Comparison of Wan-Bissaka with Trippier and Bellerin
If any player from the struggling mid-table teams has caught the eye with his consistent performances, it has to be Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The 20-year-old right-back has been in blistering form this season amidst his team’s lacklustre performances.
A member of the Crystal Palace academy since the age of 11, Wan-Bissaka made his cut into the senior squad last season but had a tough time displacing Martin Kelly and Manchester United loanee Timothy Fosu-Mensah. However, he got his chance to impress due to an injury crisis and has managed to retain his place in the line-up since the end of last season.
It has been a disappointing start to the season for the Eagles. With only two wins out of nine games, Roy Hodgson’s side currently sit 15th in the standings. They have been quite solid at the back but have struggled to score goals, having scored only 5 times so far.
However, Wan-Bissaka has been the most consistent performer for the Eagles this term and won the club’s player of the month award for the month of August. He has also been rewarded with a call-up to England’s U21 side.
As the stocks continue to soar high for the youngster, let us make an assessment of how good he has been as compared to some of the best right-backs in the Premier League.
When we talk about the top right-backs in the Premier League, Tottenham’s Kieran Trippier and Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin are the probably the first names on our lips. However, as a matter of fact, Wan-Bissaka has surpassed all expectations, having already outperformed the likes of Trippier and Bellerin.
All the three right-backs are modern day offensive-minded full-backs and that is exactly why Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta, though one of the best in the league, does not qualify for comparison.
Similar to Trippier and Bellerin, Wan-Bissaka’s contribution hasn’t been confined only to his own half. The 20-year-old has bombed forward with lightning pace, taking advantage of the slightest of opportunities to launch an attack. He is a player blessed with a good technique which allows him to do well in both halves.
As compared to someone like Trippier, who relies more on his crossing and set-piece ability, Wan-Bissaka likes to play direct football. He backs himself to take on the defenders with his insane pace and instant acceleration. Out of the three full-backs, Wan-Bissaka is the best dribbler and often uses his skills to cut inside. However, he is not a one-trick pony and tends to combine his acceleration and skills to beat the defenders on the outside with subtle flicks along the wide areas.
Bellerin also has insane pace but, just like Wan-Bissaka, he is not a very good crosser. Both of them overcome that by using short passes to link-up the play.
Defensively, Bellerin hasn’t been great this season. He has registered four assists and has linked-up the play very well in the other half but has been caught out at the back on numerous occasions. That can be attributed to the lack of positional sense and poor awareness.
Trippier has been a been more balanced in his contribution. While he has provided a lot in terms of deliveries from the flanks, he has been content to stay back at times and weather the storm. He does not have that lightning pace or silky dribbling ability like Wan-Bissaka but uses his awareness and judgement to good effect and is always a threat from set-pieces.
However, if the numbers are taken into account, Wan-Bissaka edges ahead by a country mile.
The 20-year-old has averaged a remarkable 4.4 tackles, 2.4 interceptions and 3.8 clearances per game in the Premier League, stats that would make a centre-back proud. Trippier averages 2.3 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game while Bellerin is way behind with a mere 1 tackle and 1.1 interceptions per game.
Statistics reveal that he has been a more efficient reader of the game at the back this season. While he has not missed a chance to throw caution to the winds, he has not neglected his defensive duties either. He has shown tremendous awareness and fantastic recovery pace to track back and close down the opposition.
Also, something that must be noted here is Wan-Bissaka’s ability to make crucial tackles. He shows a greater tendency to go into tackles and wins the ball more often than not. In other words, Wan-Bissaka is not afraid to stick his foot out when needed.
Offensively, Trippier and Bellerin just edge ahead but that can be attributed more to the quality of the teams that they play for. Trippier has registered 1 goal and 2 assists while Bellerin is way ahead with four assists. Wan-Bissaka has only one assist to his name but that is quite understandable given that Palace have only scored 5 goals so far.
Wan-Bissaka averages 2.1 successful dribbles per game as compared to Trippier’s 0.8 and Bellerin’s 0.6. Quite clearly, the 20-year-old is an excellent dribbler. However, he is not as good as Bellerin and Trippier in terms of passing and hold-up play.
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Hence, it would be fair to say that he has certainly given the other full-backs a run for their money this season. Wan-Bissaka has been the silver lining of Crystal Palace’s lacklustre season and quite clearly, he has been the best right-back in the Premier League so far. Although he still has a long way to go, he has shown strong signs of excellence this season.
