Jill Roord – Player Analysis

Embed from Getty Images

Within the past five seasons, Jill Roord has consistently been one of the top performing players across the globe. She’s made a massive impact for VFL Wolfsburg across the past few years, helping them to reach the Champions League Final in the latest campaign. She’s also been a stalwart behind the success of the Netherlands, including en route to her nation reaching the final at the previous iteration of the World Cup in 2019.

Embed from Getty Images

Now entering her peak years as a professional footballer, Roord will once more be integral to the tactical set-up of the Dutch team. Here is our analysis of what makes Manchester City’s latest signing so critical for both club and country.

Attacking versatility

Embed from Getty Images

Jill Roord is one hell of a dangerous player, particularly for her ability to achieve success across numerous positions. Roord actually stepped outside of her comfort zone this campaign to play as more of an ‘8’ in midfield alongside Lena Oberdorf as the team’s ‘6’.

This allowed Tommy Stroot to squeeze in the abundance of attacking talent at the team’s disposal.

Embed from Getty Images

The box-to-box role suited her strengths, most notably her dynamism off-the-ball, where she excellently perceives spaces to attack. Given Wolfsburg’s dominance, she could also often make her impact felt as that ‘free 8′ figure somewhere between 8 and 10, alongside the true ’10’ in the team.

This suited her two-footed ability, often roaming up and down the left-half-spaces and looking to spread the play wide or strike from distance.

Both are hallmarks of Roord’s play from central areas, where she will often take less than ideal shooting opportunities from her willingness and confidence to strike from range. She’s the type of player that has no issue taking matters into her own hands, and that’s always pivotal at major tournaments.

For the Dutch, Roord will likely play more of an advanced role on the wing, as part of the team’s 4-3-3. The Dutch have an embarrassment of riches in central midfield, where Jackie Groenen and Danielle van de Donk are likely to start alongside the ‘Midfield Destroyer’ that is Sherida Spitse. On the wings however, Netherlands have fewer standout players, and have often needed to be experimental with their centre-forward. This is where Roord could play a pivotal role at this summer’s tournament.

Embed from Getty Images

If the Dutch then opt for a 4-2-3-1 to achieve different outcomes, Roord would be best for that ’10’ slot, where you’d want Groenen and Van de Donk pulling strings from deeper on the field, and Roord using her defensive presence to lead the press.

The Dutchwoman made 0.92 tackles in the attacking third throughout 2022-23, ranking her above every other midfielder/winger in the top women’s professional leagues according to FBRef. In fact, this raw physicality is often what makes her such a unique ’10’ in the modern game.

PHYSICALITY & FEAR-FACTOR

Embed from Getty Images

Jill Roord never leaves a match without making her presence felt. She’s combative, aggressive, an energetic presser, and often nicely combines her skill on the ball with genuine pace and acceleration. According to Wyscout data, Roord completed 2.4 dribbles per 90 last season, with a 64% success rate.

Embed from Getty Images

When you have the footwork to beat players on the turn with ease, but can then storm forward into space, that’s a scary combination. Alongside her ability to create danger from central channels, she’s also completely capable going toe-to-toe down the wing and creating from wide. Combine that speed to attack space with solid perceptions of space, and you again improve upon what most physical players offer.

Roord is excellent about knowing when to attack space in the hopes that it opens space for teammates, as opposed to when to hold her run and arrive late to the party from that ’10’ position.

This helps the Dutch attacker score more goals than just the typical fliers from range, where she can also be a capable penalty -box poacher.

0.4 goals per 90 is quite a decent tally for a woman who spent much of the season playing as more of an ‘8’. Her willingness to shoot from range also means that she creates more goals for others from her shots (i.e. rebounds) than any other midfielder/winger in eight women’s top professional leagues. For the Netherlands, that could become key, especially given the lack of an imposing ‘number 9’ otherwise.

If they opt for the new Manchester City player up front, they should be encouraged by Roord’s 67% aerial win rate, which ranks ahead of all midfielders/wingers in those eight women’s leagues again.

Embed from Getty Images

The absence of star player Vivianne Miedema will be felt across the team for the second tournament in a row, but Jill Roord’s flamboyancy and enforcer-like physicality will help to make up for that loss.

---

Embed from Getty Images

-> Women’s World Cup 2023 Preview – Guro Reiten
-> Women’s World Cup 2023 Preview – Lena Oberdorf
-> Women’s World Cup 2023 Preview – Rose Lavelle & Ashley Sanchez
-> Women’s World Cup 2023 Preview – Alex Greenwood & the loss of Leah Williamson

---

• WordPress
• Facebook
• X
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Mail
• Spotify

Search

Search