BK HÄCKEN – MATCH REPORT VS ÖSTERSUNDS FK 03/03/20

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

Match Overview

This was a comfortable 2-0 win for BK Häcken, with both goals and a missed penalty coming in the first half. They dominated the ball in the first half, passing out from goal kicks and moving the ball quickly. When they lost the ball they pressed aggressively to retrieve it. In the second half they were happier to play on the counter attack as they had a 2 goal lead and Östersunds were leaving space for them to exploit in transition.

Gustav Berggren

Player profile:

• Nationality: Swedish
• Age: 22
• Date of birth: 07/09/1997
• Current Club: BK Häcken
• Career: BK Häcken, Varberg (loan)
• Position: Central Midfield
• Preferred foot: Right

A tall, elegant midfielder, Berggren played on the left hand side of a double pivot in midfield. He was strong in and out of possession but he most stood out carrying the ball through the middle. There were a few occasions where the only way to stop him driving forwards was to foul him.

Defensively, he positioned his body well to cut off options for his opponents and was able to quickly get a foot in to make a challenge where needed.

He displayed a good passing range, although he primarily played short passes in midfield. He broke Östersunds midfield lines on a few occasions though, playing through gaps to find Irandust and allowing him to turn and do damage.

As you’d hope for from a midfielder of his type, he was always on the move to find space to receive the ball and he would move the ball quickly when he got it to ensure the tempo of the team was maintained.

Rating: A1

This was a really mature midfield performance for somebody only 22 years old. I felt that his presence in midfield was a key reason why Hacken were dominant in this game. He might benefit from another season in Allsvenskan but I could see him playing in the EFL Championship or similar in a season or two. He’d be best in a possession based, pressing team as that’s the way Häcken play, but styles like that are becoming much more popular in the Championship these days.

Daleho Irandust

Player profile:

• Nationality: Swedish
• Age: 21
• Date of birth: 04/06/1998 
• Current Club: BK Häcken
• Career: BK Häcken
• Position: Right Wing
• Secondary Position: Attacking Midfield
• Preferred foot: Left

Irandust played on the right wing in this game, operating as a wide playmaker. He favoured coming inside to the right half-space to receive the ball and play passes inside the Östersunds left back. Häcken scored their second goal and won a penalty utilising this tactic.

He scored the opening goal of the game in the sixth minute after Östersunds turned the ball over in transition. The ball was quickly moved to Irandust and he carried it from halfway until the edge of the box before finishing cooly in the bottom right corner. Although he ran with the ball a long way it isn’t really correct to say this was a solo goal, as he simply wasn’t challenged. The Östersunds defence backed off and gave him all the time that he needed. In the second half he actually had an easier chance to score but lacked composure on that occasion and skewed the shot high and wide when he probably had time to take another touch.

His movement was intelligent and he was always demanding the ball. There were a couple of occasions where he showed frustration when his teammates weren’t able to find him or took to long to give him the ball. In the second half particularly he was able to find space drifting between the lines of the Östersunds midfield and defence and was picking the ball up in more central positions before looking to the overlapping fullback.

He offered more than I expected defensively for a player of his style. He seemed comfortable playing a part in Häcken’s pressing, winning the ball in the final third on at least one occasion. He also positioned himself well in passing lanes.

Rating: A2

He could probably do with bulking up a little bit more as he was knocked off the ball on a couple of occasions, which is why I’m giving him an A2 rather than an A1, but he was the standout attacking player in this game. I appreciated the fact that though he clearly favoured his left foot, he was happy to use his right for crosses and cutbacks.

Adam Anderssen

Player profile:

• Nationality: Swedish
• Age: 23
• Date of birth: 11/11/1996 
• Current Club: BK Häcken
• Career: BK Häcken
• Position: Left Back
• Secondary Position: Right Back
• Preferred foot: Right

Adam Anderssen started this game poorly, after a terrible touch just on the edge of the box led to him giving the ball away to an Östersunds forward. Fortunately for him it didn’t end up costing his side a goal and it turned out to be his only poor moment in an otherwise excellent performance.

In the first half he was always making himself an option in build up play, stretching the pitch by positioning himself in space wide on the left. On the ball he was confident to come inside and pass into the midfield or to go down the flank to make crosses. Early in the game I wasn’t sure whether he favoured his left or right foot as he seemed so confident with both.

He was very athletic, displaying good pace to get up to support attacks as well as to get back should his side lose the ball in transition.

Defensively he did well in 1v1s, as well as stepping into midfield to make interceptions where needed. There were a couple of times where he was aware to the danger of a break in midfield and came inside to recover the ball.

Rating: A2

At the end of the first half I was preparing to give him an A1 but he faded a little second half. He could be lacking a bit in terms of fitness as he wasn’t offering as much of an outlet, or it might have been a tactical instruction to hold his position defensively a little more in the second half. I’d like to see whether that was the case or whether he hasn’t got the fitness to play like he did in the first half for 90 minutes before I give him an A1 rating, otherwise he was technically excellent and could possibly make a good midfielder.

Jasse Tuominen

Player profile:

• Nationality: Finnish
• Age: 24
• Date of birth: 12/11/1995 
• Current Club: BK Häcken
• Career: FC Lahti, Mikkelin (loan), Bate Borisov, BK Häcken
• Position: Centre Forward
• Secondary Position: Right Midfield
• Preferred foot: Right

Tuominen played as a deep lying forward in this game. Regularly dropping off into midfield to receive the ball with back to goal and play passes off to supporting runners.

He is tall, but with a slim stature. He didn’t particularly engage with defenders physically, but he was able to protect the ball well when he controlled it facing away from goal and his link up play was generally good.

He showed good awareness, checking his shoulder when receiving the ball and when he could he would attempt to turn into space or turn his marker with his first touch.

He only had one chance to shoot in the penalty area, which was taken from a wide angle on the right hand side of the box. However, he did well with it, forcing the goalkeeper into a save that one of his teammates scored the rebound from.

Rating: B1

This was a good performance, though not particularly anything special. At the age of 24, I’d be hoping to see a little bit more from him facing towards goal in order to give him an A rating, particularly in a game where his side was generally on the attack.

Godswill Ekpolo

Player profile:

• Nationality: Nigerian/Spanish
• Age: 24
• Date of birth: 14/05/1995 
• Current Club: BK Häcken
• Career: Barcelona (youth), Barcelona B, Fleetwood, Merida, BK Häcken
• Position: Right Back
• Preferred foot: Right

This was an energetic performance from Ekpolo. After a slow start to the game he began attacking regularly from about 15 minutes in. He became a danger in the box, winning the penalty after Irandust played him in behind the defence and scoring the second goal after Tuominen’s shot rebounded to him.

He used his physical strength well in defence, winning 1v1 duels and beating wingers in races to loose balls. He also blocked crosses into the box on several occasions.

Where I wondered whether Anderssen had the fitness to run up and down the flank all game, Ekpolo remained a threat throughout the second half.

However, he was technically not at the same level as some of the stronger players in this report. His touch wasn’t quite as good and he generally played the safe, simple pass in possession. He did progress the ball down the right flank well, but not to the extent that Anderssen was doing so on the other side.

I also felt he was caught out of position on a couple of occasions which could have cost his team.

Rating: B2

After this first watch I don’t feel comfortable rating Ekpolo higher than B2 until I see more from him on a technical level. However, even if this is his level in terms of skill on the ball, his physicality still makes him a strong player at the level.