Éderson has spent three seasons at Atalanta establishing himself as one of Serie A’s more dependable midfielders. The Brazilian operates predominantly as a central midfielder in a three man midfield for Atalanta in a system that demands discipline, positional intelligence, and the capacity to circulate possession under pressure. This season, he has provided all three with reasonable consistency.

At 26, he arrives at a point in his development where the ceiling is relatively clear. This is not a player whose profile invites speculation about untapped potential, what he offers is largely what he is - a high-volume ball mover, a competent defensive presence, and a physical midfielder who covers ground and keeps running. Whether that is sufficient for Manchester United depends entirely on what the club is actually trying to solve.

In this report we will examine what he actually offers across his defensive contribution, ball progression, and his output in the final third. The aim is produce a clear picture of where his profile holds up and where the limitations are, and what that means in the context of a potential move to the Premier League.

Data Analysis

The pizza chart allows us to generate an overall picture of Éderson’s profile. However, it does require some careful reading and understanding of the environment that produced those numbers.

Atalanta in 2025/26 were not a relentless pressing machine of Gasperini’s peak years. Ivan Jurić took charge in the summer before Raffaele Palladino replaced him in November, and the tactical identity shifted accordingly. The team averaged 54% possession across the Serie A season and kept their long pass percentage low at under 9%, meaning this was a side that wanted to build, circulate, and control. The average PPDA of 12.2 tells us that they were not a high-press outfit either.

With that framing in place, Èderson’s percentile profile becomes more nuanced. His pass accuracy is ranked in the 85th percentile and pass volume in the 79th, and they show a midfielder operating with a clear mandate to circulate possession.

The defensive picture is where his profile gets interesting. His possession-adjusted interceptions are in the 80th percentile and defensive duel win rate ranks in the 83rd. Both of these are strong numbers in any context, and they are not easily inflated by a team’s style of play in the way passing stats can be.

The data suggests he wins his defensive duels at a high rate because he reads situations well and arrives in the right position before contact is required. This is further supported buy his PAdj sliding tackles ranking in the 49th percentile, indicating he is more proactive than reactive (meaning he is in the right place to make interceptions rather than being forced into last-ditch tackles).

His xG ranking in the 79th percentile is the number that tends to generate the most debate, and rightly so. His shots on target percentage tells most of the story; he gets into positions, but does not convert the chances those positions create.

The raw numbers consolidate Èderson’s profile rather than complicate it.

In possession, he is a high-volume, high-accuracy operator (48.9 passes per 90 at 89.5%) who moves the ball forward with purpose. His 6.54 progressive passes per 90 and 6.84 passes to the final third tell us this is not a midfielder who circulates sideways and calls it a job done. He advances play pretty consistently and cleanly. What he doesn’t do though, is unlock it. The 0.06 xA and 0.38 key passes per 90 are the hard ceiling on his creative contribution.

His xG of 0.17 per 90 is above the cohort average despite taking only 1.16 shots, as we know, the positions he arrives in are good ones. The goals return of 0.08 per 90 tells us that he does not convert them, but the ability to arrive in goalscoring positions itself is clear and is a repeatable part of his game rather than a statistical accident.

Defensively, his interception numbers reflect a midfielder who reads play early and positions himself to cut out danger before it develops. His profile appears to be built on intelligence rather than aggression.

Overall, the data describes a midfielder who does the structural work well, progresses the ball above the level of most of his peers, and contributes in transition, but who will not create for others or consistently finish the chances he generates.

Defensive Phase

The most important moments in Éderson’s defensive work rarely involve a tackle. In this example against Como, with his team down to ten men, the ball wide on the left and a cross coming in towards a runner trying to lose his marker on the edge of the area, Éderson does something that doesn’t show up cleanly in any single metric. He reads where the cross is going, identifies where the Como forward is moving to, and uses a sharp burst of acceleration to get there first, killing the play before it becomes dangerous.

This is a very small moment, but it is one that explains a large part of his defensive profile. He shows the ability to process what is developing around him very early. His game intelligence allows for proactive defending rather than reactivity, and it is consistently the mechanism behind his defensive contribution rather than the tackle or the aerial duel (the two areas where, as the data shows, he is considerably less effective).

However, that same intelligence has a blind spot. Here, against Milan, with open space centrally and a player driving forward with the ball, Éderson is occupied with blocking a passing lane that never really threatens to be used. The space is there to be covered and he does not step across. When the situation demands a physical, reactive response to space rather than a positional, anticipatory one, he can be slow to commit.

Where Éderson’s physicality shows most clearly is in his ability to track runners. Here, we can see that an opponent breaks from midfield and looks to receive in behind. Éderson tracks his runner very effectively. The acceleration he produces to close the gap is not desperate, it’s controlled and sustained, and he arrives in time to prevent the cross coming in with something still in reserve.

He has an engine that allows him to constantly track runners for 90 minutes without ever looking like his legs have gone. This is a standout physical attribute, and in these moments we see why. He covers the distance, gets there, and he deals with the situation.

The ability to track, to close, to be physically present in areas where the ball has not arrived yet is a specific and valuable quality in a central midfielder. This kind of off the ball work doesn’t always show in statistics, but it certainly shapes what the opposition can and cannot do.

There is a physical dimension to his defensive work that the data supports but does not fully capture. At 183cm, Éderson has a real pysical presence in his defensive duels. When his positioning is right he is capable of easily regaining possession in 1v1 contests through strength and leverage rather than just timing. Here, he gets his body orientation spot on, prevents the attacker from carrying or passing the ball infield and uses his speed and strength to manoeuvre himself between the player and the ball, recovering possession effectively.

There are moments though, where he arrives at a slightly wrong angle, committing his weight in a direction that leaves him unbalanced when the opponent shifts, or engaging from a shape that makes a straightforward contest harder than it needs to be. When that happens he can be bypassed more easily than his physical profile would suggest, and what should be a routine defensive action becomes awkward.

This connects back to the broader positional point. Some of those awkward duel moments are downstream of an initial read that was slightly off, committing to a challenge from a suboptimal angle because the starting position was not quite right.

Attacking Phase

Éderson’s attacking contribution built around simplicity and timing rather than invention. He doesn’t try to do too much in the final third, and more often than not, it’s the right call.

This first example illustrates the link-up side of it. He receives a lateral pass on the edge of the area, opens up his body and plays a quick, first-time pass into the path of a teammate running into the box to execute the shot. On one hand, we can say this is not a difficult pass but the weight and direction have to be spot on and he shows the ability to execute the right pass at precisely the right moment. No hesitation, no unnecessary touch, no attempt to do more than the situation requires.

This kind of efficient, low-risk involvement in the final third doesn’t generate big statistical numbers, but it certainly keeps the attack moving and keeps defenders guessing about where the ball is going next.

This second example is the other side of it. He arrives late onto the edge of the area and gets a shot away — the kind of run and finish the xG numbers gesture towards. The position is a good one, earned through movement rather than luck, and the execution is clean enough. It is not a prolific threat, but it is a repeatable one, and across a full season those arrivals accumulate into something defences have to account for.

Taken together the two clips capture his attacking profile neatly, he is a midfielder who keeps it simple, makes the right decision quickly, and arrives in dangerous areas often enough to be an attacking option despite producing very little goal threat.

One thing Éderson won’t do very often is take people on. His dribble numbers tell that story plainly (1.05 attempts per 90 at 41.38% success rate), placing him among the lower end of the Serie A midfield cohort. It’s not a part of his game he leans on, and when he does attempt to beat a man with the ball at his feet, it doesn’t come off with any regularity.

The graphic above shows us that the majority of his progressive runs (1.62 per 90) start from deeper positions, after Atalanta recover possession and the opposition is in defensive transition, meaning he has more open space to carry the ball forward. In the final third though, he needs the pass to be on, because carrying his way out of pressure is not a reliable option.

Perhaps, one of the more understated parts of his game in the attacking phase is a specific combination that does not show up prominently in any single metric but is visible across multiple clips. Éderson receives the ball relatively still, and plays a simple pass to the feet of his teammate to draw the press. He gets it back, and before the defence can recover its shape he releases an off-ball runner in behind with a first-time ball.

The whole sequence happens quickly and with minimal fuss, the value is entirely in the timing of that final pass and the willingness to commit to it early rather than taking an extra touch to set himself. At United, with the right movement from forward players, it is a combination that could translate well.

An area where the passing quality drops off noticeably is the long ball. He attempts 3.19 long passes per 90 at 57.65% accuracy. Whilst long range passes are much harder to execute and nearly 60% accuracy isn’t bad, Éderson’s long-range passes tend to be wildly over hit. He is much more reliable circulating possession over shorter distances, keeping things moving.

The moment where composure often deserts him is when he finds himself in a shooting position. Here, he drifts into space in the box (the run is well-timed, his teammate drags the opponent away and Éderson is free) but ultimately, he takes too long to execute a shot.

In 2025/26. the Brazilian took 42 shots across the season, scoring 3 goals, with a 7.1% conversion rate against an xG of 5.41. The positions he reaches are legitimate, but there is a consistent moment of indecision between arriving and pulling the trigger that costs him.

Transitions

In the defensive transition Éderson is at his most physically compelling. When possession is lost he does not switch off, he turns and goes, immediately, every time. His ability to make recovery runs is a defining feature of how he plays without the ball, and across ninety minutes he produces them repeatedly without any visible drop in intensity or speed.

Here, he sprints back to intercept the pass and recover possession on the edge of his own penalty area. It is intelligent defensive running rather than desperate defending, and it fits the broader pattern of how he operates with his positioning and anticipation doing the work that aggression and physicality do for other players. The transitions data supports it, he made 139 counterpressing recoveries across the season, the majority coming in the central areas and Atalanta defensive third where those runs are most important.

In the attacking transition the pattern is less spectacular. When he wins the ball his first instinct is to move it on immediately. He offers an efficient way of operating in transition, and keeps the tempo of the counter high without relying on himself to be the one doing the damage.

His speed and athleticism allows him to cover ground exceptionally well which means he offers consistent and reliable forward running threat off the ball arriving into spaces that defenders have vacated and giving the player in possession an passing option that a less athletic midfielder simply would not provide.

Conclusion

Éderson is not going to be a transformative signing, and it would be a mistake to present him as one. What Manchester United are getting though, is a midfielder who does the structural work well, covers ground better than almost anyone in his position in Serie A, and offers secure, if simple ball retention.

He is a reliable, physically robust presence who recycles possession cleanly, presses with intensity, tracks runners, and arrives at the edge of the box often enough to cause problems for defenders. As part of a well-constructed midfield, he makes sense and will most likely be a solid signing for United.

Éderson - One Page Profile:

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Layla Banaras Full Scout Report

Layla Banaras Player Profile

Player Profile: Layla Banaras is a 20-year-old central midfielder for Lewes. She plays predominantly as a right-sided central midfielder in a 4–4–2 or 4–2–3–1, working from deep and rarely venturing beyond the edge of the opposition box. Her game is built on technical composure, defensive intelligence, and the ability to progress play through well-timed line-breaking passes. She is a composed, organised presence with sound leadership instincts. On the basis of footage reviewed, she has the qualities to contribute at WSL 2 level in a squad capacity, most naturally in a double pivot structure.

In Possession

Receiving and technical composure: Banaras is technically assured when receiving the ball. She finds space in the pocket between the lines consistently, using good body orientation to create separation before the ball arrives. Her first touch is a clear strength. She receives on the half turn as a matter of habit, which allows her to assess her options and turn away from pressure in a single movement. She is comfortable on the back foot and does not invite pressure with a heavy touch. There is a maturity to how she positions her body relative to the ball and the opponent that stands out at this level.

Passing and progression: The standout quality in her possession game is her willingness and ability to play line-breaking passes. She looks for runners in behind regularly and finds them. This is not an occasional option but a consistent intent. She scans before receiving, identifies the forward pass when it is available, and backs herself to play it. She can also switch play across the pitch when under pressure, using the diagonal to relieve the press and shift the defensive block. This combination of forward intent and composure from deep makes her a progressive presence in the middle of the pitch.

Decision-making under pressure: When pressed, she tends to release early. This is a sensible habit and keeps her out of trouble, but accuracy drops in these moments and the pass becomes less ambitious. Some decisions feel rushed rather than composed, which is a distinction worth noting. The quality is there in her natural rhythm. The challenge at a higher level will be maintaining it when the press arrives faster and the windows close sooner.

Carrying: She carries with confidence over short distances, using agility and body shape to create angles for herself and teammates. Separation comes from intelligence rather than pace. She can occasionally be shrugged off the ball, suggesting she does not always use her frame as effectively as she could. She is predominantly a player who influences from deep through distribution rather than combination play.

Attacking contribution: Banaras operates from deep and rarely arrives in the box. She drifts to the edge of the area and attempts shots from distance on occasion, but does not threaten the target consistently from there. Her direct goal contribution is limited. Her value in possession is as a progressive and distributing presence rather than an end product contributor, and that projection does not change significantly in the short term.

Out of Possession

Defensive positioning and reading of the game: Defensively, this is the most developed part of her game. Her positional sense is excellent. She reads passing lanes quickly and acts on them, closing off angles before the ball arrives rather than reacting after. She steps out to press with purpose when the trigger is right and shows awareness of when to engage and when to hold. There are moments where she could be more proactive. She occasionally holds off in situations where a more aggressive approach would win the ball. The underlying reading of the game is strong and consistent.

Duelling and tackling: She is tenacious in the tackle and wins defensive duels at a high rate, but does so exclusively on her feet. She does not go to ground. Her effectiveness comes from positioning and timing rather than last-ditch intervention. The absence of sliding tackles is not a weakness in itself, but it does mean she is not a player who will bail the team out with a recovering challenge when the defensive line is beaten. She could use her physicality more assertively when the opportunity to engage presents itself. In aerial situations she is at a disadvantage, and this is an area that will require development if she moves into a higher-tempo environment.

Defensive shape: Her positional discipline within the team structure is reliable. She holds her right-sided zone without drifting, contributes to the defensive block when Lewes are without the ball, and shows awareness of opposition positioning. She is more naturally suited to a double pivot, where shared defensive responsibility allows her intercepting and lane-closing qualities to operate without the exposure of being the sole screener.

Transitions

Into attack: Banaras is at her best in the immediate moment after winning possession. She looks to release runners in behind straight away rather than recycling, and her line-breaking pass is most effective in this phase. The space exists, she identifies it quickly, and she has the technical quality to exploit it. This directness in transition is a genuine asset that would travel well to a higher level.

Into defence: When Lewes lose the ball she engages in the counter-press and works to recover possession. She can be fractionally slow in the initial moment of loss, occasionally a touch late to engage. Once she commits she is tenacious, and her positional sense means she is rarely caught badly out of shape. Intelligence compensates for the reaction gap.

Physical Profile: Banaras is agile and mobile. She has a decent burst of acceleration over short distances but is not rapid over longer ones, and her game does not depend on pace. She relies on intelligence, body orientation, and quick stopping and turning ability. She uses her body shape well to create separation and shield in tight spaces. Her physicality in duels could be more assertive. The physical tools are there but the willingness to impose is not always consistent. Aerially she is limited, which is a clear development area. Her stamina and work rate are strong. She sustains output over extended periods without visible drop-off.

Psychological Profile: Banaras is cool under pressure. She does not panic when pressed and is willing to take risks in possession, backing herself to play the difficult forward pass when she sees it. She organises teammates, pointing and directing, which suggests spatial awareness beyond her own position and early leadership instincts for a player of her age. There are occasional moments of visible frustration when things do not go her way. This reads as competitiveness rather than a temperament concern at this stage, but is worth monitoring in a higher-pressure environment.

Role Projection: Two roles suit her current profile at WSL 2 level. The double pivot is the most natural fit. Her defensive intelligence and lane-closing operate most effectively when defensive responsibility is shared, and her in-possession qualities add genuine value without requiring her to be the primary creative outlet. As a midfield orchestrator in a 4–2–3–1, her passing range and carrying ability become more prominent. The demand on her decision-making tempo increases, which is the primary developmental challenge, but the technical foundation is there to grow into the role.

Verdict: Layla Banaras is a technically composed central midfielder with genuine defensive intelligence and a clear ability to progress play from deep. At 20, she has the foundation to contribute at WSL 2 level in a squad capacity, most naturally in a double pivot where her strengths are maximised and her physical limitations managed. Her line-breaking pass, body orientation, and composure on the ball are qualities that can travel.

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Scout Report

A full PDF version of the report, including all data visualisations, is available to download via the link at the end of this piece.

Overview

Ethan Erhahon is a dynamic and physically imposing defensive midfielder who operates primarily as a six/eight hybrid in Bolton Wanderers’ 4–2–3–1 system.

Attacking Phase

Erhahon is a technically accomplished midfielder whose first touch is an asset. He consistently controls the ball cleanly under pressure and at difficult angles, often using subtle body feints and small adjustments of his first touch to immediately create space to operate in. He plays with his head up, scanning the pitch regularly before he receives the ball and using that information to execute decisions quickly.

He moves into pockets between lines to receive in optimal positions, and his ability to deliver line-breaking passes from these zones is a key feature of his game. He identifies the right moment to play the pass behind the opposition’s midfield, inviting attacking runners and regularly bypassing the press with a single delivery.

He is comfortable using his weaker foot when the situation demands it, which makes him harder to press and gives him additional passing angles in tight spaces. He will also make late, bursting runs into the penalty area. When carrying the ball forward, he is naturally drawn to the left half-space, where he uses the outside of his boot to manipulate the ball and produce rapid changes of direction. His long passing can be overhit at times, leading to turnovers in positions where retaining possession would have been the better decision. The decision-making around when to play the long pass, rather than the execution itself, is the primary issue here.

Defensive Phase

Defensively, Erhahon is a highly intelligent and energetic presence. He reads opposition build-up patterns well and is one of the more technically accomplished pressers in the division at this level. He times his presses effectively, often exploiting moments when the opponent’s deepest midfielder receives the ball under pressure. He works in tandem with the forwards to manipulate opposition shape, forcing them wide with coordinated pressing movements and using his speed to seal off central lanes, channelling opponents into Bolton’s defensive traps. In ground duels, he is physically imposing and intelligent in his use of body position, regularly getting between the opponent and the ball to recover possession. His reading of the game allows him to anticipate second-ball situations and reach them ahead of opponents, and he marks his direct opponent tightly, rarely allowing them to turn and progress.

Despite having the speed and physical power to compete aerially, he shows a notable reluctance to challenge for the ball in the air, which becomes a problem against direct play and set pieces. There is also an element of over-eagerness in his pressing, opponents with good touch have been able to take advantage, stepping around his momentum to play out of the press.

Transitions

His recovery runs are efficient and his acceleration means he can cover ground rapidly to get behind the ball. However, he can occasionally lose focus when tracking opposition runners, allowing opponents to get ahead of him in moments where he ought to be tighter. He is also occasionally too eager to dive into a recovery tackle high up the pitch, giving away fouls or allowing opponents to play around him rather than applying more patient pressure.

When Bolton recover possession in their own half, Erhahon makes himself available quickly and with purpose. If he receives, he immediately lifts his head to play forward, typically looking for a line-breaking pass to release a runner in behind.

Physical Profile

At 176 cm, Erhahon is not the tallest midfielder in the division, but his physical presence in central areas belies his height. He carries a meso-endomorphic build that allows him to generate real power through contact while remaining mobile and agile across the pitch. His acceleration is one of his most notable physical attributes. He can produce rapid bursts of speed that allow him to close down opponents quickly in the press, and he sustains a reasonable tempo over longer distances, making him effective in both defensive and attacking transitions.

His leg length deserves particular mention. It gives him an unusual ground coverage and allows him to execute tackles and interceptions that most midfielders of his stature simply cannot reach. This physical characteristic is especially evident during defensive transitions, where he regularly recovers situations that appear lost. He is also agile enough to change direction at speed, which helps him protect the ball when under pressure and turn away from opponents when carrying.

