacking wise in his position(the same with Robertson on the other side) and Klopp has built his successful system around it. That TAA and Robertson are his main outlets to feed Salah/Mane/Firmino. Man City the record breaking PL Champions however do not use the same system and attacking full backs are not as essential as in Liverpools case.

Now if Ole's forming a playing system that was similar to Liverpools where the full backs are the attacking fulcrum then I can see your point and then questions may have to be asked as to why AWB was purchased as even though he is a great defensive full back he is not offensively and everyone should have seen that whilst he was at Palace. There should always be joined up thinking when you buy a player not just buy him just because he looks good, but will he fit the system you are trying to adopt.

As I do not believe Ole was looking to copy Liverpools system AWB as a great defensive full back was bought,, you hope with good coaching he will improve offensively (which seems not to be happening) but the question is what is Ole's system to make him an effective manager in the toughest league in the world?. He doesn't seems to have one as he is repeatedly making the same errors against 3/4 of the teams in the league.

Of course, TAA is something special and almost De Bruyne-esque in his passing. He is a playmaker which, of course, AWB or Shaw will never be. However, Robertson isn't great. I mean, he's a good full-back but nothing special in terms of technical ability, passing or something like that. He's a hard-working player and his crossing is good. The problem is systematic but also on an individual basis. Shaw and AWB do not have the crossing quality nor the passing ability. Zinchenko, R.Pereira, Chilwell, Digne etc all have more assists or goals than AWB and Shaw.

 

[Kostov]

I don't get this caf obsession of justifying one player's flaws by taking the thread off topic and bringing up something completely unrelated. This thread is about AWB being woeful in possession. You've got hundreds of other more appropriate threads to moan about Lingard, Fred and whichever other player.

Modern day full backs playing for supposed top teams are meant to be complete footballers. Defensive cohesion has improved so much over the last couple of decades that you now need the X factor from your defensive players if you want to break down parked buses on a regular basis. And with the 100 point standards set by City and Pool, if we are to even challenge them any time soon we can't afford to carry passengers.

He will be great in games where we are expected to defend for most parts. But that's only about 10% of our games. In most other games he is currently surplus to requirements because he's clueless in possession. Opponents have him figured out already. They give him all the space in the world because they actually want the ball played out to him. That way they can kill two birds with one stone, firstly winning possession from his indecisiveness and secondly starting a counter by already leaving this excellent tackler behind.

With possession he genuinely looks like the kid at school who gets picked last because he lacks any motor skills whatsoever. 17 (!) dispossessions already in the league. Arnold has 5 and Robertson has 2. And that doesn't even tell half the story considering the latter two have several hundred more touches than AWB.

The reality is that he looks petrified with the ball. Unless he improves miraculously he won't make it here (not as a RB at least). Irrespective of Lingard, Fred or whoever else.

Our CMs, CAM look woeful in possession and that is the problem here, I can live with AWB being average on the ball. Kyle Walker has been a consistent starter for City and he’s very ordinary on the ball, AWB is 21 and one of our better players constantly. We should fix the shit happening in positions far more important to our attack first and foremost and then concentrate on our 21 year old RB.

EDIT: Same thing was happening with the issue of “ball playing” CBs, and how it would improve our play by just getting rid of Smalling and how he was hurting our build up from the back, well here we are still being absolutely woeful.

 

[Acquire Me]

Feck me this place judge so damn fast.

 

[Buster15]

I said this before. Every player in our first team seems to decline and this isn't just a thing happening recently, it has actually been the case for the entire time since SAF retired, maybe this started even in his later years. I can't really pinpoint but it's so obvious that something in our training methods is borked and it's been consistent throughout 4 different managers.

We also have this symptom that a lot of the players start really well with us, just take Matic, he had some excellent games at the start for us and now he seems like a championship level player. Maybe it's time we refresh our entire coaches team a bit?

It is my strong opinion that our coaching set up is not fit for purpose and needs a major overhaul.

