Well Shaw doesn't use his right much either (though still twice as much as AWB uses his left according to Squawka). He can play one twos with the player ahead of him and go forward that way, but that's back to the biggest problem which is that doing all this with Martial or Rashford is a lot easier than doing it with whoever we have on the right flank that day.
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Well Shaw doesn't use his right much either (though still twice as much as AWB uses his left according to Squawka). He can play one twos with the player ahead of him and go forward that way, but that's back to the biggest problem which is that doing all this with Martial or Rashford is a lot easier than doing it with whoever we have on the right flank that day.
I remember an interview with Chris Waddle many years ago, saying he did the same thing, as he was woefully one footed. He just repeatedly struck a ball against a wall with his right foot and did some leg work in the gym. After that he could play on both wings, and could cut inside from the left and shoot.
When football training is your 9 to 5, top flight professional footballers shouldn't be so one-footed that they refuse to play a 10 yard pass with their weaker foot.
Anyone else find it a bit ridiculous that he and Maguire have played over 40 games each already this season? We need some rotation options or we're going to run these lads into the ground.
I agree, but we really lack quality options at RB. Williams worries me every time he's on the pitch, regardless of opposition. Maybe Tuanzebe could fill in there every now and then?
Hard to criticise him a he plays pretty much every minute of every game, refreshing to have a reliable fit defender tbh.
I don’t expect him to ever be a world beater on the ball but as usual people are being too harsh. I remember the same criticism of Valencia for those final few years but he was a phenomenal RB for a number of seasons. AWB has improved his overall ball playing this season and his end product is largely okay. Really what’s most important is just retaining the ball, we have more than enough quality to hurt teams without needing AWB to play intricate passes. He did have a poor game though yesterday overall.
Williams is a liability.
His first touch really lets him down... and when you've got Luke Shaw on the other side controlling footballs as if they're remote controlled, it becomes really telling.
We have a significant imbalance problem in the different areas within our team.
Players, who are supposed to combine together to form partnerships, not complimenting one another at all and often exacerbating pre-existing individual limitations.
The main two examples of this are at CB and CM with Lindelof/Maguire not suiting each other as partners and McTominay/Fred suffering a similar fate.
But we also have a similar issue on the right-hand side. It would be hard to find a winger less suited to playing ahead of AWB than Dan James and vice versa. AWB is a fantastic one-one-one defender with the ability to lockdown an opposition LW on his own. The freedom he should afford the RW playing ahead of him should be music to their ears but when it’s a player as limited as James it’s a wasted opportunity.
AWB needs a winger like Sancho ahead of him to take on the burden of creative responsibility from the right-hand side of the pitch. This will simplify what we require from AWB and allow him to focus on what he’s good at. Our current RW options put pressure on what he’s bad at.
And don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot he’s bad at. Far too much considering the money we paid. But we’ve seen steady improvements in some aspects of this and I think a better RW would reinforce these.
Football is about balance. We need to find an attacking RW to help balance our right-hand side in the same way we need to find a fast CB to balance our back line.
Players, who are supposed to combine together to form partnerships, not complimenting one another at all and often exacerbating pre-existing individual limitations.
The main two examples of this are at CB and CM with Lindelof/Maguire not suiting each other as partners and McTominay/Fred suffering a similar fate.
But we also have a similar issue on the right-hand side. It would be hard to find a winger less suited to playing ahead of AWB than Dan James and vice versa. AWB is a fantastic one-one-one defender with the ability to lockdown an opposition LW on his own. The freedom he should afford the RW playing ahead of him should be music to their ears but when it’s a player as limited as James it’s a wasted opportunity.
AWB needs a winger like Sancho ahead of him to take on the burden of creative responsibility from the right-hand side of the pitch. This will simplify what we require from AWB and allow him to focus on what he’s good at. Our current RW options put pressure on what he’s bad at.
And don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot he’s bad at. Far too much considering the money we paid. But we’ve seen steady improvements in some aspects of this and I think a better RW would reinforce these.
Football is about balance. We need to find an attacking RW to help balance our right-hand side in the same way we need to find a fast CB to balance our back line.