Psychological Profile

Erhahon’s leadership qualities were evident throughout all four matches. He communicates constantly, directing teammates with his arms, offering encouragement after mistakes, and visibly pointing to where passes should have been played. He is the type of player who holds the group together positionally and emotionally, and his standards on the pitch are high. Notably, he refuses to allow teammates to waste time on the floor. He picks them up and drives the game forward, which speaks to a mentality focused on performance rather than game management.

He is composed on the ball for the most part, rarely looking hurried or unsettled regardless of the pressure around him. He exudes confidence when playing well, and that assurance spreads through the team. The only caveat to this psychological profile is that his emotions can boil over in moments of physical confrontation. After tackles he perceives as particularly harsh, Erhahon has shown a tendency to engage with opponents in a way that could attract disciplinary attention at a higher level. It is worth monitoring, though it does not appear to be a consistent or deep-seated problem.

Conclusion

Ethan Erhahon is a player with a genuine and compelling profile. He combines athleticism, technical quality and football intelligence in a way that is relatively uncommon at League One level, and his ceiling as a player remains high. The areas for development identified, namely aerial reluctance, occasional over-eagerness in the press and long-passing consistency, are all coachable and do not represent fundamental flaws in his game.

He offers versatility beyond his primary position, with the technical profile to operate as an eight or in a hybrid role, and the attributes to function effectively in both a single and double pivot depending on the team’s needs.

Recommendation: Erhahon is playing at a good level for his current ability. He is capable of contributing to a lower half Championship side in the future.

Scout report — PDF

Mohamed Hafid is a 21-year-old winger currently playing for Stade Malherbe Caen in the Championnat National (the French third tier). Having made his professional debut in 2023, Hafid has established himself as a key player in the Caen side, notching up over 40 appearances for the Normandy club.

Current manager Gäel Clichy took over as head coach in December 2025, and since his appointment, Hafid has developed into one of the most dangerous wide players in the league. In this scout report, we will analyse the Moroccan U20’s performances for Caen and his role in Clichy’s tactical setup.

Bio

Name: Mohamed Hafid

Age: 21

Club: SM Caen

Nationality: Morocco/France

Position: Right Winger

Height: 183 cm

Preferred Foot: Left

Data Analysis

To begin, let’s take a look at Hafid’s statistical output, this will allow us to build an overall picture of him as a player. The data visual above shows us that he profiles as a wide creator.

This is supported by the data as the Caen player is in the 99th percentile for expected assists. Interestingly he is in the 75th percentile for actual assists suggesting his teammates may not be finishing the chances he creates or his final pass may not always be optimal for them to score.

His goal output tells us that his game is mostly played out wide, whilst he is in the 59th percentile for box touches, going on his shots, xG and goals per 90 rankings, we can see he is not often in the positions to find the back of the net.

The numbers show a player who is confident in his carrying abilities, can create goalscoring opportunities but doesn’t contribute goals himself. This, of course, will be influenced by team tactics and manager instructions but it is an area where the young winger could improve in the future.

Physical Profile

At 183cm, Hafid’s slim frame is central to his effectiveness as a ball carrier. His speed and agilty makes him difficult to dispossess in ground duels, and his acceleration over short distances allows him to create separation before defenders can set their feet. That explosiveness is particularly effective in tight spaces, allowing him to shift the ball quickly and drive past opponents before they can recover their defensive shape.

Hafid demonstrates considerable upper-body strength for a player of his stature, using his frame intelligently to shield the ball and hold off challenges rather than relying purely on pace to escape pressure. This physicality in duels is complemented by sharp changes of direction at speed, making him a difficult proposition for defenders who commit too early.

His slim build makes him vulnerable when facing bigger, more physical defenders, particularly in aerial situations or when opponents use their physicality to force him off the ball. However, his ability to anticipate and avoid those confrontations suggests a maturity beyond his 21 years.

Attacking phase

Gaël Clichy has shown flexibility in how he has utilised Hafid this season, deploying him across multiple roles and systems as he has sought to find the best version of his side. Early in the campaign, Hafid was used as a wing-back in a 5–3–2, a role that demanded greater defensive responsibility and disciplined positioning rather than the absolute freedom to express himself in attacking areas. More recently, Clichy has transitioned to a 4–2–3–1, repositioning Hafid as a more conventional winger and occasionally as the number ten.

He primarily operates on the right wing, occasionally on the left, and his tactical instruction is to stay wide, almost hugging the touchline to stretch the defensive line and create space for teammates in central areas.

Being left-footed on the right means his natural inclination is to cut inside onto his stronger foot, yet Hafid largely resists this, staying wide to deliver crosses and maintain Caen’s attacking width. We can see here that he stays wide, either to receive the ball in space or to draw the opponent to him, creating more space for teammates.

When he receives the ball, Hafid’s natural instinct is to be positive; he wants to face up to defenders and take them on. The numbers also confirm this as Hafid averages 4.34 progressive runs per 90, comfortably the highest figure among all Championnat National forwards with 900 or more minutes, against a divisional average of 1.64.

He also attempts 5.15 dribbles per 90, nearly double the league average of 2.68, and completes them at a 56.6% success rate. In short, he is carrying the ball forward more frequently and more successfully than any of his positional peers at this level.

We can see here that the 21-year-old drives down the flank, beats his opponent with speed, and gets himself into a crossing position. His output is impressive. Hafid delivers 4.00 crosses per 90 (against a league average of 1.42), with 33.9% accuracy.

Crucially, his deliveries into the box are not aimless, he consistently keeps his head up and actively looks for a teammate. His xA of 0.26 per 90 is similarly above the divisional average. Hafidis is creating genuine goal-scoring opportunities.

When he does check inside, it tends to be deliberate, a way of creating space for an overlapping fullback rather than a selfish drive towards goal, which speaks to his footballing intelligence and understanding of his role within the system. Here, we can see him carry the ball inside, creating space for the right back down the flank.

Additionally, his movement off the ball is an underappreciated part of his game. Rather than waiting for the ball to come to him, he will frequently drop short to receive, dragging his marker out of position and creating space in behind for runners.

He is also comfortable receiving in tight areas, showing the technical composure to control and turn under pressure, and linking up play intelligently. Here, he receives the ball from his teammate, turns away from pressure and plays an excellent pass into the penalty area.

There are times when he will opt for the safe ball even when a more ambitious option is available, which is something he could work on, but for the most part, Hafid shows excellent vision in and around the penalty area.

Similarly, despite making intelligent runs into the box, he rarely pulls the trigger himself. He averages just 0.95 shots per 90 against a divisional average of 1.91, and his xG of 0.04 per 90 is the lowest among qualifying forwards in the division. At 21 and in only his third professional season, adding a goal threat to his creative output is the clearest pathway to the next level.

Defensive phase

Hafid’s defensive contribution is more substantive than his attacking profile might suggest. He tracks back diligently when Caen are out of possession, tracking back into the defensive shape and helping maintain the defensive structure, rather than switching off once his team loses the ball.

Here, Caen are out of possession. Hafid is disciplined in his defensive shape, sitting into the structure rather than pressing indiscriminately. However, he is not passive, he uses his speed to close down quickly when the opportunity presents itself, getting tight to his opponent and forcing him backwards. That pressure on the ball allows Caen’s defensive line to push higher and compress the space, turning an individual action into a collective one.

His most striking defensive attribute is his ability to read the game. Particularly when the Caen press is bypassed, he sees the danger and recovers to make vital interceptions. The young winger averages 4.90 PAdj interceptions per 90, much higher than the league average of 2.40.

Here, we can see him anticipate the pass and begin his run before the opponent has even played it. This allows the Moroccan U20 to adjust his body position and calmly head the ball back to his teammate, halting the opposition attack.

In ground duels, he certainly holds his own, winning 66% of his defensive duels. As noted in his physical profile, he uses his body intelligently to get between opponent and ball rather than relying on pace or strength alone. He can, however, be beaten by quick feet in tight spaces. If the opposition has a player who can match his technical sharpness and shift direction, they will give him problems, and this is perhaps the most exploitable aspect of his defensive game.

Aerially, he struggles. He contests just 1.90 aerial duels per 90 (well below the divisional average of 4.33 ), suggesting he avoids these situations where possible, and when forced into them, he wins only 17.9% against a league average of 31.5%. Teams that look to bypass him with long diagonal balls into his channel will find a weakness to exploit.

Transitions

When Caen lose possession, Hafid’s response is immediate. Rather than accepting the loss of the ball, he presses high and looks to recover it quickly, using his speed and work rate to close down before the opposition can play the ball forward, as shown above.

He isn’t pressing blindly here; he’s reading where the ball is going to be rather than where it is. He anticipates the pass and intercepts rather than chasing.

In the offensive transition, Hafid loves to drive the team forward himself. We can see here that Hafid has recovered possession himself, and his first thought is to carry the team up the pitch. He utilises his speed, mostly aiming to get into wide areas where he can deliver a cross; it’s rare to see him carry the ball through the centre of the pitch.

When the opportunity presents itself, he will also make runs into the box without the ball, looking to arrive late and exploit the space created by Caen’s forward momentum, although he struggles to provide a goal threat in these situations.

Conclusion

Mohamed Hafid is one of the most compelling wide players in the Championnat National. At 21 and still in only his third professional season, he is already producing creative work that would be noteworthy at a higher level.

The development areas are clear. His decision-making in the final third, both in terms of killer passes and his own goal-scoring, needs to improve if he is to fulfil his potential at a higher level.

What is perhaps most encouraging is the profile beneath the numbers. He tracks back, presses intelligently, reads the game and understands his role within a team structure. Gaël Clichy’s decision to give him greater attacking freedom has been vindicated by the results, and consequently, he warrants serious attention from clubs at Ligue 2 level.

Her displays at club level earned her a call-up to Sweden’s Euro 2025 squad, where she made her debut as a second half substitute in the opening group game against Denmark.

Following a standout season in which she has recorded six goals and five assists in all competitions, the 19-year-old full-back is now heavily linked with a move to Arsenal. With the Gunners reportedly close to securing her signature, there is no better time to look at why Renée Slegers and her staff view Holmberg as one of the most exciting young prospects in women’s football.

This report looks at Holmberg’s 2025 campaign through data and video context, examining how her underlying metrics compare to other full-backs in the league, and what her current development might suggest about her long-term projection as a modern defender.

Biography:

• Name: Smilla Holmberg

• Date of birth: 11/10/2006 (19 Years Old)

• Nationality: Swedish

• Position: Right-back

• Preferred Foot: Right

• Current Club: Hammarby IF

• Previous Clubs: Hammarby IF (Youth), Älvsjö AIK FF.

Seasonal Stats Compared to Positional Peers:

Primarily deployed as a right-back in a 4–2–3–1 or 4–3–3 system, Holmberg is afforded significant attacking freedom. She profiles as a modern, attack-first full-back with a major impact in the final third. The pizza chart above shows us how she compares to positional peers (with over 900 mins played) in the Damallsvenskan.

It’s clear that her carrying and dribbling numbers are outstanding, placing her among the very best in the league for progressive runs (97th percentile). She advances play mainly through direct, aggressive carries rather than passing, and we can see that once in advanced areas she becomes an important creative outlet as her crossing, key passes and passes into the box all sit at elite levels. Combined with a high expected assists contribution and genuine goal threat, this suggests that when Hammarby are in possession, she functions almost like a wide playmaker or auxiliary winger.

Holmberg’s defensive volume is low, which likely reflects Hammarby’s dominance (they average 60.99% possession per game) rather than a flaw in her game. She isn’t asked to engage in many duels, but when she does, her win rate is excellent. Her main limitations lie in aerial duels and overall defensive volume rather than defensive ability, suggesting she could handle an increased workload in a more demanding defensive system.

Overall, the data presents Holmberg as a dynamic full-back whose strengths lie in progression, creation and final-third output. She possesses the kind of profile that flourishes in teams that push their full-backs high while providing defensive security behind them.

Defensive Actions and Positioning:

The pizza chart painted the picture of a low-volume but highly reliable defender. We need to examine Holmberg’s defensive actions a little further, to do that, we have to understand the type of defensive structure she fits into.

Hammarby press high. Very high. With a PPDA of 7.96, the Stockholm-based side look to recover possession almost immediately after losing it, and their talented right-back has become integral to this approach. She averages 5.63 recoveries per 90, with 44.1% coming in the opposition half. These numbers appear unremarkable until you understand her specific role within the press.

When Hammarby construct their pressing traps, Holmberg pushes even higher, effectively joining the front three on the right side while Stina Lennartsson (who has spent most of the season deployed as a right-winger) drops into the right-back position. It’s Holmberg’s athleticism and willingness to apply intense pressure that enables her team to sustain such an aggressive defensive line. The moment the defender receives possession in this sequence, she breaks from the structure to close down the ball carrier.

The pattern repeats here. In both instances, Holmberg doesn’t win the ball directly, but her pressure forces opponents into rushed decisions, either poor pass selection or aimless long balls. With teammates cutting off passing lanes around her, she funnels the opposition into mistakes that allow Hammarby to recover possession higher up the pitch.

This role-switching dynamic speaks to Holmberg’s tactical versatility and physical capacity. She actively looks to recover possession in the attacking third, then utilises her acceleration to recover her position when needed. It’s a demanding assignment that requires excellent conditioning and spatial awareness, but it maximises her athleticism while keeping opponents under constant pressure.

The intensity of her pressing work, combined with her ability to cover ground quickly, helps explain why her defensive duel numbers appear lower than expected when viewed in isolation.

Averaging 5.79 defensive duels per 90, she engages in fewer than most full-backs in the league, which reflects both Hammarby’s dominance of possession and her advanced positional role in the defensive structure.

Crucially though, when she does step into a duel, she typically wins them at an above average rate (71.85%). This places her among the best performers in the position cohort for duel success.

The combination of low involvement but high efficiency points to a defender who possesses strong timing, good body positioning and a level of composure that means she rarely needs to resort to reactive or last-ditch defending.

Her possession-adjusted metrics tell a similar story. Holmberg records very few sliding tackles and sits below average for interceptions (3.53 per 90), even when team possession is being accounted for.

This doesn’t indicate weakness in her game, it shows the 19-year-old is a player who defends primarily through sound defensive positioning rather than actively hunting for the ball.

Within the context of her lower defensive workload, Holmberg contributes defensively in a highly controlled, economical way which prioritises effectiveness. All things are consistent with a full-back operating in a dominant, possession-led system.

This moment is a solid illustration of Holmberg’s blend of anticipation and assertiveness. As soon as Hammarby lose the ball, she’s instantly alive to the danger, reacting quicker than both the ball carrier and the intended receiver. Her first steps are sharp and aggressive, closing the gap before the opposition have a chance to settle.

However, the decision-making that follows, in the action itself is much more measured. She tracks the run of the opponent, angles her body and quickly adjusts her feet, allowing her to move between opponent and ball at exactly the right moment.

It’s an intervention that carries inherent risk. If she mistimes the step, the attacker has a clear path into the final third, yet Holmberg commits with such speed and conviction that the outcome feels almost inevitable. She executes the interception cleanly, with the composure to immediately secure possession rather than simply disrupt the opposition play.

Of course, she is far from the complete package, there are aspects of her game that need work, one being her 1v1 defending. As she’s such an attack-minded full-back, there are moments where her defensive focus slips, particularly when she’s isolated against an opponent in wide areas.

In these situations she often gives too much space, doesn’t get her body positioning quite right, or arrives a fraction late - all of which make it easier for attackers to dictate the engagement rather than responding to her pressure.

In the above example, the opponent is able to shift direction and turn away from Holmberg far too easily, creating the separation needed to deliver a cross. This often comes down to small technical details such as the angle of her approach, the distance she allows before engaging, and the speed at which she adjusts her feet to match the attacker’s body shape.

Progressive Actions:

The modern full-back is often expected to contribute to attacks via progressive play. While many full-backs tend to lean heavily on progressive passing, Smilla Holmberg is one of the Damallsvenskan’s strongest progressive carriers.

Her progressive run output (4.93 per 90) is among the very best when compared to her positional peers. It’s this ability to drive into space that often unlocks Hammarby’s right side. She progresses the ball through directness, covering the ground quickly which forces opponents to commit and make defensive adjustments.

Holmberg’s progressiveness is something Hammarby look to tap into from the very first moments of a match. Just seconds into this game against Norrköping, she receives the ball on the right touchline and without hesitation, her first instinct is to drive forward. She uses sharp acceleration over the first few steps, which creates separation before defenders have a chance to adjust their body shape.

In this sequence, she carries the ball from well inside her own half into a threatening crossing position. She has the dynamism to turn what appears to be a routine pass reception into a genuine attacking action. This is a clear example of how she transforms backline possession into forward progression with very little time or space.

Her ability to explode forward on reception is a key part of how Hammarby build their right-side dynamics. It stretches opponents early and forces wingers and midfielders to track back, even with two or three players around her, Holmberg’s forward momentum often looks unstoppable. Despite her age, she sets the tone for the kind of aggressive, front-foot football her team wants to play.

Given her propensity for picking the ball up and driving forward, it’s no real surprise that the Arsenal target ranks above average for dribbles per 90 (5.87) and success percentage (64.96).

She attempts more dribbles than most players in her position, while maintaining a strong success rate. This demonstrates the confidence she possesses and her willingness to take responsibility in wide 1v1s. She really drives attacks, actively carrying her team up the pitch into dangerous areas.

Her passing into advanced zones is more conservative than standout, as shown in this scatter plot. She sits below the league average for passes into the final third, largely because Holmberg does so much of her progression with the ball at her feet. By the time she releases a pass, she’s often already carried herself into the final third, meaning those actions don’t show up as long forward distributions.

Plus, her 3.64 passes into the penalty area per 90 place her above the positional average. This tells us that when she does play forward, she looks for high-value passes, rather than just recycling possession.

This is an example of her ability to pick out passes into the box when the opportunity presents itself. Holmberg drifts inside to receive, realising she’s in space, she threads a well-weighted ball into the path of a teammate breaking in behind the defensive line.

It’s a simple action that, on this occasion, comes to nothing, but she demonstrates the ability to play line-breaking passes. While this isn’t the primary pillar of her game, it’s an aspect that could become an increasingly valuable part of her attacking profile with development.

Chance Creation:

Holmberg’s creative output stands out clearly when placed against other full-backs in the league. Her raw assist output (0.09 per 90) underplays her creative impact. Looking closer, we can see that her expected assists are well above league average (0.34 per 90), showing that she consistently generates danger even if the final touch isn’t always applied by a teammate.

Her key passing reinforces the idea that she is a creative force within the Hammarby ranks. She ranks among the strongest in the league for key passes per 90 (0.99), showing that her deliveries and final-third actions regularly produce genuine shooting opportunities.

What really elevates her as a creator is the sheer volume of crosses she attempts. At 6.81 per 90, she’s operating at a scale that very few full-backs in the league come close to matching. The 27% accuracy might look underwhelming at first glance, but context matters. High-volume crossers almost always post lower accuracy rates simply because they attempt riskier, more ambitious deliveries rather than waiting for the perfect angle.

Additionally, her underlying numbers tell us these crosses still carry real value. Her xA output shows that a sizeable portion of those deliveries become genuine chances, even if the finish isn’t always applied. Holmberg’s crossing is about creating threat and as a result, she is consistently putting teammates into scoring positions.

Here, she receives the ball and immediately squares up her opponent for a 1v1. A quick drop of the shoulder is enough to unbalance the defender, creating just the right amount of separation she needs to deliver a cross.

The young right-back then cuts the ball back into a good area for her teammate in the box (this is the kind of chance creating action her underlying numbers point toward) but the finish lets the move down. The chance doesn’t register on the scoresheet, but the sequence captures exactly how she is able to regularly manufacture opportunities.

Goal Threat:

Holmberg’s goal threat is notable for a full-back. Sitting above the positional average for both goals per 90 (0.26) and expected goals per 90 (0.16), shows she consistently arrives in areas where chances can materialise which has resulted in her netting six goals this season.