 

[Denis79]

I like him a lot, for me he's our best signing in a long time.

 

[Alabaster Codify7]

It is my strong opinion that our coaching set up is not fit for purpose and needs a major overhaul.

Honestly, do we have any signings since the Moyes days onwards who haven't regressed after 1-2months at the club? It's as though they come in better coached and look good, then once our own coaching and approaches take hold on them their ability to resemble a footballer slowly disappears. It's a real, major problem. I want the entire coaching team gone. AWB is fine, and will be fine. If he had an actual top RW in front of him we wouldn't even need to be having this discussion. Luke Shaw is a bigger issue.

 

[meninred]

I thought Luke Shaw is good player but many dont think so.

 

[Ekeke]

Our best defender

 

[F-Red]

One of our best signings in ages, he's still young and has no end of ability defending.

 

[Buster15]

Honestly, do we have any signings since the Moyes days onwards who haven't regressed after 1-2months at the club? It's as though they come in better coached and look good, then once our own coaching and approaches take hold on them their ability to resemble a footballer slowly disappears. It's a real, major problem. I want the entire coaching team gone. AWB is fine, and will be fine. If he had an actual top RW in front of him we wouldn't even need to be having this discussion. Luke Shaw is a bigger issue.

So true.
To me, one of the key jobs of the coaching team is to identify areas of strengths and weakness in individual players and as a team and then turn the weaknesses into strengths.

And to relentlessly work to create a team ethos.
It has to be team first second and third.
The team must function like a finely tuned machine.
Most times our team stutters and splutters and fails to get out of second gear.
It is not good enough and has to be changed.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

One of our best signings in ages, he's still young and has no end of ability defending.

I don't think anyone is saying he can't defend. Okay make a right mess of the tackle at the weekend but this thread started weeks ago. It has nothing to do with the penalty.

We had loads of the ball and quite often it goes out wide to our fullbacks. AWB is a major issue in our offensive game. As is Luke Shaw. Neither are good enough with the ball.

Think back to how much grief Valencia and Young got for wasting possession. AWB is a great tackler usually. Great. But when we play teams from 7th place to 20 we need different skills. Skills he doesn't have.

 

[RedWat]

I don't think anyone is saying he can't defend. Okay make a right mess of the tackle at the weekend but this thread started weeks ago. It has nothing to do with the penalty.

We had loads of the ball and quite often it goes out wide to our fullbacks. AWB is a major issue in our offensive game. As is Luke Shaw. Neither are good enough with the ball.

Think back to how much grief Valencia and Young got for wasting possession. AWB is a great tackler usually. Great. But when we play teams from 7th place to 20 we need different skills. Skills he doesn't have.

I wouldn’t say skills he doesn’t have, I would more say skills that need further developing. And that developing should be happening in the training ground. I would have thought during training was the opportunity for the coaches to identify his strengths and weaknesses and find ways to improve what he is weak on.

i read last week how some of the forward players were impressed with him during training as no one gets pass him, which is great to help improve their forward movement, but what about focusing on his offensive play. I actually believe his forward play is no where near as bad as some are making out, but he does need to improve his crossing. If the coaches are helping him with that they need to do better.

 

[El-Manos]

Least of our worries. He is a beast. Just needs to improve his attacking outlet.

 

[hobbers]

What we need to do is to offset his inability on the ball by signing a left back who really is good going forward. I used to moan endlessly about how lop-sided we were back when we had the Mata-Valencia axis of cowardice on the right. But we avoid that scenario by finding a top right winger.

It seems perfectly sensible to have an expansive left back, in the mould of someone like Evra, and then an inside forward a la Rashford or Martial. That's the left wing blueprint.

And then on the right have AWB who can tuck in and become the third centreback, get in a top right winger and then they get their support more from the midfield. Which is exactly what happened in 2006-08 when Hargreaves or Fletcher were the main support to the right wing rather than Wes Brown.