Category: Striker

Finding the next Sadio Mane – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Data Analysis, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting, Striker, Winger, World Football

Sadio Mane may not have as much versatility in skillset as Firmino and Salah, but his talent levels are supreme. Out of all the candidates, Emmanuel Dennis might be the closest clone. The Nigerian forward is just sheer speed and scoring power, which, without underselling all of this, is Mane to a tee. Then you have Rafael Leao, who is so much more skillful than the Senegalese, but lacks the exact trait we would most want to find in a future Mane replacement (better scoring and shooting accuracy). So with that, we have to go with...

Finding the next Mohamed Salah – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Data Analysis, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting, Striker, Winger, World Football

As we found out, finding Mohamed Salah's replacement at Liverpool is a tough task. He's a strangely unique player, who does just about everything in the game to great effect. Nobody will ever replace his goal-scoring presence for the Reds, and that much always needs to be taken into consideration. So with that, we've done something a bit crazy.

Finding the next Roberto Firmino – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Attacking Midfield, Data Analysis, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting, Striker, World Football

Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, the poster boys of a modern day football front three and all that can be accomplished, are all out of contract at the end of the 2022-23 season. The electric trio defined Liverpool's success in the late 2010s, including a Premier League and UEFA Champions League triumph, and a runners-up medal in both competitions. But now approaching or already hitting 30 years old, Liverpool need to start to prepare for life without their illustrious front three. So with that, in this tactical transfer series, we attempt to identify the next Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. We're looking for players not only capable of leading the Reds to more title triumphs, but players young enough to do so over the next five years. Today, we start with finding the next Roberto Firmino.

Why Jonathan David is perfect for Arsenal

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Data Analysis, Player Analysis, Player Education, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting, Striker, World Football

Arsenal need a new striker. With Aubameyang out of favour and Lacazette out of contract, that much is clear. But the man that comes into the club next needs to not only be a player who can score goals, but someone who possesses the characteristics of Arteta's style of play. That player needs to be capable of pressing high, linking up with others in possession, and playing on the break. So as Arsenal prepare their search for a new striker, we suggest they take a seriously look at Jonathan David.

Pressing From The Front – Top 10 Centre Forwards In Europe

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Premier League, Serie A, Striker, World Football

Pressing from the front is an essential tactic in the modern game. Most of the best teams in the world deploy a high press to some degree, attempting to win the ball back in the most dangerous areas of the field. One of the most important players to a team's ability to press from the front is the centre-forward. The team's centre-forward, or striker, is responsible for setting the tone, intensity, angle, and first act of pressure. So this Christmas day, we've analyzed the best strikers in Europe when it comes to pressing from the front in 2021-22, attempting to identify the very best of the art. If you have a team that loves to press from the front, you should be tweeting your managers tomorrow, telling them to get these men through the door. But before we get into, let's first establish the criteria for the compilation of our list.

Andre Silva set to carry on where Timo Werner left off at RB Leipzig – Player Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Player Analysis, Striker, Subscriber Exclusives

After a roller coaster ride of a career, Andre Silva has made a move to what is probably his biggest club yet in relative Bundesliga newcomers RB Leipzig. The Portuguese striker scored a remarkable 28 goals in 32 appearances last season, breaking Frankfurt’s club record for most goals in a single season. Leipzig fans will be hoping Silva carries over that kind of form to his new club, and finishes where Timo Werner left off two seasons ago. But now under the influence of Jesse Marsch, how will Andre Silva fit in?

The race to sign Andre Silva – Player Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Player Analysis, Striker, World Football

For his fantastic performances this season and overall reputation scoring goals, Andre Silva has attracted the attention of Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United. Here we break down each of his potential suitors, and what he might bring to each club.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic – AC MIlan (2020-21) – Scout Report

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Player Analysis, Serie A, Striker

In the Serie A 2020-21 season, AC Milan showed great promise and performances, having their best season in over a decade. Pioli’s tactics were spot on throughout the season, with the players on the field coming to life in surprising ways. The likes of Davide Calabria, Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao have all had their best seasons as professional players this season but here we shed light on one of the most important players to the Milan system – 39-year old Swedish veteran Zlatan Ibrahimovic.