The key point is that her threat comes as an extension of her ball-carrying and advanced positioning, rather than from taking speculative efforts. She gets into the box, connects with cutbacks and times her movements well when Hammarby are on the attack.

In this instance, Holmberg shows the value of her timing and awareness inside the box. As Hammarby work the ball wide, she drifts into a central area before accelerating into the box at exactly the right moment. The cutback is initially aimed for a teammate, who can’t quite make clean contact, but the right-back is already alive to the possibility of the ball breaking loose. She attacks the space, adjusts her feet quickly, and is perfectly placed to finish the chance.

It’s a small movement, but it shows the instincts behind her goal output. She has sharp reactions, smart positioning, and actively wants to arrive in advanced areas rather than lingering on the edge of the play.

Here, she makes an excellent off-the-ball run down the inside-right channel, timing it perfectly to arrive in the penalty area just as the cross is delivered. It’s a subtle movement but one that shows real intelligence - she travels on the blindside angle of the defenders and arrives unmarked in the opposition box. Thanks to the quality of her movement, she’s set to hit the ball in stride and is able to drive a powerful finish into the far corner.

This is another example of how her attacking contribution isn’t limited to carrying or crossing, she also offers a threat through well-judged, incisive runs that can add an extra layer to any team’s right-sided play.

How does Smilla Holmberg compare to Emily Fox?

Since the Gunners look primed to secure the signature of the talented Swede, a direct comparison with Emily Fox provides valuable context for Arsenal fans on their potential signing. It’s important to note that while we can see who performs better in each metric, we have to consider the context of the league and for the purposes of this analysis, since we have a full season of Holmberg’s data, we will use 2024/25 data for Fox.

The defensive metrics show that Fox’s game is built on active, front-foot defending. She is a defender who steps in aggressively, reads danger early, and engages frequently. These are all qualities you’d expect from a player used to operating in high-tempo, transition-heavy environments.

Holmberg, by contrast, executes fewer defensive actions. This could simply be because Hammarby do less defending than Arsenal. What is notable though, is her duel success rate - she is only a shade below Fox’s despite her relative inexperience. This points to good timing and composure, which are excellent qualities for a young defender to possess.

Aerially, Fox is clearly the stronger. Holmberg’s numbers here are low, and this is one of the more obvious developmental areas in her game. Moving to a higher-intensity league would almost certainly increase her exposure in these moments.

When placed alongside Emily Fox, Holmberg’s ball-progression profile stands out for very different reasons. Fox’s progression comes overwhelmingly through her passing range and volume. The data shows she plays far more progressive passes, operating more as a connective distributor. Holmberg sits on the opposite end of the stylistic spectrum. Her numbers paint the picture of a player who progresses primarily through movement rather than distribution.

The contrast is particularly interesting in their passes to the penalty area. Holmberg actually edges Fox here despite attempting fewer progressive passes overall. It reinforces her tendency to deliver final-third actions after carrying the ball into advanced areas, whereas Fox reaches those zones through her passing.

Holmberg’s mix of direct running and desire to take on her opponent in 1v1s makes her a clear outlier among young full-backs, and a markedly different stylistic option to the more established international.

The attacking comparison highlights the most striking stylistic divide between the two full-backs. Holmberg operates with a level of final-third output that Fox simply doesn’t look to replicate. Although we have to consider the context of the league and team styles when thinking about this.

The Swede frequently attacks the box, arrives late into dangerous spaces, and carries a scoring threat from wide areas. For a 19-year-old defender, this high level of penalty-area presence is unusual and speaks to her confidence, and to a system that encourages her to play high and aggressively.

Her creative metrics tell a similar story. Holmberg’s expected assists are well above Fox’s, and this reflects just how frequently she reaches crossing or cutback zones and the quality of the chances she generates for teammates. Fox, by contrast, offers more efficiency. She hits far fewer crosses but delivers them with better accuracy, showing a more controlled, possession-oriented interpretation of the role.

In terms of her attacking-style, Holmberg brings incision, a little chaos, and tangible end product. For a team seeking a high-upside, aggressive attacking full-back, her profile is the more expansive and explosive one.

Tactical Fit at Arsenal:

What Arsenal’s System Demands:

Under Renée Slegers, Arsenal predominantly operate in a 4–2–3–1 system, with occasional use of 4–3–3 and 4–3–2–1 variations. Key to Slegers’ tactical identity is ball retention (Arsenal average 60.91% possession), high-tempo and spending long stretches of matches in the opposition half, pinning their opponents back.

Key responsibilities of an Arsenal full-back:

• Push high consistently: Arsenal’s average positioning maps show the full-backs regularly operating in advanced areas.

• Deliver quality crosses: The Gunners attempt a significant number of crosses, with their full-backs generating chances through cutbacks and deliveries.

• Provide width in possession: With central attacking midfielders and a striker occupying central zones, Arsenal’s full-backs stretch play and drag opponents into wide areas.

• Offer cover in transition: When possession is lost, they must recover quickly to limit the opponent’s ability to counterattack.

Holmberg’s profile slots naturally into many of these attacking demands. Her crossing volume would immediately add variety to an Arsenal team that still leans heavily on central combinations for chance creation. The Swede offers a more direct, high-frequency crossing threat than the current group of players, plus, her tendency to arrive in the box at the right moments fits with Arsenal’s emphasis on attacking with numbers.

Defensively, the questions are more about volume than competence. Holmberg engages less often than Emily Fox and records fewer possession-adjusted defensive actions, which is a natural by-product of Hammarby’s dominance of the ball. Arsenal operate in a similar possession-dominant framework, meaning she wouldn’t be asked to defend at an overwhelming rate, but it is important to consider that the WSL poses a sharper, faster transition threat than Damallsvenskan. Her duel success rate suggests she can cope when asked to step in, what remains untested is how she would cope with repeated defensive exposure against higher-calibre opponents.

Fox’s current role provides the necessary contrast to Holmberg. She is secure, composed with her progressive passing and rarely disrupted by pressure. Meanwhile, the 19-year-old brings a different type of progression altogether. Her progressive runs and dribbling would instantly make her the most dynamic ball-carrying defender in the squad. Fox has attempted just 10 dribbles across 648 league minutes so far this season, meaning the Hammarby full-back can bring the 1v1 threat and directness the American international does not.

This wouldn’t be a simple ‘one replaces the other’ for Arsenal. In reality, Smilla Holmberg would offer a different stylistic option at right-back. Against low blocks, her direct running, crossing volume and willingness to attack space inside the box could unlock games that currently require central overloads. In more chaotic or transition-heavy matches, Fox’s composure on the ball and defensive reliability would most likely remain the safer choice.

Given her age, Holmberg would almost certainly need an adaptation period, probably a rotation role at first, adjusting to the league and the speed of defensive transitions. The long-term picture is hard to ignore though. She has a ceiling that with time, will allow her to grow into Arsenal’s first-choice right-back.

Conclusion:

Smilla Holmberg is a dynamic full-back whose game is defined by forward momentum, attacking instinct and final-third impact. Her style of play is built on explosiveness. She thrives when carrying the ball through pressure, breaking lines on her own terms, and consistently arrives in dangerous zones where she can create or finish chances.

Compared against a more established international like Emily Fox, the contrast highlights stylistic differences and shows why the European champions are reportedly vying for her signature. For Arsenal, Holmberg represents a high-ceiling, development signing rather than a ready-made starter. She’d provide them with an alternative profile at right-back and would likely thrive in Slegers’ possession-dominant system.

In short, Smilla Holmberg is not the finished product - far from it, but with the right environment and development, she has the ability to evolve from an exciting young full-back into a player with the capacity to influence games in decisive moments.

Ellie Carpenter has established herself as one of the standout full-backs in women’s football, she is known for blnending defensive solidity with dynamic attacking prowess. As a result of her impressive performances for Lyon and the Australian national team, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor decided to reunite with her former player, bringing the 25 year old to English football.

The Cowra native made burst onto the scene, making her debut for Western Sydney Wanderers in 2015, aged just 15. Remarkably, Carpenter also earned her first senior cap for the Australian national team before turning 16. She continued breaking records internationally, notably becoming Australia’s youngest Olympian at the Rio 2016 Games.

She then transitioned seamlessly to the NWSL in 2018 after signing with Portland Thorns, where she further established herself by becoming the youngest player and goalscorer in the league’s history. Her rapid rise attracted the attention of European giants Olympique Lyonnais, who secured her signature in 2020, affirming her status as one of the most promising talents in women’s football.

At just 25, her extensive international experience, highlighted by some impressive performances at major tournaments such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup and in the UEFA Women’s Champions League (which she has won twice), shows why Bompastor opted to bring Carpenter to the reigning WSL Champions as they chase their elusive first European title.

This scout report will delve into Carpenter’s playing style, tactical contributions and assess the impact she could potentially have within a Chelsea side that went unbeaten last season.

Biography:

Name: Ellie Carpenter

Age: 25

Club: Chelsea

Nationality: Australian

Position: Right Back

Foot: Right

Height: 164 cm

Statistical Profile and Role at Lyon in 2024/25:

Carpenter’s statistical profile reflects her influential role within Lyon’s 2024/25 campaign. Given OL’s domestic dominance, they are typically superior in possession and attacking control. This is reflected in Carpenter’s standout metrics, such as ball progression (96th percentile in progressive passes and 92nd percentile in carries ) highlighting how integral she has been to her team’s ability to maintain sustained offensive pressure. Similarly, her impressive creative numbers, notably in expected assists (91st percentile) and shot-creating actions (89th percentile), underline her capability to contribute meaningfully to the attacking phase.

Conversely, Carpenter’s relatively modest defensive statistics such as tackles won (10th percentile) and interceptions (13th percentile) are less reflective of defensive shortcomings and more indicative of OL’s overwhelming dominance, which naturally limits the defensive engagements for their fullbacks. Her exceptional rate of ball recoveries (95th percentile) illustrates that when called upon, Carpenter remains efficient at regaining possession swiftly to launch fresh attacking phases. Ultimately, her statistical profile aligns with the demands of a team whose tactics prioritise attacking fluidity, positional dominance, and progressive build-up play.

Last season, Lyon typically lined up in a 4–2–3–1 or 4–3–3 system with Carpenter at Right Back. Her heatmap clearly illustrates her role as an extremely attack-minded and dynamic full-back. The intense activity down the entire right flank highlights her responsibility for providing width and depth in OL’s attacking patterns, allowing her to regularly advance deep into the final third. The strong presence beyond the halfway line demonstrates Carpenter’s proactive positioning, frequently involving herself in OL’s build-up play and providing overlapping runs to support attacking teammates.

Defensively, the heatmap indicates that Carpenter is rarely pinned back deeply into defensive positions, reflective of Lyon’s typical dominance in possession and territory, reducing the frequency of sustained defensive pressure. Instead, her defensive engagements seem concentrated around midfield areas, suggesting a role focused more on quickly winning back possession and initiating transitions rather than deep defensive interventions. The heatmap demonstrates Carpenter’s suitability for an elite possession-oriented team, showcasing how her athleticism and relentless energy can significantly enhance attacking and transitional play.

In Game Analysis

Ball Progression:

The modern full-back typically plays a crucial role beyond traditional defensive responsibilities. We have seen how full-bakc’s have become integral to a team’s ability to progress the ball effectively and dominate matches. With teams increasingly emphasising possession-based football and fluid attacking play, full-backs must reliably advance the ball into midfield and attacking zones, whether through incisive passing or carries forward.

Here, Carpenter receives the ball in Olympique Lyonnais’ defensive third. She anticipates the pressure from the opponents and sees the open space and opportunity to execute a quick transition play, she plays a lofted pass, bypassing multiple PSG players in the process. This pass not only relieves defensive pressure but also immediately gives OL the opportunity to progress up the pitch and create an attacking scenario, exploiting PSG’s lack of defensive structure.

As we saw with her heat map, Carpenter is willing to step into central areas to receive the ball as we can see here. When OL’s midfielders find themselves drawn out of position, it is often Carpenter who steps in to cover the space. Whether she will do this as frequently at Chelsea remains to be seen, especially as they have Keira Walsh at the base of their midfield.

Additionally, here we can see Carpenter cutting in onto her left foot and looking to play a through pass into the opposition penalty area. She is confident on the ball and shows the ability to turn away from her opponent with relative ease.

In this clip against PSG, Carpenter illustrates her athleticism and attacking initiative in 1v1 situations. She aggressively drives forward from with the ball, demonstrating impressive acceleration and close control, running beyond the PSG defender, into the penalty area. This shows her effectiveness in rapidly transitioning defence into attack by carrying the ball forward herself. Her willingness to run at opponents can be difficult to deal with, especially if she has space ahead.

The accompanying data further confirms the Australian’s regular involvement in progressing the ball forward. Her 2.59 progressive runs per 90 show her willingness and capability to carry the ball forward, often covering substantial distances to push into advantageous attacking positions. Moreover, her 10.27 progressive passes per 90 showcase how important she has been for OL in build-up play.

The dribble map also emphasises her proficiency on the ball, with numerous successful dribbles in advanced areas, frequently resulting in shots or goal-scoring opportunities, and even directly contributing to goals.

This clearly underlines Carpenter’s invaluable ability to individually advance the ball and generate direct attacking opportunities. These are the attacking qualities that made her integral to Lyon and something Chelsea will undoubtedly look to utilise.

Combinations & Creating:

A full-back’s ability to combine down the flanks and deliver effective crosses is considered to be crucial due to their strategic role in unlocking organised defensive structures. Combining effectively via quick exchanges or overlapping runs allows the team to create numerical overloads and positional advantages in wide areas, destabilising the opposition’s defensive shape.

Here we can see a demonstration of Carpenter’s overlapping runs down the right which allow OL to break through the opposition’s defensive line. Plus, we can see how she combines with her teammates. The left back is drawn out to Carpenter who then see’s the space to play Diani in with a well weighted pass.

Furthermore, the 25 year old averaged 3.12 crosses per 90 in the 24/25 campaign, with a 43.24% accuracy rating. Carpenter generally gets herself into excellent crossing positions, whether it be finding a pocket of space in the wide area or crossing from deep.

Her ability to adapt her crossing technique according to the situation, she varies deliveries into the box between crosses from deep and precise, lofted passes from advanced positions. This can make her a little unpredictable and difficult for defenders to anticipate and also means they can’t afford to give her too much space to put crosses in. The solid combination of spatial awareness, timing, and technical quality means that Carpenter can be a reliable attacking threat from wide positions thanks to her off the ball movement and deliveries into the box.

Goal scoring:

Although not a regular goalscorer, Carpenter did chip in with a few goals for Lyon due to her constant forward runs and intelligent positioning. As we can see here, she latches on to the knockdown from her teammate and remains composed when through 1v1 with the goalkeeper.

1v1 Defending:

Defensively, full-back’s need to be competent in 1v1 situations as they often face direct opponents who will run at them with the ball as they aim to exploit wide areas. Strong 1v1 defending helps neutralise these threats, prevents crosses, and helps to maintain the team’s defensive structure. An inability to defend individually can lead to vulnerabilities that opponents can consistently exploit.

For the most part Carpenter is a solid 1v1 defender. She utilises her agility and speed to change direction quickly and retains an optimal body position to close down angles.

Here, she tracks her opponent, maintains excellent distance and body positioning which allows her to successfully block the attempted cross.

In this instance, Carpenter uses her positioning and reading of the play to comfortably recover possession in the defensive third.

However, if there is to be any criticism of Carpenter’s game it is that she can sometimes be a little too passive when defending in 1v1s. There are times when she only moves to engage the opponent once the ball is beyond her which then gives the opponent an advantage to bypass her.

In terms of defensive duels, Carpenter averaged 6.27 per 90 last season, with a win percentage of 71.3%. She is very athletic and physically strong as well has possessing competent positional sense and a proactive defensive engagement, all of which allow her to battle with opponents and win most of her duels.

However, there are occasional duels lost deeper within her penalty area or around the edge of the box which have resulted in opponents generating goal-threatening situations, including at least one goal conceded. This suggests there is room for improvement in Carpenter’s defensive actions when under pressure in her own defensive third.

Interceptions & Ball recoveries:

The new Chelsea signing is not a player who frequently engages in ground duels, instead preferring to leverage her athleticism, anticipation, and intelligent positioning to regain possession. In this example, Carpenter effectively intercepts a pass from the PSG defender in Lyon’s attacking third, showcasing her strong ability to read the play proactively.

During the 2024/25 season, she recorded an average of 5 possession-adjusted interceptions per 90 minutes, this metric highlights her front-footed defensive approach. Given Chelsea’s style of high-intensity pressing and Carpenter’s previous experience under Sonia Bompastor, it is likely her proactive defensive mindset influenced the Blues’ decision to bring her to the club. The image above gives a further demonstration of how effective she can be when pressing/counterpressing high up the pitch.

In this instance we can see Carpenter’s athletic ability in full flow. She possesses an excellent burst of acceleration over short-mid distances allowing her to rapidly close down the PSG attacker and prevent the counterattack. Her pace and determination enable her to make up significant ground from neutralising the opponent’s attempt at a quick break down the flank.

Carpenter’s recovery showcases not only her raw speed but also her intelligence in timing her defensive intervention, showing why her physical qualities can be so valuable, particularly to teams who rely on their defenders’ ability to quickly regain defensive shape and disrupt counterattack’s effectively.

Moreover, this graphic shows the widespread distribution of her recoveries down the right flank and occasionally into central areas. From this we can understand that she consistently positions herself effectively to anticipate and disrupt opposition passes.

Conclusion

This scout report has examined Carpenter’s standout qualities, including her ball progression capabilities, creative contributions in advanced areas, and proactive defensive approach. Her game is characterised by relentless energy, exceptional pace, and tactical versatility, making her an asset in defence and during offensive transitions.

It will be interesting to follow her development over the coming season as the move to the WSL represents a step up in terms of overall competitiveness of the domestic league and she will likely be competing with Lucy Bronze the the right back position.

With Carpenter’s arrival, Chelsea gain a proven winner who possesses a multifaceted skill set and at 25, it’s highly likely she will only get better. This could prove to be a real coup for Chelsea and Bompastor in my personal opinon.

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All images and data from Wyscout.

Africa is becoming a much more utilised market in the world of football recruitment.  Clubs are actively scouting the continent to bring young African players into European football at an early age. 

For example, Abdoulaye Djire has been a sort-after talent for a while. The 18-year-old RC Abidjan midfielder caught the eye of many clubs, including Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe. 

Using Afriskaut we are able to identify and scout talented players across the continent of Africa who we believe will go on to have big futures in the game.  

In this scout report, we will showcase the talents of Nigerian midfielder, Oscar James Ozornwafor. The 15-year-old is currently playing for Rivers United U17 and has put in some impressive performances ensuring he is one of the players who stands out from the rest.

The Port Harcourt native won the NPFL Most Valuable Player at the Under 17 level in 2024 and then went on to make his professional debut for Rivers United in their league game against Gombe United. 

He is a player who is considered to have a very high ceiling in terms of his potential and in this report, we aim to demonstrate why you need to keep an eye out for the name Oscar James Ozornwafor in the future. 

Player profile

Name: Oscar James Ozornwafor

Age: 15 years

Club: Rivers United FC

Preferred Foot: Right

Position: Midfield

Secondary Position: Winger

Physical profile

Ozornwafor possesses a tall, slim, athletic frame which allows him to generate a significant amount of strength, especially in the ground duels. He utilises his upper body strength to block the runs of opponents whilst remaining on his feet in addition to winning the shoulder-to-shoulder duels. He is also capable of receiving the ball into feet and utilising this strength to ensure the opponent cannot get a foot to the ball. 

Ozornwafor generates a fair amount of power through his legs which allows him to leap above his opponent to win the aerial duels. He is able to generate such power from a standing jump which shows his noteworthy aerial abilities. 

Additionally, he has a wonderful burst of acceleration which he uses both with and without the ball at his feet. He can sustain this acceleration over short-mid distances meaning he can often move away from an opponent with the ball at his feet, progressing his team or he can quickly join the attack from deeper positions when his team are in transition. 

