I was convinced AWB had to go in the summer, he had been pretty awful for a couple of years and never really seemed to improve the attacking and possession part of his game. Saying that, he is probably one of the best defensive full backs in the league, and he even does it by looking lazy. Dalot's form came out of nowhere and he seemed to really take thay position for his own. Fast forward a world cup and an injury, Dalot looks to be struggling (but may be lacking match fitness after a few games out) and AWB seems to be getting better in each game. At this point I would say neither is first choice but im genuinely very happy to be in this dilemma. I feel comfortable with both our right backs for the remainder of this season. I'm really intrigued for the future, but also excited to see where and if Laird fits into the mix. He is a young player who has built some experience up and has been someone I have really rated for a while.
Dalot vs Wan-Bissaka
- Thread starter MyOnlySolskjaer
- Start date
Even though I still prefer Dalot, I have to say fair play to AWB. He’s been brilliant since he’s been brought back in. In fact he’s improved so much to the point where I’m not concerned which of the two starts anymore which is a good thing!
Credit to ETH.
AWB has superb tackling ability and good engine and determination. But he is still terrible at reading the game. For example, I’m so annoyed by his delaying of throw ins. It has become almost a disadvantage to get a throw in from him.
DD reads the game better but AWB is by far the better tackler.
AWB has superb tackling ability and good engine and determination. But he is still terrible at reading the game. For example, I’m so annoyed by his delaying of throw ins. It has become almost a disadvantage to get a throw in from him.
DD reads the game better but AWB is by far the better tackler.
Positional sense and being like a deer in headlights when getting the ball from De Dea is his 2 biggest problems, he shouldn't need to make half those tackles if he could read the game
Actually, I think build-up play is one of AWBs better sides, and that he's underrated on that point. But Dalot is pretty good at that too. Tackling is a marginal skill for a full back these days - as you say, ideally you'd want one who rarely needs to.
If we're comparing top level shown this season, Dalot has a good deal more to offer in my view, and also carries a sense of potential to develop significantly further, given his age, development arc over the past couple of seasons and high level of athleticism. But when he drops down a notch from his top level, he's just awful defensively. And he's done just that since returning from injury. Until he can correct that, I'd frankly rather see AWB out there.
Dalot's performance pre-World Cup probably put him up there as one of the best RBs in the league. Whether he had a hot streak or whether he would have sustained it, who knows. Since injury, he's struggled, and Ten Hag constantly taking him off implies he's still lacking in fitness. But I can't see Dalot being a good comparison to AWB. Dalot offers much, much more. Despite AWB's 1v1 defending being immaculate, he's still positionally poor, terrible at marking and back post defending. That's forgetting that Dalot adds much more to the offensive side of things as well. Neither can cross, but we have much better control on that right side when Dalot plays, and it always looks like our RW gets more support when he's there as well.
Long term idea should be to sell Wan-Bissaka and bring in a top quality RB or depending on the remainder of the season, see if Dalot can lock down the role.
A bit like Maguire, AWB has never really improved the deficiencies in his game, even under Ten Hag.
Long term idea should be to sell Wan-Bissaka and bring in a top quality RB or depending on the remainder of the season, see if Dalot can lock down the role.
A bit like Maguire, AWB has never really improved the deficiencies in his game, even under Ten Hag.
Problem is right now Dalot's pretty poor at marking and back post defending too - in addition to which he is dangerously passive one-on-one, which no one can accuse AWB of. I really don't think he's been offering more than AWB offensively either, since coming back from injury. Prime, pre-injury Dalot, now that's a different matter. To be fair, I do think AWB has improved under ETH. Not dramatically or anything, but a bit.
I am glad we have both. When both on form you have AWB who could can completely lock down tricksters like Zaha, we missed him against Gnonto in the Leeds game. Against most sides in the league I prefer Dalot who offers more going forward and is generally a decent defender.
