Player profile:
- Name: Cesar Menacho
- Date of birth: 09-08-1999
- Age: 20
- Nationality: Bolivia
- Position: striker
- Other positions: right-winger
- Strong foot: right
- Club: Blooming Santa Cruz
Cesar Menacho is a 20-year-old striker that plays for Blooming Santa Cruz and was part of the under 23 squad of Bolivia at the Pre-Olimpico as well. He did not play a single minute at the tournament, but he has conquered a place in the starting line-up of Blooming Santa Cruz recently. Menacho can also play as a right-winger.
Attacking
Cesar Menacho likes to stay forward in defense and positions himself quite high up the pitch. In transition from defending to attacking, he therefore stays forward and he sometimes provides an option down the wing. Most of the times he stays centrally though.
As a striker, he likes to make runs in-behind. He does this very well, as he does not get flagged for offside often and he can be dangerous by making these runs. He times the runs well and he can utilize his pace, acceleration and good dribbling ability.
Sometimes, he makes a run in-behind when it is better to come short to provide a passing option for a teammate, which is needed sometimes. He needs to come short more often as he has the ability to being useful in the build-up.
As a right-winger, he either comes short to receive the pass or he makes a run in-behind to use his good pace and acceleration to create a chance for himself or a teammate. He is a decent crosser and is able to pick out the right pass.
When Blooming attack down the wing and cross the ball into the box, Cesar Menacho comes in front of his opponent and likes to run to the front post. This is something he does consequently, he makes a dummy run to the far post and then comes inside to the front post. He is able to head the ball very well.
Before he receives the ball, he does not look behind him and he therefore does not know what happens in his back. However, it seems like he does know when his opponent puts pressure on him as he always uses his body to shield the ball and stay in possession.
Blooming often play long passes to Cesar Menacho and the Bolivian striker is able to handle these passes well. He most of the times wins his aerial duels or he passes it with his chest. He can do this very well and I think this is one of his main qualities.
Cesar Menacho can handle passes over the ground as well. He most of the times tries to find a passing option nearby and makes a first-time pass. This is something that he does well four out of five times.
In general, his technique is alright and his first touch is decent most of the times. Sometimes, his touch is a bit too heavy but he has the space to do so. This is something that he needs to keep an eye out for, if he makes a move to a better competition.
When he dribbles, he controls the ball very well and he uses his acceleration and pace to get past the opponent. Also, he is able to use his body to shield off the ball well. He has not been tested in the tight spaces that much, but the times he got tested he performed very well and managed to turn his opponent.
In 1603 minutes Menacho has scored eight goals. This season, he has scored three goals in 541 minutes. Sometimes Menacho rushes his shot which means that he shoots it wide. Nevertheless, he is a decent finisher who needs to be calmer when he can shoot it from a tight angle. In these situations he needs to cut back rather than shoot.
Defending
Cesar Menacho tries to cut the passing lanes and does this consequently. He is very sharp in putting pressure on the opponent and can use his acceleration to close gaps quickly. He keeps track of his surroundings when he puts pressure on the opponent. For the rest, he stays forward and does not do much more defensively.
Physique:
As already mentioned before, Menacho wins most of his aerial duels and he is quite strong in the duels. He uses his body very well to shield off the ball and he does not get dispossessed often. He has good acceleration and pace.
Conclusion
The Bolivian league is one of the weaker leagues in South-America and there haven’t been that much Bolivian players that have played at the highest level in an European league. That being said, I think that Menacho has the potential to either play in the Superliga or Série A in the future, or a league outside the top 5 leagues in Europe.
Menacho needs to pick out the right moves in order to do so. First, he should move to a club in Chile or Colombia. Those are significantly better leagues than the Bolivian league, but I think that Menacho can already play for a midtable club in those countries. He fits defensive-minded teams who play direct and like to counter-attack.
Rating: A2