Saúl Coco Scout Report
Saúl Coco, the 25-year-old Equatorial Guinea center back, has made a solid defensive mark in the La Liga with Las Palmas this season. Our scout report highlights his commendable ball retention, standing above half of his contemporary defenders, and his goal efficiency also sits in a noticeably elevated percentile.
In terms of his style of play, Coco demonstrates a capability to be a ball-playing defender, capable of breaking lines with decent goal threats, a highly valued attribute for a defender. However, he isn't the most progressive with his carries or passing, slipping below average in these metrics and this could limit his potential to be a creative pivot from the back.
Falling in the 'yellow zone' for aerial duels, he's neither dominant nor deficient when it comes to contests in the air. Equally, he falls in the mid-range for the number of touches, showing that he sees a moderate amount of possession.
However, Coco's ball recovery and recoveries stats are in the lower tier, suggesting an area for growth. His interception and foul stats, likewise, point towards an area requiring improvement to optimise his defensive capabilities.
A noteworthy part of Saúl Coco's game is his high duel win percentage, signifying an innate ability to win individual battles, a key strength for any central defender. Interestingly, he's statistically more entrenched in the midfield, implying he's comfortable stepping up when his team needs to break opponent plays before they turn highly dangerous.
To sum up, Saúl Coco has an impressive mix of solid ball retention, commendable goal efficiency, and dueling prowess in his arsenal. There are areas to refine, especially his proactive defensive stats like recoveries and interceptions, but he could indeed be a stronghold for his Las Palmas side in the seasons to come.