SønderjyskE lost 1-0 to Brøndby in a game where Brøndby dominated possession and looked good value for their win. SønderjyksE lined up in 4-1-4-1 formation and defended well but struggled to maintain any attacking momentum. Brøndby played in a 3-5-2 formation, using their wing-backs effectively in the build-up phase but struggled to get shots on target and convert a number of good chances.
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 in this match
Player Profile:
- Nationality: Danish
- Age: 21
- Date of birth: 16/03/1999
- Current Club: SønderjyskE
- Career: Odense Boldklub, SønderjyskE
- Position: Central Midfield
- Preferred foot: Right
Eskesen was given creative freedom from his central midfield position that allowed him to get forward and see a lot of the ball in advanced areas. He has good balance and showed tight ball control, constantly playing with his head up and possessing the vision and technique to see and pull off smart passes.
He is only 5’7 but, despite his diminutive stature, he was strong on the ball and aggressive in midfield duels, doing a lot of solid defensive work to make tackles and win the ball back. He often moved into wide positions to receive the ball and was effective at using his low centre of gravity to dribble past opponents and into space.
SønderjyskE played a more direct style in the second half that saw the midfield areas largely bypassed so we were unable to see as much of Eskesen’s playmaking and passing abilities as in the first. His deliveries from set-pieces were varied in style but consistently accurate, with a number of clever training ground routines attempted that were largely successful in finding the intended target.
Rating: A1
Eskesen is an intelligent and well-rounded player, he would already be an effective creative midfielder for one of the top Danish sides and has the potential to perform at a higher level in Europe given the right development.
Player Profile:
- Nationality: Cameroonian
- Age: 23
- Date of birth: 27/02/1997
- Current Club: SønderjyskE
- Career: AS Fortuna, SønderjyskE
- Position: Defensive Midfield
- Preferred foot: Right
Mpindi, 6’2, impressed at the base of the midfield, holding his position to protect the back four and progressing the ball well when possession was turned over. He was very effective in breaking up play and won the majority of his duels using good defensive technique, anticipation and strength. He would defend intelligently, knowing when to engage the opponent early and press the first touch and when to hold back and react quickly to heavy touches to step in and win the ball.
He was very calm and composed when in possession and was able to use his long strides to carry the ball past opponents, breaking the initial press and creating overloads in advanced areas. He was able to evade pressure well as he had the presence of mind to know when to turn on the ball or use his first touch to open his body out into more space. He was confident on the ball and looked relaxed even when under pressure, opting to look for an opponent rather than going long.
However while I appreciated his commitment to always looking for the pass over the clearance this led to over-playing at times, particularly when making interceptions in and round the box. His passing range was good and he picked out a number of impressive progressive through balls from deep but he didn’t always make the right pass choice which would put his teammates under unnecessary pressure.
Rating: A2
Player Profile:
- Nationality: Danish
- Age: 22
- Date of birth: 09/12/1997
- Current Club: SønderjyskE
- Career: HB Køge, SønderjyskE
- Position: Right Winger
- Secondary position: Right Back
- Preferred foot: Right
Bah played on the right side of midfield and showed glimpses of quality when driving at the opposition with speed on the counter attack. He is tall for a winger, standing at 6′, but he displayed good skill and agility combined with an impressive turn of pace that allowed him to take opponents on with the ball at his feet. He was effective at finding space in the box and could shift the ball onto either feet which made him difficult to mark, however he could not convert a great chance that came to him from this position when firing straight at the goalkeeper.
He needs to add more discernment to his game as he struggled to strike the balance between getting his head down and driving forwards at full speed and slowing the game down and passing backwards to a defender. He could work on finding a middle ground and knowing when to check his run or come inside with a pass to the central midfielders as this would allow the team more time in the transition to assess options and build structured attacks.
His passing was limited to laying it off or playing it short and his final ball was lacking at times, but his ball-carrying abilities allowed him to get into good positions where a simple lay-off was effective in creating a shooting opportunity. His height often made him the target of long balls and goal kicks but he struggled to win headers, he has quite a sleight frame and needs to improve his upper body strength as he was often eased out the way or outmuscled.
Rating: B1
Bah is still quite a raw talent but has an interesting skillset and undoubted ability, has the potential to play at a higher level if he can find more variation to his game.
Target Scouting 