Originally Published 7th June 2021.
Please see introduction to this series within Part 1.
GK-Uğurcan Çakır
LB-Owen Wijndal
LCB-Nico Elvedi
Note- Before I begin this article Szalai ideally would be the LCB and Elvedi the RCB in the XI.
Right Centre-Back- Attila Szalai-Hungary-Fenerbahçe-23 Years Old
Suggesting a centre-back who has had a greater breakthrough season than Hungary’s Attila Szalai would be the equivalent of trying to locate a needle in a haystack.
Youthful talents like Wesley Fofana, Alessandro Bastoni and Jules Koundé have had strong seasons at centre-half however they were already hotly tipped and had demonstrated elite traits at a very high level previously. Meanwhile, Szalai has come from relative obscurity compared to the aforementioned trio by starting the season playing at Cypriot club Apollon Limassol. By the end campaign, Szalai was suddenly a regular for Turkish giants Fenerbahçe and a key contributor to the Hungarian national team.
In Szalai’s instance searching for first-team football across numerous leagues rather than settling at Austrian side Rapid Wien has been critical to his supercharged development. Between the ages of 16 to 19, Szalai featured only the once for the first team in a end of season dead rubber tie despite numerous years of strong performances for the club’s II team. Many young players would stay put and contend with being transitioned into the first team of a frequent Europa League side. However, Szalai gambled on his abilities and sought top flight football at Mezőkövesdi SE in his native Hungary.
Two promising seasons containing 45 league appearances soon turned into a surprising move to Apollon Limassol. 18 dominant months in Cyprus ensued, albeit in a weak European League, where Szalai frequently displayed quality far beyond the Cypriot First Division. A £2 million move to Fenerbahçe was announced in January and since Szalai has shone despite the significant leap in league quality.
Despite having a colossus frame, akin to a no-nonsense centre-back, Szalai plays very much in the mould of a modern centre-back. His towering 6’4″ stature coincides with relatively quick sprint speed which enables physical domination against the majority of attackers. In possession he is comfortable, accurate and progressive. Critically he is also left-footed which facilitates different passing lanes to the typical right-footer. As a result, Szalai has been dubbed the “Hungarian Virgil van Dijk” (who is very strong on his left-foot) in his homeland and at Fenerbahçe.
Szalai’s nimbleness and eagerness to move the ball forward amalgamate to form a defender who is outwardly progressive. Szalai averaged 11.1 progressive passes per 90 in the Turkish Süper Lig (6th in the whole league) at an accuracy of 77.9%. In addition to this, Szalai averaged 8.34 passes into the final third per 90. Both per 90 statistics showing his clear intent to push the ball forward frequently.
Due to the absence of the prodigious Dominik Szoboszlai, as a team Hungary will have to collectively compensate for the ball progression that the enigmatic attacking midfielder typically brings to the pitch. Szalai definitely has the past record of being a forward-thinker so look for him to take on more of the ball-playing mantle.
Passes are not the only progressive tool to Szalai’s game as he has a penchant for progressive runs which is very in tune with the modern demands on centre-backs. Although this was more prominent within his time at Apollon Limassol where he averaged 2.17 progressive runs per 90 in the 2020-2021 league season, he still completes 1.61 per 90 in the Turkish Süper Lig. An obvious indicator of the higher standards Szalai is now playing at as he cannot leave his base position as frequently but this does not deter his overall confidence in moving out with the ball.
Defensively Szalai is dominant. He reads the game well and positions himself adequately. Recognising when to be aggressive and when to be passive is a skill Szalai has developed over the past few years. He is the most proactive Fenerbahçe centre-half with over 500 minutes this season with an average of 7.13 possession-adjusted interceptions per 90 revealing his aggressive approach yet he only makes 0.54 fouls per 90. Alongside these statistics, his defensive duel success rate of 71.2% in the Süper Lig presents a sketch of a very competent defender.
As one would come to expect with a defender who is so tall Szalai is quite the presence in the opposition’s box. 3 goals across his first 22 games at Fenerbahçe indicates the nuisance he creates when attacking set-pieces. Rather surprisingly however his overall aerial game could improve. An aerial duel win rate of 51.8% in the Turkish Süper Lig is poor for a player of such height, indicating he struggles with timing and balance in the air.
