Thread by @armbandmedia, Houssem AouarPlayer Analysis | A THREAD Current Team: @OL

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Houssem Aouar

Player Analysis | A THREAD

Current Team: @OL_English
Shirt Number: 8
Age: 22
Height: 175cm
Nationality: French
Positions: Central Midfielder/Left midfielder/Central attacking midfielder

[ Source: @Soccerment_Blog and @SofaScoreINT ]

Without the numbers and analytics, the first thing that pleases the eyes about Aouar is his dribbling and effortless movement. He certainly has few tricks up his sleeves while taking on his man resulting him being fouled often. He was fouled 4 times in that UCL game vs City.

This movement of his and gifted ability on the ball makes him greatly press resistant. Here we can see how high he is positioned.

Here is an example, as three opposing players are closing on him he knocks the ball in the open, rides the challenges. Seconds later plays a delightful through ball on the left taking the entire midfield out of the game as well as opening up the defence.

While we talk about his incisiveness the plot can be a bit alarming. Despite 1.1 key passes per game, Aouar makes sure that pass is a telling one.

His pass caught out the high City line setting Dembele on his way.

In the same UCL game, he again plays Cornet through on the left who was a constant menace against Walker. He again puts an eye of the needle pass but Depay was slow to react.

Depay however was on his toes in the Ligue 1 game as Aouar dinks the ball to best the defence.

Aouar has a great degree of work rate and tracks back but has very low defensive success as all creative ones are. Insert the defensive action plot.

Now, what can Aouar bring to the Mikel Arteta's side? Brief tactical scrutiny of Arsenal will shed some light.

Arsenal under Arteta is playing a 3-4-3 that becomes a 4-2-2-2 in the build-up phase. In the first build-up phase Arsenal focus on the left through Tierney, then Saka, and finally Aubameyang. The first two in the 4-2-2-2 are Xhaka and Elneny/Ceballos.

While Elneny is close to Xhaka's playing style, Ceballos and Aouar have a similar style of play with Aouar being more box to box.

Arteta clearly wants to solidify the CM position with Aouar. Houssem's tactical awareness, press resisting ability, passing everything is tailor-made for Arsenal. He will be a direct competitor to Ceballos.

[ Source: @Soccerment_Blog ]

Due to his box to box nature Aouar is more suited as a first build-up phase and transition phase player. This is why his goals and assists figures are low but he is the player who likes to have the ball and Arteta has the right target in mind in Aouar. Premier League awaits?

End Of The Thread.

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