At the beginning of the season, like most, I'd have said we need 2 new RB's. Now it looks like we're set in that position for years.
We also have Laird coming through and time will tell if he's good enough.
It just goes to show the difference a world class manager can make.
We also have Laird coming through and time will tell if he's good enough.
It just goes to show the difference a world class manager can make.
I am really surprised by the takes in this thread. Dalot was really, really good against Leicester and the difference between him and AWB is night and day.
Dalot on the ball is 10x the player AWB is and on top of that he is better than AWB in every off the ball action, with the notable exception of tackling.
I struggle to see how Dalot can be viewed as having been "very good" against Leicester.
Look at the Leicester chance at approx. 20 minutes, where he leaves Iheanacho unmarked resulting in a major scoring chance. There's at least two more occasions where he just lets Iheanacho run away from him in the box, but where fortunately Leicester couldn't connect the cross.
And come on, Dalot is not 10x the player AWB is on the ball.
I think Dalot has developed to a level where he's a viable top team starting RB when playing close to his top level, but he really isn't when he's at his bottom level and he's still there too often. AWB's top level is not nearly as high, and his bottom level is every bit as bad. But AWB at top his top level is better than Dalot at his low to bottom level. Including on the ball.
I'd liken the Dalot vs AWB debate to something like Diogo Costa vs DDG. One has the potential to be more complete but lacks consistency / top level, the other is exceptional at 2 or 3 things, consistent but has a single glaring weakness.
I’m still of the opinion we need a new RB. I’d sell AWB and bring in an upgrade on Dalot who also isn’t a top drawer fullback.
Er....how do you figure? I can't even work out which description is supposed to apply to which player there. Dalot clearly has a higher top level than AWB, but if I'm calling either of them "potential to be more complete", that's also Dalot. On the other hand, I don't think either of them is exceptional at 2 or 3 things, and nor would I say either of them has a single glaring weakness.
I think he might be. We'll see how the rest of the season goes. For the moment, I don't think it should be a priority.
DDG and AWB are the guys with the traditional features that make their position, Costa and Dalot are the guys with all the attributes who may not be world class in any specific aspect...yet. Thought that would be quite obvious!
Who are these top drawer RB's we could bring in?
I want to know too.
I don't think AWB is one of the best defensive fullbacks in the league. If he was I don't think he'd make those silly mistakes where he plays people onside, doesn't cover the back post in the air and fails to track runners. He's only the best in the league when he's got a target in front of him to tackle.
That said he's done alright in his latest run of games so credit to him for that.
To be fair it is not hard to find right back with better technical ability than awb which is what eth needs to move forward with getting the team to play how he desires
I don't think the Leicester game is fair to assess anyone in our team defensively, especially in that first half.
The entire team was being overwhelmed and it was frantic, because Leicester had a big open gap to walk through that was our midfield. Else, we'd have to say Shaw and Martinez had shockers as well in that first 45 as everyone was bypassed with ease.
I would sell the two. Neither are elite full backs and maybe we should have signed Trippier when we had the chance, as he is the better player.
I see this argument often and I think it's generally a solid argument against defensive players but it's being misapplied here.
He is reading the game, that is HIS game. It's unorthodox because most full backs hate opponents running at them, but AWB is so comfortable with it that he'll invite players to take him on, backing himself to make the tackle
His big weakness, for me, is his positioning from crosses. That concerns me more than his supposed lack of ability on the ball (which I think can be exaggerated at times).
It would be nice to have a world-class full back (we don't), but of the two, I am still in the minority that prefers AWB over Dalot - only because you can effectively leave him man-for-man vs a winger without doubling-up and for his exceptional recovery tackles, which usually save us a goal every few games
Well, no. Neither of them did anything of that nature, as far as I noticed. And Lindelof actually had one of his better appearances in a United shirt.
Wan bissaka is incredible at goal line blocks & clearences. Weird how people dont talk about it.