If Hungary are to enjoy any type of success at the Euro’s, Szalai and the rest of the Hungarian defence will have to continue the form exhibited in their Nations League games across September to November. Pitted in the ‘Group of Death’ against European titans in Portugal, France and Germany very few are expecting anything noteworthy from Marco Rossi’s side. However with perhaps little pressure on Szalai due to this he could thrive on the grandest stage of European football.
Right-Back- Joakim Mæhle-Denmark-Atalanta-24 Years Old
Following in the footsteps of Timothy Castagne first at Genk and now at Atalanta, Joakim Mæhle’s January 2021 move to Bergamo was a well-trodden route. Since departing Eastern Belgium, Mæhle has fitted in seamlessly. Featuring in 20 out of a possible 24 Serie A matches after his move, Mæhle has played in a rotation of wing-backs alongside Robin Gosens and Hans Hateboer who provide the width in Gian Piero Gasperini’s 3-4-2-1/3-4-1-2 systems. Predominantly a right wing-back, Mæhle has granted Gasperini with strong versatility by filling in at left wing-back at times which has aided La Dea’s strong finish to the campaign. A fee of €11 million on a five-year contract already looks like yet another shrewd investment from the Italian outfit.
Arguably Mæhle’s greatest strength is his tenacity to attack and make off-ball movements that stretch the opposition. Mæhle’s directness, motor and quick speed enable frequent forays into the final third. Mæhle is a consistent threat along the flank that attracts defender’s attention as he is ardent on maintaining width which subsequently creates space inside for midfielders or for himself to drive into. Harnessing strong positional relationships with the likes of Andreas Skov Olsen and Mikkel Damsgaard could be very useful at the Euro’s via the form of underlaps and overlaps.
Mæhle’s attacking endeavours rank him highly in progression parameters in both runs and passes within the Serie A. In addition to this, his touches in the oppositions box per 90 rank him within the 94th percentile of all full-back’s and wing-back’s within Europe’s top 5 Leagues and European competitions this season according to Statsbomb data via FBREF.
These combine to form an accurate sketch of a player who excels going forwards and loves to transition with the ball by himself. Mæhle rarely demonstrates hesitation within his attacking instincts, it is always on his mind to drive the ball or find space to receive.
Mæhle’s combined XA and XG per 90 is 0.25 within the Serie A emphasising the overall danger he creates in the final third. What sets Mæhle apart from other attacking full-backs is the arsenal of tools he uses to aid his attacking prosperity. Early crosses, his license to carry the ball into threatening areas, a crisp ball-striking technique and quick long legs all facilitate such a productive output.
An area Mæhle can comparatively improve upon is his crossing accuracy when found within attacking positions. A crossing completion rate of 34.8% is notably short of teammate Hans Hateboer’s 51.5%. Although, Mæhle does attempt more than double the crosses per 90 and there is a common trend within defenders who take more crosses into dangerous areas (Trent Alexander-Arnold’s crossing success rate was only 29.7% this campaign). Regardless, there is scope to improve especially when contextualising the targets Mæhle is aiming to hit; 6’3” duo Josip Iličić and Sam Lammers as well as 6’2” Duvan Zapata are not exactly small forwards.
Despite being 6’0” which is fairly tall for modern full-backs, Mæhle struggles with aspects of the physical side of the game. He demonstrates a propensity to mistime jumps into aerial duels and struggles to gain leverage on the opposition. An aerial duel success rate of only 30.0% is pretty appalling for a nominal defender within a top league.
In juxtaposition to this, his overall defensive aptitude within duels is adequate. A total defensive duel success of 62.2% is assuring. Mæhle typically demonstrates ideal body orientation within ground duels by shaping up correctly and rarely getting overly straight-on to the opposition. He assumes positions where he can quickly shift his stance via light footedness and remains physically compact when doing so. The defender’s work rate and athleticism by and large cover his defensive burdens but he can be caught out when his concentration wavers and he finds himself out of position due to over-exceeding in attack.
Mæhle will likely line up as Denmark’s starting left back within a back four as Daniel Wass has been the Dane’s long-term right wing-back. There are doubts that a back four is optimal for Mæhle due to his attacking inclinations and weaknesses within defensive settings. Alas, playing alongside talented centre-backs such as Andreas Christensen and Joachim Andersen as well as having shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel in goal likely compensate proportions of Mæhle’s defensive shortfalls. Group games against Finland and Russia present opportunities for Mæhle to assert his transitional and attacking dominance from the flanks.
