Denis Zakaria Scout Report
Denis Zakaria is a versatile commodity in the world of football, flagging a great scout report this season at Monaco. Excelling particularly as a Central Midfielder, but also holding his own as a Centre Back and Defensive Midfielder, he is a Swiss army knife in Ligue 1. His playing style bears the hallmark of an astute, ball-controlling midfield maestro. Indeed, Zakaria ranks impressively high in ball retention, a testament to his ability to shield and maintain possession under pressure, a feat remarkable especially considering his age. At only 27, the Swiss international shows levels of composure and ball control that outpaces the majority of his peers in his position in the league.
However, his attacking prowess is not to be overlooked. Despite an average goal threat percentile, his goal efficiency showcases a lethal prudence in front of goal, selectively picking his spots with lethal precision rather than spraying shots haphazardly. Zakaria’s attacking play is also characterized by his progressive carries, comfortably carrying the ball forward, contributing significantly to advances down the pitch on a regular basis.
Zakaria could use his touch on the ball more effectively, indicated by his relatively lower percentile in touches. His aggressive playing style is reflected in the high number of yellow cards. Zakaria's high interception count speaks to his reading of the game, frequently intercepting opponents' passes and disrupting their flow of play.
His distribution of possession area suggests that he spends the majority of the game orchestrating play from the heart of the midfield, although he does not shy away from his defensive responsibilities, or surge forward when the opportunity presents. His overall low engagement in the penalty areas might be something to address for a more rounded contribution.
Despite the commendable performance, there remains room for enhancement in chance creation and assists, as his percentile suggests room for improvement in creating goal scoring opportunities for his teammates.
In summary, Zakaria's strengths lie in retaining possession, aggressive interceptions, and clinically efficient finishing, while his aggressive style of play resulting in fouls and his slight shortcoming in playmaking are areas in which he can polish up his game.