So you moved the goal posts from never to not enough. Gotcha.
Unpopular (AKA fickle) opinion time on AWB.....
- Thread starter Nou_Camp99
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How many assists did Walker get this season?
4
How many did Wan Bissaka get.
4
Walker is no attacking don.
How much more attacking is Walker in your perception versus Wan Bissaka?
AWB is always getting to the byline?
That’s very different to taking someone on 1v1. By the time he runs onto the ball, he should be ahead of the defender and in a position to cross first time. Our problem for years was slinging the ball to Valencia and expecting him to beat him man from a standing start, and AWB has the same issues.
There's a lot more to being a defender than tackling stats, and there's a lot more to being a competent part of the attack than assist stats.
Wan-Bissaka is so uncomfortable in possession that teams have - very visibly - began to target him as a pressing trigger. Southampton in particular did it very well, and since then every team we've played has done it to some degree. Chelsea in the Cup semi-final were another team who did it very well.
From /r/SaintsFC, Ralph Hassenhuttl talking about that match:
He has so many glaring negatives, and literally one positive attribute - 1v1 defending - to 'balance' it out.
Taking never as a literal term and used one example to prove your argument. Gotcha.
Criticising United players on here will never be an “unpopular opinion” unless they are under 18 and have played under 3 first team matches.
AWB has had an excellent first season at United. He played a lot of games and rarely got rested, which might have impacted him slightly towards the end of the season. He has all the traits of a good defender - if he can add a bit more quality and speed to his decision-making process when attacking then we will have one of the best full backs in the world.
AWB has had an excellent first season at United. He played a lot of games and rarely got rested, which might have impacted him slightly towards the end of the season. He has all the traits of a good defender - if he can add a bit more quality and speed to his decision-making process when attacking then we will have one of the best full backs in the world.
We aren’t effective with it on either wing. Watching most games this season. The ball goes wide to say Rashford or Greenwood. How many times does the ball then go to Shaw or AWB to cross the ball in? To me even if they offer that run it doesn’t go to them but recycled back to midfield. Wan Bissaka’s crossing is also poor, just like Shaw.
The pair of them are not great in attacking situations. That’s my opinion. The question is whether either can improve that side of their game.
This was his first year at United and it's a big, big step up when you consider everything such as the pressure, expectations, spotlight, demands, criticism, training, intensity, etc. All this before Covid.
His technical ball skills are the worst of all starting XI players and some other bench players. He has to improve and hopefully he does because it's really important that he gets more composure on the ball and make simple passes. At times, when he's tried to pass a ten yard ball, he's Chris Smalling reincarnated.
His technical ball skills are the worst of all starting XI players and some other bench players. He has to improve and hopefully he does because it's really important that he gets more composure on the ball and make simple passes. At times, when he's tried to pass a ten yard ball, he's Chris Smalling reincarnated.
Unfair on AWB to criticise him when he has no RW ahead of him. TAA is a great player but his life is made easy at Liverpool by having someone ahead of him who can hug the touchline, take players on or come inside. Greenwood has deputised the RW well but he's clearly more comfortable central and gives AWB next to no defensive support because he's often out of position - which is probably a big part of why AWB's tackling stats are so high.
Just like when Shaw and Rashford both start on the left, we're so much better (as much as Rashford still needs to improve) the same will be when AWB has a proper RW ahead of him.He still won;t be as good offensively as some other fullbacks but I think fans will start to realise just how good an RB he is.
Just like when Shaw and Rashford both start on the left, we're so much better (as much as Rashford still needs to improve) the same will be when AWB has a proper RW ahead of him.He still won;t be as good offensively as some other fullbacks but I think fans will start to realise just how good an RB he is.
Is that quote from Hassenhuttl real? Quite telling if it is.
It's posted on the /r/SaintsFC Free Talk thread after our match (14th July). A German poster translates a post-match interview he did. It's the second most upvoted post in the thread.
Still in the newbie system so my post is blocked when I try to link it directly.
Why is no one talking about the Hassenhuttl quote on AWB? he is a problem in possession and nothing will change my mind about it.
This was the struggle we had with Smalling until it became apparent with everyone and he is now no longer part of the England and United set up.
