Cork City and Shamrock Rovers approached this fixture in differing spirits. Where Shamrock Rovers’ previous match saw them tie up a fourth consecutive league title, Cork City found themselves on the end of a disappointing defeat, all but condemning them to the relegation playoff.
Shamrock Rovers made ten changes coming into this fixture. Both sides were direct, but Rovers more effectively so, initially setting up to draw pressure and then exploit the space. Cork City attempted to nullify this approach by lowering their line of engagement and were largely successful, with the game eventually finishing in a goalless draw.
Ratings:
- 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
Naj Razi
- Nationality: Irish, Algerian
- Age: 17
- Date of birth: 28/10/2006
- Club: Shamrock Rovers
- Career: Shamrock Rovers (Y)
- Position: Attacking Midfield, Central Midfield
- Preferred foot: Right
In his first senior start, Razi lined up as part of a midfield pairing, with Rovers opting for a 5-2-3 shape out-of-possession. Although primarily considered an attacking midfielder throughout his youth career, the 17-year-old’s skillset suited a role that allowed him to play through pressure from deep areas.
Razi’s self-confidence was evident throughout, marked most obviously by his stubborn ball retention in congested areas. And whilst a secure first touch from either foot provided the foundation for this, his composure allowed him to excel. This composure, in conjunction with well-timed scanning actions, saw him make smart adjustments to his body orientation when receiving under pressure, improving his likelihood of protecting possession.
His ball retention in tight spaces worked alongside regular efforts to bait opposition pressure. This was enabled, in part, by his awareness, composure and intelligent body positioning, but his physical strength was equally important. All of these attributes worked in tandem: Razi could pause, enticing an opponent onto him, and anticipate contact before sharply exiting when they initiated, getting his body across to ride any recovery challenges.
Operating in deep areas allowed Razi to display his forceful ball-carrying, where his weight of touch saw him eat up space. The ball rarely left his orbit, facilitating heavier touches that helped his run gather pace. Razi could subsequently take nimbler touches, allowing him to shift direction without stifling momentum. When travelling at speed, he utilised feints to disrupt his opponent’s weighting and, when challenged from the side, switched his dribbling foot, preventing access to the ball. There were occasions, however, where he overplayed and missed opportunities to find teammates in space.
As Cork City sat off greater significance was placed on Razi’s passing. In settled possession he was the pivot player, which perhaps encouraged a steadier, retention-first approach. Most passes were lateral, stroked into feet with his right foot. Despite instances of poor execution, these passes were generally easy to receive. There were interesting moments too: Razi could delay his passing action to open angles, occasionally used disguise, and also executed incisive long balls, admittedly under little pressure.
Razi’s ability to utilise the space afforded to him was inconsistent. Operating as a pivot player meant significant responsibility on and off the ball, and sometimes he looked constrained by this. In second-phase build-up he was static, perhaps unsure how to provide attacking impetus without unsettling the rest-defensive structure. The 17-year-old appeared more confident in first-phase build-up, but struggled with spacing, dropping too deep when showing for the ball.
Defensively, he looked slightly ill-suited to his role. Razi worked hard, especially when tracking deep runners, but there were several positional and duel-related errors. Both could be masked or improved: he’d benefit from less rest-defensive responsibility and a better understanding of how to time his challenges.
Rating – A2
According to reports, several elite clubs have earmarked Razi as a player of interest. Razi’s confident approach to this fixture – his first senior start – underlined this exciting potential.
His assuredness in resisting pressure, even capable of adjusting to miscalculations, and the technical quality of his carries appear as two qualities that could scale to a higher level. He also demonstrated the ability to withstand and initiate contact, an important facilitator for these attributes. And despite this being a low stakes game, his effort to remain tactically reliable whilst showcasing this skillset was notable, even if there were errors.
If Razi remains at Shamrock Rovers, he’d benefit from a role that allows him to contribute to deep build-up without limiting his movement in settled possession. He should be viewed in this context before conclusions are drawn on his ceiling.
Target Scouting 