[THREAD]

/ Can Bozdogan /

FC Schalke 04

19 years old

An impressive start to life at Schalke, 3 games 3 very promising performances.



#Bundesliga #Schalke #Bozdogan

Part 2

(Games vs Leverkusen, Frankfurt and Freiburg)

At the end of the 19/20 season, Schalke found themselves in dismal form and full of injuries, especially in midfield. 19 year-old Bozdogan got his chance in 3 games towards the end of the season and in each one showed his promising potential.

Bozdogan featured largely as a left midfielder though it is clear to see why a future more centrally as a box to box may be on the cards. He showed great energy, determination and grit to consistently get stuck in and contribute defensively.

On many occasions as highlighted in our videos, Bozdogan had the strength and aggression to win the ball back and press with energy and intensity. His off the ball work was immense, and very encouraging.

Against Frankfurt, Bozdogan was a serious contributor off the ball. Below is his defensive dashboard from this game.

He actually received two yellow cards in this game owing to his eager and aggressive approach though he can consider himself hard done by (Stats Zone).

Our compilations also demonstrate the confidence that the Schalke midfielder had on the ball, attempting many audacious flicks and tricks successfully.

It’s great to see a young player playing with freedom, expression and enjoying their time on the pitch.

He showed glimpses of decent passing range and solid technique, though he could be sharper in his decision making to maintain fluidity in possession and transitions.

Bozdogan was also lacking creatively, the Schalke attack were often very static and he often lacked options. Nevertheless he still had opportunities to create chances whereby his decision making and final ball was lacking.

He has very tidy footwork and close control, frequently dribbling past opponents in tight areas. In the 3 games he played he recorded an average of 3 successful dribbles per match with 75% success rate.

As seen below, the Schalke squad appears very thin right now and David Wagner will have to rely on players like Bozdogan.

He has already featured in every friendly played so far, which is encouragement that we may see more of him this coming season. https://twitter.com/griffinftbl/status/1301419802410582019

Bozdogan is incredibly versatile. As already mentioned, he largely featured on the left midfield though his profile is conducive to a number 8 and we may even see him play in Amine Harit’s role when needed. This versatility will prove vital for Wagner with a such a thin squad.

Schalke are renowned for having produced outstanding players and Bozdogan has the potential to be exactly that. With increased game time and opportunities, Can Bozdogan could be one of the Bundesliga’s 20/21 breakthrough stars

Make sure to keep an eye out on his progress!

Thanks for reading this thread and watching our compilations!

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