Scout report establishes Lille's veteran defensive midfielder, Benjamin André, as somewhat of a master in ball recovery. Operating predominantly from the heart of the pitch, André reads the game like a well-worn book, ranking among the top midfielders in Ligue 1 as he plucks possession away from opponents with remarkable ease.
However, notwithstanding his seemingly magnetic relationship with the ball, his chance creation and progressive carrying fall quite dismally in the lower quartiles. This hints at a style of play that bleeds more counterattacking football than fluid possession. Less of a midfield maestro releasing mind-boggling passes, his strength lies in disrupting the rhythm of adversaries.
His advanced age could be leading to a more cautious style, evident in his fewer forward forays which limits his shot opportunities. Discrepancies surface whilst scrutinising his goal efficiency and goal threat. André's ability to convert chances is in the top-tier, but what uses this efficiency if chances to utilize it are scarce?
While André may not be a player to maraud opponents defensively with tackles, he makes his presence felt in aerial duels, pressurising opponents into errors. Still, his game is far from polished. The high number of fouls committed and yellow cards received spotlights a key area of improvement.
His relentless hustle garners him tremendous touch time on the ball, yet often in less consequential areas - chiefly the midfield third. It is unsurprising to see him shine lesser in attack involvements like assists and key pass metrics. Nevertheless, for a team that potentially thrives on utilising quick breaks, André’s playing style and stats underline an indispensable cog in the wheel. He is undeniably a player whose subtle contributions often lay the groundwork for the star-studded performances.
Benjamin André Key stats
Benjamin André Career Trend
Benjamin André Shot Maps
Benjamin André Shot Summary
In the 2023-2024 season, Benjamin André took 23 shots, scoring 4 goals. This output came from an Expected Goals (xG) of 2.61, averaging 0.11 xG per shot.
Right Foot: 0 goals from 13 shots. A 0.0% conversion rate. 0.04 xG per shot.
Left Foot: 0 goals from 1 shots. A 0.0% conversion rate. 0.05 xG per shot.
Headers: 4 goals from 9 headed attempts. A 44.44% conversion rate. 0.23 xG per shot.
