[Red00012]

Worst starter I've ever seen in a United-shirt. Crap.

Thanks for that.

 

[#07]

It wasn't until we scored that Wan-Bissaka started to show anything going forward. We are all behind the kid and want him to do well. However, he has to kick on. All the will in the world won't change him. That's a step he has to make himself. When Andy Cole came to United he wasn't the most technical player. He worked his backside off, polished up his technique and evolved from a poacher into a great all around centre forward. Wan-Bissaka needs to show the same dedication to making the step up from being a one trick pony. Its not enough to be a spider in the tackle at Man Utd.

 

[el3mel]

In these games when we need to attack he's pointless on the pitch. We need another option in such games to play instead of him I believe.

 

[Godfather]

That right side with him and Mata is brutal to watch at times

 

[UnitedFan93]

Reminds me of the time when we played Chris Smalling at right back. He just so clumsy on the ball and hasn't a clue what to do when he has it.

He's fantastic at defending especially slide tackling but he needs to improve his attacking game massively, and personally I don't think he has that ability in him.

Willing to give him more time, but I don't see being good enough long term for a club like United who should be aiming for the big trophies, and to do that, we need to be dominating teams.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Abysmal in attack as he normally is.

And a huge error at the back when he left the man at the back post.

Don't see this lad ever making it here. He's just a slide tackling expert. There's nothing else to his game. Not good enough.

 

[Rossa]

He had one good attacking contribution that could have resulted in a goal. Other than that, he's a little underwhelming. What concerns me is his stamina, or lack of. He doesn't get back if he is high up the pitch. He doesn't even try to get back. So many times you see Fred sprinting to cover, but their starting position was about the same, and AWB is more or less standing still.

 

[Hoboman]

His attacking game was better in Crystal Palace, while his defending is gradually declining as well.
The club's inability to improve players and sometimes make them look even worse than at their previous teams is unmatched. Bruno is next.

 

[andersj]

His attacking game was better in Crystal Palace,

It was not. He has always been awful going forward, but more so in the build up. At Palace, most of his passes was to Tomkins.

I always found it hard to believe that we actually was interested in AWB if we had watched him play. That we somehow managed to pay £50 mill for him makes no sense at all.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

His attacking game was better in Crystal Palace, while his defending is gradually declining as well.
The club's inability to improve players and sometimes make them look even worse than at their previous teams is unmatched. Bruno is next.

You only stated a random & blind opinion just to blame the coach and manager. There is no evidence for you to even say he was better in his attacking game in Palace.

 

[Feed Me]

I asked this question in the Pod group... But how many words do you think him and Lindelöf say to each other per game?

It is a really great point and reinforces a feeling I had after the game against WBA. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a United player more devoid of personality. He tackles well, but is suspect positionally and a non entity on the ball and in attack. We should be doing so much better than this dross. He’s the worst starting right full back in my time supporting United. Neville is obviously the gold standard, but Rafael, Valencia and even Wes Brown all far better all round players.

 

[Borys]

He improved in retaining possession, I trust him on the ball more.

But his runs with forward are just so toothless... You just know he'll stop at some point and pass it backwards. Lacks any attacking instinct.

If we are to continue with him, we really need to play somebody dangerous ahead in front od him. Let AWB do the defensive job.

Makes me sad seeing him and Mata play.

 

[Baneofthegame]

Worst starter I've ever seen in a United-shirt. Crap.

Seems like a grounded response.

 

[andersj]

If we are to continue with him, we really need to play somebody dangerous ahead in front od him. Let AWB do the defensive job.

That somebody would suffer due to the lack of support from the right back. Last year Hakimi was so crucial to Sancho. Playing with AWB would be quite different for him.

I also think Mata would look alot better if he had a better right back behind him. The first thing a new manager will do is to drop AWB.

I know that english football culture have a tendency to evaluate a fullback mainly on his ability to defend. And since a fullback is a defender I guess that makes sense. In some teams and systems it might be a good approach too.

If you play a defensive and reactive football you will probably be happy with your fullback if he is rock solid defending, but offers little going forward. But there is a problem with that in a more proactive and attacking team, the way I see it.

If a player offer little going forward, there is an inherent limitation to his potential overall contribution depending on the other team. The player will not do much more than help stop the other team through defending. If you can attack there is, in theory, no limitation to your potential contribution going forward.

The best teams in the PL limit the other teams through sheer domination of play. Take Liverpool as an example. Trent Alexander-Arnold is not a very good defender and certainly not at AWBs level in my opinion. I doubt that AWB would struggle against Rashford the way TAA has. Regardless, Liverpool dont conceed much at all.

