Thiago Almada 2019/2020 – scout report | OneFootball

The main attraction at Velez Sarsfield this season has been former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze at the helm. Before stepping down in March, he guided one of the youngest squads in the league from near relegation to third place. One of those young attackers that have stood out has been Thiago Almada. A product of Velez’s academy, Almada began attracting attention with consistent performances for club and country in 2019.

In this tactical analysis in the form of a scout report, we will take a look at what makes the young Argentine a prospect to look out for. We will analyze his performances in the Argentine Superliga, and in the Copa Sudamericana.

Positioning

Almada has lined up in a variety of different positions for Velez. Heinze typically sent him to play as either a winger or one of the attacking midfielders. This was in a variety of formations, which shows his ability to adapt to different systems.

In the next part of the analysis, we will look at Almada’s attacking contributions.

Attacking

Thiago Almada was a consistent contributor to the offensive production of his team. He finished the Superliga tied for Velez’s third-highest scorer with 4 goals. Almada took 23 shots from outside the penalty area, which shows his shooting preference.

Another strength of the young Argentine is his ability to receive the ball. He received an average of 34 passes per game. Heinze’s system required players to arrive in space, and Almada did so consistently to receive the ball.

Progressing the play

Almada’s passing distribution is also something that is incredibly high for a player his age. Almada had 45% passes per game, which was the fifth-highest in the Superliga. This stat is further enhanced by his 81% pass accuracy.  He finished the league with 6 progressive passes per game, which was sixteenth among attacking players. Almada had a total of 109 attempted progressive passes with a 79% completion rate.

Physical Duels

The only knock on Almada’s play is his size. Measuring in at 5’6 feet (171 cm) and 136 pounds (62 kg), he isn’t going to win the ball through physicality. This shouldn’t be an issue as he grows older, as whatever club he lands at will increase his strength.

Conclusion

Thiago Almada is definitely a talent to keep an eye on in the coming years. In my opinion, he could easily play in Serie A, or La Liga if he keeps being consistent. With transfer rumours linking him with a host of clubs such as Atletico Madrid and Manchester City, the future is bright for the Argentinian.