Plus, Ozornwafor is incredibly agile which allows him to change direction and turn at speed, increasing his ability to retain possession under pressure in the middle of the park. 

Line breaking passes

Upon watching Ozornwafor, we first notice his ability to play line-breaking passes in the middle of the park. Ozornwafor shows a high level of tactical and positional awareness, he ensures he is always in the most optimal position to receive, utilising the space available, especially when his team are looking to counter.

In this instance, we can see the young midfielder receive the ball from his goalkeeper as Rivers United U17 are looking to break quickly, to catch their opponents out of position. He is constantly scanning, whenever he receives the ball, Ozornwafor is assessing the play, identifying which is the most optimal passing option for him.

Here, he gets his head up and sees his teammate making a run in behind the defensive line so executes a wonderfully weighted pass which curves into his teammate’s path. 

On this occasion, the Rivers United midfielder receives the ball and notices his teammate has found a pocket of space to occupy. Ozornwafor plays a pass into his feet, allowing him to turn into space before the opposition has the opportunity to close him down. 

Line-breaking passes are essential because they penetrate defensive lines, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit. A midfielder, such as Ozornwafor, who can thread the ball between defenders or through midfield lines is an invaluable asset as he can break down tight defences and put teammates through into dangerous positions. These passes are crucial for transitioning from defence to attack, helping the team progress up the field efficiently.

Furthermore, Ozornwafor shows a wonderful passing range which really benefits his team in the attacking transition. Here, we can see how he likes to receive the ball in the middle of the park and spray it to the wings or half spaces, where the wingers and/or fullbacks fly forward to aid the attack. On this occasion, he finds a forward who has dropped back to receive the ball. 

On the whole, the Rivers United midfielder is capable of playing an integral role for his team in build-up play. His passing range, ability to break lines and vision in the attacking phase are all wonderful elements of his game. 

Tough tackling

Ozornwafor is a midfielder who enjoys a tackle, although it has to be said, he is very intelligent regarding his timing and positioning. He utilises his strength to get to the ball whilst staying on his feet, allowing him to block the opponent’s movement, increasing the likelihood of Ozornwafor recovering possession. 

In this instance, we can see Ozornwafor using his positioning and physical frame to put a tackle in. He uses his body orientation to block the run which enables him to recover possession without going to ground and giving away a foul. 

His physical profile is a huge asset regarding his ability to recover possession. Whilst possessing quite a slim, lean frame, Ozornwafor is very strong which means he can put in plenty of blocks as well as demonstrate his ability to use his tactical intelligence to position himself well and make important interceptions. 

Moreover, the 15-year-old has a slightly lower centre of gravity which means he is incredibly difficult to not only knock off the ball but also for opponents to bypass in a duel. In the ground duels he demonstrates astute awareness of how to position himself so he is often able to get a foot to the ball, recovering possession for his team.

 Ability to drive forward

Further to the previous section, Ozornwafor has the confidence, ability and tenacity required of a midfielder to retain possession when under pressure. He possesses a sharp burst of acceleration which means he can create space between himself and his opponent when moving to receive. The 15-year-old also displays some agility to receive the ball, he can change direction whilst travelling at speed when he sees space ahead. 

Ozornwafor’s ability to drive forward is a key element of his game, here we can see him picking up the ball deep in his own half. With open space ahead, he has the potential to be very dangerous. The 15-year-old is a very confident ball carrier who is capable of using his speed to bypass opponents in addition to progressing the play through the thirds. 

Addtionally, Ozornwafor likes to use the outside of his right foot to carry the ball forward. This facilitates rapid changes of direction as it allows him to manipulate the ball much more effectively, giving him another advantage over his opponent. 

These ball manipulations allow him to twist and turn, whilst carrying the ball at speed, away from his opponent making it incredibly difficult for anyone on the opposing team to slow him down. 

Here, we can see the young midfielder pick the ball up in the middle of the park and force the opposition back with his direct running early on in the game. He carries the ball forward, using the outside of his foot, always with an optimal body orientation to facilitate a rapid change of direction should an opponent press him. 

Ozornwafor then releases a perfectly weighted through pass into the path of his teammate. This is something that we already know is a key part of his game as a progressive, forward-thinking midfielder. 

After releasing the ball, he does not stop, he continues his run into the box, further demonstrating his attack-minded style of play. This means that Ozornwafor can be on hand to receive the ball in the box, make himself available as a target for crosses or be on hand to tap in any rebounds. 

His on and off-the-ball movement provides his team with the ability to rapidly transition from defence to attack via a long ball forward or through a progressive run with the ball at his feet. 

Conclusion

In this scout report, we have highlighted why we think Oscar James Ozornwafor is a player to watch out for in the future. We have showcased how he impacts the game on a regular basis for Rivers United U17 whether it be via his wonderful line-breaking passes or his physical presence in the centre of the park, Ozornwafor is a force to be reckoned with on the pitch.

The youngster reportedly made his first-team debut for Rivers United FC recently which further demonstrates how highly regarded he is in footballing circles. At only 15 years old, he has plenty of time to develop and improve his game even further. Oscar James Ozornwafor is certainly a name you should watch out for in the future. 

Arsenal Women's start to the season has been far from impressive. The Gunners salvaged a draw against Manchester City on the opening day, followed by an uninspiring win away at Leicester. 

Things only got worse from there, culminating in the resignation of Jonas Eidevall. A goalless draw against Everton, a humiliating 5-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and a 2-1 loss at home to Chelsea in the WSL painted a bleak picture. The Chelsea result, in particular, is a crushing blow for Arsenal, potentially ending their title hopes before they even had a chance to get going.

The Gunners have struggled to find the back of the net this season, managing just six goals from an xG of 9.42 in their opening five games. This lack of finishing, coupled with a general absence of creativity in the final third, has raised serious doubts about Arsenal's ability to challenge for the title—especially given the quality of their attacking lineup. It’s fair to say that key players like Beth Mead, Alessia Russo, Stina Blackstenius, and Mariona Caldentey have yet to hit their stride this season. 

However, one player has yet to be given the chance to shine but could undoubtedly provide the creative spark Arsenal's attack desperately needs. That player, of course, is summer signing Rosa Kafaji. The 21-year-old has every reason to feel frustrated about her limited game time, especially considering the absence of Victoria Pelova, who has been sidelined with an ACL injury since June.

Eidevall’s departure could present a real opportunity for Kafaji. With the team lacking confidence, the Swede may be exactly what’s needed to turn Arsenal’s fortunes around, if given the chance. 

In this scout report, we will explore why Rosa Kafaji is regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in women’s football and why she could be the creative spark Arsenal desperately need this season.

Player profile:

Name: Rosa Kafaji

Age: 21 years old

Club: Arsenal

Former Clubs: BK Häcken, AIK 

Position: CAM

Secondary Position: LW, RW

Height: 169 cm

Foot: Both

Background info

Kafaji grew up in Stockholm and began playing football at the age of 8. In 2015, she joined the AIK youth system, where she made her professional debut four years later. During her time at AIK, Kafaji played a pivotal role in their promotion to the Damallsvenskan in 2020.

In 2022, she moved to BK Häcken, where she enjoyed two standout seasons, scoring 17 goals and playing a crucial role in their Champions League campaign, which saw the team reach the quarterfinals.

By the summer of 2024, Kafaji signed a long-term contract with Arsenal, with many believing she was brought in to fill the void left by Vivianne Miedema after her seven-season tenure at the club.

Creativity and off-the-ball movement

Kafaji has openly shared that Ronaldinho was her idol growing up, and she has aimed to model her game after his. His flair, creativity, and ability to bring joy to the game have clearly influenced her own style of play. 

The Swedish international has already shown some attacking flair in her few substitute appearances for Arsenal. She likes to use quick flicks and subtle passes to link up with teammates. 

In this instance, Kafaji executes a clever flicked pass to her teammate before quickly turning away from the pressing Manchester City player. She then makes a run into space, anticipating the return pass from her teammate.

Moreover, Kafaji’s agility is one of her standout traits, allowing her to make sharp, quick movements in tight spaces or evade defenders who are marking her closely. This ability to manoeuvre swiftly not only helps her create space for herself but also opens up opportunities for her teammates.

Kafaji's ability to carry the ball through the centre of the pitch was a key asset during her time at Häcken, especially in counterattacking situations. 

With Pelova's absence at Arsenal, her dynamic playstyle could fill a gap in their current midfield. Her sharp decision-making means she can break through the lines with pace and purpose, which is evident in the scenario depicted above.

Upon recovering possession, Kafaji's quick recognition of the space and immediate movement to exploit it shows her tactical awareness. By driving forward, she not only progresses play rapidly but also stretches the opposition’s defensive structure. 

What stands out is her timing; she doesn't dwell on the ball unnecessarily. Instead, she swiftly assesses her options, making the right pass at the right moment. 

In this case, her well-weighted pass into her teammate’s path ensures that Häcken can advance into the attacking third efficiently, continuing the momentum of the counterattack.

This combination of ball-carrying ability and decision-making is precisely what makes her so effective, and why she has the potential to be a very valuable asset for Arsenal, especially in transition phases.

In this example, Kafaji picks up the ball in the centre of the pitch and drives forward before threading a through pass to her teammate. 

When watching the 21-year-old Swede, her awareness is one of the first things that catches the eye. She’s constantly scanning the field, always aware of her teammates’ positioning as well as her opponents’.

She is always ready to make short, sharp, subtle movements to receive the ball. On this occasion, as soon as her teammate shapes to pass the ball to her, Kafji makes a quick movement away from her opponent, creating just enough space for her to control the ball on the half turn and then drive into space.

Her performances during the 2024 season at Häcken reinforce how influential she can be in a playmaker role. Averaging 4.15 progressive passes, 2.38 progressive runs, and 8.29 dribbles per 90 minutes, Kafaji’s stats clearly highlight her ability to push the play forward and create chances. This kind of playmaking ability is exactly what Arsenal could harness and utilise to great effect this season.

Shooting with either foot

Kafaji also provides a goal threat, she is very capable when executing shots from distance due to her ability to create space to get these shots off. 

Furthermore, the former AIK player has a wonderful ability to shoot with both feet, making her a lot less predictable to defenders. We can see in the scenario above, that Kafaji identifies a pocket of space outside the area and makes a run to receive the ball. She then hits a long shot (which flies into the top corner) with her left foot. 

When a player is stronger on one foot, defenders can often anticipate which direction they will go or which side they will shoot from. However, Kafaji has a higher level of versatility therefore she is more difficult to defend against, as she can confidently shift the ball to either foot and shoot without hesitation.

Additionally, this means that Kafaji doesn’t need to rely on setting the ball up on her stronger side, which can waste crucial time in tight situations. She has the ability to execute a quick strike under pressure, meaning she can take advantage of any angle or position in and around the box. 

This also results in a wider variety of finishing techniques. Whether it's hitting a powerful shot with her laces, placing a shot across goal, or taking a snapshot with her ‘weaker’ foot, she has a range of different techniques at her disposal. 

In the previous images, we saw Kafaji unleash a long-range shot with her left foot. Here, she makes one of her trademark runs in behind the opposition's defensive line, showing her excellent movement off the ball. 

Once through, she fires a powerful drive across the goalkeeper with her right foot, showcasing her confidence and ability to shoot with either foot. We can see her ability to capitalise on chances from various angles and positions, making her a constant threat in front of goal.

Throughout the games she played for BK Häcken during the 2024 season, Kafaji averaged 0.5 goals per 90 from an xG of 0.56 per 90. She also averaged 3.48 shot per 90 with 46.8% hitting the target. 

Kafaji clearly has the potential to be a goal threat for Arsenal. In their 4-2-3-1 system, she could be deployed as a second striker, offering support to the main forward and adding more firepower in the final third. 

Although she prefers to operate centrally, her versatility allows her to be used out wide as well. From there, she could cut inside to get into goalscoring positions, utilising her ability to shoot with both feet. This flexibility makes her a valuable attacking option, giving Arsenal more tactical variety and unpredictability in their forward play.

Tracking back

Kafaji is a willing runner and uses her athleticism to track opponents intelligently. Here, we can see Häcken in the defensive transition. The defensive line has fallen into a back four and the midfielders, including Kafaji, are moving into the defensive third. 

We can see that the opposition player in possession is going to play a pass out to her teammate, therefore attracting the Häcken defender out to close her down. Kafaji tracks the run of the opponent and is able to utilise her acceleration to ensure that the passing lane for the return pass is closed off, thwarting the attack. 

By doing this, Rosa Kafaji helps to prevent counterattacks by staying alert to opponents making these runs. She disrupts the opposition’s attacking moves early, often forcing them to slow down or change their approach, providing her defensive teammates crucial time to reorganise.

Her presence also eases the pressure on the backline. When she tracks back diligently, she can close down space before the runner even reaches the defence. This reduces the likelihood of defenders being pulled out of position, which is key to maintaining a solid defensive shape.

Furthermore, Kafaji’s propensity to find pockets of space is not limited to the attacking phase of play. She often recognises these tight spaces where the opposition is looking to play short, intricate passes and manages to get herself into an optimal position to make an interception.

In this instance, we can see here get in front of the opponent and make the interception, recovering possession for Häcken and allowing them to transition into attack. In the 2024 Damallsvenskan season, the new Arsenal recruit averaged 2.47 interceptions per 90 and 4.71 recoveries per 90.

Her willingness to work defensively speaks volumes about her dedication on the pitch. While she’s known for her attacking creativity and flair, Kafaji doesn’t shy away from the defensive responsibilities. She tracks back, competes in duels, recovers possession, and actively breaks down opposition plays, making her a well-rounded and invaluable asset. 

Conclusion

It’s been a tough start to the season for Arsenal. Their WSL title hopes already look like they might be slipping away, and a disappointing performance against Bayern in the Champions League raises serious questions about their ability to compete in Europe.

The lack of cutting-edge in the final third is a growing concern for fans, and it's an issue the next manager will need to address quickly. 

The solution though, might already be sitting on the bench in Rosa Kafaji.

Despite her limited game time so far, we know she has the potential to make a real difference. The young Swede is brimming with talent and offers something Arsenal have been missing—a player who can create chances out of nothing and inject some much-needed flair into the attack. She’s capable of turning games with her vision, technical skill, and ability to drive the team forward.

While it’s understandable that integrating new players takes time, Kafaji’s performances in Sweden and her versatility make a strong case for more minutes. If given the opportunity, she could be the spark Arsenal need to reignite their season and push for success on both domestic and European fronts.

The League of Ireland has been quietly developing some incredibly talented young players for a while now. We are talking about players such as Aidomo Emakhu who came through the Shamrock Rovers academy system before moving to EFL Championship club Millwall in January 2023. Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh and Romeo Akachukwu have moved from Cork City and Waterford to Southampton where they are both impressing in the Under 21s. 

Additionally, Sam Curtis was the subject of a transfer battle between Sheffield United and Hull City who were both vying for the young fullback's signature after he put in some excellent performances for St. Patrick's Athletic. The Irish youth international opted to sign for the Blades and has been sent on a development loan to Peterborough United where the staff are reportedly very pleased with their acquisition. 

The subject of this scout report sees us stay with St Patrick's Athletic to take a closer look at the player who is perhaps their biggest talent. In this piece, we will introduce you to 17-year-old sensation Mason Melia. The young forward burst onto the scene last season and has gone on to establish himself as a first-team regular at Richmond Park. 

Melia has been on the radar of big clubs since he stepped into the first team as a 15-year-old; Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool have all reportedly been keeping tabs on him over the last couple of years. With his performances going from strength to strength it is surely only a matter of time before one of these clubs comes calling, there is even the possibility that he could be the first million-pound player to depart the LOI.

In this report we will analyse the sought-after forward's style of play, looking at how he performs both in and out of possession and dissecting what he brings to the table for St. Pat's.  

Player Profile

Name: Mason Melia

Age: 17 years

Team: St. Patrick’s Athletic

Nationality: Irish

Position: CF

Secondary Position: CAM/LW/RW

Height: 180cm

Preferred Foot: Right

Physical Profile

Melia’s physical profile is impressive for his age. He stands at 180cm and is able to generate significant power through his legs. This means he accelerates well over short distances, allowing him to make runs in behind and beat his opponent in 1v1 situations. He is very agile meaning he can twist and turn away from opponents in addition to operating very well in tight spaces. 

Melia can battle well in duels but can sometimes lack the strength to outmuscle his opponent. He has won 32.2% of his duels during the 2024 season which is a fair amount and shows how well he is willing to battle for possession. Moreover, the young forward does well to compete in the aerial duels, even if he doesn’t win them, his leap is often high enough to put his opponent under pressure.

Formations and Positions

St. Pat’s have mostly lined up in a 4-2-3-1 system this season and Melia has predominantly found himself in his favoured centre forward position. Here, he is expected to be the outlet in transitions but also look to hold the ball up and bring others into play.

Melia has also been deployed out wide which perhaps gives him the opportunity to cut inside from the left, onto his preferred right foot. This creates space for the fullback to overlap and the 17-year-old thrives when he has space to run into himself.

Data Analysis

If we dive into some of Mason Melia’s stats for the season, we can paint an overall picture of his style of play and how effective he is for St. Pat’s. We can see from the pizza chart that Melia is in the 61st percentile for goals per 90 compared to fellow centre forwards.

Having played over 2000 minutes this season, the 17-year-old has netted five goals so far which is not a bad return when you consider the club are managing his minutes carefully given his young age. 

His five goals have come from an overall xG of 4.44, indicating he is scoring as many goals as expected given the opportunities created. The Irish youth international averages 1.19 shots per 90 with 34.5% finding the target.

Melia has chipped in with a single assist this season, from an xA of 1.22 which, again, is in line with what we would expect. We can see that he ranks well above average for key passes (passes leading to a shot), averaging 0.27 per 90. 

Furthermore, we can see how highly the St. Pat’s forward ranks in terms of his progressive runs (averaging 1.54 per 90) and dribbles (3.78 per 90). This indicates that he likes to run at his opponent when given the opportunity, suggesting he is a very direct and aggressive attacking player. 

Attacking Phase

As the pizza chart demonstrated, Melia is a very direct player who is very effective when he has time and space to run at his opponent. We can see here, the young forward possesses some excellent close control, allowing him to retain possession whilst travelling at speed.

We can also see here that he does like to hit shots early, sometimes from the edge of the area. This means he can often catch the opposition goalkeeper off guard. Goalkeepers often position themselves based on the expectation that the forward will take an additional touch or move closer to goal. An early shot, especially from outside the box, gives the goalkeeper less time to set their stance and react, increasing the chances of a goal.

Additionally, this also means that the defensive line does not have the opportunity to set themselves to block shots. Defenders tend to drop deeper or rush to close down forwards near the penalty box. An early strike can disrupt this timing, as the defenders may not be ready to block or deflect the shot. This can lead to more direct and cleaner efforts on goal.

Melia does not just hit shots from outside the area, he is a very effective box striker, whether that be as the target of crosses into the box or making late runs having played a part in the build up play.

In this example, we can see him receive a cross and bring it under his control very well. He is able to shield the ball from any opponents and turn his body to get himself into an optimal shooting position.

This ability to twist and turn away from defenders in tight spaces is also a very important aspect of his game. It is often these subtle movements under pressure which allow Melia the opportunity to create that extra space to get a shot off or lay the ball back to a teammate.

Here, we can see Melia’s intelligent off-the-ball movement, allowing him to move into a pocket of space on the edge of the area at just the right time. He is constantly mobile and looking for space which makes it very difficult for defenders to fully track his movements.

He controls the ball very well, turns and executes a powerful low shot from the edge of the area. It is worth noting that he can generate significant power in his shots as he is able to retain his balance very well, even when under pressure, therefore he is very grounded on the pitch and able to hit powerful drives at goal.

Furthermore, Melia likes to drop back to receive a pass and spin his opponent as we can see here. Thanks to a very astute first touch and an excellent burst of acceleration. In this example, his speed allows him to generate enough space between him and the tracking defender to take the touch which allows him to turn and then he uses that acceleration to drive into the space ahead.