I don't think James has an ounce of footballing knowledge that would help someone like AWB be more effective. Watch the game back and see how many runs infield Rashford made to create space for Shaw again and again. Then you see James and AWB in the same 2x2 box on the right flank, marking each other.
AWB is no sloppier on the ball than Fred and McTominay, I think most people's points on here is that AWB has strengths, and at the moment is way down on the pecking order in terms of problem areas we need to solve. And most people would agree that having a regular right winger to develop an actual footballing relationship with would make a world of difference.
If he commits to DR Congo, as seems increasingly likely, can we reclaim the “English tax” premium back from Palace?
Also, will Maguire then refuse to play with him?
Also, will Maguire then refuse to play with him?
Don't agree. Wan Bissaka for me is our weakest player in the 11. Opponents leave him unmarked all the time. It's genuinely an insult to him. They want him to have the ball.
And whilst I agree that we can do so much better than Fred n Mctomminay they don't stuck out like a sore thumb like he does.
There's more to the game than slide tackles. He's not got anything else to his game.
I guess it's just a difference of opinion. I think in games like West Ham, Crystal Palace etc. AWB is an easy target for the 'he's so limited, terrible player etc' that a lot of people like to throw at him.
The midfield of McTominay and Fred is so bad, and with James on the wings who is so one dimensional, a by product of our lack of ability is that the full backs end up with so much of the ball, often with a complete lack of options.
AWB is not an attacking full back, he's a defensive full back who can provide attacking support. It's no surprise he excels in the big games, and in games where we actually have attacking balance, he's fine. When he's relied upon as the sole attacking outlet on the right wing, he struggles (as do most full backs in world football).
I find it hard to believe he's the weakest link when he plays almost every game, and rarely makes the defensive errors we've seen all season from our centre backs.
Just out of curiosity, who would you replace him with? (Realistically, that would be an actual upgrade).
I don't want Fred n Mctomminay to be the duo in CM either. They are for now but that's down to the CB pairing being poor and Pogba either being injured or not interested to knuckle down. Ideally we sign a new DM. A player like Zakaria, Ndidi, Rice, Bissouma etc.
As for Dan James....he's a squad player for us. We have a lot of injuries right now but no way is he our main right winger. He barely started a game all season before last few months so i think this is a little unfair on him. He's not our answer for the regular right wing slot. We all know that. He's a decent squad player though if used correctly.
Who do I want to replace Wan Bissaka? Somebody who is comfortable on the ball in all situations, somebody who can cross. There will be right backs we could have got around Europe for half of the price.
That can happen too, of course... If Williams continue to stagnate, sooner or later United will have to find 2nd RB candidate and right winger is a must no matter what happens. So far I can't imagine our lineup without Bissaka at current squad depth. Always available, always ready to play, that way player will always be vulnerable to weaker form, mistakes and just bad games overall.
The good news is raising AWB can be easier than it looks, as he gets huge amount of experience by playing pretty much every game from beginning of his career in United.
One of the reasons I decided after about 8 years of lurking on this website to get a proper account (although am still in the Newbies) was because I was so tired of the negativity and wanted to do something about it... Not sure how much I've done that, mind you... but in any case so many of the comments in this thread just make me wonder where is the joy and fun in supporting a football team; any team if you just want to throw your players under a bus every time they have a below par game?
I mean, AWB is not the perfect full back (who is?), but he's clearly improving on the glaringly obvious weaknesses in his game. Progress is never in a straight line, especially when there in such physically and mentally exhausting times. He will have better games and worse games The potential is clearly there; whether he gets to a point where he can be as good going forward as he is defending 1-1 remains to be seen, but why can't we all enjoy watching a young man who enjoys being here develop in front of our eyes? Can you honestly say he's at the same or worse level than a year ago?
People going on about how "he's shit, he's rubbish, he'll never make it...." seem to have a similar attitude to people giving a mediocre movie a 1/10 score in IMDB: Things are either perfect or they are the worst thing ever.
I'm sure some will retort "well maybe you have low expectations of a Manchester United player, but I have the highest demands of those who represent my team." I think we're looking at football in different ways. I love Man Utd and have done for as long I remember. I've been spoilt as they have been successful as long as I can remember. The last years have been difficult, tedious, boring and borderline depressing. But you're right (strawman who I'm talking with); we should have high expectations and demands of our players.
but where are these 'high level players' going to come from? Are we just to buy them directly? Are we Manchester City - discarding players and buying the shiny new thing because we are a plastic team who throws money at any problem?
