rotherham_red
Full Member
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2005
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- 7,416
I disagree to an extent. I don't think his issue is in his lack of control, but rather his thought processing. It seems that his attacking game has steadily been eroded from when he broke through to the first team at Palace (as far as I'm aware he was originally a winger), and it's something that he's now building back up at Utd. It's like he needs to be almost rebuilt from the ground up in terms of attacking play, but not forgetting that his main strengths are now in terms of his defensive game, and that mustn't be lost.Goals and assists are not AWBs offensive problems, it is his general poor lack of control over the football that is.
A full back could be forgiven for low output. And AWB can actually cross a ball when given the opportunity. It’s more the inability to carry it, quickly control it, cleverly link with it that is a greater issue. He often looks as if he needs to sort his feet out before he can get moving, and you don’t really get that time in the PL.
Evra wasn’t a productive full-back, nor was Ashley Cole. But they were technically adept footballers, which made all the difference in helping their teams advance up the sides.
When he's had the opportunities to, he has linked very well with his RW - both at Palace and at Utd. And focusing on Utd particularly, he's showed throughout this season that he's a good link player. I can recount plenty of occasions where he's put people through with a reverse pass or a deft little flick, which have required quick thought processing and good technique/ball control. His crossing has also come on as well.