Dan-Axel Zagadou Scout Report
In this scout report for the 2023-2024 Bundesliga season, our attention turns to French center back Dan-Axel Zagadou of VfB Stuttgart. At 24 years old, Zagadou is already showing potential in terms of his performance metrics, and his age suggests a bright future ahead.
Despite playing a traditionally defensive position, Zagadou isn't shy about creating scoring opportunities. His style of play sees him being directly involved in the offensive aspect, demonstrated by his higher-than-average percentile rankings in chance creation, goal efficiency, goal threat, and goals scored per 90 minutes of game time. While his ball recovery leaves much to be desired, ranking below 30%, he excels in ball retention, finessing his way out of tight situations to keep possession.
The most remarkable aspect of Zagadou's play is his prowess in aerial duels and general duels. These metrics come in an astounding 100%, asserting his dominance on the pitch. He thrives on little things that matter, such as winning the first ball and frustrating opponents with his defensive stubbornness. He stands strong in ball recoveries too, making it extremely hard for attacking players to bypass him. His distribution ability is also noteworthy, which allows him to bring into play his progressive carrying and passing skills.
However, like most players, he has areas to refine. Committing fouls at an average rate and collecting yellow cards at a frequency that suggests a concerning lack of discipline, particularly in high-stake situations. Also, despite winning a substantial amount of duels, he is caught in the middle of the park when it comes to interceptions, meaning there's room for growth in this area.
In terms of pitch predominance, he's mainly seen in the midfield and defensive thirds, solidifying his reputation as a stable defender with an ability to contribute to offensive plays.
To sum up, Zagadou is a rising talent whose style of play offers a lot more than defensive solidity. A few tweaks in his discipline, interceptions, and ball recovery could potentially elevate him to a whole new level. Keep an eye on this unique blend of defense and attack gracing the Bundesliga.