Would Liverpool conceed much less with a better player than TAA? Probably not. Despite his limitations defending, its good enough most of the time. And the other teams are, knowing the attacking threat TAA represent, careful when attacking. Being a better defender would have a very limited value to TAA.

Attacking wise, on the other side, there does not appear to be a limitation to his contribution currently. He has offered more assists and key passes than most attacking midfielders (and a lot of attackers).

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

We can get a traditional right footed right winger to keep the width instead of Awb and cover for his deficiencies. Or get a more attacking full back (Brandon? Laird?) to play against teams like these. Or just hope he gets better at attacking. I'd do the first one

 

[Andersonson]

His attacking game was better in Crystal Palace, while his defending is gradually declining as well.
The club's inability to improve players and sometimes make them look even worse than at their previous teams is unmatched. Bruno is next.

Bullshit and you know it.

 

[BigBebe]

His attacking game was better in Crystal Palace, while his defending is gradually declining as well.
The club's inability to improve players and sometimes make them look even worse than at their previous teams is unmatched. Bruno is next.

I don't see how anyone could argue with that.

 

[MattofManchester]

Has there been a more awkward player than him on the ball at the club? Genuinely asking

 

[Nou_Camp99]

There's literally hundreds of players in Europe we could have got for less than £50m who are better than he is.

Being a brilliant slide tackler doesn't make you a brilliant player. He's got literally no other strings to his bow.

Awful signing.

 

[Borys]

That somebody would suffer due to the lack of support from the right back. Last year Hakimi was so crucial to Sancho. Playing with AWB would be quite different for him.

That's true, but he'll pull defenders out wide.
Right now they don't react to AWB. We have zero threat on the right side, like back in the days when Valencia played as rightback.

 

[archiebald]

It was not. He has always been awful going forward, but more so in the build up. At Palace, most of his passes was to Tomkins.

I always found it hard to believe that we actually was interested in AWB if we had watched him play. That we somehow managed to pay £50 mill for him makes no sense at all.

Our right back options pre-AWB (Valencia, Young, Dalot) were absolutely terrible defensively while being passable going forward - as a result it was an easy weak spot that opponents would look to target. We needed a long-term replacement and as usual our junior league standard coaches fecked the pooch and plumped for the domestic flavour of the season in AWB. Palace were well aware of that and milked us for close to max value. While he has plugged the leak defensively, we do not set up like a Palace and require at least a modicum of attacking impetus from our full backs, something AWB is possibly never going to provide us with unless given solid coaching - which doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon.

If only a Lamptey could have come into the conversation a couple of years sooner...

But his runs with forward are just so toothless... You just know he'll stop at some point and pass it backwards. Lacks any attacking instinct.

If we are to continue with him, we really need to play somebody dangerous ahead in front od him. Let AWB do the defensive job.

I guess there's a reason why he converted from being a winger

 

[golden_blunder]

Worst starter I've ever seen in a United-shirt. Crap.

You must have missed the Djemba Djemba years amongst others. Give your head a wobble

 

[Skills]

We can get a traditional right footed right winger to keep the width instead of Awb and cover for his deficiencies. Or get a more attacking full back (Brandon? Laird?) to play against teams like these. Or just hope he gets better at attacking. I'd do the first one

Like who?

 

[Litch]

That 50m is looking expensive at mo when you think about his football ability. We have paid 50m for the best tackling fullback in the world. He is a one trick pony.....

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

Like who?

I think Ocampos when he plays on the right is pretty good at that

 

[Dinghy]

Seems like a grounded response.

Heh, it is. His attacking game just kills our build-up play and my joy for the game.

You must have missed the Djemba Djemba years amongst others. Give your head a wobble

Djemba x2 was never a definite starter in our team, AWB is and it looks unlikely to change any time soon.

 

[Renegade]

It’s a myth that his great defensively. His a world class one on one tackler. Positionallh he has no clue. For how poor he is attacking id expect him to be much more alert defensively.

 

[Himannv]

Didn't offer much offensively apart from that run and pass towards the end of the game. My bigger concern is his awful positioning and not getting back quickly enough. Fred (or someone else) has had to bail him out for a few games now.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Reminds me of the time when we played Chris Smalling at right back. He just so clumsy on the ball and hasn't a clue what to do when he has it.

He's fantastic at defending especially slide tackling but he needs to improve his attacking game massively, and personally I don't think he has that ability in him.

Willing to give him more time, but I don't see being good enough long term for a club like United who should be aiming for the big trophies, and to do that, we need to be dominating teams.