Defensive Midfielder-Alex Král-Czech Republic- Spartak Moscow- 23 Years Old
Despite being born in neighbouring Slovakia, Alex Král will be hard to miss when starting for Czech Republic against home nations England and Scotland in a matter of days’ time. Sporting a barnet akin to David Luiz, Král is immediately eye-catching although his curls are not as stellar as the on-pitch performances he’s offered over the course of the last four seasons.
Král has frequently put in dominating displays since his breakthrough in the Under-19 European Championship back in 2017 where he was named in the official Team of the Tournament. Starting his professional career at FK Teplice in Czech Republic, it became very apparent one of the major Czech teams would quickly swoop on his emerging talent. A €1 million to Slavia Prague quickly followed but his time within the capital was fleeting. Lasting only seven months at Slavia, Russian side Spartak Moscow paid €12 million to bring him in on deadline-day in Summer 2019. Moving from the weak Czech First League to the superior Russian Premier League is a historic well-travelled route for many budding Czech stars so the destination was not a surprise.
Virtually an ever-present since his move, Král has provided Domenico Tedesco, who recently resigned, with significant versatility. Capable of playing either in a deeper holding midfield role or in a more advanced box-box role, Král performs both to a high standard. It must be noted his role in the national team is typically further forward than the holding role he usually performs for Spartak due to the presence of Tomáš Souček. Therefore, expect to see a slightly reduced defensive role at the Euros’ compared to the one he is typically accustomed with in Moscow. At times in the past Král has also filled in at centre-back to varying success, but the fact multiple managers have entrusted him within the role accentuates his versatility.
Král quietly goes about his businesses in Spartak colours as he is adept in the necessary actions that often go overlooked and do not always appear within the main stat sheets.
Positionally Král is very astute. Rarely does he leave the centre-backs unprotected when the opposition are in possession. Acting as a shield to the likes of Pavel Maslov and Georgi Dzhikiya is a thorn in opposition attacks by his constant shuffling side-line to side-line. Král’s possession adjusted interception rate per 90 is 9.77 revealing his effectiveness in closing down passing lanes.
When Spartak are in possession, Král is happy to drop back and cover any departed space. Dzhikiya in particular makes frequent marauding runs which are possible in part due to Král’s defensive instincts screening the vacated space and reducing the risk of being hit on the counter.
Playing as the deepest midfielder, Král often has time to weigh up his options before moving the ball onwards which he usually does in efficiently. He provides a balance of recycling possession and ball progression. Král initiates many of Spartak’s progressive movements by playing through the lines and out wide. Rarely will he look to play a pass backwards to the keeper, instead favouring lateral passes to centre-backs when dropping deep and forward passes into the bevy of Spartak’s attacking-minded players. His role and Spartak’s style of play comprises a need for prudent passing on occasion but as shown below Král enjoys dictating the tempo by mixing up lateral passes with forward passes.
Averaging 2.5 progressive runs per 90 reveals Král is not immune to advancing the ball on his own accord either. A well-built 6’1” frame equips Král with confidence to attempt to beat an opponent although his dribbling skills give in more often than he would surely like. A dribbling success of 55.7% is by no means poor but is an area to improve upon especially given his likely role higher up the pitch in the Czech set-up. Technically speaking Král is arguably too dependent on his right-foot, so this could be a useful pressing trigger target for Král’s opposition.
Tomáš Souček’s displays at West Ham this season will mean he will be under careful observation from the rest of Group D but it is perhaps the well-rounded Alex Král who will pose more of a threat considering his passing credentials and ability to play across multiple midfield spots. The dynamism the two combined possess alongside national team captain Vladimír Darida should be a formidable force for the likes of England’s worryingly light midfield and whoever Scotland decide to start within the engine room. As for Král, a strong tournament could further propel rumours of joining the Czech crowd at West Ham as a possible replacement for Declan Rice, however a battle between the two midfielders awaits in national team colours first.
Thank you for reading,
George
All Statistics courtesy of WyScout.com unless stated. All Statistics up to date as of 07.06.2021. All figures from player’s current domestic league season unless stated.
For Interactive Tableau Graph please go to:
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/george.cadman/viz/AttilaSzalaiProgressionComparison/Sheet4
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/george.cadman/viz/SerieAFBWBBallProgression/Progression
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