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Aaron Wan-Bissaka and his productivity in attack, a thread:
I’ve made no secret of my love for AWB as a defender. I think he’s one of the best 1v1 defenders we’ve seen in a long time, but his productivity in attack makes me question if he’s a long term fit for Manchester United...
VS Wolves, it was a case of same old story from the right hand side. AWB offered very little going forward, in particularly first half & there’s a few things to note
• Reluctance to run into space.
• Reluctance to cross.
• His overall quality in the final 3rd.
• URGENCY!
• Reluctance to run into space.
• Reluctance to cross.
• His overall quality in the final 3rd.
• URGENCY!
Reluctance to run into space:
• Rashford switches play & AWB finds himself 2v2 (W/Bruno)
• He plays a pass into Bruno who has a great opportunity to thread the ball between CB/LWB if AWB makes a run in behind
• Instead, AWB stops his run and occupies a position of small value
• Rashford switches play & AWB finds himself 2v2 (W/Bruno)
• He plays a pass into Bruno who has a great opportunity to thread the ball between CB/LWB if AWB makes a run in behind
• Instead, AWB stops his run and occupies a position of small value
Scenarios like this or very similar have occurred countless times this season for Manchester United and it almost seems as if AWB doesn’t back himself to run beyond opposition players and receive the ball in threatening crossing areas due to his lack of quality in said areas.
To back this up a bit further, I looked at some crossing stats from this season:
CROSSES PER 90 MINS
Lucas Digne: 5.64
Reece James: 5.17
Andy Robertson: 4.77
Trent AA: 4.53
Ben Chillwell: 4.00
Alex Telles: 3.75
Luke Shaw: 2.42
AARON WAN-BISAKKA: 0.77
CROSSES PER 90 MINS
Lucas Digne: 5.64
Reece James: 5.17
Andy Robertson: 4.77
Trent AA: 4.53
Ben Chillwell: 4.00
Alex Telles: 3.75
Luke Shaw: 2.42
AARON WAN-BISAKKA: 0.77
I then looked at some stats of touches in the attacking 3rd for the same players:
TOUCHES ATT3RD P/90 MINS
Andy Robertson: 35.8
Trent AA: 34.0
Ben Chillwell: 30.3
Alex Telles: 30.0
Reece James: 29.4
Luke Shaw: 26.5
Lucas Digne: 25.1
AARON WAN-BISAKKA: 16.8
TOUCHES ATT3RD P/90 MINS
Andy Robertson: 35.8
Trent AA: 34.0
Ben Chillwell: 30.3
Alex Telles: 30.0
Reece James: 29.4
Luke Shaw: 26.5
Lucas Digne: 25.1
AARON WAN-BISAKKA: 16.8
Urgency:
These clips were 11 minutes apart in the first half and to me it looks like a complete lack of urgency to run into space and receive the ball (as said above).
In both scenarios, he could of accelerated into positions to receive and cross?
These clips were 11 minutes apart in the first half and to me it looks like a complete lack of urgency to run into space and receive the ball (as said above).
In both scenarios, he could of accelerated into positions to receive and cross?
Now look at the Urgency of Telles in comparison and his willingness to run into space beyond the Wolves back line. Screaming for the ball ‘RASHHHH’ and almost accelerating to full speed.
Quality in the final third:
This is the type of quality we’ve became accustomed to from AWB in the final third more often than not. He has room to drive, time to pick his head up, but instead we see a rushed cross and a waste of a really good position.
This is the type of quality we’ve became accustomed to from AWB in the final third more often than not. He has room to drive, time to pick his head up, but instead we see a rushed cross and a waste of a really good position.
I genuinely think AWB is the best 1v1 defender in the league, he’s incredible. But I also think he’d be better at a team who defend deep and whose full backs are expected to win 1v1 after 1v1 defensively.
At a club like Manchester United, who want to dominate the ball and...
At a club like Manchester United, who want to dominate the ball and...
Expect their full backs to provide width in attack, I really think he’s struggling and we’re starting to see more and more reliance from our left side.
Will signing a natural RW help? Possibly, but all the best teams still want top ATTACKING full backs and I’m not sure he is.
Will signing a natural RW help? Possibly, but all the best teams still want top ATTACKING full backs and I’m not sure he is.
I really hope the coaching staff at United can improve AWB’s productivity in the final third because he’s phenomenal defensively and I’d like to see him keep that RB slot for years to come.
End of thread.
End of thread.
