On the opening day of the Superliga, FC Nordsjælland and Viborg FF met at Right to Dream Park to kick off another season in the top tier of Danish football. In what turned out to be a one-way game, the home side dominated Viborg FF after suffering a minor setback after the first ten minutes. Having conceded the goal, Ernest Nuamah steamrollered the opposition defence with a hat-trick in thirty minutes and paved the way for a game that would become the ideal context for the emancipation of each player’s individual and collective qualities. With a goal after ninety minutes, FC Nordsjælland started the season with the right to dream of a winning season. Rating:
- A1 – Very good, could play higher
- A2 – Strong potential to play higher
- B1 – Good, strong player at level
- B2 – Potential to be a strong player at level
- C – Average for the level, rewatch
- D – Below average in this match
Jonas Jensen-Abbew
- Nationality: Ghanaian and Danish
- Age: 21
- Date of Birth: 20/04/2002
- Club: FC Nordsjælland
- Career: FC Nordsjælland e HB Köge (L)
- Position: Centre-Back
- Preferred Foot: Right
After a half-season loan spell at HB Köge, Jonas Jensen-Abbew spent the second half of last season on the bench at FC Nordsjælland, but that could change this season. In the 85 minutes he was on the pitch, Jonas showed details in both defence and attack that catapult him into a youngster with good potential. However, there is still room to grow, especially in small details.
In defensive organization, the young centre-back was able to respect the different principles looked for by Johannes Thorup. Collectively, he showed that he knew how to be aligned with the rest of his teammates in the defensive line, as well as respecting the orientation of the support according to when the ball was covered or uncovered. Individually, Jonas was able to make good tackles, trying to take opponents down the left flank. He only looked to tackle in situations that favoured it, in other words, when he had defensive cover or when he had to take a risk in this type of intervention.
In the moments of offensive organization, with FC Nordsjælland attacking in 4x3x3 with the full-backs low, the defensive midfielder at the back of the first line of pressure and the interior midfielders between the opponent’s midfield and defensive lines, Jonas Jensen-Abbew stood out for the tranquillity he transmitted with the ball on his foot. He always knew which side of his foot to use for the different technical actions he performed, both in progression and above all through passing. It was in this second moment that, through vertical passes to the midfielders, he managed to take advantage of the open spaces in the opponent’s defensive organization and move his team forward. However, it was also in these moments that he showed that he can evolve. In other words, whenever Jensen-Abbew directed his support towards the opponent’s goal, he managed to find a colleague at a different time, but when he didn’t, he always ended up favouring a safer pass for offensive cover, even when there was space to look for someone further forward.
In defensive transition, Jonas even gave lessons. He was able to slow down his opponents’ actions and always ended up creating situations of numerical superiority (2×1), something that allowed him to make the tackle at the right time. In addition, as in defensive organization, he always favoured the defence of the central corridor over the lateral aisle.
Rating – A1
Equipped with a good competitive attitude, good speed of movement and execution, as well as intelligence and technique, Jonas Jensen-Abbew is a player to be considered by teams at higher levels, such as the Portuguese, Belgian, and Dutch. If he cleans up some of the edges and adds minutes to his time at FC Nordsjælland, I do not doubt that the young Dane will eventually move up the ranks and perhaps reach the top leagues of Europe.
Ibrahim Osman
- Nationality: Ghanaian
- Age: 18
- Date of Birth: 14/12/2004
- Club: FC Nordsjælland
- Career: Right to Dream and FC Nordsjælland
- Position: Winger
- Preferred Foot: Right
Arrived in Denmark last January, Ibrahim Osman has brought his fervent African blood to shake up the opposition’s defence. A blend of power and dance, Osman is a player who can leave any defence behind in the open field with his speed of movement and, in the closed field, zigzag his way to the opposition goal. Ibrahim still got minutes last season, but it looks like this season he will follow in the footsteps of his compatriot Ernest Nuamah at FC Nordsjælland.
Starting from the left of the attack, Ibrahim Osman was terrifying in the game against Viborg FF. At the slightest opportunity, the young Ghanaian accelerated down the left flank, and no one could catch him. It was no wonder he completed five of his seven dribbles and won seven of the ten duels he played — he knows how to use his body to protect possession of the ball. His change of pace is breathtaking and that’s what makes him such a difficult player to defend against. The product of his creations was not something to be deified, but the potential was realized. In other words, we could see that he is already capable of performance – he made an assist with his left foot, something that underlines his ambidexterity – but, as a player with high potential, he ended up not adding good final passes in a row.
From a defensive point of view, he is a player with an excellent ability to react to loss and who shows psychological and physical availability for these moments. In addition, he knows how to respect the zonal way Johannes Thorup tries to press the opponent and manages to make him uncomfortable when he has possession of the ball.
Rating – A1
With a blazing speed of movement and good running speed, Ibrahim Osman is a player who will eventually become a serious case. Following in the footsteps of Ernest Nuamah, he will eventually turn all his potential into performance and will be able to achieve good numbers in terms of goals and assists, as he has the intelligence and technical ability to be decisive in those moments. Now, it would be ideal for him to stay in Denmark for another season or two. However, when he reaches peak performance, he is a player who will easily reach one of the main European leagues.