Ander Herrera Scout Report
Ander Herrera, despite being in his twilight years at 34, has been a solid defensive midfielder for La Liga giant, Athletic Club in the 2023-2024 season. He possesses an innate ability to dictate games from the heart of the park, which is showcased by his commendable distribution statistics - a key feature of his game. He situates himself primarily in the midfield third, where he can capitalize on his high-quality progressive passing abilities and astute chance creation.
Herrera's significant strengths lie in his interception skills and ball recoveries, consistently disrupting the opposition's play. He shines with consistent, accurate passing and impressive assist rates that add offensive value to his defensive stronghold. He's also not afraid to get stuck into a challenge, often resulting in a high number of fouls and a handful of yellow cards, which is an area of concern, pointing at his disciplinary issues on the field.
However, there are aspects where Herrera could improve. His performance is middling when it comes to direct duels, both in the air and on the ground. His dribbling success and ability to progress the ball by carrying it lies on the lower end, restricting his ability to contribute significantly in attacking transitions. Creating more goalscoring chances from the midfield, whether by shooting or creating goal-scoring opportunities for teammates, could amplify his impact on matches.
Despite being in the latter years of his career, Herrera has shown that he can still compete at the highest level, continuing to play a pivotal role for Athletic Club with his defensive acumen, game IQ, and precise passing ability. His experience and quality make him a pearl of a player for the club, even if there are some areas calling for refinement.