His constant movement drags opposition defenders out of position as they feel the need to track him due to the danger he poses if he can receive the ball, turn and run at them but his acceleration often allows him to do this even with an opponent in close proximity. This also creates space for midfield runners to run into, meaning St. Pat’s can create attacking overloads and exploit the opposition being caught out of position.

Melia’s intelligent off-the-ball movement also sees him look to make runs in behind the defensive line, giving his teammates the option to play a long pass over the top. We can see here that the St. Pat’s forward times his run well and reads the pass very well, accelerating at just the right time to get in front of the back tracking defender and of course remaining calm when 1v1 with the goalkeeper.

By making these runs in behind, he stretches the defensive line, forcing defenders to drop deeper and stay alert to long balls over the top or through balls in behind them. This movement also creates space between the defence and midfield, offering more room for teammates to operate in. When he times his runs well, he can break offside traps and exploit the gaps if the opponent has a high defensive line or force them to drop deeper creating space, making Mason Melia a constant threat.

The 17-year-old is certainly a forward who offers a lot off the ball, he can come short, run in behind, operate out wide, and play on the edge of the area. This is invaluable because of the flexibility and unpredictability he brings to his team's attack. Having such a multi-faceted forward creates tactical variety, making it harder for the opposition to defend and allowing the St. Pat’s attack to adapt to different scenarios and opponents.

Moreover, Melia is very happy to act as a playmaker for his team. As we know, he likes to drop back and be involved in the build up play. Here, he receives the ball and plays a lofted pass into the path of his teammate making a run into the space.

This ability has seen him come off the bench to play as a number ten on a few occasions this season. He is very comfortable operating in tight spaces and can act as a crucial bridge between the midfield and the attacking unit. He offers a reliable outlet for midfielders under pressure, helping to maintain possession and shift St. Pat’s focus of play from defence to attack.

Plus, he has a good eye for a pass and actively looks to be creative, as we saw with his key pass stats. Additionally, Melia averages 1.43 passes to the final third per 90 and 0.57 passes into the penalty area per 90 further demonstrating his willingness to act as a link up man for his team.

In this instance, we can see how well Melia utilises his physical strength to hold the ball up and shield it from the defenders who are putting him under pressure. He then has the composure to play a short pass back into the feet of his teammate (who is wasteful with the shot).

Melia’s ability to retain the ball under pressure is excellent. He demonstrates a level of composure that makes you forget he is just 17-years-old. His physical profile also means he can hold off opponents with ease and he has the intelligence to ensure his body orientation means the opponent cannot get a foot to the ball.

One area where he could improve is composure when shooting. Melia does typically like to opt for power, occasionally when he would be better with less power and more accuracy but this is really not a major weakness to his game as it is something he can improve in training and with experience.

Defensive Phase

In the defensive phase of play, Melia is very aggressive and proactive. St Pat’s look to press their opponents and force them backwards or into traps and Melia is very much at the forefront of their defensive efforts.

Here, we can see Mason Melia cover the ground very quickly in order to put pressure on the opposition goalkeeper. His athleticism is certainly a key element to his defensive play, rapidly closing down opponents and utilising his body shape to close off passing lanes.

The young forward reads the game well, recognising pressing triggers such as a back pass, as demonstrated here. Melia leads the line and initiates the St. Pat’s press with his teammates following.

In this example, we can see how St. Pat’s look to force the Shamrock defender into playing a lateral pass by moving to close off all forward passing lanes. Melia communicates well with his teammates when leading the press and shows an excellent willingness to work for the team.

Additionally, when tracking runners he does not shirk his responsibilities, he will track back without complaint and really does engage in the defensive side of the game.

When St Pat’s are in their defensive structure, Melia is still very mobile and alert. Here, he reads the opposition very well and quickly moves to close off the passing lane which forces the opponents to rethink their build up play.

The Irish forward is very aware of his positioning in relation to that of his opponents and rarely lets his man get too far away from him.

Transitions

In the attacking transition, Melia looks to make quick runs in behind the out of position defensive line. Over the last season or so, he has really added an explosive burst to his game which means he can now make these runs in transitions, which sees him become a real threat when St. Pat’s recover possession.

We can see here, he springs into action as soon as his teammate recovers possession and he immediately wants to cause chaos for the opponent by running into the space ahead.

Melia is a very exciting player in the attacking transition due to his athleticism and tenacity to constantly chase the ball down, forcing the vulnerable defensive line backwards.

In the defensive transition, Melia is very aggressive, as we would expect given what we already know. He looks to put the opponent under pressure as soon as his team has lost possession.

St Pat’s aim to recover possession if they can but will also settle for putting their opponents under enough pressure to limit their ability to launch a counter, allowing Melia and co. to get back into shape.

We can see in this example, that the Ireland U19 forward is tenacious, determined and a willing runner, chasing down the opponent. Melia averages 2.7 ball recoveries per 90 this season, with 48.5% in the opposition half. He is certainly very effective in the defensive transition, something which his suitors will undoubtedly be very impressed with.

Conclusion

Mason Melia is a generational talent in my opinion. Yes, we’ve seen talents come out of the League of Ireland before, as mentioned in the introduction, but Melia is different, he’s already a class above.

Of course, he is 17 so we have to consider he is still developing and improving, but the calibre of teams linked with him tells us how high his ceiling could be. I think it is without question that if he continues on the current trajectory, Mason Melia can go on to play at a very high level.

If he does join a Premier League side at the end of the current LOI season, he will need time to develop. I would imagine he will be in the youth team and then out on development loans for a couple of seasons.

Tomás Galvin is a 19-year-old forward currently playing his football for Dungannon Swifts in the NIFL Premiership. The Armagh native enjoyed something of a breakout season during the 2023/24 campaign as he made 34 appearances, finding the net on 10 occasions.

The talented forward could be a key player for The Swifts this season with his powerful engine and ability to use both feet so, there's better time to take a close look at what makes Tomás Galvin such an exciting prospect for the future.

Player Profile

• Position: Centre Forward / Attacking Mid

• Secondary Position: Right Wing / Left Wing

• Date of Birth: 22/09/2004 (19 Years Old)

• Current Club: Dungannon Swifts

• Nationality: Northern Irish

• Preferred Foot: Both

• Height: 182 cm

Formations & Data Analysis

Rodney McAree typically opted to send his team out in a 4-2-3-1 system last season, as per the data viz above. This suits Galvin incredibly well as he can play as a central striker, on either wing or as an attacking midfielder (10).

Galvin would often be deployed as the central striker but have the freedom to drop deeper into that number ten role. We can see that Dungannon Swifts also used a 3-5-2 system during the 2023/24 season. In this formation, Galvin is usually deployed as one of the strikers, often drifting out to the left in build-up play.

The pizza chart allows us to compare Galvin to fellow forwards within the NIFL Premiership last season. We can see the 19-year-old ranked highly for goals per 90, averaging 0.67 per 90 from 0.43 xG per 90. The Dungannon Swifts man also averaged 2.7 shots per 90 showing his willingness to take shots on during the attacking phase. Additionally, Galvin was in the 94th percentile for his shots on target percentage (56.3%) indicating that he is capable of consistently hitting the target compared to his peers.

We can see that when it comes to chance creation, Galvin was below average last season, suggesting his primary role within the team is to provide a vital goal threat. Additionally, the pizza chart shows us that Galvin was quite accurate with his passing but less accurate regarding his dribbling, perhaps an area for improvement in the future.

Physical Profile

Standing at 182 cm tall, Galvin is already a commanding physical presence for his team. He is physically strong, generating significant power through his legs which he uses to ground himself when playing with his back to goal and holding off an opponent.

Galvin’s physical development has been influenced by the fact that he has spent several years playing GAA Hurling alongside football. His exposure to high-intensity sports at a young age means that he is much stronger than his peers and understands how to optimise his physical presence in game situations. He holds the ball up very well and possesses an excellent short burst of acceleration which he uses in transitions.

Furthermore, Galvin has a very high level of stamina and is very agile which allows him to twist and turn away from opponents with ease. Coupled with his willingness to use either foot, it can be incredibly difficult for opponents to mark him.

Attacking Phase

During build-up play, Galvin likes to drift out wide, mostly to the left as we can see here. This allows him to potentially drag opposition centre backs out of position, creating space for runners in central areas.

When Galvin drifts wide, he contributes to the team’s width, making it easier to deliver crosses or cutbacks into the box. The 19-year-old averaged 1.28 crosses per 90 last season, with an accuracy rating of 46.7% suggesting that he is capable of playing well-considered crosses into the box. He typically opts for a low drive across the penalty area looking for a midfielder or wide player from the opposite flank to turn it goalwards.

Additionally, Galvin’s propensity for drifting wide helps Dungannon Swifts in counter-attacking situations. The young forward can receive the ball in space, allowing his team to transition quickly and catch the opposition off guard, especially if their fullbacks have pushed on in attack.

In this instance, we can see Galvin making an inverted run from the left wing to latch onto a pass from his teammate. The Swifts forward makes excellent use of his acceleration and off-the-ball movement to make these runs where he cuts across the opposition’s defence and they are often struggling to track him.

He is calm and composed in 1v1 situations which allows him to be incredibly decisive in front of goal. On this occasion, he scores a right-footed shot placed beyond the goalkeeper but he is equally as happy shooting with his left foot, making him a very unpredictable goal threat.

Galvin also looks to make runs in behind the opposition’s defensive line. His speed means that he can stretch the defence and create space for his teammates to push forward. The 19-year-old is often able to find the gaps between the central defenders and fullbacks to run into.

Plus, his ability to use both feet means he can spin either way and still get a shot off. In this example, he runs in behind the defensive line and is able to execute a left-footed shot across goal.

We can see a similar scenario here, this time Galvin uses his first touch to bring the ball under control and then spins away from him before driving forward. Firstly, he possesses a wonderful first touch, which enables him to create space for himself by turning away from the defender.

Galvin’s strength also means that when playing with his back to goal, he can pin and spin his man. Using his first touch to control the ball and then quickly turns away from his opponent. By using his strength and positioning to keep the defender at bay, Galvin can also maintain possession in high-pressure situations, enabling The Swifts to retain control in the final third.

The ability to spin off the defender really adds a dynamic element to Galvin’s play. It allows him to break free and create immediate goal-scoring opportunities. His sudden movement can catch defenders off guard, giving him the space to either shoot or make a decisive pass.

He is a player who is certainly not afraid to run at his man, even when he loses possession, he is not deterred and will always try again. Here, we can see him picking up possession on the left and cutting in. He uses his close control and agility to twist and turn away from his opponent before laying the ball off to a teammate.

Additionally, Galvin’s link-up play is very useful, he is consistently dropping back into deeper areas to connect the play together with deft passes and smart touches.

Here, he drops back into midfield, allowing him to receive a line-breaking pass from his teammate. When receiving the ball, Galvin positions himself optimally by using his body to shield the ball from the opponent and then executing a one-touch pass into the path of his teammate.

After playing the pass, Galvin then turns away from his opponent and puts the after-burners on. We can see here that the movement of his other teammate making a forward run is dragging a defender out of position, creating space centrally.

We can also see that the return pass to Galvin is on as a result of this movement which means Dungannon can play quickly through the middle and use intelligent off-the-ball movement to create space and goal-scoring opportunities.

It is worth pointing out that there are some occasions where he drops so far back, there is no focal point for Dungannon Swifts which makes it difficult to counter.

From an attacking perspective, Tomás Galvin is a well-rounded player. He has the speed and strength to hold up play and make runs in behind in addition to linking up the play intelligently. He has an eye for goal and remains calm and composed when in 1v1 situations with the goalkeeper.

Defensive Phase

The Dungannon Swifts forward does not avoid his defensive duties at all, he leads the press with an impressive level of intensity and commitment. Here, we can see him putting the opposition under pressure as they look to build out of defence.

By applying pressure on opposition defenders, Galvin forces them into making hurried decisions and potentially costly mistakes. This can lead to turnovers in dangerous areas, giving Dungannon opportunities to regain possession close to the opponent’s goal and create quick scoring chances.

This is a very effective strategy for the young forward as he averaged 3.4 recoveries per 90 with 65% of them being in the opposition half.

Additionally, Galvin sets the tone for the entire team’s defensive strategy. His aggressive approach encourages teammates to push up and maintain a compact, high-defensive line. This reduces the space available for the opposition to operate in, making it difficult for them to find passing options and progress the ball through the midfield.

Galvin’s aggressive defending is also on show when he tracks back into the defensive shape. We can see here that as soon as the opportunity arises to put an opponent under pressure, he jumps into action.

When looking to regain possession, he understands how to position himself, ensuring his body is between the opponent and the ball allowing him to recover possession and successfully execute a pass or carry it away himself.

Moreover, Galvin reads the game well and is able to get himself into optimal positions to make interceptions, as we can see here. Last season, the 19-year-old averaged 2.64 interceptions per 90 demonstrating his ability to disrupt the opposition’s build-up play.

By cutting out passes, Galvin can prevent the opposition from progressing the ball out of their defensive zone, forcing them to play more cautiously and reducing their attacking threat.

Additionally, he can relieve defensive pressure on his own team. By breaking up the opposition's play early, Galvin reduces the burden on the midfield and defence, helping the team maintain a more balanced shape and conserve energy.

This proactive defensive work is very effective and can prevent the opposition from gaining momentum and establishing control of the game.

Although he predominantly stays on his feet, preferring to use his body orientation and strength to outmuscle opponents, Galvin does not shy away from a tackle, as we can see here. Whilst he is a very aggressive player, this is usually well controlled and on the rare occasion he does go to ground, it is well-considered meaning he does not make wild or dangerous tackles.

In terms of his defensive work, he is tenacious, aggressive and intelligent regarding his positioning. Overall he demonstrates a great willingness to do the hard graft and due to his high levels of stamina, he is more than capable of sustaining a high level of intensity over 90 minutes.

Transitions

Here we can see how effective Galvin is in the attacking transition. He doesn’t always look to make runs in behind, preferring to link the play as demonstrated here. On this occasion, his strength proves to be incredibly important as he uses it to hold off the defender once he has brought the ball under control.

With a good eye for a pass, Galvin sees the run of his teammates and plays a perfectly weighted pass into his path, putting him through 1v1 with the ‘keeper.

In the defensive transition, Galvin’s tenacious nature shines through as he loves to put the opposition under pressure to force errors high up the pitch. He is very adept at recognising pressing triggers such as back passes and very quickly moves to put the pressure on.

We can see here that as soon as his team loses possession, Galvin’s instinct is to press, not only to force errors but to try and limit the opposition’s ability to launch a counterattack of their own.

Conclusion

Overall, Tomás Galvin is a very talented player, he is an intelligent attacking threat who could easily play as a 9 or a 10 depending on what suited the team. He loves to roam and manages to operate well in tight spaces, linking up play with deft passes.

He works hard defensively and brings a fantastic level of intensity to proceedings. Additionally, Galvin is capable of leading the team in the press, using his intelligence to identify pressing triggers to keep the opponents under pressure.

As for the next steps, possibly a move to a bigger team within Northern Ireland might suit his development or a move to Scottish football which is a highly utilised pathway for players in the NIFL.

Here is a pizza chart with Galvin’s stats weighted (using Opta power rankings) to analyse how he compares to EFL League 2 forwards. He is clearly an attacking threat whilst he struggles regarding his dribbling and passing success rates.

I think he is certainly a player who could potentially play at EFL League Two or League One level in the future but I do think he requires more development before this can happen.

In short, he is a very good player who is one to watch out for in the future and further proof why the NIFL is a league to follow to find some very exciting prospects breaking through.

Sheffield United’s Will Osula has put pen to paper with Premier League club Newcastle United as The Magpies have seen fit to spend £10 million plus a further £5 million in add-ons to bring Osula to Tyneside. Eddie Howe is clearly looking to the future with this deal and has seen some potential in Ousla that he believes he can develop as Newcastle look to futureproof their squad.

Ousla began his youth career at his hometown club Copenhagen before joining the Sheffield United Academy in 2018. He broke through the ranks back in 2022, making his professional debut in a 0–0 draw against Blackpool. The Danish youth international spent a season on loan at Derby County in League One to gain some experience before making 21 appearances for the Blades in the Premier League.

For Osula, this means returning to the top flight after suffering relegation with the Blades last season, in a campaign everyone would rather forget. Financially this represents an excellent deal for Chris Wilder’s side who will be looking to reinvest any transfer fee as they aim to rebuild the squad ahead of the new season.

It’s fair to say the young forward has struggled to find the net during his time at Bramall Lane, having never scored in a league game for the Blades, with all three of his goals coming in the FA Cup. Nevertheless, the Magpies see plenty of potential in him.

This scout report will take a closer look at Osula’s style of play and highlight what Eddie Howe and Newcastle have seen in the young player and why they have touted him as one for the future. Of course, we will look at key areas of his game in addition to highlighting areas for improvement to get a balanced view of the 21-year-old’s abilities.

Player Profile:

Position: Centre Forward

Secondary Position: Left Wing / Right Wing

Nationality: Danish

Date of Birth: 04/08/2003 (21 Years Old)

Preferred Foot: Right

Height: 186 cm

Physical Profile

Osula is physically very impressive. He possesses a very athletic frame with some good physicality which he does struggle to use to his advantage it has to be said. Osula can often be outmuscled by opponents in shoulder-to-shoulder battles, winning less than 30% of his duels last season.

However, he does show some excellent understanding of how to position himself to shield the ball once he has it under control. This allows Osula to prevent his opponent from recovering possession and can lead to the Dane winning a foul in the attacking third.

He has a wonderful burst of acceleration, generated by a significant amount of power through his legs. Additionally, Osula can sustain his acceleration over longer distances, coupled with his agility, which means he can progress the team up the pitch quickly during transitions.

I think Osula has yet to fully understand how to use his physical profile to his advantage during games. We have seen glimpses of it during his time at Sheffield United but this is something that he can further develop with the right coaching and first-team experience.

Attacking Phase

During his time at Sheffield United, Osula has played as a central striker and both a right and left winger. Before this transfer took shape, he had featured prominently in the preseason, lining up as a left winger in a 4–3–3 system.

Osula’s speed and athleticism mean he can work the channels well, which he looked to do regularly for Chris Wilder’s side.

Here, we can see Osula make a darting run out to the left wing, inviting the long pass into his path. The Danish forward then isolates his opponent, as we can see here. The Villa defender is standing off Osula due to his burst of acceleration and ability to change direction rapidly.

We can also see that the Sheffield United forward displays excellent body orientation here as he has the opportunity to travel in either direction, making it very difficult for the opponent to anticipate his movement.

Osula drops his shoulder and then uses his acceleration to carry the ball into the open space. The former Copenhagen man is a confident ball carrier who is a real attacking threat when he sees open space to run into.

His agility makes him unpredictable and difficult to mark, enabling him to navigate through compact defences and therefore allowing him to create goal-scoring opportunities. His ability to make quick, sharp movements also helps in maintaining balance and control while dribbling at high speeds, making it harder for defenders to dispossess him.

The 21-year-old averaged 1.1 progressive runs per 90 and 2.89 dribbles per 90 last season. These numbers are actually quite promising when you consider that most of his appearances were from the bench and he was playing in a Sheffield United side which averaged 36.07% possession per 90.

Here, we can see Osula use his quick feet and close control to move the ball beyond the Newcastle defender. He then utilises his speed to progress the play forward, carrying the ball into the penalty area.

Shooting is certainly an area where the 21-year-old could do with improvement. He has the capability to create plenty of space for himself however the end product is often lacking. On this occasion, shooting with his weaker foot, he struggles to generate the power required which results in a rather tame effort being collected by the goalkeeper.

Furthermore, Osula has an excellent first touch and can receive the ball under pressure as we can see here. Whilst he sometimes struggles to hold off his opponent, he understands how to utilise his first touch to move the ball away and into space. Here, he uses his first touch to control, then quickly shifts the ball into the space which means the Crystal Palace defender cannot put a tackle in.

