Originally Published 23rd August 2021.
Arsenal: Max Aarons-Right Back-Norwich City-England-21 Years Old-Contract Expires Summer 2024
With rumours swirling around Héctor Bellerín wanting to leave the club he has been at for nine years and Cédric Soares lacking the quality to be Arsenal’s regular first-choice right back there seems to be an opening at the position. Calum Chambers starting at right back in the opening night loss to Brentford showed the lack of faith Mikel Arteta currently has in his right back department. This resulted in a very lopsided formation on the ball as Chambers is a significantly more defensive player than left back Kieran Tierney, meaning Brentford were well equipped to stop Arsenal’s advances as they almost always came from the left rather than there being multiple points of attack.
Despite failing to secure any form of European football, Arsenal have shown willing to spend. Therefore, purchasing a significant upgrade at right back seems appropriate as there is clearly money available, although funding an unnecessary transfer on Aaron Ramsdale may hinder this.
Seeking a progressive player that is comfortable within possession, that can cause an attacking threat akin to Tierney on the left flank and is competent in defence is a must for Arsenal.
Max Aarons is a player who fits that bill emphatically.
Having played in a heavy-possession orientated side under Daniel Farke at Norwich City for numerous years now, transitioning successfully to Arteta’s system is certainly attainable. Aarons has demonstrated suitable composure and technical ability on the ball to step up to a bigger team. Having featured in 36 league games in Norwich’s relegation season in 2019-2020, Aarons is already familiar with the Premier League in which their final league position should not be viewed as indictment on Aarons’ blossoming talent.
Aarons combines frequent scanning alongside an ability to receive the on the half-turn which enables swift progression up the right flank. Here Aarons’ attacking game spreads into multiple facets. He regularly carries the ball from deep to the final third using his quick acceleration or plays a vertical pass outside to the right winger in either the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 formations. In the final third, he is capable of cutting the ball back to options around the box, delicately delivering crosses or driving into the danger area himself. Aarons is quick to follow up his pass and make an overlapping run to stretch the defence vertically. Although, Aarons does need to improve his variety of movement in these situations as he is guilty of getting too close to his teammate on the right flank which minimises the space available to operate in.
Not only was Aarons one of Norwich’s main creative outlets last season, he was also streets ahead of the majority of the Championship’s right-back’s/right wing-back’s in many attacking brackets. According to Wyscout data, Aarons was ranked within the 90th or above percentile for the following categories (minimum 600 league minutes at RB/RWB):
- 3.99 Successful Attacking Actions per 90– 96th percentile. (Giannoulis- 2.58 per 90)
- 0.13 Expected Assists per 90– 91st percentile. (Giannoulis-0.06 per 90)
- 2.13 Touches in Opposition Box per 90-100th percentile. (Giannoulis-1.55 per 90)
- 0.76 Key Passes per 90 -100th percentile. (Giannoulis-0.39 per 90)
- 2.81 Progressive Runs per 90-92nd percentile. (Giannoulis-1.03 per 90)
The frequency at which Aarons could attack and collate high volumes of the above statistics was partly due to Norwich maintaining possession for longer than most teams in the Championship last season but Aarons outperformed Norwich’s left back Dimitris Giannoulis on all of the above per 90 rankings who is a rather attacking full back in his own regard. This all points towards an extremely gifted attacking right back.
Defensively, Aarons is no slouch either. Proactive in duels; Aarons thrives upon contact within one-on-one battles. Using his fairly broad 5’10” frame, he benefits from his strength in order to outmuscle smaller attackers and force them off balance. A sign of Aarons’ efficiency was his 62.8% defensive duel success rate in the Championship last season. However, Aarons’ aerial duel success rate was a lowly 35.8% which is alarming considering he is not a small figure. Mistiming his jumps and not achieving strong leverage on his opposition contribute to his aerial struggles which is a glaring weakness that needs additional focus.
Positionally Aarons could improve as he is reliant on his incredible pace to recover backwards as at the highest level this could be exposed. Although many of the times when he has been caught out of position it has come as a result of tactical instructions encouraging him forward, he could make more intelligent in-game decisions especially if there is not suitable cover from midfield present during prolonged attacks.
Overall, Max Aarons’ skillset is already refined enough to step up to Arsenal. His attacking qualities are sorely needed at the right-back position and he has shown enough defensive promise at only 21 years old to be proficient within a side who harbour continental ambitions. Aarons ability to stretch the field vertically and laterally with his speed and attacking prowess would only create more space for the likes of Emile Smith Rowe to operate in. A fee in the region of £35 million would likely be enough to tempt Norwich into selling given the fees received for Emi Buendía and Ben Godfrey; £33 and £25 million respectively. A long-term starter would immediately bear fruit at the Emirates in what has been a troubling position for the Gunners for arguably a decade.
