Ratings
- A1 – Very good, could play higher
- A2 – Strong potential to play higher
- B1 – Good, strong player at level
- B2 – Potential to be strong player at level
- C – Average for the level, rewatch
- D – Below average, don’t follow up
Luis Casiani
Player profile:
- Nationality: Venezuelan
- Age: 18
- Date of birth: 20/07/2001
- Current Club: Caracas FC
- Career: Caracas FC (Y)
- Position: right-back
- Preferred foot: right
The young Venezuelan made a mistake early in the game, as he wasn’t alert enough to prevent René Alarcón from scoring an easy rebound. Casiani did not anticipate on a possible save by Beycker Velásquez and he just stopped running, which proved to be a bad decision which led to the 0-1 to Academia Puerto Cabello.
However, apart from that mistake early in the game, Casiani impressed. In attack, Casiani made both overlapping and underlapping runs and he sent in some dangerous crosses. He is quite agile and the right-back has a decent technique and ball control. At times, he showed that he has an okay vision and he played some okay through passes to the right-winger.
The 18-year-old has good stamina, as he just kept running, even in the last minutes of the game in which he even had an opportunity to score. Casiani likes to come forward and he made some good runs. When he was in possession in his own half, he either played a pass backwards to Javier Maldonado or he played a long pass to the striker. These passes were often accurate.
In defence, Casiani looks to the ball and he does not scan often, especially not when he was in an 1-on-1 duel with the skilful René Alarcón, who liked to cut inside. However, in the 1-on-1 duels he kept calm and composed and he often waited for his chance to recover possession, which was often successful.
The Venezuelan has a decent physique and could keep up well with the 28-year-old Alarcón. Casiani managed to win a lot of aerial duels. His positioning was alright, he chose the right moments to step out of the defensive line and did well to keep disciplined during the game. The later in the game, the more dangerous Alarcón was as Academia Puerto Cabello got more space to attack.
Rating: A2
I’m impressed by Luis Casiani and I’m eager to rewatch him.
Anderson Contreras
Player profile:
- Nationality: Venezuelan
- Age: 19
- Date of birth: 30/03/2001
- Current Club: Caracas FC
- Career: Caracas FC (Y)
- Position: central midfielder
- Preferred foot: left
Anderson Contreras played as a right central midfielder and was 18 years old when the game was played. The left-footed Venezuelan has a very good kicking technique which helped him in his shots from range and long passes. He managed to score a very good free kick, as he curled the ball around the wall from approximately 20 meters.
In attack, Contreras had two different roles during the game. In the first half, he played a bit higher up the pitch than he did in the second half. In the second half, Contreras was tasked to drop deep between the two centre-backs to support the build-up and play it out from the back. He performed both roles well. He scanned a lot and it seemed like he was always one step ahead of the opponents.
Contreras liked to play long passes from the right side of the pitch to the left-winger, using his good passing technique to switch play. When he got put under pressure, Contreras showed that he has good acceleration on the ball and he was able to pass his opponents with ease. Sometimes, he was a bit sloppy in his passing. In some cases, this was because of miscommunication with his teammates.
In defence, he was very active in transition which made him very effective in the first phase of putting pressure. He often anticipated well and saw where the ball would be passed to before the pass was given. Contreras chose the right moments to put pressure and managed to recover possession a few times.
Contreras got a yellow card when he was getting dribbled past and it was smart to make a foul, as it would’ve been a 3v3 situation otherwise. He has decent physique. He likes to coach his teammates and he seems very disciplined.
Rating: A1 / A2
Anderson Contreras is a very interesting player and I would like to see him play more often to fully decide on his potential.
Jorge Echeverría
Player profile:
- Nationality: Venezuelan
- Age: 20
- Date of birth: 13/02/2000
- Current Club: Caracas FC
- Career: Caracas FC (Y)
- Position: attacking midfielder
- Secondary position: left-winger & right-winger
- Preferred foot: right
Jorge Echeverría played in three positions in this match. In the first fifteen minutes, he played as a right-winger, then he played as a left-winger until the end of the first half. In the second half he played as a central midfielder. Echeverría showed some promising signs when playing as a left-winger.
The 20-year-old lost the ball a few times in dangerous positions and he lacked physique at times. He got pushed off the ball very easily on two occasions. Echeverría has a good kicking technique and managed to be dangerous with some good shots from range.
As a left-winger, the Venezuelan prospect liked to cut inside to either play a through pass or give an inswinging cross after. He did this well very often. Echeverría liked to position himself between the lines and moved very elegantly. Echeverría controls the ball well and has a good technique in general.
In defence, the 20-year-old was very active and he tracked back aggressively when he lost possession. He did not think about the defensive structure in this and was solely focusing on making up for his own mistakes. On the one hand this is a good thing, but on the other hand he should keep an eye out on the defensive structure and not take it too far.
Rating: A2
Overall, it was an okay performance and I am very curious to see Echeverría play in a free role on the left for 90 minutes.