His deft first touch moves the ball away from defenders allowing the forward to maintain possession under pressure. This prevents immediate tackles and interceptions, giving Osula extra time to assess the situation and make more calculated decisions.

Secondly, this ability to manoeuvre the ball with the first touch helps in creating space for subsequent actions. Whether it’s setting up a shot, initiating a dribble, or making a quick pass, the young forward gains a crucial advantage by putting distance between himself and the defender.

In this instance, Osula ensures his body orientation is optimal to move away from his man and then uses his first touch to roll his man and as we can see, he has space to drive into. Rather than using this space, he opts to try and check back onto his right foot which allows opposition defenders to get back and crowd him out.

This is perhaps down to poor decision-making in the final third or a lack of trust in his weaker foot. Osula’s fortunes in front of goal could be improved via some individual coaching in the future.

Whilst Will Osula has endured some struggles in front of goal, he has demonstrated that he possesses some excellent capabilities in build-up play. This is very positive and suggests that the desired goals can be added to his game, as he continues to get into optimal goal-scoring positions.

The Dane’s athleticism naturally lends itself to making runs in behind the opposition’s defensive line, as demonstrated here. His willingness to consistently make these runs behind the defensive line stretches the opposition’s defence.

This provides a constant attacking threat that forces defenders to drop deeper, creating more space in the midfield for the attacking team to exploit. Additionally, this spatial advantage then allows midfielders and playmakers to operate with more freedom, facilitating better ball distribution and creative play.

By doing this, Osula also adds a direct and dangerous dimension to the team’s attack. His speed means that he can latch onto through balls and long passes, bypassing the defensive line and creating one-on-one opportunities with the goalkeeper. This ability to break free from defenders can result in high-quality goal-scoring chances, increasing his team’s overall offensive threat.

Defensive Phase

As we know, Sheffield United endured a torrid time of it defensively in the 2023/24 campaign. Despite this, we did manage to see glimpses of Osula’s defensive abilities and it has to be said, there are plenty of positives.

He is always willing to get back into the defensive structure, the image above shows Osula within the Sheffield United defensive net. He demonstrates good awareness and generally positions himself well within the structure. On this occasion, he moves to close off the passing lane and makes an interception for his team. He averaged 1.1 interceptions per 90 for The Blades last season.

When Osula retreats in the defensive phase, he helps to compact the space between the midfield and defensive lines, making it harder for the opposition to find gaps and penetrate through. This compactness can force the opponent to move the play out wide or take less direct routes to goal, which can be more easily defended.

Moreover, he relieves the pressure on the midfield and defensive lines. By dropping back, Osula can mark opposing midfielders or fullbacks, preventing them from advancing freely and supporting their own attacks.

Osula also looks to use his speed to close down opposition defenders as they look to play out from the back. Here, he notices the opportunity to step out and close off the passing lane. The 21-year-old uses his physical frame to make himself as big as possible and as a result, makes the interception.

Furthermore, he has the intelligence to knock the ball down into the path of his teammate, allowing Sheffield United to execute a rapid transition.

He reads the game well and is able to identify pressing triggers such as a backwards pass and quickly jumps into action to initiate the press for his team.

It is also worth noting that Osula averaged 3.29 defensive duels per 90 minutes last season. He does not shy away from physical battles and consistently makes it challenging for opponents to get past him. His tenacity and exceptional work ethic are evident in this aspect of his game.

Transitions

In the attacking transition, Osula looks to use his speed and make runs in behind as we would expect. He also looks to provide some form of link-up play when possible though which is another dimension to his game. In this example, Sheffield United recover possession in the defensive third and aim to catch their opponents out of position via a long ball.

Osula, the target, does well in pinning his opponent and preventing him from winning the aerial duel and manages to knock the ball down into the path of his teammate. He then spins beyond his man and makes a run in behind the defensive line as Gus Hamer aims to find him with a through pass.

One of the primary benefits of Osula’s speed is the ability to catch the opposition off guard. This means his team can exploit moments when the opposing defence is unorganised and vulnerable.

If he could improve upon his hold-up play, he will undoubtedly become a superb asset in the offensive transition in the future.

In the defensive transition, Osula is capable of counterpressing due to his ability to cover ground rapidly. Here, once he sees his teammate lose possession, he springs into action and closes down the opponent, putting him under pressure which means he cannot play out.

Osula averaged 1.79 ball recoveries last season with 66% in the opposition half demonstrating his desire to regain possession high up the pitch. His physical presence also allows him to sustain the pressure which means he has the potential to be a real problem for defenders in the future.

Conclusion

Will Osula is a young forward with a lot of potential. This transfer could represent an excellent deal for both teams, Sheffield United will be receiving some much-needed funds to facilitate a squad rebuild. Newcastle will certainly be acquiring a raw talent in Osula, but he has the fundamentals needed to play at the top level so with the right guidance, he could turn out to be a potential gem for The Magpies.

The 21-year-old has a strong physical profile and understands how to create space for himself and get into goalscoring positions. His final product is lacking, as we have discussed but this is something that can be developed through coaching and more first-team exposure.

The Danish youth international will have to work hard to force his way into this Newcastle side but he will certainly become a better striker under the tutelage of Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson.

Overall, Will Osula is a young player with a bright future ahead, one to watch out for in the coming years.

Benji Magee has become one of the most sought-after talents in Northern Irish football. His stellar 2023/24 campaign saw him pop up on the radar of newly promoted League One side, Wrexham. The 22-year-old forward netted 16 league goals for Loughgall last season, playing a key role in ensuring his side remained in the top flight following their promotion a year earlier. Fun fact, after being promoted, the village of Loughgall became the smallest settlement (with a population of 283), to have a top-flight team in Europe.

In this scout report, we will analyse the impact of Magee and dissect how his performances influenced his team throughout the season. We will also look at his skillset as a forward and highlight any areas for development.

Without further ado, let’s go…

Player Profile

• Position: Centre Forward

• Secondary Position: Right Wing / Left Wing

• Nationality: Northern Irish

• Date of Birth: 16/05/2002 (22 Years Old)

• Current Club: Loughgall

• Preferred Foot: Right

• Height: 183 cm

Formations and Data Analysis

To begin this scout report, we will look at the role Benji Magee plays within Loughgall’s tactical system. Under Dean Smith, the Northern Irish team predominantly played a 4-2-3-1 or a 3-4-1-2 system last season. Magee is very versatile and can play anywhere across the front line, something which undoubtedly appeals to potential suitors.

When The Villagers line up in a 4-2-3-1 system, Magee is primarily deployed on the right as an inside forward, looking to operate in the half-space and move into central areas, as per the heatmap below. He will then usually move to play as a central striker depending on substitutions and tactical adaptations as the game progresses. Additionally, when Smith opts for a three-at-the-back system, Magee is typically deployed as one of the strikers in the front two.

The dashboard above allows us to dig into the numbers a little more, giving us a closer look at the 22-year-old’s impact on the pitch. So, we know that Magee found the back of the net on 16 occasions in the league for Loughgall last season. This meant that he finished the season as the fourth-highest goal scorer, up there with Andy Ryan of Larne and Ben Wilson of Cliftonville.

Magee averaged 0.54 goals per 90 from an xG of 0.26 per 90, suggesting he is capable of scoring the lower percentage opportunities. Additionally, he averaged 2.1 shots per 90, indicating he is a very proactive player in the attacking third.

Furthermore, he played a key role as a progressive force for his team, averaging 2.66 progressive passes per 90 and 3.00 progressive runs per 90. This is likely impacted by the fact that Loughgall would often sit back and look to break out quickly, with the forward players linking up the play, as we will discuss.

Physical Profile

In terms of his physical profile, Magee stands at 183 cm tall with a fairly lean and athletic frame. He does struggle in duels and can be outmuscled by his opponent which means he’s not the best when holding the ball up.

He possesses a very good short burst of acceleration which he frequently uses during transitions and make runs in behind or to receive possession and move away from his opponent. This is very much a short burst and something that Magee struggles to sustain over longer distances. Additionally, Magee is fairly agile and can twist and turn away from his opponent whilst retaining possession.

Attacking Phase

Here, we can see Magee getting in front of his opponent and offering the short passing option to his teammate. He confidently lays the ball into the path of his teammate which automatically progresses the attack. Magee then spins beyond his man and looks to make a run in behind the opposition’s defensive line.

His willingness to drop deeper and link up play facilitates rapid ball progression and allows Loughgall to build the attacks quickly, often catching their opponents out of position. Moreover, the fact that Magee doesn’t rest on his laurels and continuously provides the movement with spins beyond his man, runs in behind or runs into the channel often means he can be a nightmare for opponents to mark effectively.

When Loughgall are looking to build an attack, Magee will often drift as wide as possible initially to draw opponents out to him and create space in central areas. On this occasion he is on the left, as we can see, he is practically on the touchline, inviting opponents to move out to put him under pressure.

Magee often uses his first touch to move the ball away from his opponent, his short burst of acceleration allows him to execute this very well throughout games. Here, he cuts across the pressing opponent which takes him out of the game and then Magee puts the afterburners on to accelerate away and carry the ball into the box. He consistently gets into some good crossing positions when cutting in from the wide areas. Magee opts to play low drives across goal or pullbacks into the 18-yard box, although he typically struggles to find a target when playing crosses in.

The Loughgall forward is an extremely confident ball carrier. He loves to run at his opponent, especially when cutting in from the wide areas. Magee averaged 8.97 dribbles and 3 progressive runs per 90 which demonstrates how much he enjoys having the ball at his feet.

Here, we can see him receive the ball, once again using his first touch to ensure his opponent cannot get a foot to the ball and then change direction before carrying possession and the team forward.

Magee’s dribbling abilities mean he can create opportunities out of seemingly impossible situations. Plus, his ability to maintain close control of the ball while under pressure disrupts the defensive organisation of the opponent, forcing the defenders to commit and opening up space for teammates.

Furthermore, his ball progression skills mean he is proficient in advancing the play from deeper areas of the pitch into more threatening positions. Magee’s prowess in this area means he can effectively transition the team from defence to attack, linking up play and driving the team forward. By carrying the ball forward, he can bypass multiple lines of defence, making the Loughgall team less reliant on passing through a congested midfield. This direct approach not only accelerates the pace of the game but also catches the opposition off guard, often leading to scoring opportunities.

Moreover, the 22-year-old’s movement and ball-carrying draws defenders towards him, creating numerical advantages for his teammates. This dynamic can be particularly effective in counter-attacking scenarios, where quick transitions and the ability to progress the ball rapidly are crucial.

Additionally, Magee adds an unpredictable element to the team's play. Defenders find it challenging to anticipate his next move, whether it's a dribble past them, a quick pass, or a shot on goal. This unpredictability keeps the defence on the back foot and can lead to mistakes or fouls in dangerous areas.

Given Loughgall’s propensity for looking to hit their opponents on the counter, Magee’s ability to run in behind is a very useful tool in their arsenal. It also allows, The Villagers to catch their opponents off guard as we can see here.

In this instance, once he sees his teammate controlling the ball, Magee uses his acceleration to burst through the opposition’s defensive line, who have pushed up higher in a bid to pin Loughgall back.

Here, we can see a similar scenario where Magee has made a run in behind the opposition’s defensive line. His teammate plays a lovely lofted pass into his path and Loughgall are into the opposition area with ease.

It is worth noting that Magee likes to shoot, literally, as soon as he gets the ball at his feet, his first thought is to work an opening for himself. Whilst this does demonstrate how proactive he is in terms of looking to score goals, it can sometimes be a detriment to his team.

Here, we can see Magee work an angle where he has a very low percentage chance of finding the back of the net. We can also see there are teammates in the centre, instead of playing a low drive across goal for a teammate, Magee opts to hit a powerful shot at the near post which is rather wasteful in this situation.

Magee typically executes powerful shots, often low drives aiming for the bottom corner of the net. Here, we can see his speed utilised to perfection as Loughgall hit their opponents on the counter and Magee makes a wonderful off-the-ball run in behind the backtracking defensive line.

He carries the ball forward and then scores a powerful drive into the far corner, demonstrating his excellence in front of goal.

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Defensive Phase

When watching Magee defensively, it becomes clear that this is definitely an area where he needs to improve. The Northern Irish forward can be reluctant to press, often jogging back into the defensive structure rather than putting his opponent under pressure when he could force a turnover.

Moreover, the 22-year-old struggles to adjust his body shape to close off passing lanes and opportunities for the opponent to run beyond him. On this occasion, Magee is a little slow to track back and when he does he stands off his man which in theory gives him enough time and space to be able to change direction depending on the movement of the opponent. However, Magee is caught flat-footed and fails to anticipate his opponent’s next move which means the Loughgall man struggles to get near him.

Here we can see Magee track back to help out his teammates. While he doesn’t really make a clear attempt to block the opponent’s path, he does attempt to intercept the ball which forces the opponent into a mistake.

Perhaps it’s fair to say that Magee does put the effort in defensively, but is just lacking the anticipation required in some instances. This is something that he can work on and improve over time though.

Here, we can see Magee move to prevent Larne from playing out from the back. His positioning closes off the passing lane to the fullback, looking to force the play into the middle where Loughgall have midfielders ready to press. On this occasion, Magee himself makes the interception and recovers possession in the attacking third. 74% of his ball recoveries occurred in the opposition half last season, plus he averaged 2.09 interceptions per 90, aiding his team’s cause.

When initiating the first press, Magee is quite proactive as we can see here. When the opposition plays through the first press and Loughgall falls back into their defensive structure, we see the 22-year-old struggle slightly.

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Transitions

As mentioned previously, in the attacking transition, Magee typically looks to use his direct running to carry the ball forward, often taking on his opponent in a 1v1 situation. This is often how Loughgall look to rapidly transition, additionally, Magee dropping deeper to pick up possession will drag opponents out of position, creating space for teammates. We can see his directness and dribbling abilities in the clip above.

In the defensive transition, Magee will look to press when the opportunity presents itself. He has a good eye for recognising pressing triggers such as back passes to the goalkeeper as we can see above. After recovering possession, the opposition defender plays it backwards which allows Magee to put the ‘keeper under pressure, forcing him to play it long which increases the likelihood of a turnover.

Conclusion

Overall, Benji Magee enjoyed a wonderful 2023/24 campaign and played a big part in Loughgall remaining in the top flight. He is a wonderful goalscorer and shows a very attacking mindset. Magee is capable of linking up play and demonstrates some excellent off-the-ball movement. His biggest strength though, is his willingness to carry the ball forward, running at his opponent and carving shooting opportunities out for himself.

In the future, I can see Magee playing his football in the EFL League Two or League One. He has already caught the eye of Wrexham which shows his potential, if he stays at Loughgall, he will continue to improve but I fully expect him to move within the next couple of seasons.

Fullbacks, is this the position on the football pitch that has undergone the biggest change in recent times? In terms of what we have come to expect from a fullback? (I’m not really looking for an answer to this question, I just couldn’t think of a better way to start this piece).

Indeed, fullbacks have certainly evolved from back in the day when they would rarely cross the halfway line. The modern fullback is expected to contribute as an attacking outlet as well as execute their defensive duties.

In this piece, we are going to analyse three fullbacks who have played in the EFL Championship this season. I’ve picked out these three players based on certain stats as I will explain throughout.

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So, what have we come to expect from fullbacks generally?

Defensive Duties:

• Marking: Often responsible for marking opposing wingers or wide attackers to prevent them from making dangerous runs or crosses into the penalty area.

• Tackling: Must be adept at timing tackles to dispossess opponents and regain possession for their team.

• Positioning: Fullbacks need to maintain a good defensive position, staying between the opposing attackers and their own goal to deny space and opportunities.

Supporting Duties:

• Covering: They provide cover for the central defenders, helping to defend against through balls or runs from opposition forwards.

• Blocking: They often block crosses and shots by getting into the passing lanes or closing down attackers quickly.

Attacking Phase:

• Overlapping Runs: Fullbacks frequently make overlapping runs down the flanks to provide width and create attacking options for their team. This involves advancing into the opponent's half to receive passes from midfielders or wingers.

• Inverted Runs: Some fullbacks will make inverted runs into midfield to create central overloads or to fill space vacated by advancing midfielders.

• Crossing: Once in an advanced position, fullbacks deliver crosses into the penalty area to create scoring opportunities for their teammates, particularly for strikers and attacking midfielders.

• Passing: Fullbacks are involved in building attacks from the back, often playing short passes to midfielders or switching the play to the opposite flank to exploit space.

Transitions:

• Attacking Transitions: When possession is won, fullbacks may initiate quick counterattacks by quickly moving the ball forward or providing support to attacking players.

• Defensive Transitions: In moments of turnover, fullbacks must quickly regain their defensive positions to prevent opponents from exploiting the space behind them.

Milan van Ewijk - Coventry City

The first player we are going to look at in this piece is Coventry City’s right back, Milan van Ewijk. The 23-year-old lines up at fullback or wingback depending on which tactical system his team are deploying.

The pizza chart above allows us to generate an overall picture of van Ewijk’s game within the context of Coventry’s tactics and compare him to fellow fullbacks in the EFL Championship.

The 23-year-old has contributed five assists this season and as we can see from the chart, this places him in the 86th percentile for this metric. We can also see that he ranks highly in terms of his progressive carries suggesting he can drive the play forward and create attacking opportunities for his team.

Furthermore, van Ewijk performs above average in terms of his tackles and interceptions compared to his counterparts suggesting he provides some very important defensive solidarity.

Although we can clearly see that he does perform poorly regarding aerial duels therefore it may be possible for opponents to target this via long passes into the channel.

Overall, he is an excellent fullback who looks to be a very progressive player going forward but also provides a defensive base for his team.

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Leif Davis - Ipswich Town

Leif Davis was one of Ipswich Town’s standout performers in their promotion season. The 24-year-old racked up an incredible 18 assists from left back for Kieran McKenna’s side throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

Of course, looking at the pizza chart, it is no surprise to see how well he ranks in terms of assists and expected assists. Additionally, he ranks highly in terms of crosses, perhaps where most of the said assists occurred from and key passes which are passes leading to shots.

Davis primarily lined up as the left fullback in a 4-2-3-1 system with Omari Hutchinson or Jeremy Sarmiento in front of him. Hutchinson and Sarmiento naturally drifted infield which created vast space for the former Leeds man to attack down the flank.

His percentile ranking for pass completion is rather low suggesting he is much more of a ball carrier than a passer, this is further supported by his above-average ranking for progressive carries.

Interestingly Davis ranks quite low in terms of his defensive actions such as tackles, interceptions and ball recoveries. This could suggest that he is more of an attacking force than he is defensively, something that will be interesting to watch play out in the Premier League. It is worth noting that Ipswich conceded 1.24 goals per 90 last season.

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Sam McCallum - Norwich City

The final player in this piece is Sam McCallum, who at the time of writing is currently linked with a move to Sheffield United.

The pizza chart shows us how well he performed for Norwich in terms of his defensive actions. We can see he is in the highest percentile for interceptions compared to his peers and not far behind in terms of his aerial duels won.

His pass completion is also quite low suggesting he may lack accuracy or perhaps he tries lower percentage passes that don’t always come to fruition. However, his progressive passes and key passes percentile rankings are impressive and suggest that when he does get the ball, he looks to be positive with it and can create shooting opportunities for his teammates.

Additionally, McCallum ranks quite highly in terms of crosses but this does not translate into assists suggesting there may be an accuracy issue in addition to forwards not hitting the target.

Overall he is a very solid defender who offers something in attack making him an interesting prospect for the newly relegated Sheffield United.

Conclusion:

This piece has investigated three fullbacks who stood out in the EFL Championship during 2023/24. Leif Davis is naturally the biggest name on this list considering his performances were integral to Ipswich’s promotion. However, both McCallum and van Ewijk are wonderful players with a lot to offer in all phases of play.

It will be very interesting to follow these players over the coming season and compare their performances once again in the future.

