Aurelien Tchouameni

mc_lovin said:

I can understand you guys being interested in Pogba, but another CM/DM like Tchouameni doesn't make sense for me.

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khaled_a_d said:

Watched 2nd half of yesterday game between Monaco and Marseille, mainly because it is a game that has 2 players that could be a potential Busquets heir, the position we are most desperate to improve IMHO (and very difficult to replace).

It is very small sample size, so this is more of a 1st impression, not a scouting or even an opinion

There is an elite talent there for sure, he can pass under pressure and defend very well, physically passes the eye test immediately and has wide range of skills in his Arsenal, but he is a still a big project IMO.
My biggest concern with him is he simply doesn't make himself available to his defense, Marseille pressed the midfield and Tchou was just their whenever his CB had the ball, didn't bother to move to make himself available to defenders at all, at moments it felt like he wanted nothing with the ball.
For me this is a big concern for a team like Barca who wants to play attacking football and dominate the game, your DM should be able to be the link between defense and midfield and he isn't there yet tbh, has the potential to be one though.
Same during defense, he is capable defender but he is a bit passive when he tracks back, Fofana was the workhorse for them.

If those impressions are true, then for a team like Barca he will be more of a project IMO more than someone who will be world class immediately.
If we had the luxury, I would have said we should be looking elsewhere.

PS: I repeat, those are just impressions, I will need to watch him more

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mc_lovin said:

I can understand you guys being interested in Pogba, but another CM/DM like Tchouameni doesn't make sense for me.

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DonAK said:

If we move on from Frenkie this is the guy I want as a replacement. Would maybe need to play in a double pivot in a 433/4231 hybrid as Ajax play with, with Nico or someone else.

Not Roca or Merino.

Very much doubt we'll be in for him though as doesn't fit what Xavi want or the system he want to play.

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DonAK said:

Honestly I'm starting to get some serious LVG vibes from Xavi,

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Riordon said:

This guy is the next great defensive midfielder in the world. He is so good and complete. Would love to him here, I have wanted this profile since Yaya left. Rare profile.

Him x De Jong + Pedri/Gavi in midfield would give the needed intensity in Europe.

Unfortunately he will go to Madrid with Mbappe. Mbappe + Tchouameni is just unfair man.

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Temptation said:

Is he Real bound??

Don't they already have Camavinga..

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Temptation said:

Is he Real bound??

Don't they already have Camavinga..

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Bulgroz said:

Don't know if you meant that it would be unfair for them to get Tchouameni, or if you meant that it would be useless since they already have a similar player, but he's not really the same player as Camavinga.

Being a french Bordeaux fan, I know Tchouameni very well. Many people think he's the "new Pogba" cause he's a slim, tall, black, french midfielder (the same way any french tall black midfielder with good technical skill was crowned "the new Vieira" for like 10 years, or any french player with north african parents was dubbed "the New Zidane" as soon as they scored an half decent goal). He's actually much closer to Kante in a lot of ways, but they're still pretty different.

His stats are mostly crazy impressive defensively. Heard a podcast mentioning him a few months ago, saying he was in the top 1 or 2 percentiles in A LOT of defensive stats, for midfielders in Europe. Especially in "aggressive pressing" stats, like balls won after he initiated a high pressing, balls won in the oponents final 30m etc. His offensive/passing stats are good, especially for a defensive midfielder, but he's by no mean a box to box player (not yet, at least), and even though he's good on the ball he's not a dribbler like Camavinga can be, for example. He's gifted though, and he played as a striker and an offensive midfielder when he was younger (though that doesn't really mean A LOT). But his technical skills mostly shines through his passing range. His passes are class and neat. He can still improve by giving even more key passes, but he often tries to break at least one defensive line when he passes the ball. He's no Pirlo of course, but he's still impressive.

I also love how he immediately became an obvious choice for France as soon as he started playing for the french NT. He plays like he's been here for 10 years already, bossing the midfield.