Or are we a team who believes in developing people? In creating a team? A group of people who have developed and grew up - in a sporting sense - together? Why not take a chance on having a few off-days and backwards steps, and create a team we can connect with; who we have seen fail, learn and grow? We have seen Luke Shaw come of age this season. In the past we saw how players like Darren Fletcher have become key inpsirational players.
Maybe I'll look back on this post in a year and feel a bit embarassed for putting my faith in a young, talented if raw player. But you know what; I'd rather feel sheepish that I'd suported one of the players of a club I love than to do nothing but look for the flaws in his game and ignore the strengths to the point where it feels like I'm hoping he'd fail to prove me right.
I mean, AWB is not the perfect full back (who is?), but he's clearly improving on the glaringly obvious weaknesses in his game. Progress is never in a straight line, especially when there in such physically and mentally exhausting times. He will have better games and worse games The potential is clearly there; whether he gets to a point where he can be as good going forward as he is defending 1-1 remains to be seen, but why can't we all enjoy watching a young man who enjoys being here develop in front of our eyes? Can you honestly say he's at the same or worse level than a year ago?
People going on about how "he's shit, he's rubbish, he'll never make it...." seem to have a similar attitude to people giving a mediocre movie a 1/10 score in IMDB: Things are either perfect or they are the worst thing ever.
I'm sure some will retort "well maybe you have low expectations of a Manchester United player, but I have the highest demands of those who represent my team." I think we're looking at football in different ways. I love Man Utd and have done for as long I remember. I've been spoilt as they have been successful as long as I can remember. The last years have been difficult, tedious, boring and borderline depressing. But you're right (strawman who I'm talking with); we should have high expectations and demands of our players.
but where are these 'high level players' going to come from? Are we just to buy them directly? Are we Manchester City - discarding players and buying the shiny new thing because we are a plastic team who throws money at any problem?
Or are we a team who believes in developing people? In creating a team? A group of people who have developed and grew up - in a sporting sense - together? Why not take a chance on having a few off-days and backwards steps, and create a team we can connect with; who we have seen fail, learn and grow? We have seen Luke Shaw come of age this season. In the past we saw how players like Darren Fletcher have become key inpsirational players.
Maybe I'll look back on this post in a year and feel a bit embarassed for putting my faith in a young, talented if raw player. But you know what; I'd rather feel sheepish that I'd suported one of the players of a club I love than to do nothing but look for the flaws in his game and ignore the strengths to the point where it feels like I'm hoping he'd fail to prove me right.
Give this man a "like"
Good post.
I agree but I think most players aren't that interested into improving themselves to that point. We're talking about a level of professionalism not many aspire to have.
He also never uses the outside of his right foot which decrease the urgent need for him to use his left in the situations you described. I'd have no problem with him being one footed if he could use the outside of his right in order to avoid shaping himself weirdly
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I think he's been a good investment. Not only his tackling, ball recovery & blocking, his fitness to be able to stay fit makes the money we spent on him even more worthy.
His delivery is poor but he's not a coward like Trent. AWB is still willing to drive the ball forward with his awkward dribbling and still managed to get past opposition players while Trent is so often chose to pass backward if he's being closed down because the guy can't beat player one on one.
AWB also has shown improvement in his general play. He's still not the finishing product so I think he can still keep improving. I also think having Shaw performing very well in his creativity actually makes AWB in the team becomes more effective in a sense of creating more balance in defense. The only thing I would say he needs to fix is his positioning.
His delivery is poor but he's not a coward like Trent. AWB is still willing to drive the ball forward with his awkward dribbling and still managed to get past opposition players while Trent is so often chose to pass backward if he's being closed down because the guy can't beat player one on one.
AWB also has shown improvement in his general play. He's still not the finishing product so I think he can still keep improving. I also think having Shaw performing very well in his creativity actually makes AWB in the team becomes more effective in a sense of creating more balance in defense. The only thing I would say he needs to fix is his positioning.