It's a weird one to be fair. Before the season started I thought Dalot was 100% our first choice without doubts, and i do think he is the better player for our team overall. He gives much more quality going forward and is a great option from an attacking point of view.
But AWB has shown glimpses of being a solid 7/10 type of player for us. He will never be good enough to take us to the next level, but he might be the right player to keep us solid till the end of the season. Dalot hasn't been great since the world cup (obviously he has been injured and AWB has taken his chance!).
We have so many games till the end of the season, i genuinly think they will be rotated all the way through the season going forward.
But AWB has shown glimpses of being a solid 7/10 type of player for us. He will never be good enough to take us to the next level, but he might be the right player to keep us solid till the end of the season. Dalot hasn't been great since the world cup (obviously he has been injured and AWB has taken his chance!).
We have so many games till the end of the season, i genuinly think they will be rotated all the way through the season going forward.
Er, no, it isn't. Actually, it still isn't. Also I don't think it's a very good description. AWB is hardly a traditional RB stylistically, he certainly doesn't have a higher top level than Dalot, I find it hard to imagine what the 2-3 exceptional things he supposedly has are (other than tackling), and also what you consider to be his single glaring weakness (he has several, in my view).
Dunno, but I know AWB never will be one and personally I’m not convinced Dalot will be either.
If our scouts can not find a youngish fullback with the potential to be amongst the best in class then they’ve failed. It is clearly a position that can be upgraded.
Im not convinced that we get as much going forward from Dalot than we get from AWB defensively. Also AWB has def improved going forward too....
Feedback is fair, I disagree though, I think tackle conversion is good, positioning is strong but would agree that he has sloppy moments like the two against Barca. I guess I could say consistency is a challenge with him. One minute no one can get past him, the next, he looks like he just woke up.
Because it's an old school Carra type of defending, and I guess more people prefer Dalot's modern style.
I think dalot is better overall but id rather have awb against barca
We need two good performers in every position, lets celebrate that depending on the oppositions strength down their left side, we can meet any threat with these two.
I liked Maguire's recent comment about "now having four good centre-backs", it brought a wry smile, but that is the objective, having two players at least, competing for every position!
I liked Maguire's recent comment about "now having four good centre-backs", it brought a wry smile, but that is the objective, having two players at least, competing for every position!
Dalot is the better player.
AWB is a good defender, but as soon as he's asked to provide anything going forward he goes to bits in defence (and is not good going forward either)
Though, I think both could be improved on.
AWB is a good defender, but as soon as he's asked to provide anything going forward he goes to bits in defence (and is not good going forward either)
Though, I think both could be improved on.
Don't forget we have Ethan Laird coming back next season. He's been good at QPR nd a few weeks with ETH will do wonders for him
Dalot was good in the first half of the season but since he's been back from injury has loved doing the pass back to Rapha Varane every time. Hardly ambitious passing forward. AWB on the other hand has improved leaps and bounds except a few moment of doziness particularly apparent against Barca. Im starting AWB until Dalot snatches the spot from him. But I guess having Antony back in the XI will improve Dalot's game by a bit.
AWB has given us a lovely headache with his good performances. I'd start Dalot normally but at least now AWB can be trusted to be regularly rotated. Good position to be in for that position. Malacia gives us the same at LB too.
Voted AWB originally and stuck with being bewildered by his excile. Dalot is not bad by any means, but he is just rather average for me on both fronts.
Of course we want a full-back who attacks, but I'd rather have a player in that position who is more than competent in one area. AWB is one of the best tacklers in the game and has shown vast improvement going forward.
He should be our first choice at right-back.
Of course we want a full-back who attacks, but I'd rather have a player in that position who is more than competent in one area. AWB is one of the best tacklers in the game and has shown vast improvement going forward.
He should be our first choice at right-back.
Be interesting to see who starts the final. I think it might be Dalot.
Thought Dalot played himself into a start against Barca but AWB did very well today by his standards. Wouldn't mind seeing either vs Newcastle.