Football Players to Watch 2017 – Soccer Wonderkids

Wonderkids in Football

There is a number of Wonderkids in football coming through clubs youth academies more than ever.

These players are not just technically gifted but they also are more tactically aware and physically prepared than youngsters in football in the past.

So here is a list of wonderkids in football who I expect to burn it up in 2017:

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Position – GK

Age – 17

Strengths – Compusure, Handling, Aerial, Positioning

Team – AC Milan

Renato Sanches

Position – CM

Age – 18

Strengths – Stamina, Dribbling, Passing, Speed, Strength

Team – Bayern Munich

Dele Alli

Position – CAM

Age – 20

Strengths – Shooting, Movement, Acceleration, Dribbling, Big Games

Team – Tottenham

Gabriel Jesus

Position – ST

Age – 19

Strengths – Pace, Shooting, Dribbling, Movement

Team – Palmerias (Loan from Man City)

Marco Ascensio

Position – CM

Age – 20

Strengths – Passing, Dribbling, Movement, Football IQ

Team – Real Madrid

Ruben Neves

Position – CDM

Age – 19

Strengths – Positioning, Tackling, Passing, Football IQ

Team – Porto

Hector Bellerin

Position – RB

Age – 20

Strengths – Pace, Crossing, Positioning, Tackling, Determination

Team – Arsenal

Alex Iwobi

Position – LW

Age – 19

Strengths – Dribbling, Movement, Eye for Goal, Passing

Team – Arsenal

Reichedly Bazoer

Position – CDM

Age – 19

Strengths – Positioning, Tackling, Aerial, Strength

Team – Ajax

Alex Grimaldo

Position – LB

Age – 20

Strengths – 1v1 Defending, Pace, Crossing, Tackling

Team – Benfica

Kelechi Iheanacho

Position – ST

Age – 20

Strengths – Pace, Link up Play, Shooting, Dribbling

Team – Man City

Ante Coric

Position – CAM

Age – 19

Strengths – Creativity, Passing, Dribbling

Team – Dinamo Zagreb

Ousmane Dembele

Position – RW

Age – 19

Strengths – Dribbling, Movement, Crossing, Shooting

Team – Dortmund

Anthony Martial

Position – ST/LW

Age – 20

Strengths – Pace, Shooting, Dribbling, Movement, Composure

Team – Man United

Leroy Sane

Position – LW/RW

Age – 19

Strengths – Pace, Dribbling, Crossing, Movement

Team – Man City

Christian Pulisic

Position – CAM

Age – 19

Strengths – Football IQ, Passing, First Touch, Creativity

Team – Dortmund

Felix Passlack

Position – RB

Age – 18

Strengths – 1v1 defending, Crossing, Tackling, Pace

Team – Dortmund

Goncalo Guedes

Position – LW

Age – 19

Strengths – Dribbling, Pace, Crossing, Shooting

Team – Benfica

Niklas Sule –

Position – CB

Age – 20

Strengths – Aerial, Positioning, Tackling, Comfortable on the ball

Team – Hoffenheim

Julian Weigl

Position – CDM

Age – 20

Strengths – Passing, Movement, Positioning, Football IQ – For Weigl Analysis click here

Team – Dortmund

Martin Odegaard

Position – CAM

Age – 18

Strengths – Dribbling, Ball Control, Creavitity, Passing, Awareness

Team – Real Madrid

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Poacher Role in Football

The Poacher’s main role in a football team will be mainly to score goals. They will operate on the shoulder of the last defender making runs in behind the defence, an example would be Jamie Vardy and how he anticipated his team mates through balls in behind the defence. The poacher will rarely be involved in build up play, instead primarily focusing on sniffing out chances around the box.

Inside Forward Role in Football

An Inside Forward operates in the winger area of the pitch. However unlike a traditional winger, the inside forward will cut inside and run directly at the centre of the opposition’s defence. The inside forward must possess great pace, dribbling ability and the ability to drag opposition markers out of position, creating space for full backs to overlap and get crosses in.

Advanced Playmaker Role in Football

An advanced playmaker will operate in the “hole” between the opposition midfield and defence. The advanced playmaker will make themselves available for team mates passes and try to dictate the tempo of the game, whilst creating chances for their team mates. An example of this would be Mesut Ozil at Arsenal.

Stretch Forward Role in Football

The stretch forward in football is very similar to as that in basketball. The stretch forward will drift out wide bringing markers from the centre out wide, creating space for midfielders to move into to exploit.

Box to Box Midfielder Role in Football

A box to box midfielder will have good mobility and great stamina to support the attackers with the ball, then be equally as proficient in defending when the team doesn’t have the ball. Example – Aaron Ramsey

Sweeper Keeper Role in Football

Since sweepers are becoming a dying art in the modern game, keepers are now expected to sweep up any balls in behind the defensive line. Much like the traditional sweeper, sweeper keepers are also expected to be able to build up play from the back. In order to achieve this keepers are now more technically gifted than ever. The sweeper keeper will intercept passes outside the 18 yard box and play long diagonal passes to attackers in more advanced players. The best example of this would be Manuel Neuer at Bayern Munich.

Deep Lying Playmaker Role in Football

A deep lying midfielder will operate in the space between the defence and midfield. They will be responsible for dictating the tempo in midfield and starting counter attacks when opportunity arises. The deep lying midfielder will play longer passes than a normal midfielder, often looking for long diagonal passes to players higher up the field. For this position the player must have good tactical awareness and great technical ability. An example of a deep lying playmaker would be Toni Kroos

Ball Playing Centre Back Role in Football

Ball Playing Centre Back –

Like many positions in nowadays in football, the centre back position has evolved. In most formations being good at defending only is no longer acceptable. Centre Backs are becoming more comfortable on the ball. The Ball Playing Centre Back will be expected to dictate play from the back and is responsible for making passes to available team mates up the field.

More and more formations require Ball Playing Centre Backs in the modern game, which is mainly because of the emergence of high pressure tactics, which means less time on the ball for defenders.

A great example of a Ball Playing Centre Back would be Leonardo Bonucci. He distributes the ball to team mates further up the field and is key to starting off Juventus’ attacks. He averages over 85+% passing per game, a stat that shows just how efficient he really is.

 

False Nine Role in Football

False Nine –

A false nine is positioned as a striker but acts as an attacking midfielder. Very often the false nine will drop back and link up with players in deeper positions. A great example of a false nine is Lionel Messi with Barcelona. Lionel Messi will drop back and create chances for his team mates as well as also scoring goals.