Do Manchester United need Atletico Madrids Kieran Trippier?
Manchester Uniteds pursuit of Kieran Trippier is one of the transfer windows open secrets. Tifo has presented an analysis of both Uniteds current right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka and the Atletico Madrid man who is expected to challenge for his place. It contains a few interesting nuggets about two very different players, while also taking a broader look at the tactical implications of Trippiers mooted arrival. Wan-Bissakas attacking limitations have been covered  perhaps even overstated  many times. Although nobody would suggest hes the second coming of Cafu, he became increasingly effective last season, scoring two goals and assisting four. Tifo make an interesting observation about Uniteds current righ-back. Despite often having acres of space to exploit, he prefers to carry the ball instead of releasing it quickly. This tendency to stop and assess his options is seen as a hindrance to the fluidity of Uniteds attacking play down the right side. Conversely, making a quick cross into the box is regarded as one of Trippiers main attributes. Of the last five assists the England man claimed for Atletico, all five were one-touch passes. No dawdling, no delay, and no time for the defence to set themselves. In short, he delivers the kind of snappy, penetrative crosses that Edinson Cavani would thrive upon. There arent many revelations about the two players contrasting defensive styles. Even in a much less secure back four, Spider-Wan has the pace, power, and tackling ability to single-handedly dominate everyone around him. By comparison, Trippier has the luxury of belonging to a much more solid defensive unit, so can concentrate on shunting his opponents wide, safe in the knowledge that one of three miserly centre-backs will deal with the eventual cross. Ultimately, this clash of styles boils down to three key points. Its not an entirely compelling argument, as positional sense has long been one of the defenders weak spots. Its an option though and options are always nice. United have often struggled against a low-block and the former Spurs star would add decisiveness and speed of thought, giving Solskjaer the option to rotate his full-backs to suit the opponent. The former Crystal Palace prospect has really improved over the last two years and has got plenty more to offer. All this without a single mention of the Alex Telles effect. All the top sides have strength in depth, so the chance to snare a quality alternative in a position of weakness just cant be ignored. If the price is right, bringing the England man back home makes sense. After years of illogical transfer moves, the sudden dawning of logic over Old Trafford is overdue but very welcome.