AWB makes us crumble under the press.
This was the struggle we had with Smalling until it became apparent with everyone and he is now no longer part of the England and United set up.
AWB makes us crumble under the press.
It's not about the assist man, AWB makes it easy for us to be pressed in our half. His awkwardness and lack of composure in possession is being targeted and is not to tier quality.
His passes in any third of the pitch is crap.
His positioning and lack of awareness has cost us goals this season.
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Sigh. The point which others have managed to suss was sometimes it takes time for young players to put everything together at United. AWB is still young still learning. If he were 26 then the criticism levied at him would be understandable but even then a lot of it is rubbish.
AWB has done well this season. He’s not a creative outlet but that’s not his job. His job has been to lock down the opponents LW so for me job well done.
If you actually remember Evra his first season was not good. He has on several occasions admitted players at United thought he wasn’t good enough he himself wasn’t sure.
Thank you.
Yup.
Also the point I was making is even great fullbacks in great times sometimes need time to reach their full potential.
At 21 I don’t think AWB has hit his peak.
AWB is always crossing it in. Greenwood is the one who never crosses, they use his movement to come inside and for AWB to get to the byline.
Getting to the byline and crossing it in isnt a problem, its the quality of the crosses
AWB actually looked shattered the last few games of the season, and I think that has caused him to switch of at times, that happened twice on Sunday, and cost us two goals. He is excellent in a 1 on 1 situation, which is ideal when we are getting attacked a lot, but he has much to learn about covering, awareness and passing. This coming season will be a watershed for him, he will either improve in those areas, or I can see Laird eventually take his place. I like the lad, and hope that the coaching staff can work on his deficiencies and iron them out. They need to show him those two goals against Seville repeatedly, so he gets the idea.
It is quite something! I think quite a few have noticed, he is similar to Smalling like that, but that a PL coach actually say it outloud?! Wow!
He’s one of the best tacklers in the world but he offers next to nothing forward & is poor positionally.
That's very telling if Hassenhuttl said that about him.
For united to compete with European Elite we need to build a dynamic team. we will have to replace both fullback positions and get attacking fullbacks. Lindeleof and De-Gea needs replacing as well. none of the other teams left in the CL would have any of these players in their starting 11 and why should we?.
Speaks volumes of our poor recruitment that we paid 50 million plus for an average player like him. An offensive player can learn how to defend and improve his positioning but a defensive minded player can never learn how to attack and cross. Ole and the board got influenced by the constant chatter of ex united players in media and bought such an average player for exorbitant sum.
Not sold on Bissaka. He's slow witted, hasn't shown a keen defensive awareness, is poor on the ball and doesn't offer much offensively. Tackling doesn't excite me, this is not the NFL.
AWB also had twice the amount of crosses this season. I don't think Walker's final ball is great, but he's an effective outlet and good passer which means he doesn't break down attacks and contributes to the build up play and is a threat down the right hand side.
No shit.
As for not showing ‘a keen defensive awareness’, you’ve watched him play right? In between his debut and lockdown you could count the times he slipped up defensively on one hand, Raheem Sterling would disagree with you I’m sure.
AWB is a fantastic tackler and defensive stopper but he offers very little upfront which is what fullbacks do especially in today's game. I'm not even talking about putting in crosses or assists even, he does not position himself well to help progress the ball up the pitch and on the ball hes not great. He has to improve significantly and we need to get someone who can compete with him for the RB spot.
Maybe it's getting obvious he is a very good squad player, not starter.
He is definitely useful in the big games against the big boys where his tacklings and 1-on-1 ability are that useful, similar to McTominay. What they can bring to the team in the big games are massive, but really "pointless" overall versus mid-table and weak teams.
He is definitely useful in the big games against the big boys where his tacklings and 1-on-1 ability are that useful, similar to McTominay. What they can bring to the team in the big games are massive, but really "pointless" overall versus mid-table and weak teams.
People have highlighted that since post lockdown he hasnt been as good even though his defensive issue have been there all season but since we've been at full strength and ole has has no excuse to not try and set us up to play like an attacking side rather than a more conservative counter attacking one that we saw for most of the season up until around February it is really highlighting bissaka's frailties of not just offensively but also defensively now that team is playing more openly and positionaly he is all over the place of late.
