It seems Man United are wasting little time in lining up their prime targets early this transfer window, with the news that Ashley Young is on the verge of a move to Old Trafford from Aston Villa. With Nani, Antonio Valencia and Ji Sung-Park the main three wingers for the champions, and with Ryan Giggs still capable of the occasional shift out wide in addition to the options offered by Gabriel Obertan, it appeared as if Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were sufficiently covered for wingers.
Young’s appearances as a winger were limited last season, though, as he played out wide on just 12 of his 34 appearances; the other 22 saw him in the hole behind a lone striker. Where will he be expected to fit in when he starts for United? The club’s two main formations last season were 4-4-2 (played in 24 league games) and 4-3-3, an alternative Sir Alex Ferguson turned to on 7 occasions; both these systems certainly suggest a role out wide for Young. Here we analyse his performances out wide and through the middle last term to highlight what he will bring to Man United.
Ashley Young as a Winger (12 games, 1 goal, 3 assists)
2.08 Key Passes, 1.75 Shots per game, 0.5 Successful Dribbles, Pass Accuracy 69.7%
For United, Nani and Antonio Valencia offer plenty more creativity from the wings, with 2.36 and 2.3 Key Passes respectively to Young’s 2.08. Park-hardly known for his passing- is poor in comparison, however, with 1.07. Young has far greater goal threat than Valencia and Park, averaging 1.75 Shots per game compared to 0.3 and 0.7 Shots.
His Successful Dribbles are surprisingly very low- just 0.5 per game- Nani has 2.5 and Valencia 1.5 and Young’s Pass Accuracy -69.7%- fares badly against the three United players, with Nani the lowest on 80% and both Valencia and Park on 86%.
In terms of creativity from the wing, Young’s 2.08 Key Passes are similar to the likes of Samir Nasri (1.93), Aaron Lennon (1.94) and Raul Meireles (2.0). Again, his Successful Dribbles are remarkably poor in comparison, with Nasri and Lennon managing 2.1 and 1.6 respectively, an indication of what is perhaps lacking in his game. Meireles-who’s better through the middle- matches Young’s Successful Dribbles with 0.5. Young’s goal threat is the same as Nasri, with 1.75 Shots per game compared to 1.7, though his finishing is far from impressive, with just 1 goal in his 12 games as a winger.
Ashley Young as an Attacking Midfielder (22 games, 6 goals, 7 assists)
2.4 Key Passes, 2.27 Shots per game, 0.54 Successful Dribbles, Pass Accuracy 70.9%.
Young’s attacking stats here are similar to that of the threat Rafael Van der Vaart offers for Spurs; 2.4 to 2.39 Key Passes, 0.54 to 0.7 Successful Dribbles and 2.27 to 2.9 Shots per game, just edging it in the Dutchman’s favour. He loses possession less than Van der Vaart though, 3.24 times per game compared to 4.0, though once again, his Pass Accuracy suffers, 70.9% to Van der Vaart’s 84%.
While his distribution and runs with the ball remain virtually the same, Young’s creative and goal threat in the hole jumps considerably when compared to his stats as a winger; his Shots per game increase by 0.52 and Key Passes by 0.32. Playing central clearly suits his eye for goal, too; he grabbed a goal every 3.6 games, compared to his 1 in 12 out wide.
Young’s Key Passes here are a match to Nani and Valencia’s out wide; a 4-2-3-1 with this trio behind a lone front man could wreak havoc, should Sir Alex consider a change in shape and personnel from game to game. Overall, his Passing and Successful Dribbles need to be worked on should the move to Old Trafford be finalised, irrespective of where Young is fielded by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Finally, a look at how he fared against his prospective new club last term. Young’s two performances against Man United shows he made 5 Key Passes, had 4 Shots, 2 On Target, and scored 1 Goal against the champions. He failed to make a Key Pass in just three games last season- at home to Stoke as a left winger and away to both Wolves and Fulham, playing in the hole in a 4-5-1. West Ham suffered the most at the hands of Young’s creativity- he made 11 Key Passes (picking up 2 Assists) over two games against Avram Grant’s doomed side, also managing 7 Shots.
