Player Profile:
- Position: Central Midfield / Defensive Midfield
- Nationality: Mexico / USA
- Date of Birth: 17/02/2005 (18 Years)
- Current Club: LA Galaxy II
- Former Club(s): LA Galaxy Academy
- Preferred Foot: Right
- Height: 190cm
- Contract Expiration: 31 December 2024
Brandon Téllez is a central midfielder who can also operate in a more defensive role or occasionally as a number 10. Téllez has caught the eye when playing for LA Galaxy II recently and has been capped by Mexico at Under 18 level on three occasions.
Firstly, if we analyse Téllez’s physical profile, we can see that at 190cm tall he can be a fairly imposing figure which of course is beneficial when participating in individual duels. The image above is a good demonstration of how he uses his upper body strength to shield the ball from his opponent and then lay a pass off to a teammate. The midfielder covers a significant amount of ground during a match, constantly moving between both penalty boxes, especially in more recent games where he is making a noticeable effort to get further up the pitch in the attacking phase. Téllez is able to maintain a high work rate throughout, supporting the team both in attack and defence. His stamina allows him to constantly press the opponents, track back, and contribute to both ends of the pitch.
A good central midfielder must possess a strong understanding of the game, ability in anticipating plays, and ability to make intelligent decisions. Téllez is proving that he can make smart choices when in possession as he is able to play well thought out passes, as shown above, where he receives a pass, quickly plays the ball to a teammate and makes an excellent off the ball run into the final third. We can’t really class Tellez as a playmaker though, he is not a player who makes line breaking passes, instead he often opts to play short and simple passes. This is beneficial in the sense that it usually ensures his team retain possession, however, sometimes it would be better if he looked up and tried to pick out the forward who is looking to be played in behind the defensive line.
Téllez is composed in possession and is able to utilise his ability to closely control the ball which enables him to dribble past opponents with relative ease. He is able to navigate through tight spaces and congested areas on the pitch. This enables the LA Galaxy youngster to maintain possession in challenging situations and evade opponents’ attempts to dispossess him. By dribbling past opponents, he can create openings and opportunities to advance the ball and initiate attacks. Brandon Téllez can draw the attention of multiple defenders, as shown above, there are four opposition players surrounding him which has created space for his teammate on the right side. As mentioned previously, Téllez is reasonably tall, which is one of the reasons why it is incredibly difficult to knock him off the ball. He is able to use his physical presence to shield the ball effectively from opponents. This can be useful in maintaining possession, buying time for teammates to make runs or find passing options, and frustrating the opposition’s attempts to dispossess the team.
In the attacking phase Brandon Téllez is very good at making astute off the ball runs. By making intelligent runs into the penalty area, the young central midfielder puts pressure on the opposing defence and creates more scoring opportunities for the team. Additionally, when he makes well-timed runs into the penalty area, it can draw defenders away from other areas of the pitch. This opens up space for teammates to exploit, whether it’s in the midfield or wider areas. The movement of the midfielder can create imbalances in the opposition’s defensive structure, making it easier for the team to find gaps and create chances.
Moreover, in recent games Téllez has begun to show his tactical intelligence by taking up good positions on the edge of the opposition penalty area, as shown above. By positioning himself on the edge of the area, the central midfielder becomes a prime candidate to receive the ball for long-range shots. This positioning allows him to take advantage of any loose balls or clearances from the opposition’s defence. His ability to strike the ball from distance can surprise the opposition goalkeeper as is the case in the image above where he hits a shot on the half volley which nestles in the bottom corner, beyond the goalkeeper.
In the defensive phase, the LA Galaxy II midfield becomes a block of four, as shown above. Téllez is often seen communicating with his teammates as they transition from attack to defence, ensuring the team adopts their defensive shape. The Mexico U18 international is the player who will often step out of the midfield block to intercept a pass or initiate a press. In the scenario shown above, Téllez is the one who steps out and is able to intercept the pass which then means that Galaxy have the opportunity to launch a counterattack.
When LA are transitioning from attack to defence the 18-year-old can be relied upon to position himself well in order to cut off passing lanes and make vital interceptions which limit the opposition’s attacking capabilities as demonstrated above. He is aware of his positional responsibilities and can quickly adjust in order to fill gaps left by attacking players who have pushed forward, this helps prevent counterattacks and ensures that the team remains organised and difficult to penetrate in defensive situations. He is very astute and can quickly identify what the team requires from him in his defensive role, whether it’s providing cover for the defensive line, supporting the full-backs, or tracking back to mark opponents in midfield.
The LA Galaxy midfielder does tend to go to ground often which is sometimes to the detriment to his team as his sliding tackles are not always successful which means that he either concedes a foul or the opposition retain possession and simply bypass his attempt at a tackle. At 18 years old, this could perhaps be put down to a little too much enthusiasm and is something that can become more controlled as he gains more experience at a higher level.
On the whole, Brandon Téllez is showing he has the skills to become a very good central midfielder. He has the ability to play an important role defensively by intercepting passes, and shielding the defence as well as demonstrating excellent positional awareness which allows him to anticipate opponents’ movements, and make timely interceptions or tackles to regain possession. He is able to act as the link between the defence and attack, using his excellent dribbling skills and on the ball abilities to drive the team forward into the attacking phase.
It is clear that Téllez still needs time to improve as a player but all the signs are there that he could fulfil his potential, it is possible that European clubs may start to take an interest especially as many clubs are vastly scouting North America now, time will tell how far he goes but he is certainly one to watch for the future.