Ethan McGee is a 21-year-old, Northern Irish right back who currently plays for Linfield having signed for them in January of 2023 after impressing at Dungannon Swifts. Under current manager, David Healy, McGee lines up as a right-back in a 4-2-3-1 system or as a wing-back in a 3-5-2 formation, additionally, he has also been utilised in a midfield role for Healy’s side on various occasions.

Player profile

• Position: Right Back/Right Wing Back

• Secondary Position: Defensive/Central Midfield.

• Nationality: Northern Irish

• Date of Birth: 23/08/2002 (21 Years Old)

• Current Club: Linfield

• Preferred Foot: Right

• Height: 183 cm

Physical Profile:

McGee stands at 183 cm tall with a fairly lean and athletic frame. He is physically quite strong as he won 42.9% of all of his duels per 90 last season, although he can sometimes be overeager to put the opponent under pressure and leave spaces in behind which could be exploited. Additionally, he has a wonderful aerial ability as he can time his jumps very well, allowing him to win 50.9% of his aerial duels during the 2023/24 campaign.

He has a very impressive level of stamina which means he can cover the ground very effectively, this means McGee proves to be a great asset when making recovery runs to provide extra defensive cover. Furthermore, he frequently demonstrates that he has an excellent burst of acceleration which he can sustain over mid-longer distances, again this is useful in recovery and allows him to provide defensive depth for his team.

Defensive Phase:

In the defensive phase of play, McGee is a very proactive and aggressive player. He likes to press the opponents high up the pitch, preventing them from playing out, this really allows his athleticism to shine through.

We can see here, that McGee looks to put pressure on the opponent receiving the ball. This forces the opposition to play backwards and provides his teammates with time to engage in their press, inviting the opposition into Linfield’s pressing traps and giving them a better opportunity to recover possession in the attacking third. McGee himself made over 30% of his recoveries in the opposition half during last season.

This minimises the time the opposing team has to organise their play and can lead to immediate scoring opportunities for Linfield as they can force the opposing team into making hurried decisions, increasing the likelihood of errors such as misplaced passes.

Here, we can see McGee’s forward-thinking defending in action once again. He is always willing to step out of the defensive shape to put the opposition under pressure to make blocks and interceptions. In this instance, he recognises the opponents are building an attack and steps in to make an interception. Whilst this is proactive, it is worth noting the space he leaves in behind which could have been exploited by the opposition if they had willing runners to attack in the channel.

The 21-year-old averaged 3.98 interceptions per 90 during the 2023/24 season and 0.25 sliding tackles per 90. This shows how McGee is very much a defender who prefers to stay on his feet to use his positioning and physical strength to put opponents under pressure rather than going to ground and giving away needless fouls.

In this instance, we can see how McGee uses his body orientation to position himself between the opponent and the ball, facilitating an intelligent recovery and preventing the opposition from building an attack.

Good body positioning demonstrates McGee’s tactical awareness and understanding of the game. It allows him to maintain the shape and structure of the defensive line, ensuring cohesion and effective coverage of space. This positioning helps in coordinating with other defenders and midfielders, creating a unified defensive front that is harder for the opposition to break down.

There are occasions where it is a little too easy for opponents to bypass McGee, as demonstrated in this clip above. McGee perhaps doesn't anticipate the wide player receiving the ball quickly enough therefore he is slow to step out and put him under pressure, giving the opponent the opponent the chance to inject a burst of acceleration and move the ball away from him.

His reactions can sometimes be slow at certain points during the game which just provides the opposition with the opportunity to show him a clean set of heels or move the ball swiftly. Whilst this is not a major flaw in McGee’s game, it would be beneficial if he improved in this area as it would limit any opponent’s opportunities to build an attack down Linfield’s right side.

Finally, we can see that after regaining possession for his team, Ethan McGee is able to use his intelligence to play progressive passes into midfield in order to kickstart the Linfield counterattack.

Overall, McGee is a very solid defender with some very good physical strength as he won 61.9% of his defensive duels per 90. He also demonstrates very good tactical intelligence in regard to his positioning and ability to use his body orientation to recover possession.

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Attacking Phase:

In this section, we will focus on how the Linfield man performs in the attacking phase of play.

As mentioned previously, McGee has been utilised in a midfield role on various occasions for Linfield one of the reasons for this can be seen above. As the clip displays, McGee is capable of receiving the ball, turning and then launching a long pass upfield looking for runners in the wide areas.

He does reasonably well to hold off the opponent who is putting him under pressure and get his head up to assess the situation unfolding in front of him. Digging into the numbers, McGee averaged 33.75 passes per 90 with an accuracy rating of 77.5%.

When playing as a right back/ right wing back, McGee likes to get forward as much as possible to offer an outlet out wide. Linfield like to push players high up and really pin their opponents back ensuring they have the opportunity to recycle possession and prevent them from launching counterattacks.

Here we can see him get into a good crossing position where he whips in a right-footed cross looking for a teammate to turn it goalwards. In 2023/24, McGee averaged 2.27 crosses per 90 with 30.9% of them being classed as accurate suggesting he often hits them more in hope than specifically targeting a teammate.

Further to the above, this clip shows how McGee can receive the ball out wide and dribble beyond his opponent whilst getting into a good crossing position. By remaining out on the right touchline, he stretches the pitch and draws opponents out to him which of course, creates spaces in central areas for his teammates to run into.

Ethan McGee racked up three assists last season, an area where he could do with improving slightly. He gets into some excellent positions but as we can see in the clip above, the final pass is just lacking slightly.

Additionally, on this occasion, we can see McGee out on the right wing again, this time he opts to play a line-breaking pass into the space ahead for his teammate to run onto. He averaged 6.78 progressive passes per 90 for Linfield last season and 2.02 progressive runs indicating that he is someone that his team can turn to when building an attack.

Furthermore, it is clear just how effective he can be in the middle of the park. Ethan McGee is a player who is comfortable receiving the ball under pressure and turning away from his opponent, using his body shape to shield the ball. In this clip, he drives into the open space and then executes a well-placed low shot with his left foot that finds the back of the net.

The 21-year-old finished the 2023/24 campaign with two goals to his name which is no surprise given the role(s) that he has played for Linfield but I do believe this is an area where we may see small improvements. McGee is clearly capable of getting into goalscoring positions and seemingly has the ability to remain calm when doing so, even if he does occasionally hit a wild pot-shot from outside the area.

Having a player who can confidently receive the ball under pressure, such as McGee, helps maintain possession in challenging situations. This skill is crucial for controlling the game, especially in high-pressure environments where opponents are pressing aggressively. By being able to secure the ball and turn away from the opposition pressure, McGee ensures that Linfield retains possession and can continue building their attack or alleviate defensive pressure.

Plus, his willingness to drive forward disrupts the opponent’s defensive structure and has the ability to open up new passing lanes, allowing the team to advance the ball more effectively. It also provides the opportunity to exploit gaps in the opposition’s defence, leading to potential goal-scoring chances, as we saw above.

In terms of his off-the-ball movement, McGee is very intelligent. Here, he receives the ball and lays it off to a teammate. He then spins his opponent and makes a run forward into the space where his teammate plays a long pass into his path.

When playing centrally, he typically looks to make underlapping runs in the right half-space which allows him to provide an additional attacking threat. As we have seen earlier in this report, when playing as a wing-back or full-back, he will typically be the one who stays wider although he does look to make those underlapping runs when an attacking teammate has positioned himself out wide.

Ethan McGee offers a dynamic attacking presence, he is capable of progressing the ball via his passing or carrying abilities. Additionally, he is able to retain possession under pressure and shows some excellent positioning. With some small improvements to his goal contributions, he has the potential to be a real threat for Linfield in the attacking phase of play.

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Transitions:

In the defensive transition, McGee’s recovery runs are so important for Linfield. Whether deployed as a midfielder or defender, he typically looks to cover the space where the full back/wing back has vacated. He appears to be very instinctive and usually reacts quickly when his team loses possession.

Here, we can see him sprinting into the space where Larne are looking to attack and in this situation he gets back and puts the opponent under pressure, preventing the counterattack and allowing his teammates time to adopt their defensive shape.

In the attacking transition, McGee likes to utilise his long-range passing, when he is the one who recovers possession, he will typically look to launch it long. On the one hand, this enables him to clear the danger and gives Linfield the option for a counterattack. We can see above that he pounces on a loose pass and then immediately looks to play the ball over the top for his teammate.

However, it has to be said that it also increases the likelihood of turnovers which put Linfield back under pressure. It’s interesting that he consistently opts to do this when he is capable of driving forward with the ball at his feet and it may be beneficial for him to retain possession himself or opt for a short in some instances, just to allow his team to gain control of the game again.

When his teammates recover possession, McGee typically looks to use his speed and athleticism to push forward quickly and contribute to the potential counterattack.

Conclusion:

Ethan McGee is a wonderful talent. He possesses an excellent physical profile with speed, athleticism and strength at the core of his game but that is not all. He is technically very competent, capable of receiving the ball under pressure and turning away at speed whilst retaining possession. Additionally, he gets into some good crossing positions and with a little work on the end product or final pass could be an important creator for Linfield going forward.

Should he continue on this trajectory, McGee has the ability to play in England for sure. It would be good to see him with a League Two or League One club in the not-too-distant future as it would be the ideal development ground for him.

Player Profile:

• Position: Right Winger

• Secondary Position: Attacking Midfield, Left Winger

• Nationality: Scotland

• Date of Birth: 11/11/2005 (18 Years)

• Current Club: Liverpool

• Former Club(s): Ayr United (Y), Celtic

• Preferred Foot: Right

• Height: 176cm

Ben Doak is a tricky winger who signed for Liverpool from Celtic in 2022. Since then, Liverpool coaching staff have only had positive things to say about his development, with Jurgen Klopp himself calling the young Scot ‘special’. Klopp also indicated that the club will ignore any loan offers that come in for Ben Doak, instead, they will look to integrate him into the first team over the coming months.

Doak is a physically strong player, he possesses a good amount of upper-body strength which enables him to hold off his opponent and hold up the ball if required. He is not the best in aerial duels, so this is certainly an area for development in the future. Doak is a very pacy player, he has excellent acceleration and an explosive burst of speed which allows him to cover ground effectively. His physicality means that he can press incredibly well which suits Liverpool’s style of play and means he will easily be able to cope with the demands of first-team football. 

Tactically the Liverpool teenager shows great maturity and creativity. He makes good off-the-ball runs which creates space that allows him to be an available outlet for his team in the attacking phase. He is also able to work well in small pockets of space showcasing great awareness of how to position his body to ensure he remains available to receive the ball. The youngster loves to make line-breaking runs and his pace means that he can cover the length of the pitch quickly which makes him a great asset when on the counterattack.

He tends to like to roam across the attacking third to take up pockets of space where he can dictate the play, given how much he appears to enjoy the freedom to roam, it will be interesting to see how he performs when given more stringent tactical instructions should he be given opportunities in the first-team. The Liverpool starlet possesses a great amount of flair which means it is an absolute joy to watch him play.

Ben Doak is a technically outstanding young player; intelligent, and direct are the two words that best sum up his technical abilities. He possesses a wonderful first touch that allows him to bring the ball under control in an instant. He is primarily right-footed and the Liverpool youngster seems to like to avoid using his weaker foot, perhaps another area for development in future.

Doak loves to dribble, he thrives when taking on an opponent and being incredibly direct in possession, he will frequently receive the ball in wide areas and make a beeline for the penalty area with the ball virtually glued to his feet thanks to his impeccable close control.

Additionally, his lower centre of gravity means that he can shield the ball from the majority of opponents who try to prevent him from reaching the opposition’s penalty area. However, when running with the ball he does tend to be very focused on the ball which very often that he doesn’t always look up to acknowledge where his teammates are in relation to him on the pitch. This can sometimes lead to him failing to recognise opportunities to play passes in behind the defensive line or squaring the ball to a teammate in a more optimal goal-scoring position.

Throughout most elements of his game, it is easy to forget that Doak is just 18 years old as he frequently displays a level of talent we would associate with players older than him. However, a reminder of his youthfulness comes with his tendency to get easily frustrated, especially when decisions go against him or teammates are not necessarily on his wavelength.

This is really nothing to worry about as it most likely can be attributed to a lack of first-team experience and can easily be remedied on the training pitch and as the player gains more understanding of what will be expected of him at the highest level. 

Ben Doak has already demonstrated that he has the skills to become a key player for Liverpool. Fans can be reassured that they have already found their heir apparent to Mo Salah. Given his potential and the talent he has already shown, the 18-year-old will undoubtedly go on to be one of the best players at the club.

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Rodez AF are enjoying a stellar campaign in Ligue 2 this season. Les Sangs et Or find themselves in fourth place, on course to qualify for the promotion play-offs. Auxerre, St. Etienne and Angers are some way ahead of Rodez in the points tally and two of these will seal automatic promotion in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, this is a Ligue 2 that contains the likes of Bordeaux, Caen, Ajaccio and Troyes so Rodez’s achievements should not be overlooked.

Leading the charge to the play-offs is Rodez’s strike partnership of Andréas Hountondji, a 21-year-old Benin international on loan from Caen and Killian Corredor, the 23-year-old homegrown gem who is shining thanks to Didier Santini’s faith in him.

This scout report will analyse Corredor’s game and highlight what he brings to Rodez’s style of play. Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Biography & Data Analysis

• Name: Killian Corredor

• Age: 23 (04/11/2000)

• Club: Rodez AF

• Nationality: French

• Primary Position: Centre Forward

• Secondary Position: Left/Right Winger

• Height: 182 cm

• Preferred Foot: Right

The pizza chart above allows us to develop an overall picture of Corredor’s impact this season compared to his fellow Ligue 2 forwards.

Santini typically sends his team out in a 3-5-2 system with Corredor as one of the two strikers. He mostly plays as the left-sided forward and is occasionally deployed as a left winger should Rodez switch to a 3-4-3.

The 23-year-old has netted 15 goals in all competitions so far this season, 12 in the league and three in the Coupe de France. As we can see, this places him just above average in terms of his goal output and virtually on par with his expected goals.

Interestingly, Corredor averages 2.56 shots per 90 but only 40.4% of them hit the target which sees him perform below average compared to his peers. This could be a consequence of several factors, wasteful shooting on his part is one of them. Additionally, Corredor could be attempting to shoot from difficult angles or perhaps there is a significant overperformance from one of his peers which is skewing the data slightly.

The Rodez forward’s creating stats look very solid with him performing above average in all the selected metrics. He has racked up 6 assists from an xA of 3.02 so far this campaign which shows he can be a creative force for Rodez and create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.

Furthermore, Corredor’s possession stats are also fairly solid across the board. He is a competent ball carrier who can progress the team forward with the ball at his feet in addition to being willing to take on his opponent frequently.

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Physical Profile

Corredor stands at 182 cm tall with an athletic frame which allows him to cover the ground rather effectively for his team. He is reasonably agile and possesses a surprising burst of acceleration which he often utilises to lose his opponent when making runs into the box.

He is reasonably strong although does lose out in some shoulder-to-shoulder duels we would expect him to win. Moreover, aerially the 23-year-old does struggle and this is an area that he could really do with improving.

Attacking Phase

Rodez will often sit in a mid-low block defensively and look to the break quickly by executing rapid transitions into the attacking phase. The movement of Corredor and Hountondji is usually vital to this.

Corredor typically likes to drift out to the left as we can see here. He then looks to make well-timed arching runs into the central area, looking to get into the space between the two central defenders.

Initially, by venturing to the flanks, the Rodez forward draws the attention of opposing defenders, necessitating their movement to maintain defensive integrity. His movement inherently creates space in the central regions of the pitch, allowing for midfielders or other attacking players to potentially exploit the central voids.

Additionally, the mere act of pulling defenders out wide can lead to an overload on the wings, as Rodez’s wing-backs or supporting midfielders can capitalise on the gaps and link up with Corredor.

The forward's lateral movement also is a way to unsettle the opposing defence, forcing defenders to make crucial decisions regarding their positioning. As defenders track Corredor’s movement-wide, they risk leaving central areas exposed.

When he executes inverted runs back towards central positions, it can catch defenders off guard and exploit the spaces vacated by those committed to wide coverage.

Here, we can see how Corredor’s off-the-ball movement leads to a goalscoring opportunity.

Rodez are building up through the thirds and the 23-year-old forward makes an inverted run from the left half-space, he uses his acceleration to get ahead of his opponent and Waniss Taïbi obliges by picking him out with a wonderfully weighted lofted pass.

Moreover, in this instance, we can see how Corredor uses his off-the-ball movement to create space for his teammate when Rodez are executing a counterattack. He makes an intelligent run out to the left, dragging the opposition defender with him which creates plenty of space for the ball-carrier to utilise.

By drawing defenders out of position with his movements, Corredor opens up channels and pockets of space in the defensive line. This allows midfielders to advance into these areas, receive the ball in advantageous positions, and orchestrate attacking moves.

His ability to manipulate the opposition's defensive shape through their movement provides the team with opportunities to penetrate the defence and generate scoring chances.

This not only allows for smoother build-up play but also enables the team to maintain possession and dictate the tempo of the game.

With regards to link-up play, this is something that Corredor does very well as he is the forward who will typically drop back into deeper areas to offer an additional passing outlet whilst his striker partner will make a run to force the defensive line backwards.

He is confident working in tight spaces, as depicted in this example and links up well with his teammate who lays the ball off to Corredor who then obliges by playing a ball back into the path of said teammate.

He is a player who is confident when playing with his back to goal as knows how to position himself well to turn away from the opponent whilst retaining possession. As he is right-footed, his natural instinct is to cut inside which of course invites the left wing-back to push on into an advanced position.

Corredor is a player who likes to run at his opponent when he gets the opportunity, averaging 4.44 dribbles per 90 and 2.1 progressive runs per 90. He is reasonably agile, (although he could benefit from a little more improvement in this area) which means he can turn away from his opponent while carrying the ball.

On this occasion, he receives the ball, turns and carries it forward whilst weaving in and out of a couple of tackles from the opponents. Andréas Hountondji’s run drags away a defender which creates space for Corredor who drives forward and hits a low drive from outside the area.

One of the reasons why the Rodez forward’s shots-on-target percentage is lower than expected is most likely because he loves a long shot. This is perhaps where his decision-making could benefit from some refining. There are occasions where he opts to shoot from distance when he would be better retaining possession and playing a simple pass to a teammate to ensure Rodez remain in control.

It’s rare to see Corredor acting as the highest point of attack but he does have it in his locker to play off the shoulder of the last defender and to make runs in behind the defensive line as we see here.

He makes an astute run in between the two centre-backs as the opposition are holding a high line. Consequently, Corredor can put the after-burners on and accelerate straight through on goal where he hits a powerful shot beyond the goalkeeper.

The Rodez number 12 is also adept at playing these passes himself, as we can see here. Les Sangs et Or look to use long balls to catch their opposition off guard and on this occasion, Corredor is on the receiving end of the long pass upfield.

He brings the ball under control and sees the run of his strike partner and duly obliges by playing a nicely weighted pass for him to run onto and go 1v1 with the ‘keeper.

The forward keeps it simple with his passing, he plays short passes and rarely looks to go long or play a progressive pass, preferring the safe option when possible.

His work in the attacking phase is very much defined by his work without the ball and his ability to link up play. Of course, Corredor gets into goal-scoring positions, usually via a run from the left half-space as we saw previously. On the whole, he brings a multifaceted style to Rodez’s attacking play.

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Defensive Phase

In the defensive phase, Rodez will look to sit in a mid-low block and allow their opponents to pass the ball around the defensive third relatively unchallenged.

We can see here, Rodez are in their defensive shape and are looking to remain compact. When the opposition tries to play through the lines into midfield, this is when Corredor and his teammates begin to engage.

Rodez midfielders look to close off passing lanes while the Corredor goes to engage the ball carrier. The forward uses his body orientation to limit the opponent’s passing options to just one, as we can see here. Corredor does this as he knows his teammate is well-placed to make the interception and recover possession for Rodez.