Apt comparison.

 

[golden_blunder]

Heh, it is. His attacking game just kills our build-up play and my joy for the game.



Djemba x2 was never a definite starter in our team, AWB is and it looks unlikely to change any time soon.

I’ll raise you a mal donaghy it Ralph Milne

 

[Isotope]

Silvestre as CB was awful also. He's a good LB, though. He was the main CB, starter for a season or two. Fortunately Fergie's ego wasn't a hindrance to rectify his mistake. He then bought Vidic, and the rest is history.

 

[Devil may care]

Passable.

 

[golden_blunder]

Thought he played well last night, a bit more adventurous

 

[romufc]

Much better game from him, I thought the way he kept possession was alot different than his normal games.

Maybe this is because he had more options on the ball.

 

[andersj]

I suspect quite a few underestimate how much every right winger will struggle with Wan-Bissaka as support behind them.

Against West Brom he completed 56 passes. 20 of the passes was to the central defender next to him, Lindelof. 11 passes to Mata. In total he made 24 passes to our attackers (Mata, Martial, Fernandes, Rashford). Approx 43 % of his passes was to an attacker.

Telles on the left, completed 60 passes. 15 to Rashford, 13 to Martial (the two player he passed the ball to most frequently), 11 to Bruno, 2 to Mata and 2 to Cavani. 73 % of his passes was to an attacker. (Only 7 passes to Maguire.)

It is quite a significant difference. I think a better right back would make Mata, and our team, look a lot better. Yes, he can defend (specially one on one), but the value of being a good defender is limited. There is less limitation to the added value of an attacker compared to a defender for a team like Man Utd. Just look at Trent or Digne!

 

[DWelbz19]

Well it goes the other way round too. One could just as easily suspect quite a few underestimate how much every right back will struggle with Dan James or Juan Mata as offensive support ahead of them.

 

[andersj]

Well it goes the other way round too. One could just as easily suspect quite a few underestimate how much every right back will struggle with Dan James or Juan Mata as offensive support ahead of them.

Maybe as defensive support, but Matas movement of the ball when we are in possession if very good. Quite a few players would enjoy playing with him.

When Daniel James played on the left, I dont think Shaw struggled much. I think James struggled.

I worried that Sancho would get a really tough time here because of it, and I suspect he will if we buy him. I also think he struggles more this season due to Hakimi being gone. Good support from a fullback is very important for a winger. AWB build up play is a huge issue for us.

 

[Ekeke]

Maybe as defensive support, but Matas movement of the ball when we are in possession if very good. Quite a few players would enjoy playing with him.

When Daniel James played on the left, I dont think Shaw struggled much. I think James struggled.

I worried that Sancho would get a really tough time here because of it, and I suspect he will if we buy him. I also think he struggles more this season due to Hakimi being gone. Good support from a fullback is very important for a winger. AWB build up play is a huge issue for us.

Likewise its important defensively that our wingers press. They dont.

Only Fred and Fernandes press. Rashford is the biggest culprit so far this season but not much above him are Mata and James with 11 presses in 90 minutes. Sancho presses even less with 10 per 90 mins

Salah and Mane 14 each this season per 90 and 16 from Firminho

Son 20 per 90 mins, Kane just under 13

ziyech 16, havertz 15, giroud 15


Rashford and Sancho in the same team would leave more defending to do for other players. Its a good thing AWB is there

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

He's an adequate starter for a 4-6th club. If we want to start challenging for titles again we'd need to upgrade. Isn't good enough on the ball. He's certainly useful to have around though, definitely a keeper. Would be great back-up for a title challenging team. Perfect off the bench when we're holding onto a game. Excellent in the tackle and quick.

 

[andersj]

Likewise its important defensively that our wingers press. They dont.

Only Fred and Fernandes press. Rashford is the biggest culprit so far this season but not much above him are Mata and James with 11 presses in 90 minutes. Sancho presses even less with 10 per 90 mins

Salah and Mane 14 each this season per 90 and 16 from Firminho

Son 20 per 90 mins, Kane just under 13

ziyech 16, havertz 15, giroud 15


Rashford and Sancho in the same team would leave more defending to do for other players. Its a good thing AWB is there

I agee that our attackers need to become better at this part of the game. But I tink it is more about how we are coached than any thing else. The solution is to start defending like a unit. Not to use players who cant play football.

That being said, Sancho is not much worse as a defender than Mata or Greenwood. Probably has been this year (does not look motivated), but his «press data» the previous seasons is not any worse than Mata or Greenwood.

I am quite confident that our next manager will drop AWB within a few months.