Why Aaron Wan-Bissaka is called ‘The Spider’ as West Ham sign ace known for tackling ability that left Wilfried Zaha stunned
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is undoubtedly one of the best defensive players in the Premier League and that has lead to his unusual nickname of 'The Spider.'
And West Ham fans are going to get to witness his displays first-hand after he switched Manchester United for the Irons in a £15million deal.
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After five years with the Red Devils, Hammers supporters can now look forward to watching their new right-back stop every winger he comes up against.
And that defensive ability is where his nickname originates from…
Why is Wan-Bissaka called ‘The Spider’?
Wan-Bissaka has been given the nickname ‘The Spider’ due to his tackling ability.
He is known as one of the best defensive players in the league, and it's a reputation he's carved out over the course of his top-flight career.
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Explaining the nickname in 2019, he said: “'The Spider' is about the range and length of my legs when I'm lunging to tackle the ball. That's where the nickname comes from.”
It was in training against former teammate Wilfried Zaha at Crystal Palace that earned Wan-Bissaka the nickname.
He told the Man United club website: “That is when I realised my actual strengths from playing against Zaha.
“It was not easy and it was always a challenge, but at the same time it helped me and made me realise what it is to play against players like him in the Premier League.
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“Now, I would say my best attributes are dribbling, speed and tackling.”
Once Wan-Bissaka left Palace, the pair met time and time again, with one match in January 2023 proving to be particularly frustrating for Zaha as his old teammate denied him when through on goal.
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Speaking after Crystal Palace's 1-1 draw against Man United in January 2023, Zaha said: “Any other player…
“As I’m running through, I had a little look back and I thought ‘oh my God…it’s Aaron’. He’s the only one that can do a scoop tackle. So it was a great tackle.”
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Wan-Bissaka always had to compete with other players at Man United, with Diogo Dalot often being favoured.
Attacking full backs are more desired in modern football, meaning the ex-Man United defender saw less game time than could be anticipated, but he remains a great example of a tackler, so much so, he is nicknamed because of it!
And given West Ham have some very exciting attacking options, Wan-Bissaka should provide that balance they need to have a great season.