By actively positioning his body to close off passing lanes, Corredor disrupts the opposition's build-up play and prevents them from advancing the ball into dangerous areas. This proactive defensive stance not only limits the options available to the opposing team but also puts pressure on their decision-making, potentially forcing them into making errors or turnovers.

Additionally, by reading the game and anticipating the trajectory of passes, he can also position himself strategically to intercept the ball and regain possession for his team.

Corredor’s 1v1 defensive skills are also very good. He tracks back consistently during games and does not shy away from a battle with his opponent.

We can see here that he tracks his opponent back into the Rodez half. Corredor sticks to him tightly and his acceleration means that the opponent cannot turn away from him.

Corredor hustles his opponent off the ball by intelligently manoeuvring his positioning to get his body between the player and the ball. Consequently, the opponent goes to ground, looking for a free kick while Corredor and Rodez can turn away and launch a counterattack.

Transitions

In the attacking transition, Corredor will often be the outlet up the pitch when they hit a long ball forward as we saw earlier in this scout report. However, there are instances where Corredor is able to stretch his legs and use his speed to propel the team forward.

In this instance, Rodez regained possession and played a couple of passes before playing into Corredor’s path. We can see that he carries the team up the pitch and within four seconds they have a goal-scoring opportunity as he plays a pass into his teammate making the run in behind the back-tracking defensive line.

In the defensive transition, there are some instances where Corredor will look to press the opponent high up the pitch, especially when Rodez have just turned over possession themselves. However, mostly he looks to drop back into the defensive structure and carry out the team instructions.

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Conclusion

Killian Corredor is a hard-working individual who puts in maximum effort every time he steps onto the pitch.

I wouldn’t classify him as a natural box player, he is someone who likes to drop further back and be involved in the link-up play. Corredor works well in a front two as he has someone to feed off in terms of one-twos and knockdowns. However, he can also play anywhere across the attacking line in a front three due to his acceleration and willingness to do the defensive work.

Ligue 2 is a good level for him and I don’t think he has the potential to be a top Ligue 1 striker, perhaps he would be a good squad player for a mid-lower-half team. Additionally, I can also see him being a player who would do well in the MLS in the future.

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Chris Conn-Clarke is having an exceptional season at Altrincham. The Northern Irish-born midfielder has been in some incredible form throughout the campaign, having joined The Robins for a club-record fee in June 2023.

The 22-year-old was born in County Antrim and spent time in Linfield’s youth system before moving to Glentoran where he made his senior debut in 2018. In the summer of that year, Con-Clarke then joined Premier League side Burnley on a two-year scholarship.

Despite being given an extension to his scholarship, Conn-Clarke failed to break through at Burnley and signed for Fleetwood Town in 2021. From there he was loaned out to The Robins on two separate occasions and then spent the 2023 campaign on loan at League of Ireland side Waterford before rejoining Altrincham permanently in the summer.

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Conn-Clarke has been nothing short of a revelation for Altrincham this season, netting 23 goals and contributing 11 assists to the team’s cause.

The Robins primarily line up in a 4-2-3-1 system with Conn-Clarke as the number ten which often provides him with the freedom to optimise his performances due to the space created for him by the wide players and central striker.

The 22-year-old has also stepped out as the central striker on occasions this season and on the left as well, as we can see from the images above.

Physically, he stands at 175 cm tall and has quite a low centre of gravity when travelling with the ball at his feet, this also provides him with close control and quick feet, which allow him to excel in that role as a number ten.

This piece will take the form of a data analysis piece where we compare Conn-Clarke to fellow National League players in his position (with over 900 minutes played) and analyse how impactful his performances have been this season.

Goal Contributions

A goal contribution in football refers to the player's involvement in either scoring a goal or providing an assist that leads directly to a goal. This statistical measure shows his overall offensive contribution to the team.

As mentioned earlier, Conn-Clarke has scored 23 goals and bagged 11 assists so far this season. The data visual above shows us how he compares to his National League counterparts.

It’s fair to say, that the Altrincham man is way ahead of the pack here. (Of course, he does take penalties which influences his goals scored and freekicks could influence his assists).

Here, we can delve into his goalscoring stats a little more. This data visual shows that Conn-Clarke averages 0.52 goals per game, so having scored 23 goals in 46 appearances so far, we can say that he averages one goal every two games.

The 22-year-old generates an xG per 90 of 0.4, so with his 0.52 goals per 90, he is outperforming his expected goals per 90.

Additionally, the Altrincham attacking midfielder’s shots on target percentage is about average at 39.41%, however, he averages the second highest number of shots per 90 of our sample.

Conn-Clarke hits 3.89 shots per 90 (second only to Josh Barrett’s 4.48) therefore, the more shots he takes, there is more of a chance they will fail to hit the target.

In terms of his expected assists, Conn-Clarke averages 0.18 per 90, whereas his actual assists per 90 output is 0.25 per 90. From this, we can recognise that he is also overperforming in this metric.

Additionally, we can see from the data viz that the Altrincham midfielder is well above average in both metrics meaning he provides a creative force for his team.

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Crossing

This data visual shows us how Chris Conn-Clarke performs in terms of his crossing abilities compared to fellow National League players in his position.

Again, he performs above average in terms of the number of crosses per 90 (2.06) and in terms of the accuracy of said crosses (30.77%).

If we refer back to the heatmap at the beginning of this piece, we can see that the Northern Irish U21 international does tend to drift out to the half spaces and even the wide areas, as well as occasionally playing out on the left wing.

From this data viz, we can infer that Chris Conn-Clarke has the ability to consistently deliver crosses with precision and accuracy, putting the ball in dangerous areas where his teammates can attack it effectively.

Moreover, he has the awareness and vision to identify opportunities to deliver crosses, whether it's from open play, set-piece situations, or counterattacks, and to pick out the best option for his teammates to attack.

Ball Progression

Moving on, here we can see how the 22-year-old attacking midfielder performs in terms of his progressive actions and it’s easy to see how well he stands out in these metrics.

A progressive run is a continuous ball control by one player attempting to draw the team significantly closer to the opponent's goal while a progressive pass is a forward pass that attempts to advance a team significantly closer to the opponent’s goal.

Conn-Clarke averages 5.3 progressive passes per 90 and 3.26 progressive runs per 90. He provides Altrincham with forward momentum, helping the team gain territory up the pitch.

He consistently displays the ability to play forward passes that break the lines of the opposition defence and bypass their midfield, thus putting pressure on the opposition and creating space for his teammates to exploit.

Furthermore, he adds vertical movement to Altrincham’s attacks as he moves the team into more advanced positions on the field and drives their attacking play forward.

He also demonstrates the ability to make well-timed and intelligent runs that penetrate the opposition's defensive lines and create space for himself and his teammates. These progressive runs can disrupt the opposition's defensive shape and create numerical advantages for The Robins in attack.

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A dribble in football is classed as an attempt to move past an opposing player whilst trying to maintain possession of the ball. Here, we can see that Chris Conn-Clarke attempts a high number of dribbles per 90 (6.68) and performs just below average in terms of his success (49.83%).

A high number of dribble attempts suggest that he is confident in his dribbling ability and willing to take on opposition defenders in one-on-one situations which corroborates what we saw above with his progressive run stats. His main focus is to drive the ball forward and create goal-scoring opportunities.

Additionally, Conn-Clarke possesses a creative flair and initiative on the ball, looking to unlock defences and create space for himself and his teammates through individual skill and ingenuity. He is willing to take risks and try to beat defenders which adds a dynamic dimension to Altrincham’s attacking play.

However, given the amount of dribbles he attempts, it’s not overly surprising to see him being just below average in terms of his success rating. Again, the more he attempts, the higher the likelihood of them being classed as unsuccessful so his willingness to constantly look to push forward with the ball at his feet should be applauded.

Of course, there may be situations where a pass or a simpler option would be more effective overall but this is normal and is no real concern regarding his performances.

We can see here, that Conn-Clarke averages 3.65 touches in the opposition box per 90 and receives an average of 26.33 passes per 90.

This shows how influential he is in the team's attacking play and is a central figure in creating goal-scoring opportunities. His positioning and movement enable him to receive passes in dangerous areas of the pitch, where the 22-year-old can influence the game and contribute to the team's offensive output.

The Altrincham number ten is adept at finding pockets of space, making himself available to receive the ball, and orchestrating attacking moves by linking up with teammates.

Moreover, the high number of touches in the opposition area also supports what we already know about Conn-Clarke being a direct goal threat and being capable of scoring goals. He is often involved in build-up play leading to goal-scoring chances and has the instinct to get into optimal positions, whether it's to finish moves or set up opportunities for teammates.

His tactical intelligence allows Altrincham to maintain sustained pressure on the opposition defence, create numerical advantages in attacking areas, and dictate the tempo of the game from advanced positions on the pitch.

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Key Passing

With regards to his key passing (a pass that immediately creates a clear goal-scoring opportunity for a teammate), we can see in this data viz that Conn-Clarke performs above average.

He averages 34.1 passes per 90 and 0.7 key passes per 90 with an overall pass accuracy rating of 76.99%.

This further demonstrates what a creative force he is for his teammates and that he is reliable in possession when Altrincham are on the attack.

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PAdj Defensive Actions

Finally, looking at possession-adjusted defensive actions, we can see that Chris Conn-Clarke averages 2.21 interceptions per 90 and 0.06 sliding tackles per 90.

Given his style of play, it is no surprise to see him below-average in these metrics, which of course suggests his main tactical instructions are to contribute to Altrincham’s attack.

We must also consider that Altrincham may not do that much defending given their league position and so the stats on the whole will be lower, especially in games where they dominate possession.

Conclusion

So, we have seen how important Chris Conn-Clarke is to Altrincham’s attacking style of play. He is a creative number ten who certainly has an eye for goal, based on his performances this season, it will not be surprising if a League Two or League One club makes a move for him in the summer window.

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Hamza Igamane is a 21-year-old centre forward currently playing for FAR Rabat in the Botola Pro League. Igamane primarily lines up as the central striker in a 4-3-3 system although he is proficient at playing on the wings if required.

Igamane stands at 181 cm tall with an athletic frame. He displays a good burst of acceleration over short distances and he uses his physicality to compete well in the duels.

In the attacking phase of play, Igamane is a constant goalscoring threat. He gets into some excellent positions in the opposition penalty and displays subtle movements to create space for himself. Igamane is excellent in the air which makes him an ideal target for crosses into the box. In build-up-play, he will typically drop back to act as a link-up man and bring teammates into play before making a run into the area. Igamane shows good vision with the types of passes he attempts although not always accurate, he consistently looks to be a creative force on the pitch. He is also confident running at his opponent in 1v1 situations. Additionally, Igamane is happy to shoot and pass with either foot which makes it difficult for opponents to mark him effectively.

In the defensive phase, he has the ability to press high and use his body orientation to close off passing lanes which sees him making recoveries in the opposition half throughout the game. Igamane gets back into the defensive structure quite well and shows a good understanding of when to press and when to stay in the team shape. It would be good to see him being a little stronger in the defensive duels as sometimes his body orientation can be suboptimal making it easier for the opponent.

In the attacking transition, Igamane looks to make runs in behind the opposition's defensive line. This allows his teammates to play passes over the top and means he can utilise his speed effectively. In the defensive transition, he will press high if he sees an opportunity to regain possession but is intelligent with his decision-making in this area.

A move to a top-tier Scandinavian club or the Austrian Bundesliga would be a good next step. Alternatively, a second-tier club in a T5 country could be beneficial for him.

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Cork City currently sit atop the LOI First Division and are targeting promotion back to the top flight. To lead the charge, manager Tim Clancy has turned to the young players within the Cork ranks. We have previously discussed one of those players on this Substack in Jaden Umeh, which you can read here.

This scout report will focus on another young Irish player making a name for himself at Turners Cross, namely Cathal O’Sullivan. The 17-year-old has stood out with his performances so far this season and looks set to become one of the most sought-after talents in the League of Ireland.

So, in this scout report, we will analyse O’Sullivan’s individual skillset and consider what he brings to the Cork City tactics.

Biography

• Name: Cathal O’Sullivan

• Age: 17 (05/03/2007)

• Club: Cork City

• Nationality: Republic of Ireland

• Primary Position: Attacking Midfield

• Secondary Position: Central Midfield / Right Winger

• Preferred Foot: Left

Physical Profile

O’Sullivan possesses an impressive physical profile, despite his young age. He has a wonderful burst of acceleration, especially over short distances and is a very agile player which means he can carry the ball forward at speed and change direction easily whilst retaining possession.

The 17-year-old is reasonably strong in the duels and demonstrates that he understands how to use his body to shield the ball from the opponent. Additionally, he is more than capable of battling for possession against a stronger opponent.

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Attacking Phase

Cork City typically line up in a 4-2-3-1 system with O’Sullivan deployed on the right so he can cut in onto his favoured left foot. Clancy asks his fullbacks to stay wide and really stretch the pitch which allows O’Sullivan the opportunity to operate within the right half-space.

Here, we can see Nevin is virtually on the touchline which stretches Athlone’s defence and creates space for Cathal O’Sullivan to run into. The positioning of the Cork City attacking midfielder creates a dilemma for the opposition's defensive structure.

This strategic positioning, between the fullback and central defender, allows him to receive the ball in a pocket of space where he can either run down the line and isolate the centre back 1v1 or turn back inside and potentially look to shoot himself.

Under Tim Clancy, O’Sullivan appears to have the freedom to roam, mostly due to his astute positioning which gives him the flexibility to influence the game. By drifting into these areas, he can create overloads and numerical advantages in addition to combining with the fullback down the right side, thus increasing Cork’s fluidity in attack.

The 17-year-old displays some very impressive tactical intelligence and is very aware of his positioning on the pitch, as a result, he is constantly shifting and interchanging positions to create space and opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Furthermore, the Cork City youngster is incredibly adept at making runs in behind the opposition’s defence. We can clearly see here that O’Sullivan has identified a space behind the defensive line and is making a run for his teammate to play him in.

These runs stretch the opposition's defensive line and defenders are often drawn out of position to track O’Sullivan’s movement which in turn, creates space for his teammates to exploit.

The Republic of Ireland U17 International displays a wonderful first touch which often allows him the ability to turn away from his opponent. His speed, coupled with his quick feet allow O’Sullivan to retain possession well, especially when receiving the ball with his back to goal.

Moreover, O’Sullivan can play intricate passes to create goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates. In this instance, he threads a nicely weighted pass between the opponents for the Cork City forward to run onto.

So far this season, the Cork City starlet averages 4.16 passes to the final third per 90 and 1.91 passes into the penalty area per 90. Additionally, he averages 3.99 progressive passes per 90, showing his ability to act as a creative force for his team and progress their play forward, taking the game to the opposition.

O’Sullivan can navigate through congested spaces with precise passes to unlock compact defensive structures and break down stubborn defences. This also enhances Cork’s ability to capitalise on transitional moments and counter-attacks.

When the team is quickly transitioning from defence to attack, O’Sullivan’s competence in delivering incisive passes into the box can catch the opposition’s back-tracking defence off guard and create goal-scoring opportunities for his team.

It has to be said that the young midfielder’s long-range passing is not always the best, more often than not when playing a long pass, O’Sullivan doesn’t quite get it right and it’s easy for the defender to intercept.

The Irish midfielder is very attack-minded and constantly looks to rapidly transition from defence to attack, sometimes via a long pass, however, this is not always the right choice and there are occasions where these passes are hit purely in hope rather than because a teammate is making a run for him to aim for. So, it would be beneficial if he could just recognise there are occasions where he would be better off retaining possession and allowing Cork to patiently build an attack.

At 17 though, he has plenty of time to develop and these are just a couple of minor points I noticed regarding his overall game which should take nothing away from his attacking prowess.

As mentioned previously, O’Sullivan is very comfortable receiving the ball under pressure and with his back to goal, this also plays an important role in his link-up play.

We can see here that he receives the ball into feet and due to his awareness, he knows that the opposition defender has stepped out to follow him therefore leaving space for Nevin (Cork’s right back) to run into.

Consequently, O’Sullivan plays a first-time pass into the feet of his teammate who executes another first-time pass to Nevin who has charged forward, making use of the space available.

Due to his quick feet and trickery, opponents can often feel that they have to mark O’Sullivan closely, however, due to his constant movement the opposition mostly finds themselves dragged out of position which allows Cork City to take advantage of the extra space. Conversely, if an opponent allows O’Sullivan too much space then it is equally as dangerous as he has such close control, combined with his speed and agility, he can beat his man in the blink of an eye.

Personally, I don’t envy any defender charged with the task of marking Cathal O’Sullivan.

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Defensive Phase

Whilst he is hugely dynamic in the attacking phase, the Cork City man is not one for shirking his defensive responsibilities.

We can see here, that O’Sullivan uses his speed to track the opponent and then his awareness and agility ensure that he can get his body between the player and the ball, therefore recovering possession for his team.

The Cork City midfielder averages 6.94 ball recoveries per 90, this hard work defensively is part of the reason why the First Division leaders have only conceded two goals so far this season.

Moreover, O’Sullivan shows excellent tenacity and strength in defensive duels, which is what enables him to win back possession in key areas of the pitch and disrupt the opposition's attacking play, as shown above.

He enjoys engaging in physical battles and applying pressure on the ball carrier, knowing he can force turnovers and regain possession for his team, halting the opposition's momentum and preventing them from building attacks effectively.

With a PPDA of 6.43, Cork City look to press their opponents high up the pitch to prevent them from playing out of defence. O’Sullivan also plays an important role in this.

Once again, his speed and agility are important as they allow him to cover ground quickly and apply pressure on the opposition's defence and midfield, disrupting their build-up play and forcing turnovers in dangerous areas of the pitch as shown above.

Due to his ability to cover ground quickly, O’Sullivan is very effective in closing down space to deny the opposition time and space on the ball, making it difficult for them to play through the Cork City press.

Moreover, his tactical awareness and ability to read the game effectively enables him to anticipate and intercept passes and close off passing lanes, increasing the likelihood of Cork City recovering possession high up the pitch.

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Transitions

During the attacking transition, O’Sullivan is extremely proactive and likes to drive forward with the ball at his feet.

We can see here, that he weaves in and out of opposition challenges with one thing in his mind; get into the penalty area. His ball-carrying abilities can sometimes catch the opposition off guard, allowing him to exploit space ahead of him upon recovering possession.

Cathal O’Sullivan drives forward with purpose and intent, advancing his team up the pitch rapidly, putting pressure on the opposition's defence and midfield, forcing them into reactive defensive positions.

His proficiency in carrying the ball forward during transitions adds dynamism and unpredictability to Cork’s transitional play, making it incredibly difficult for opponents to defend against.

In the defensive transition, Cork look to counterpress aggressively upon losing possession. In this situation, O’Sullivan shows his tenacity once again by tracking back and closing down the opponent to limit his passing options as he looks to play out from defence.

He uses his physical presence to put the opponent under pressure and whenever he senses any sort of hesitation from the player, O’Sullivan gets his foot to the ball and recovers possession for Cork.

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Character

In terms of his character, Cathal O’Sullivan displays no red flags whatsoever. He shows a phenomenal work rate in all areas of the game. He is tenacious, aggressive in all the right ways and amazingly, never seems to stop running.

He works hard for the team but also shows that individual flair and confidence which has made him such a stand-out player this season. The 17-year-old plays with a maturity that makes you forget about his age within seconds.

O’Sullivan appears to have an exceptional mindset and a high level of intelligence which ensures he often makes good decisions on the pitch.

Conclusion

Cathal O’Sullivan is a wonderful talent. He has flair, trickery, excellent technical skills and tactical intelligence. Plus, he is physically very strong and willing to put in the hard work.

In the near future, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him move abroad after this season, perhaps to England, Italy or Germany which are three popular destinations for players from the Republic of Ireland.

Overall, the Cork City teenager has the potential to play at the highest level. He is without question a very exciting player.

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