The worst transfer for Solskjaer State at United. Should Manchester say goodbye to him? Permanent bugs and lack of development

Eric ten Hag is about to offer a cleaning to staff at Manchester United. Their victim may be Aaron Wan-Bissaka. A football player who was bought with high hopes, but as it turned out, he was not destined to play for a club with great ambitions.

Manchester United fans have plenty of reasons to be frustrated this season. From the general form of the team, to the club’s rules, to the individual characters related to their beloved “Red Devils”. It is difficult to say which player has not been criticized this season. One of her most common things is Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The current game played by the Englishman proves that he was bought without a clear and long-standing idea. Hitting a footballer at Old Trafford, his flaws were revealed by the inevitable change of playing style to a more gritty one. We still don’t know what Eric Ten Hag will do with him, but the right-back is mentioned as one of the key links to be replaced.

Recently, rumors surfaced in the British media linking him to… returning to Crystal Palace. Is this move real? It is difficult to judge. However, if someone was at least able to write such news, it shows the great “reunion” of the 24-year-old’s reputation. This better illustrates that United cut off his transfer.

The first alarming signs

When Wan-Bissaka began his adult football adventure for Crystal Palace, he was praised for his defensive stance. A good interference game was the biggest plus. In the low defense of the “Eagles”, the Englishman was always full of hands and really stood out. In attack, he was very dangerous and not taking risks, which is quite understandable for a footballer in this position on the part of Roy Hodgson. However, this has raised justifiable question marks regarding a possible move to one of the leading clubs, where the lateral defender naturally has much more tasks in attack – which turned out to be crucial in the United player’s case – to take. in his view of an entirely different threat posed by his opponents.

However, the Red Devils spent £50 million on the Palace player. The purchase was seen as a nod to the direction Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was going to push his team – bringing the young Englishman in with a scent like ‘DNA United’ and loved by most passionate fans. The new addition became the first choice in the defensive side, after the exits of Antonio Valencia from Ashley Young and Diogo Dalot.

At first, it worked decently, although suspicions of the shortcomings of the attack were confirmed. When it comes to dribbling, it doesn’t look that bad (which is normal for a player who even played attacking in his youth). On the other hand, when it came to taking the ball off and creating a threat in the attacking period, he was much weaker. A blind cross pass and the inability to play the ball properly meant that much of the 20-time champions’ aggressive action was focused on the other side of the field.

Over time, when Solskjaer’s side had to start playing more aggressively, suggesting more and more positional attacks, Wan-Bissaka’s shortcomings at the back became more and more apparent. And it turned out to be his biggest problem so far.

Major bugs

A higher defensive line means that you have to take a responsible attitude and be prepared to stop a long pass from behind. “Injure yourself” is the worst thing you can do. And this happens to the Englishman all the time. This often causes serious problems for colleagues. Throws to the side are an effective weapon for the opponent. Posture and act appropriately for the approaching movement is a serious problem for him. Also, throws from the left side of the United defense area to the long post, where he has to properly protect the opponent, often end in disobedience and a dangerous opportunity for the opponent.

Good direction on the pitch is what distinguishes the best players in the world and, in the case of the Manchester United right-back, that is the biggest drawback. Anyway, even the fact that he was praised primarily for his interference game said something about him. After all, the professor of the game of defense, Paolo Maldini, once said that if you slip, it already proves that you made a mistake in your positioning on the field. The 24-year-old is proof that these are real words.

Such initial deficiencies severely limit the team in which Wan Pesak appears. The Englishman must be constantly insured, and what is worse, he is unsuitable to protect his fellows. If he’s only effective defensively when he’s on his side with the ball, he’s a problem 90% of the time. How do you trust him? Gareth Southgate seems to have noticed the same vices. The general manager has not even named a player from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the “Sons of Albion” squad. It does not promise to be a debut.

Made for a different game

We can practically draw such conclusions from the start of Wan-Bissaka’s Old Trafford adventure, but the past few months have shown it clearly – he’s a footballer in a different game than that of Eric ten Hag. It would be better for Aaron to play in a low block, where the chances of getting the ball from behind the back are much less. Unfortunately, that’s what he can count on the dominant clubs, not the dominant clubs, or at least trying to dominate the field.

It is therefore not surprising that even before Eric Ten Hague officially arrived at Old Trafford, much was said about the prospect of the England player moving. However, the speculation does not apply to European clubs that count in the struggle for European Cups (which is not surprising). The loudest voice is heard about Crystal Palace’s benefit, willing to take back the disciple, although most likely only on loan, due to the high weekly wage.

It is he who is associated with Wan-Bissaka that illustrates his most important problem. From the start, he was not forced to play for a club that aspired to fight for more ambitious goals. He was only 21 years old when he came to Manchester, but he has made almost no progress since then. So it’s hard to count on a sudden leap forward.

Of course, the final assessment of the athlete’s skill is up to The Hague. If he notices a hidden potential in an “Orły” pupil, he will probably decide to keep it. However, in his current form he is one of the first candidates to leave. Even interim manager, Ralph Rangnick, seems to value Diogo Dalot’s completely different, albeit not flawless. Wan-Bissaka, in turn, grows to become one of the biggest unsuccessful transfers in Solskjaer’s tenure.