Face it he is suited to playing mid table type football of being conservative, sitting deep and playing purely on the counter, he's bang average, why we threw 40 million plus add ons show how inept our recruitment is, we had a free run up on him as no other top 6 side that might have been able to afford him were ever really interested in wasting money on a offensively and technically poor fullback.
Face it he is suited to playing mid table type football of being conservative, sitting deep and playing purely on the counter, he's bang average, why we threw 40 million plus add ons show how inept our recruitment is, we had a free run up on him as no other top 6 side that might have been able to afford him were ever really interested in wasting money on a offensively and technically poor fullback.
Great player in 1 on 1 situations, but lacks discipline when covering the middle and his off-ball movement is underwhelming. There's space for improvement, though.
So what happened since?
How would I know? But he wasn’t alone, Bruno and Rashford have also come back not firing in all cylinders. I mean if he’s still not in the game when the new season kicks off then there’s something to worry about.
Almost like many posters lack common sense just a few facts to stifle the more simple minded: we have no effective RW and there's NEVER been a natural wide winger ahead of AWB. He's easily the best defender at the club, he's had a few shaky moments since the pandemic but who in the starting 11 hasn't ? When you consider all of our squad he's been the most consistent this season. Coming from Palace he's had a very good first season. You put a Sancho in front of AWB it will just emphasise his strengths as a player of Jadons quality will draw the defenders to exploit spaces in behind.
I think too many people get strung on the idea of having attacking fullbacks to make a team efficient. While there's truth in this assumption it largely depends on the impetus of tactical accomodation and coaching. Solskjaer isn't barking up any "expansive wideplay" tree's with his ideologies so that's very reflective in the expectation of our fullbacks to effectively be utilised as wingbacks. Our preferred 4-2-3-1 exemplifies this.
I think too many people get strung on the idea of having attacking fullbacks to make a team efficient. While there's truth in this assumption it largely depends on the impetus of tactical accomodation and coaching. Solskjaer isn't barking up any "expansive wideplay" tree's with his ideologies so that's very reflective in the expectation of our fullbacks to effectively be utilised as wingbacks. Our preferred 4-2-3-1 exemplifies this.
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Bruno has been performing, though you could see he's fatigued. His sharpness will recover.
Rashford is coming off a potentially career-ending injury, the club needs to be careful in they manage him forward. Is he even fully healed?
AWB's defensive issues are not fatigue or injury related. The goal against Sevilla for example shows a complete lack of defensive awareness. He was guilty for the first goal too as he missed the tackle and then was beaten by his man on the overlap who delivered the assist for Suso. Sevilla identified weaknesses in both our FBs and targeted them all game long.
You're absolutely right. I'm bemused by the attention he gets. I think the same way you do. He's wonderful as a defender but not as a provider. He sometimes does things that baffle me but most often he's very predictable with the ball and easy to tackle. His crosses are atrocious and for the love of God, look up before you cross the ball. He just runs wide and tries to play the ball in which frankly is just a kid's play. I though we were getting a full back who would play sensible balls in and we would get a fair shot at heading the ball in but he doesn't quite have the attributes and frankly needs time to work on that area of his game. Having said all this, i still think he can improve immensely because he's very young and can wrap his foot around the ball very easily. He can literally be the best crosser of the ball if he begins to learn the art of crossing. I hate saying this but i sometimes feel he's just as good as Valencia
He's been a lot better that I thought he'd be, at both end of the pitch, there is a lot to work with. Couldn't give two shits if he cost £50m or £5m
If he had have been a £20 mill signing and a backup like James you could excuse some of his poor play especially going forward. Like Fred when you are spending upwards of £50 mill then you expect a lot better overall player. Yes he can make last ditch tackles regularly, but a better full back would anticipate and be able to snuff most of them out before the attacker got the ball. You can see him breaking something or doing a ligament the way he plays, one day.
Saying that he is young and maybe Ole and the coaches can make him a better all round player as soon as possible.
Saying that he is young and maybe Ole and the coaches can make him a better all round player as soon as possible.
So he screwed up against Sevilla? It happens. But to suggest he has a complete lack of defensive awareness is nonsense.