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thought i'd look at Skov as another victim of positional change and CS influence on PB scores until i realised Hoffenheim barely keep clean sheets anyway! So I've altered to a comparison of when playing LB in a back 4 to LWB in a 343/352
An expectation for anyone playing WB is to naturally be more involved going forward, however after seeing Skov has a similar shout output (2 as LB, 1.7 LWB) and dribble attempts (2.8 as LB, 2.3 LWB) it's more down to how different Skov is utilised when playing further forward
in a back 4 Skov clearly has more direct defensive actions such as interceptions, aerial duels and attempted and successful tackles (1.9 as LB with 67% success, 1 at LWB with 63% success) yet his pass output is actually slightly more (39 at LB, 36 at LWB)
looking at this at face value might suggest he is just as involved despite the deeper position but looking beyond the out of context 'tipster spreadsheet' we can actually put this into perspective. Here are 2 W's Skov played in where he achieved more passes than his average 39
as you can see despite attempting more passes from LB, they are very direct, attempting a quick transition looking for that longer key pass. Playing as a LWB gives Skov a lot less risk in making those key passes (1 as LB, 2.3 as LWB) due to his position on the field
Again due to the average positioning when attacking, although a similarity in attempted crosses (5 at LB, 6.2 at LWB) he completes 41% as opposed to 22% at LB. This highlights the importance of being in those advanced areas when trying to play the same individual style
heatmap wise you can clearly see how, despite having a defensive duty, Skov attempts to play as high up as possible, whereas at LWB he has the freedom to wait for the ball in a wide position looking to make those big chances.
PB wise, although now being eligible for a CS bonus, this wouldn't have helped his PB rank due to all round poor scoring when Hoffenheim lose games. Due to a constant change of formation it seems Hoffenheim are yet to find the balance they achieved from the Nagelsmann days.
Takeaway: IF hoffenheim manage to find defensive solidarity when playing in an attacking formation, the efficiency of Skovs attacking play coupled with an increased chance of a CS bonus could definitely show a healthy increase in his PB scores.
Data @indexgain & @StatsZone
Data @indexgain & @StatsZone
