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"He can't cross a ball!" | Aaron Wan-Bissaka's attacking deficiencies

While he may be one of the best one-on-one defenders in the Premier League, Aaron Wan-Bissaka's a...



Soccer

"He can't cross a ball!" | Aaron Wan-Bissaka's attacking deficiencies

While he may be one of the best one-on-one defenders in the Premier League, Aaron Wan-Bissaka's attacking game still leaves a lot to be desired, according to Pat Nevin and Kenny Cunningham. 

Nevin was speaking on Monday's Off The Ball after Manchester United's defeat at Anfield and raised the issue of Wan-Bissaka's poor crossing.

"Just watch him try and cross a football, he cannot do it. He can do everything else, he's a good player but I have mentioned this to a few people, he doesn't actually strike a ball very well.

"It happened quite a lot and I feel quite sorry for him because when you look at all of the other right-backs right now they are all absolutely brilliant.

"All of these English ones coming through, Reese James is hammering in these Beckham like crosses, with Alexander-Arnold you get amazing delivery and the thing is, poor Wan-Bissaka, he has a lot going for him but he's not like that.

"And that is going to hold him back from being a top player and a right-back for England particularly."

Asked if he felt it was something the 22-year-old could improve on over a short period of time, Nevin wasn't so sure.

"I don't think so. I think he's got an unusual running style and I think there might be a body shape problem there so I'm not sure he could ever make a great crosser. I think you could make him adequate, to beat the first man.

"But there are other areas you can work on, if you know somebody's not very good at one certain thing then well you manipulate it so you drag people into other areas then pull it back and they swing it in. There are ways around it."

The sentiment was something that Kenny Cunningham agreed with on Monday's OTB AM.

"In terms of his one-v-one defending, his recovery is absolutely phenomenal. He looks like somebody who really enjoys his defending and kind of enjoys the one-v-one battle against someone.

"He had a difficult time immediately after half time but I'd cut him a little bit of slack there, he found it difficult. Robertson was getting himself forward and Mané was holding him in a wider position.

"I think the forward area of his game, he has to improve in terms of the quality of his final ball into the box. Some of his combination play, I think that can improve. But I'm actually a huge fan I think he has done fantastically well coming from where he has to Manchester United and the big expectations."

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Aaron Wan-Bissaka Manchester United Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Premier League