Columbus gets their guy: How Wessam Abou Ali will help bolster the attack | OneFootball

The wait is over. Columbus has chosen their next striker and that comes in the form of Club World Cup standout Wessam Abou Ali. He's been picked by General manager Issa Tall as the replacement for the pre-season departure of Cucho Herandez. It's been a long season to this point without a true number 9 on the pitch, but that wait is coming to a close. I'll break down what it means and how Abou Ali can help the Crew be much more formidable in the attacking third with every league game becoming even more important.

Player Profile

Abou Ali comes in as a pure finishing number 9, which is exactly what this team needs. In his 60 matches for his now former club Al Ahly, he tallied 38 goals and 10 assists. He's shown abilities finishing with both feet (right foot dominate) and heading as well as from direct free kicks. He's a multi-tool finisher who has also flashed strength in the box and a knack for positioning and vision. His most recent performance in the Club World Cup in a game against FC Porto he netted a hat-trick scoring a goal with his right foot and his left foot as well as a header. He's a natural finisher around the box and has a good understanding of spacing/positioning. A striker in his prime looking to build on his legacy could be the perfect opportunity for the Crew to cash in. He profiles as a striker who knows his value and will look to make an impact immediately.

Columbus' new striker walks into a situation ready made for someone of his ability. Here are a few key stats the new number 9 will be looking to improve for the team (stats below per fotmob):

- Columbus' goals per match: 1.6 (12th in the MLS)

- Total touches in opponents' box: 718 (first)

- Shots on target per match: 4.9 (11th in the MLS)

- Big chances created: 70 (2.8 per game. 8th in the MLS)

- Big chances missed: 45 (1.8 per game. 5th in the MLS)

More numbers to highlight the opportunity per whoscored:

- Aerial duels won per game: 6.6 (last)

- Total shots per game: 13.6 (tied for 7th)

- Expected goals: 44.67 (5th)

- Expected goals vs actual goals: -3.67 (15th)

These numbers above are important to highlight the ability of this team to create chances and shots. Being a team with the most touches in the attacking box and only ranking 12th in goals per game is a large gap that a player of this ability can help close. Clearly there's a big opportunity here for Abou Ali to make an imprint and elevate this team. His task will be to operate as the final piece in the build up puzzle to finish the job for a team that is top five in big chances created. He also walks in as the best (only) aerial threat on the team and could be a big help in making our corner kicks significantly more dangerous. It's certainly an exciting blend of talent and opportunity here and I'm expecting him to rise to the challenge. I don't think it'll take long for Abou Ali to captivate Crew fans, there certainly will be plenty of opportunity.