Leopold Querfeld (20/12/2003) is a very promising young Austrian centre back playing for Rapid Vienna in the Austrian Bundesliga. He is a consistent starter for them in all competitions and is now a vital figure in their defence.
Querfeld has a good physical presence, standing at 6”3 and weighing 83kg, helping him in a multitude of ways. In aerial duels he leaps with power and towers over his competitor, in attacking and defending situations. This allows him to clear with efficiency whilst also providing great attacking threat. His long legs help him win tackles, even when the opposition has gained an extra yard. His size also gives him long strides which enable him to cover long distances quickly, showing great agility and mobility, helping his recovery runs when caught out of position or when the opposition attempt to play over him. In terms of physicality, Querfeld has an excellent platform to thrive on.
Tactically, Querfeld is used as a right centre-back in a back 4 in a ball-dominant side. He is very confident on the ball and often makes himself available in the buildup. He is very calm on the ball and shows composure even when being pressed by strikers; his passing range is very vast and has variety, including both feet. He can then comfortably break the lines to the midfield, advancing the ball up the pitch and turning defence in to attack in an instant. Querfeld is determined to play out from the back and will only go long as a last resort although he does have good sense to not force the play, therefore reducing errors at the back. When his right back is pushing high, Querfeld will pull wide to the right side to allow a midfielder to drop in to the middle, providing an extra option in the buildup phase of play and showing Querfeld’s adaptability. It’s this adaptability that shows he would be comfortable playing in the middle or right hand side of a back 3 if needed.
In defending duels, Querfeld likes to get touch tight to the striker to prevent them turning or holding it up with any success. He is however over-eager to get tight and tackle which leads to him stepping up on players where he should keep the defensive structure; this can lead to a gap in behind him if he does not get there in time. His over-eagerness can also lead to him fouling when he has rushed to get tight to someone too quickly or when he is tackling from behind, he needs to show more patience and wait for the right time to tackle where he can tackle cleanly and efficiently.
He reads the game really well and is able to intercept crosses and passes with ease due to good positioning and movement. He does try and clear with the wrong foot which leads to poor clearances or slices so needs to be more confident clearing with his left foot when needed. His defensive IQ and positioning helps him get across the back line to cover his defenders when necessary.
The future for Querfeld looks very promising. With the ability to be part of a back 4 or 3 and the great physical presence he already has I can see a big move for him soon. I think his style would suit the Portuguese Liga or Serie A the most and hope he continues progressing as positively as he has been.
Target Scouting 