Finding the next Antoine Griezmann – Tactical Analysis

Embed from Getty Images

Without always achieving the acclaim, Antoine Griezmann has been one of the most influential stars of the past decade. From World Cup triumphs to lavish Barcelona moves to his time rolling in the mud of Diego Simeone’s Atletico, Griezmann has made a career that many could only dream of achieving.

Embed from Getty Images

As the Frenchman now enters the twilight of his career, we analyze the next heirs to his throne. As France’s all-time assister, his impact on the national side will be a massive miss over the next few years. But we aren’t just looking for a Frenchman, but someone who can play in a similar mold for Diego Simeone’s Atletico or achieve the same level of stardom as the French superstar. Let’s dive in.

Style of Play + Criteria

Embed from Getty Images

Antoine Griezmann is the model for the modern-day centre-forward. He can transcend roles as a ’10’, ‘9’, play in a front two, on the wing, and fulfill a variety of responsibilities throughout the phases.

It’s rare to find a centre-forward so involved throughout every phase of possession (let alone out of possession), acting as both the key creator and scorer for his team. The French forward attained 15 goals with 16 assists as he featured in all 38 La Liga games this campaign.

But he also ranked in the top percentiles for any possession and passing metric you can think of. His 5.03 shot-creating actions stand above the pack (top 2%), in addition to his ability to facilitate attacks from deeper positions through his forward and progressive passing.

He even boasted impressive defensive numbers, ranking in the top 1% for tackles and interceptions, whilst backing that up with impressive duelling percentages when compared to others in his position/role.

Embed from Getty Images

As far as that role goes, Griezmann loves freedom. He roams from left to right, favouring the half-spaces over central channels to create more optimal scoring opportunities. The Atletico forward utilizes the space between the opposition’s defense and midfield lines astutely, making intelligent decisions when it comes to his ability to receive the ball in space and immediately know the next course of action.

Embed from Getty Images

His constant scanning of the pitch makes his job rather simple, but that again remains a priceless trait for a ‘Creative Link’.

Once receiving the ball, the Frenchman adds value to any phase of an attack, whether it be through his composure on the half-turn, his stellar weight of pass, or his dynamic carrying through the thirds. Combine all that quality with being regarded as one of La Liga’s best finishers, and you get a near impossible player to stop.

When speaking of potential heirs to the throne, it’s important to reiterate just how rare it is to find someone so capable in producing magic across so many categories. However, an intelligent footballing brain remains a key requirement. You might not be able to always replace Griezmann’s technical intricacies, but you must try and replace his tactical intelligence.

An understanding of the defensive role is also imperative, even if they aren’t as highly intense of a presser as a Simeone signing would endeavour to be.

Embed from Getty Images

With that, after a long search across the globe, we narrowed our potential candidates down to seven stellar players:

• Rayan Cherki
• Julio Enciso
• Daichi Kamada
• Dani Olmo
• Xavi Simons
• Gabri Veiga
• Florian Wirtz

We now see how each of these seven names stack up on Griezmann’s most important traits.

IQ + Reading the game

Arguably the biggest compliment that could ever be paid to a player would be possessing an intelligent footballing brain (or a multi-million dollar contract). Atleti’s number 7 is certainly up there with the best of the current generation, scanning and analyzing each phase of play to pick out the best position to receive.

Embed from Getty Images

As mentioned, it’s therefore imperative that our Griezmann replacement fulfills at least some degree of the same footballing IQ.

Florian Wirtz immediately emerges as a strong candidate, due to his similar space-seeking expeditions for Bayer Leverkusen.

Embed from Getty Images

The German received 7.1 progressive passes per 90 in 2022-23, alongside making nearly 2.8 progressive runs per 90.

Rayan Cherki smashes both figures, receiving 12.5 progressive passes and nearly doubling Wirtz’s results with 5.0 progressive runs per 90. Both players are constantly on the move, wanting to get on the ball and work magic for their teams. Wirtz has played more of an influential role in build-up play this season, helping his midfielders to be more effective in progressing the ball.

Embed from Getty Images

The German also ranks ahead of the curve on attacking duel success (44.6%), a category led by Julio Enciso (49.1%) among our candidates.

Enciso also catches the eye for his attacking IQ, and Roberto De Zerbi should be uber excited heading into next season, with the Paraguayan showing signs of something special in his early days at Brighton.

Embed from Getty Images

He’s been successful across all of his duels for the club, whilst spiking red across the pitch for his versatility so far.

Within this category, Julio Enciso, Florian Wirtz and Rayan Cherki are all standout candidates.

Progressive passing + carrying

Embed from Getty Images

Another important facet of Griezmann’s outstanding play is his innate ability to read the spaces when progressing the play. He not only creates a high number of forward, progressive and dangerous passes, but surpasses his peers when it comes to the success of those actions.

He might not earn the credit, but his 16 assists this season demonstrates in and of itself that Griezmann is one of the best progressors and creators in the world – right up there with the likes of Messi and De Bruyne.

Embed from Getty Images

The level of assist-making and chance-creation is again difficult to find elsewhere. But utilizing metrics like xA (expected assists) can help us to better predict who might turn into that type of player in the future. Rayan Cherki again stands out, topping the charts on progressive passing percentage (87.5%), passes into the penalty area (5.1 per 90), progressive carries (6.39), and xA per 90 (0.35).

Embed from Getty Images

Even more impressively, the Frenchman accomplished his feats with 55% of his total touches coming in the final third. This illustrates him to be an efficient playmaker even in the most condensed areas of the pitch.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Daichi Kamada also stands out as an exceptional future Griezmann in this department, playing a focal role in the quick attacking transitions of Oliver Glasner’s game.

