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- Spoiler: show
- Attack:
I do not think he has changed massively as a player in terms of natural ability, I think he has always had it. But as Fergie has admitted, he has simply been played out of position too often in the past. He is no longer the support striker, he is now the spearhead of the attack. A raise in attack and a new registered position was thus a must. Because he is playing further up the pitch he now has the license to showcase his fantastic attacking intelligence which in previous seasons he has not been able to show on a regular basis. He is showing a great awareness of space and the ability to loose his marker with ease this year. His runs in and around the box are surprisingly impressive. Little darts here and there before veering off in the other direction to create space for himself. Easily on par with Berbatov and more intelligent in his movement than Tevez although not at the level of those on 86, yet.
Stamina/Mentality:
I don't really see him attacking that much more aggresively, I simply see him tracking back a lot less. This means he can conserve his energy for attacking, which in itself makes him a far more dangerous proposition going forward. A slight drop in mentality represents this. He is still a workhorse none the less, but I don't see him as anything more than the all action Park Ji Sung nowadays.
Response:
On top of his newfound ability to find space in the area, I've given him a slight increase in his response. He has always reacted well to loose balls however he is now showing this in the penalty area and has developed a poacher-esque instinct.
Passing:
His passing has seen some much needed tweaks. SPA has been raised to 81, a change which has been on the cards for some time. His long passing has been altered also. He isn't as accurate as the 84 sugessted. This figure made him too dangerous from crossing positions, although as we know he can still ping some delightful crossfield balls which is why he has had a boost in his long pass speed.
Shooting:
Shooting is much the same however a decrease in shot power and shot technique was again on the cards anyway. He rarely blasts them from range anymore and tends to bend them with his instep more often than not. This is not to say he doesn't hit them hard, but an 89 puts him on par with players who blast them from range more regularly than Wayne. I think nowadays it would be unfair for him to keep such a value given the style in which Wazza takes his shots, not to mention the fact that he gets all of his goals inside the box. A raise in his curling contributes to this also. He really can get some vicious dip and swerve in his shots. Shot accuracy also comes up by one to an 83.
Heading:
Heading is obviously the stat that sees the biggest increase and a much deserved one at that. His placement is by no means world class, however it is definitly up there. To anyone who would like to suggest a greater jump, I'd reply by saying that his actual heading ability is superior. Yes, he has a decent leap, but that's all it is, decent. He hasn't really got up above defenders to head home, he finds space in the box and is generally unmarked when he makes his connection. On the couple of occasions where he has won ariel battles, it has been his strength and heading ability that has gotten him the goal.
Special Abilities:
As already stated, a lot of his goals have come from great positioning in the box when connecting with crosses and so I think the positioning star is a must. Scoring I think goes without saying. I have also added the Penalties star. He has shown that he has great composure from the spot and finds the bottom corner with precision and power on a regular basis.
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