Aston Villa: Cheick Doucouré-Defensive Midfielder-RC Lens-Mali-21 Years Old-Contract Expires Summer 2024
It is clear that Aston Villa have great depth within the attacking positions due to the incoming transfers following the departure of club icon Jack Grealish. The signings of Emi Buendía, Danny Ings, Leon Bailey and even Ashley Young to some extent provide Dean Smith with a plethora of options alongside established players in Ollie Watkins and Bertrand Traore amongst others.
However, in simple terms it is no benefit having all these creative threats if there is a lack of midfield steel behind them. Villa desperately lost the midfield battle against newly-promoted Watford on opening day as there was far too much space in between the lines to exploit in transition.
John McGinn is a very talented ‘8’ but he lacks the ability to make a difference defensively. Douglas Luiz is a more rounded defensive option than McGinn as his engine allows him to press well and be busy defensively but he struggles with duels and awareness. The most defensive midfield option Villa own in Marvelous Nakamba is a strong ball-winner however he offers virtually nothing in terms of ball progression and constructing attacks.
From the below FBref Scouting Reports (powered by StatsBomb) it is apparent Villa are devoid of an elite disruptor who is serviceable in possession. Villa require a player with a strong frequency in tackles and interceptions who is capable of progression via driving the ball or playing vertical passes through to their playmakers.
(Below Scouting Reports comprise of comparisons to positional peers in Men’s Big 5 Leagues and European Competition over the last 365 days showing a percentile for numerous categories-the higher the better)
Cheick Doucouré should be the target for Villa. An old fashion destroyer who displays substantial poise and composure on the ball has led to comparisons with Declan Rice. RC Lens purchased Doucouré from JMG Academy in 2018 which has become a hub for developing West African talent before youngsters embark for a playing career in Europe. Over the last two seasons under the tutelage of Franck Haise, Doucouré has featured in a midfield pivot in a 3-4-2-1 formation where he has matured into an unsung hero for a team who achieved a 7th place finish in Ligue 1 in 2020-2021.
Situated at 5’11” Doucouré’s frame is not a behemoth for defensive midfield standards but his combination of aggression and ability enables an impressive body of defensive work.
Very strong in duels, Doucouré is excellent at getting his body between the opponent and the ball to produce a turnover for his side. His sliding tackles are also a particular highlight which he performs at some frequency- 1.95 Possession Adjusted Sliding Tackles per 90 in 2020-2021 Ligue 1. His defensive awareness and concentration are second to none which acts as a phenomenal barrier to counter attacks subsequently resulting in a high number of interceptions and tackles. Maintaining a deeper position screening the back three alongside skipper Keko Fofana allowing the wing-backs to bomb on, Doucouré quickly pounces upon poor touches and loose balls. Even if he over-extends when chasing loose balls, Doucouré typically exhibits enough athleticism to recover. Although this could be susceptible against a higher standard of opposition in the Premier League.
Critically, Doucouré is not just a ball-winner as he offers some qualities in possession. Solid yet unspectacular to coin a phrase would be an appropriate description of Doucouré’s passing game. He identifies space well and drops into pockets offering himself up to receive the ball. He is generally a relaxed figure with the ball and a tidy passer especially when clipping passes to either wing-back as he demonstrates great touch and weight on mid-ranged passes. He shows a consistent technique with these balls and has been an effective weapon from deep when there’s a need to switch the point of attack. However, one negative within his passing game is that he is overly reliant on his preferred right foot and can be pressurised into sloppy passes if he cannot switch the ball onto his right.
A further sign of Doucouré’s ability on the ball is how comfortable he is when dribbling. His agile frame and technical competency enable him to powerfully burst past players with ease culminating in a midfielder who can carry the ball into the final third with regularity. His 65.6% successful dribble rate within Ligue 1 in 2020-2021 shows how accomplished the Malian is at beating the opposition.
Doucouré’s overall FBref (via StatsBomb) Scouting Report summarises a more complete midfielder in comparison to Villa’s current options.
As depicted above and illustrated within the Scouting Report, Doucouré’s penchant for tackles and interceptions make him the ideal tour-de-force in the midfield. Alongside this, his above average progressive behaviours in terms of carrying and passing amalgamate to form a multi-dimensional operator. Utilising Doucouré in a midfield pivot alongside either John McGinn or Douglas Luiz would give Dean Smith sufficient defensive cover to allow Villa’s attacking cohort to have slightly reduced defensive responsibilities whilst also hosting a playmaking threat from deep. For around £15 million Doucouré would be a superb bit of business.