You're probably right, and that seems crazy to me. I'm not expecting one-footed players to improve their weaker foot so they can score 30 yarders with it, but enough to be able to comfortably play a square ball in your own half should be a bare minimum for footballers at any level.
Ehhh???
Not good enough to lace his boots mate.
Pretty much agree with all this.
I really like AWB, he ain't the finished article but I find him really entertaining to watch.
Agree with this and those who have already agreed.
Hasn't been called up to the England squad again. I guess he has to pocket Sterling a few more times with waistcoat sitting in the stands.
If he’s not good enough for England is he good enough for us 
On a serious note Gareths a fraud how’s he not got in when he has been extremely consistent this season?
On a serious note Gareths a fraud how’s he not got in when he has been extremely consistent this season?
Certainly deserves a call up more than say Reece James
Actually a bit of a joke
Southgate is likely to play with wingbacks and he's not suited for the role. Southgate has also wants to play out from the back and AWB is the worst out of the current options technically inTrippier, Walker, James and Trent.If he’s not good enough for England is he good enough for us
On a serious note Gareths a fraud how’s he not got in when he has been extremely consistent this season?
It's not that surprising, is it? AWB has pretty glaring weaknesses in areas that a lot of other managers and teams rely on from their RBs. Even if he's playing better than other players, he still might not fit the team as well as they do. It's also something he should be wary of if we ever change managers, they may want something different from their fullback as well.
Problem is gareths thinking incredibly short term. AWB is young and likely to switch to Congo as he’s not being picked. All he needs to work on really is his attacking and then he’ll be golden,
I don’t know why Gareth is fine losing a player that could potentially benefit England in the long term.
Maybe but I don't think right back is a position to be concerned about. James, Trent, Lamptey and Aarons are all young look to be good prospects anyway.
agree. I like AWB, but he’s nowhere near getting a game for England, who are stacked at RB.
I see @Jacky Quacky’s point. But we shouldn’t be giving out caps to block players playing fir another country.
it devalues the cap.
the other thing the AWB does not have in his favour is his lack of versatility - which would be extremely important at a tournament.
I can understand starting TAA and Co when you need to break teams down. Southgate is a loon if he doesn't take AWB to the euros though. When you're playing Spain/Germany etc, you can't just play in an idealised way. You have to think about stopping them as much as playing your own style and AWB is by far the best defensive fullback.
Guess he's not picking him for the euros though seeing as he won't even pick him now.
Guess he's not picking him for the euros though seeing as he won't even pick him now.
This - it's nuts IMO, I think he's underrated as a player
It's a weird situation where we have so much depth in one position. I'd take AWB and James as they are ones for the future, which Trippier and Walker aren't
They’re all good prospects I agree, but none have the defensive ability of AWB. That is rare to find and I think having a player who is one of the best at defending one on ones in the world should be Atleast a backup.
It's not quite that simple though.
For example, I seem to recall one manager we faced (Hassenhutl, maybe?) outright stating that they had targeted AWB with their press as he was uncomfortable on the ball and would give it up.
In other words his ability on the ball doesn't just stop you playing your own style in that scenario, it can become a defensive liability for teams like Spain/Germany to target too. There's more than one way to have a defensive weakness.
Also, it's not like his positioning is always on point either. He's very strong defensively in certain aspects of his game but it's not like playing him shuts down the opposition threat around him entirely as there are still weaknesses for the opposition offence to exploit. At which point I can see why a manager might just decide to stick with their normal attacking fullback and avoid disrupting the team.
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Delighted he gets the international break off for some R&R. He’s played a shit load of football in the last year.
He obviously deserves to be included, but even as a huge AWB fan I can understand why Southgate has never really gone for him. The fact is RB is England's strongest position in terms of depth. He has an embarrassing number of good options to choose from. And most of them fit what he needs better than AWB.
Can't say I'm pissed he's not been picked. He's played nonstop this season and could use a break. I only wish Rashford wasn't going either.
Can't say I'm pissed he's not been picked. He's played nonstop this season and could use a break. I only wish Rashford wasn't going either.
Southgate's doing the right thing leaving him out, as he did with Smalling. AWB is dreadful in the build-up play, and there are several better alternatives available.
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