He absolutely nailed it.
We’ve all been there on Fifa.
An opposition free kick set up on the edge of the box and you sneak one of your defenders back on to the goal line to deny them that shooting space.
As the free kick is taken, you instruct your player to head the ball to safety. Danger averted.
It’s not something you see all that much in real life, for whatever reason. But Ashley Young didn’t get the memo.
Against Arsenal on Saturday evening, Young pulled off that exact manoeuvre to prevent a curling Mesut Ozil shot from finding the top corner of David De Gea’s net.
Fresh from his brace against former side Watford midweek and being voted Manchester United’s Player of the Month for November, Young showed what he had to offer in a defensive capacity as he made his goalkeeper’s job a hell of a lot easier.
“Last season he played a bit but he was frustrated because he felt he could do more for the team,” manager Jose Mourinho recently said of the 32-year-old.
“But I learned what Ashley is in my second season with him – the positions he can play, the systems he can play and what he can give to the team. And no injuries, which he had a few of in the past. So he’s fit and working during the week to play matches. And probably at this moment of his career, this position is better than the pure winger he was, so I think he’s found great stability.”
Meanwhile, supporters were utterly fascinated by their new left wing-back’s piece of Fifa brilliance.
https://twitter.com/BigPaulieH/status/937018628796506112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2F1208112-people-are-saying-ashley-young-pulled-off-a-tactic-straight-from-fifa-against-arsenal
https://twitter.com/RoyaleBlue1905/status/937018695070638080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2F1208112-people-are-saying-ashley-young-pulled-off-a-tactic-straight-from-fifa-against-arsenal
https://twitter.com/UtdCantona/status/937018698459701252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2F1208112-people-are-saying-ashley-young-pulled-off-a-tactic-straight-from-fifa-against-arsenal
Ashley young running to the line to head a free kick away is a pure Fifa move when someone wants to ruin your goal
— 𝐿𝑜𝒾𝓈 (@Lois_LFC) December 2, 2017
YOUNG doinf FIFA free-kick Flick 😂😂 #MUFC
— Ahmed Metawea (@ahmedmetawe3) December 2, 2017
Young just defended the free kick like how everyone does on FIFA 😂
— Bhagz (@imraan_bhagoo) December 2, 2017
Looool Young did the FIFA free kick block
— Shanta Faze Grandma (@CocoJumbau) December 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/KevalDattani/status/937018770119372801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2F1208112-people-are-saying-ashley-young-pulled-off-a-tactic-straight-from-fifa-against-arsenal
Nice FIfA defending from young for going back to head that free kick away
— drake (@ilodrake) December 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/SJDznCFC/status/937018802679762944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2F1208112-people-are-saying-ashley-young-pulled-off-a-tactic-straight-from-fifa-against-arsenal
Ashley Young just did a Fifa getting back onto the post for that free kick 😂😂😂😂😂
— Jase (@Jase_5) December 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/tennis4arsenal/status/937018882858143744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2F1208112-people-are-saying-ashley-young-pulled-off-a-tactic-straight-from-fifa-against-arsenal
https://twitter.com/UnitedLife1996/status/937018920287993858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.givemesport.com%2F1208112-people-are-saying-ashley-young-pulled-off-a-tactic-straight-from-fifa-against-arsenal