Embed from Getty Images

Kamada completed 74% of his forward passes in 2022-23, just one percent behind Antoine Griezmann. Lazar Samardžić is another astute forward passer that could easily flourish in a role higher up the pitch. Both possess the heart and determination to function in a high-pressing, combative team.

Embed from Getty Images

Kamada might be the more interesting name given his free-agent status this summer. If he makes the right move, there’s no reason why he can’t show signs of that potential Griezmann stardom. But as our eldest candidate at 26 years old, he might need to start fulfilling that promise soon.

Embed from Getty Images

Finalizing this category, each of Xavi Simons, Florian Wirtz and Julio Enciso present their strengths. Simons is more of a stellar long and progressive passer, Wirtz is a dynamic carrier capable of perceiving space and bursting through the lines, and Enciso is a dominant 1v1 dribbler.

In providing the completeness that Griezmann provides on the ball, it is however difficult to find a candidate as complete as Rayan Cherki.

Technical quality in final third

Embed from Getty Images

Atletico Madrid’s style of play has primarily revolved around quick attacking transitions, to which Antoine Griezmann has always flourished. France have adopted a similar approach with their use of the 32-year-old and Kylian Mbappé as co-conspirators in leading the charge. This is where Griezmann’s speed of play always shines, where he can quicky adjust to make the best decision in the moment.

But in addition to the brilliance he exudes in tight spaces, Griezmann is also an excellent striker of the ball, often scoring all kinds of goals. 15 goals and 16 assists is the best tally of Griezmann’s career and that remarkability is something that will be difficult for anyone to top.

One man that stands out when it comes to their quality in the final third is PSV’s Xavi Simons. Albeit in an easier league, the 21-year-old attained 0.68 goal contributions (goals + assists) per 90 in 2022-23.

Embed from Getty Images

Eintract Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani is the only man who bettered that tally (0.77). Both adopt a cool and composed mindset in front of goal, with a close control precision on the ball to fulfill Griezmann’s ability on the break.

Embed from Getty Images

When it comes to the creativity, Dani Olmo of RB Leipzig also makes for an excellent comparison, as the only man who bests Griezmann’s tally of assists per 90 (0.36 to 0.34). Like Simons and Kolo Muani, Olmo is capable of fulfilling a number of different roles across the front-three, but thrives in between the ‘9’ and ’10’ positions just like Antoine Griezmann.

Embed from Getty Images

Among the candidates previously discussed, this is where the likes of Cherki, Kamada and Enciso make for a less of a comparison. Cherki scored just 4 goals with 6 assists in his 34 appearances this campaign, with Kamada faring slightly better on 9 goals and 6 assists. Enciso impressed in his limited minutes and could grow into that type of stellar scorer, but it’s difficult to make adequate assumptions about his scoring potential after just 20 Premier League appearances.

Embed from Getty Images

The Paraguayan did however impress with 6.2 ‘successful attacking actions’ per 90, behind only Rayan Cherki (7.8). This would allow both players to continue as significant attacking threats for their teams, even if not contributing on the goal-front to the same high standard as our French forward.

From a pure goal-scoring and chance-creation perspective, Randal Kolo Muani might be the best candidate. He contributed to more goals than anyone in the Bundesliga across the 2022-23 campaign, while impressing for France at the 2022 World Cup.

Defensive ENERGY

Embed from Getty Images

Finally, although his in-possession qualities far outweigh what he brings on the defensive end, Griezmann always works hard and puts in a shift across all phases. In Madrid, Simeone doesn’t require aggressive pressing from his forwards but his number 7 still possesses an innate awareness. At the World Cup for France, Griezmann’s role in defensive phases also became imperative. He could even be seen coming all the way back to defend his team’s box, anticipating and intercepting passes in ‘Zone 14’.

Gabri Veiga has developed his game immensely this season at relegation-threatened Celta Vigo, but particularly on the defensive end. He suits Griezmann’s game rather nicely, with his adept decision-making to jump between Celta’s midfield and forward lines in their mid-block. He accumulated 3.57 possession-adjusted interceptions per 90 in 2022-23, matching Griezmann’s stellar work ethic.

Embed from Getty Images

At the bottom of our list, Rayan Cherki shows more disinterest when it comes to the defensive side of the game. This is the area of his game that he’d most need to improve if making a move to the big time away from Lyon. Partially a tactical ploy by Laurent Blanc to ensure Cherki’s role becomes more imperative in attacking phases, but still worrying when compared to Griezmann.

Embed from Getty Images

Florian Wirtz on the other hand comes out okay, particularly with the energy he exudes to block passes and shuffle about the pitch. But the prime candidate for this category is likely Julio Enciso, who not only creates a high number of defensive actions, but tends to be more successful when engaging in 1v1 battles and pressing from the front.

The Verdict

Embed from Getty Images

Having analysed a large range of statistics and game footage, we believe the ideal player to fit the Griezmann mold is Brighton’s Julio Enciso. Despite the Paraguayan’s limited game-time at the top level of European football, Brighton’s forward emerges as a diamond in the rough, bursting with potential. In addition to leading the defensive categories, Enciso clearly excels with the ball at his feet, and showcases a superb awareness of space even at 19 years of age. Prepare for Brighton’s seagull to take flight next season under Roberto De Zerbi, as Julio Enciso’s career only takes off from here.

---

• WordPress
• Facebook
• X
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Search

Search