Brentford: Hugo Siquet-Right-Back-Standard Liège- Belgium-19 Years Old-Contract Expires Summer 2022
After gaining promotion, Brentford have largely kept their squad intact only losing attacking midfielder Emiliano Marcondes and experienced right back Henrik Dalsgaard. Whilst they have looked to replace Marcondes’ minutes via a myriad of replacements in the way of Frank Onyeka, Joanne Wissa and the youthful Myles Peart-Harris, no business has been made to replace Dalsgaard. Seeing the Dane has featured in over 3,000 league minutes in all of the last three campaigns his presence will be missed but you expect Brentford’s intelligent scouting methods to identify a befitting replacement. However, with the window quickly shutting Bee’s fans are treading on egg shells regarding a new signing at the position.
Only 22-year-old Mads Roerslev and 18-year-old Fin Stevens are familiar with the right-back spot, with Sergi Canós filling in at right wing-back in Brentford’s first two games. With Brentford utilising a 3-5-2 formation so far, an attacking wing-back would be preferred who can stretch the opposition with the comfort of three centre-backs behind him.
Considering Brentford’s approach to recruitment a left-field suggestion in the form of Standard Liège’s Hugo Siquet appears to be pertinent. Siquet is a 19-year-old Belgian deriving from Liège’s academy who has had an impressive start to his club career so far. Featuring in over 1,500 minutes last campaign and starting in Liège’s first five league games this season, Siquet has quickly emerged into one of the Jupiler Pro League’s most dominant full-backs.
Despite being 19 years young Siquet is a strong athlete relative to a physically demanding position in today’s modern game. Even though he has been substituted off a few times in the current campaign so far, he does demonstrate the quickness, recovery speed and engine to meet the needs placed on current full backs. Although more game time is required for him to adjust to consistently play a full game at senior level every week but that will come to fruition soon. Having featured at both full-back and wing-back throughout his limited club career Siquet has started to grasp the subtle tactical differences that both positions require and would be a useful addition to Brentford bearing in mind Thomas Frank’s use of varying formations if he was slowly introduced into the side.
Siquet’s able athleticism bolsters his defensive capabilities particular in duels as he takes a proactive approach in engaging the opposition. His astute anticipation of what his opponent is likely to do next favours this style when applying pressure. Whilst, Siquet is average build for a full-back; 5’9” and 70 kg according to Wyscout, he does not shy away from contact which is evidenced by his 9.38 defensive duels per 90 last season of which he won 59.8%. Consequently, due to his eagerness he is naturally at risk of getting too tight to the opposition and being dribbled past so will need to find a greater balance of his pursuits moving forwards in a more composed fashion.
Positioning is an area Siquet needs to improve upon especially as it will be exposed in the stronger Premier League were he to transfer. On occasions he recognises threats well but he is often out of position in transition. Whilst his dexterity enables him to recover in the majority of incidences in the Jupiler Pro League, he noticeably needs to improve his reading of the game once counter-attacks appear to be looming if he wants to progress upwards in the European Leagues.
Going forward Siquet is enthralling. He is simply an offensive juggernaut on the right flank in the mould of Trent Alexander-Arnold. Using his preferred right foot to deliver crosses into the box, Siquet’s accuracy of 46.1% at a high frequency of 5.1 per 90 is almost unrivalled. He is proficient at both floating balls to the back post and whipping flatter crosses into the front post. His threat from wide areas is accentuated by 0.24 XA per 90 in the 2020-2021 Jupiler, a ranking of 2nd amongst all full backs with over 500 minutes. Furthermore, he is utilised on set pieces adding value to his overall game.
Siquet’s general progressive ability cannot be understated either as his game is not exclusively dependant on his crossing ability. His 14.4 progressive passes per 90 in the league last campaign were a leading figure for full-backs with over 500 minutes showing his propensity and desire to move the ball forward in an effective manner. Siquet’s technical ability facilitates quick interchanges along the right flank and into central areas as he is fairly creative with the areas he receives the ball and also positions he runs into. Comfortable with either inverting his runs to then play a through pass out wide or hogging the touchline before darting diagonally behind the defensive line; Siquet is ultimately flexible in the build-up of attacks.
Snapping up Siquet quickly before other Top 5 League Teams start circling would be a shrewd move by Brentford at a bargain fee of around £5 million due to his contract expiring next summer. His attacking play is already worthy of the Premier League and would offer the Bee’s a more sustainable option at right wing-back than Sergi Canós. It would also allow Canós to move back to his favoured position. If given time to acclimatise to the league and improve upon his present defensive shortfalls, which are common in young defenders, Siquet will become a more of a two-way defender capable of playing at both full-back and wing-back.
Thank you for reading,
George
All Statistics courtesy of WyScout.com unless stated. All Statistics up to date as of 23.08.2021.
For Interactive Tableau Graphs please go to:
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