Manchester United look prone to promote Aaron Wan-Bissaka to West Ham and change him with Noussair Mazraoui. We analyse the distinction in type between the 2 right-backs.
When Manchester United’s new administration construction started to take form following the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, many followers have been hopeful supervisor Erik ten Hag could be left with much less accountability in recruitment than he appeared to have beforehand.
It had been a typical criticism of the Dutchman that he was allowed to routinely flip to gamers he already knew or had some connection to following his days within the Eredivisie. Lisandro Martínez, Christian Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia, André Onana, Antony and Sofyan Amrabat may all match into that class, and it’s honest to say they’ve not all been successes.
Nonetheless, it might seem Ten Hag’s contacts guide retains a sure diploma of prominence in United’s switch planning for 2024-25, with Matthijs de Ligt strongly linked with a transfer to Outdated Trafford and Noussair Mazraoui probably the subsequent in line to make the change.
The Moroccan right-back is, in line with a number of main shops, very near turning into a United participant. It’s a scenario which will frustrate sure sections of the fanbase in a single sense contemplating the reasonably blended report Ten Hag-affiliated gamers have had at Outdated Trafford over the previous two years, with this their first switch window because the appointment of Dan Ashworth as sporting director.
But when Mazraoui’s transfer from Bayern Munich does go forward, it should doubtless carry an finish to Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s time on the membership. Such a mix of transfers would characterize one thing of a shift for United at right-back, and a welcome one within the eyes of many.
The 2 gamers are considerably completely different in type. If we ignore the actual fact he price roughly £50 million, Wan-Bissaka has been a helpful participant for United in that he’s largely a reliable defender; he’s been criticised at occasions for his positioning, however there aren’t many higher one-v-one defenders on this planet, and his tackling skill has usually made up for any obvious positional deficiencies.
Nevertheless, there’s no getting away from his technical shortcomings, particularly within the remaining third. It had been hoped that he’d enhance steadily on this respect after transferring from Crystal Palace in 2019, however 5 years on it’s tough to make a lot of a case for that being a actuality.
In fact, that doesn’t essentially need to be an issue. In any case, Wan-Bissaka is usually thought of a defensive-minded full-back, and in that respect there aren’t many higher. But when Ten Hag needs United to exert extra management in matches after being notoriously open final time period, enhancing technical requirements appears an affordable technique. Within the trendy recreation, full-backs usually have a vital position in establishing possession dominance for the largest golf equipment, and for all of his strengths, Wan-Bissaka is unlikely to ever be that form of right-back.
Mazraoui, however, looks like a greater match. An apparent a part of that’s the truth he’s performed for Ten Hag earlier than – not that this can be a assure of him being signing, as we’ve already famous.
He’s, although, a extra technically gifted participant than Wan-Bissaka and naturally inclined to push ahead, attempting to influence the play in assault. That might additionally probably assist whoever strains up on the precise wing, as Mazraoui’s want to supply assertive over- and under-lapping runs is prone to be higher than that of Wan-Bissaka.
The warmth maps under present a reasonably succinct abstract of how in a different way the 2 gamers have operated over the previous two years.
Whereas Wan-Bissaka has seen the ball in focus factors in each halves of the pitch, Mazraoui’s touches have been extra concentrated to the attacking half. Staff types are a consider that, in fact, although nobody would contemplate Ten Hag’s United to have been a very defensive facet.
Mazraoui’s technical abilities and higher attacking mentality have unsurprisingly seen him present extra of a menace within the remaining third over the previous two years at Bayern than Wan-Bissaka has over the identical interval, with the Moroccan way more snug carrying the ball upfield and mixing such strikes with taking a shot or in search of the killer ball.
Whereas a take a look at their likelihood creation totals over the previous two years won’t counsel an enormous distinction, on a per-90-minute foundation there may be fairly a gulf, with Wan-Bissaka registering 0.76 and Mazraoui on 1.35, placing him inside the highest 87% amongst full-backs in Europe’s high 5 leagues over that point.
The truth is, a cursory look on the Opta Participant Radars under highlights their huge distinction in types from an attacking perspective. Once more, staff techniques can affect metrics, however that alone gained’t clarify the big spikes in Mazraoui’s favour.
Having seen that, it gained’t come as an enormous shock to be taught Mazraoui spent his childhood studying the ropes in midfield till Ten Hag transformed him right into a right-back shortly after breaking into Ajax’s senior squad.
For a time, he struggled to see off the competitors of Sergiño Dest, however Mazraoui discovered his finest degree in Ten Hag’s remaining season in Amsterdam, with the Morocco worldwide thriving in a job that noticed him transferring incessantly into central areas – his on-pitch relationship with Antony was additionally thought of to be robust.
Defensively, he isn’t as imperious in one-v-one conditions as Wan-Bissaka, however his report in floor duels was nonetheless pretty spectacular over the previous two seasons, his 62.4% success charge placing him within the high 89% for full-backs and forward of the seemingly West Ham-bound defender.
Moreover, over the 2 seasons in query, Mazraoui’s 68.9% success charge was additionally an enchancment on Wan-Bissaka’s 61%. The usual of opposition in fact comes into this, and a few will argue the latter confronted higher wingers within the Premier League, although that’s clearly probably not doable to quantify.
Mazraoui additionally has the added benefit of being pretty snug in quite a few positions, together with at left-back. Wan-Bissaka regarded uncomfortable there on the uncommon events he was requested to fill in, which means Diogo Dalot grew to become one thing of a back-up on the left with Luke Shaw and Malacia each lacking a lot (or all within the latter’s case) of 2023-24.
Some supporters would possibly nonetheless be having nightmares concerning the membership’s defensive damage disaster final time period, and contemplating Shaw’s patchy health report and the actual fact Malacia nonetheless isn’t match, having each Dalot and Mazraoui capable of fill in on the opposite flank could be welcome.
Having stated that, it’s value stating Mazraoui’s personal damage report would possibly unsettle the identical followers as his time at Bayern has been disrupted by quick spells on the sidelines.
If Mazraoui can stay match for almost all of time, nonetheless, there’s loads to love about this deal. Wan-Bissaka’s technical weaknesses have annoyed some all through his time on the membership, whereas United’s lack of management final season was alarming; in principle, Mazraoui may assist in that respect and there’s little question he’s a greater technician than the person he’s prone to be changing.
It could be barely dangerous to go ahead with out having a defensive-minded right-back in reserve, however maybe higher attacking goal throughout the board is a part of what United want. Mazraoui is definitely a participant who’ll be appreciated at Outdated Trafford.
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