In the second round of Pro League fixtures, champions Club Brugge gained their first points of the season with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Eupen. Brugge lined up in an asymmetrical 3-5-2 formation with Sobol tucking in as a left-back when Brugge lost possession, meaning the back three shuffled into more of a four. In contrast, on the right, Diatta had far less defensive responsibility. Eupen played a standard 4-3-3 and struggled to create many meaningful chances with only one shot on target the whole game.
Following their opener, Brugge never looked like losing the game which was played in torrid conditions for much of the first half. The torrential rain had a large impact on the first half as the ball routinely became stuck meaning both sides struggled to find any rhythm in their play. Despite the conditions Brugge managed to remain solid at the back before attacking with pace to unlock the Eupen defence and secure a resounding win.
Ratings
- A1- Very good, could play higher
- A2- Strong potential to play higher
- B1- Good, strong player at this level
- B2- Potential to be strong player at level
- C- Average for level, rewatch
- D- Below average in this match
Krepin Diatta
Player Profile:
- Nationality: Senegalese
- Age: 21
- Date of Birth: 25/02/1999
- Current Club: Club Brugge
- Career: Sarpsborg 08, Club Brugge
- Position: Right Wing
- Secondary Position: Left Wing
- Preferred foot: Right
Diatta operated down the right flank in Brugge’s 3-5-2 and was their main attacking outlet. Brugge’s central players were constantly looking to switch the play to him as quickly as possible. Due to this, he positioned himself very wide in order to maximize the amount of space he was in. Once he had received the ball Diatta was direct, regularly looking to run at the Eupen defence. He was crucial to Brugge’s attack, having the most amount of touches, 85, while providing two moments of magic with his goals.
With a slim build and standing at only 5’7, Diatta has a low centre of gravity and thus is extremely agile. Combined with his quality ball control and electrifying pace he is able to glide past opponents with ease. Consequently, he proved a nightmare for Eupen as he was always looking to get in behind. This was epitomised best by his second goal in which he sprinted past a couple of defenders before rounding the keeper for a simple finish. Diatta is also an accomplished striker of the ball, managing to generate both great power and accuracy. It was most obvious for his first goal which was a fierce strike into the bottom corner from around 25 yards out.
Despite this, Diatta was overly reliant on his right foot, even when dribbling he would rarely use his left making him a little predictable. Against high level defences this might make him less effective. Furthermore, Diatta’s passing was distinctly average. His two crosses had nice whip but were far too close to the keeper. He failed to create a single chance and finished with an unimpressive 63% passing accuracy. At times his decision making was poor as he would choose the wrong option or rush the pass.
Off the ball Diatta is a hard worker with his pace allowing him to cover ground quickly. He is tenacious and not adverse to defending when needed. Despite his size he competes well in duels, winning seven in this game. In addition, he presses intensely should he lose possession, demonstrated by his nine recoveries.
Rating: A2
Youssouph Badji
Player Profile:
- Nationality: Senegalese
- Age: 18
- Date of Birth: 20/12/2001
- Current Club: Club Brugge
- Career: Casa Sports, Club Brugge
- Position: Striker
- Preferred foot: Right
In only his third senior appearance for Brugge, Badji started up front alongside Schrijvers. It was a day to remember for the young striker who registered his first goal and assist, although the assist was only a simple pass. His goal also had a slice of luck as what should have been a routine save was spilled into the net by de Wolf. However, credit should be given to Badji for striking the volley cleanly and making a nice run to the back post, something he did effectively throughout.
Being 6’3, Badji is a real presence up front and at only 18 he could potentially grow a little more. His slim build means he maintains good pace which he utilises when running the channels, or closing down defenders. Due to his height he is able to compete well in the air and win flick ons. This was key for Brugge’s fourth goal in which his flick was the pass before the assist. Despite this, his headers could often lead to nowhere which perhaps shows a lack of awareness for where his teammates are. He is not the strongest player either which hinders his ability to compete aerially. Although, it was good that he competed in a high volume of duels even if he lost eight ground duels and six aerials.
Having only played a handful of senior games Badji is still very raw and often struggled to influence the game for periods. Overall he managed only 24 touches in 77 minutes, the lowest of any Brugge starter. Additonally, his first touch was generally poor and, at times, he looked clumsy on the ball.
Despite his goal and assist Badji’s overall performance was far from spectacular. Even though he is very raw he showed glimpses of his capabilities and should only get better with games.
Rating: B2
Siebe Schrijvers
Player Profile:
- Nationality: Belgian
- Age: 24
- Date of Birth: 18/07/1996
- Current Club: Club Brugge
- Career: Genk, Waasland-Beveren (L), Club Brugge
- Position: Striker
- Secondary Position: Attacking Midfield
- Preferred foot: Right
Although, on paper, Schrijvers was partnering Badji up front, his role was not that of an out and out striker. Schrijvers had somewhat of a free role in the attack and was regularly seen dropping between the lines to pick up the ball in pockets of space to good effect. His deeper role is clear as 42% of his passes were made within his own half. He showed good technique in his passing to link the midfield and attack together, managing to create three chances while also assisting Diatta’s second goal.
He has a neat first touch and all round good control meaning he can operate well in tight situations and take in more difficult passes. His preference for getting the ball to feet makes sense as he lacks genuine pace and so would be largely ineffective running in behind. Instead he is more adept at using his superior passing ability to play his teammates in behind.
However, his style does mean he rarely gets into goal-scoring situations himself, which was evident today as he managed only one shot. Moreover, his 5’9 stature makes him ineffective aerially and so it is unsurprising that he won only one aerial duel. Schrijvers put in an effective creative performance for Brugge but did drift out of the game later in the second half before being substituted in the 77th minute.
Rating: B1
Target Scouting 