Another interesting thing about him, is that is VERY clever. Like, way more than your average football player. Here's a thing I found out about him last year:

Some of the most interesting french football analysts released a book 6 months ago called "How to win a football game?", where they talked to various professionals about the different ways to make sure you're doing better than your opponents. It's not focused on broad tactical points (what's the best team comp blablabla), but rather on all the "small" things that, put together, help you win against opponents that are roughly at your level. And, in general, how do players and team do to keep improving more and more. The book has interviews with nutritionists, video analysts, physical and mental coaches etc., all working for pro football teams. One of the author said that they interviewed Tchouameni for the book, because he actually has his own video and data analysts, who help him before every game to make sure he knows how to counter the enemy players in the most efficient way. Analysts from Monaco will paint a broad picture of how to outplay the opponent, how to work as a team, which passing circuits should be used etc. But Tchouameni's own analysts will focus on every players in the other team, and how to counter them. "This RB often use a short left side dribble when he's pressed in his final 30m", that type of things, but very detailed, and adapter to Tchouameni's strenghts and weaknesses. He has his own notebook and datas collected on all the players, basically like coaches do. Except he's a 22yo player.

That's how he's such a beast at getting the ball back, and passing it the right way. Of course physically and technically he's top-notch, but what really puts him above the rest is his brain. When he gets the ball back, it's not just because he's strong or because he runs like a mad man. It's because he knows exactly how and when to press. He reads the flow of the game perfectly.

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Porque said:

Alright, I'm sold. Let's sign Tchoaumeni and Bulgroz, and call it a day for this Summer mercado.

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Bulgroz said:

Don't know if you meant that it would be unfair for them to get Tchouameni, or if you meant that it would be useless since they already have a similar player, but he's not really the same player as Camavinga.

Being a french Bordeaux fan, I know Tchouameni very well. Many people think he's the "new Pogba" cause he's a slim, tall, black, french midfielder (the same way any french tall black midfielder with good technical skill was crowned "the new Vieira" for like 10 years, or any french player with north african parents was dubbed "the New Zidane" as soon as they scored an half decent goal). He's actually much closer to Kante in a lot of ways, but they're still pretty different.

His stats are mostly crazy impressive defensively. Heard a podcast mentioning him a few months ago, saying he was in the top 1 or 2 percentiles in A LOT of defensive stats, for midfielders in Europe. Especially in "aggressive pressing" stats, like balls won after he initiated a high pressing, balls won in the oponents final 30m etc. His offensive/passing stats are good, especially for a defensive midfielder, but he's by no mean a box to box player (not yet, at least), and even though he's good on the ball he's not a dribbler like Camavinga can be, for example. He's gifted though, and he played as a striker and an offensive midfielder when he was younger (though that doesn't really mean A LOT). But his technical skills mostly shines through his passing range. His passes are class and neat. He can still improve by giving even more key passes, but he often tries to break at least one defensive line when he passes the ball. He's no Pirlo of course, but he's still impressive.

I also love how he immediately became an obvious choice for France as soon as he started playing for the french NT. He plays like he's been here for 10 years already, bossing the midfield.

Another interesting thing about him, is that is VERY clever. Like, way more than your average football player. Here's a thing I found out about him last year:

Some of the most interesting french football analysts released a book 6 months ago called "How to win a football game?", where they talked to various professionals about the different ways to make sure you're doing better than your opponents. It's not focused on broad tactical points (what's the best team comp blablabla), but rather on all the "small" things that, put together, help you win against opponents that are roughly at your level. And, in general, how do players and team do to keep improving more and more. The book has interviews with nutritionists, video analysts, physical and mental coaches etc., all working for pro football teams. One of the author said that they interviewed Tchouameni for the book, because he actually has his own video and data analysts, who help him before every game to make sure he knows how to counter the enemy players in the most efficient way. Analysts from Monaco will paint a broad picture of how to outplay the opponent, how to work as a team, which passing circuits should be used etc. But Tchouameni's own analysts will focus on every players in the other team, and how to counter them. "This RB often use a short left side dribble when he's pressed in his final 30m", that type of things, but very detailed, and adapter to Tchouameni's strenghts and weaknesses. He has his own notebook and datas collected on all the players, basically like coaches do. Except he's a 22yo player.

That's how he's such a beast at getting the ball back, and passing it the right way. Of course physically and technically he's top-notch, but what really puts him above the rest is his brain. When he gets the ball back, it's not just because he's strong or because he runs like a mad man. It's because he knows exactly how and when to press. He reads the flow of the game perfectly.

Click to expand...