People say Aaron Wan-Bissaka has to improve going forward but I say he is a fantastic defensive right back.
He should focus on his defending and become a brilliant Manchester United defender, who keeps clean sheets.
It’s not the case that because Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kyle Walker are two of the most outstanding attacking full backs in Europe, Manchester United have to have one too.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is a better defender than some of the league’s attacking full-backs
I’ve seen Branislav Ivanovic and Cesar Azpilicueta be successful in the Premier League over the past five or ten years and they have been very different to the attacking full backs. There is more than one way to win a football match.
The one thing that I think Wan-Bissaka should do is try to create a relationship with his right winger, whereby he can serve that player and his central midfield well. Roll passes at the right weight, to the right side of the player’s feet so that the attack can start.
Maybe then the other things, like the overlap he may produce to open space for people is something that he could add.
I have seen him get left isolated on the ball at times, in what’s a big pitch at Old Trafford. He needs that option in front of him to his right, inside to his left and a diagonal option into his striker.
I always used to have those three options – whether it was David Beckham, Roy Keane or Dwight Yorke, or Michael Carrick, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. I knew where those three were and I was feeding it into them – serving the attack.
I knew where they were and I was feeding it into them. I’m serving the attack. It’s a bit of an old fashioned approach because nowadays full backs are expected to be wingers, score goals, set up goals, take free kicks and penalties, well this is a little bit of a throwback.
Wan-Bissaka should not be compared to right-backs Kyle Walker or Trent Alexander-Arnold
This is a defensive full-back who is very different and I don’t think we have to try and say he needs to be something different.
He’s an outstanding defensive right back. He’s a better defender than some of the attacking full backs, work on that.
Maybe Manchester United’s next signing is a left back, would mean a real attacking left back who would do something similar to Andy Robertson and Alexander-Arnold.
The idea of turning Wan-Bissaka into Trent Arnold or Walker is never going to happen
Wan-Bissaka could potentially be part of a back three almost, narrows in a little bit. For me it’s not about what he needs to do in an offensive manner, just polish up serving into the forward players to start the attack.
But the idea that you are going to make Aaron Wan-Bissaka into Alexander-Arnold or Walker is never going to happen. So let’s not concentrate on that.
Let’s concentrate on how he can support Manchester United becoming a winning team, which is going to be in a different way to how those other teams are doing it.
Gary Neville is a member of the Sky Sports commentary and analysis team. Sky Sports is the home of the Premier League with more live matches than any other broadcaster.
