a Twitter thread from @CFCCentral3
@TwitterVid_bot1.
Video Scouting Report – Mykhailo Mudryk (LW/LM | Chelsea)
- Why Chelsea made a €100m investement
- Physical/Psychological/Technical/Tactical Strengths
- Areas to Improve
- How he fit at Shakhtar & how Chelsea should use him
As always, all feedback, RTs are warmly appreciated!
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From going on loan thrice because of unfulfilled potential to a standing ovation at the Bernebeu, 22-y.o Mudryk's growth since his debut at 17 has been nothing short of exponential. Highly recommend our detailed analysis on him on @LondonBluePod – https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Y42xH8CGOitB5GLnfKhdW?si=N_ofsF2DT1eWp8124AWdJw&utm_source=copy-link
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System: At Shakhtar, Mudryk features as a LM in a 4-1-4-1 (LW for Ukraine.) While in the Ukranian league Shakhtar show an affinity for control & keeping the ball, in the Champioms League they seem happy to work without it (they did not have higher possession
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than any of their CL group stage opponents this season.) Vs Leipzig (A), they had 32% possession. They won 4-1. It was an ideal set-up for Mudryk, who scored once & got two assists, tearing Leipzig apart. Even vs low blocks, he is a potent weapon. But what makes him so lethal?
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Explosiveness: Has Mbappe level afterburners. In the CL this season, he has the highest top speed at 36.6 km/hr (tied with Dembele.) His trainers at Shakhtar wanted him to breach the 40 km/hr mark. Goes from 0-100 & 100-0 instantly, & from a standing start
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Flair/Dribbling: Unpredictable dribbler. Lightning agility + twinkle-toed footwork make him a nightmare 1v1 (even 2v1.) Shows very good ball manipulation in tight spaces & at high speed. Fearless take-on artist who punishes defenders who stand off
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Two-Footedness: Nearly ambipedal. Unleashes powerful shots with strong accuracy. Also adds a very useful dimension to his dribbling, allowing him to go either way with ease. Can receive with it & also uses it to set up quick shots for his right.
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Shooting/Finishing: Revelation this season with 7 goals in 12 games. Shoots powerfully and accurately even when traveling at speed. Confident finisher who prefers hard shots, but can place it when required with either foot. Strong long distance shots.
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Gravity: Speed, dribbling threat makes teams double (sometimes triple) up on him. Attracts heavy attention which opens up spaces elsewhere to exploit. Efficient at utilizing this to his benefit; invites pressure before shifting the ball into free spaces.
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Separation: Ability to explode from a standing start makes him excellent at creating separation. Allows him to get "cleaner" shots and crosses away, without any obstacles in the way. Manufactures space for himself, hence is unique in not needing FB width.
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Off-the-ball: Quickness a gift off the ball/out of possession too. Burst makes him excellent runner in behind & devastating at transitions. Equally lethal when played into space or to feet. Note how often he reaches overhit passes, even when not favourite
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Indirect Set-Pieces: Strong corner taker from both sides. Has a nice whipped near-post corner. Also very good with FKs in & around the box. Potential to become a useful threat from direct FKs as he displays versatile ball-striking.
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Crossing/Cutbacks: Surprisingly good at delivering accurately at high speed. Delivers from half-space byline, prefers a low cutback towards the near post or pen. spot. Set piece specialist role reflects his good crosses from wider positions.
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Defensive Workrate: Tactical role (LM)+ Shakhtar system demand def. work, which he does. Strong at offensive duels & is decent at defensive ones, but can err like on Simakan goal. Can be rash with challenges & conceded many fouls, which earn needless cards
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Core Strength + Balance: Powerful core in a diminutive frame. Allows him to endure contact well and recover quickly when staggered by challenges. Aggression also ensures he can hold his own vs opponents. Should hold up to the physical demands of the PL.
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Potential to Improve – Pausa: Inconsistent with his timing on final balls. Surprisingly, makes better decisions under pressure and in tight spaces than he does with time on his hands. Can massively improve judgement on if/when to release runners.
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Movement: Glimpses of intelligent movement. Mostly runs between opposing FB & CB for balls played towards the edge of the box to cross/cutback. Some glimpses of drifting to central spaces (more on that below) and arriving late in the box. Should diversify.
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Elusiveness: Guilty of not being more subtle about his movement. Accelerates in full view of defenders (perhaps trusting his speed) but would be far better if positioning himself in blindspots before attacking space. Raheem Sterling an excellent reference.
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Weaknesses – High-Risk/High Reward: Can be guilty of trying too hard to force an opening. Has had games with 0/5 dribbles completed & can be stubborn in his approach at times, which can be frustrating. Will hopefully learn judicious use of ball with time.
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Technical Security: Can lose ball often because of style of play. Full acceleration requires keeping ball well ahead of him, which can lead to erratic touches & showing too much of the ball to opponents. Occupational hazard, but Mbappe shows refinement.
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Versatility: Has almost always featured on the left of a 4-3-3, 3-4-2-1, 4-1-4-1 & 4-2-3-2. Rarely switches to the right; only delivers from there when he is taking set-pieces from the right & a loose ball comes his way. Presently not ideal for a fluid frontline. Minor issue.
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How Shakhtar Use Him: Mudryk strongly prefers the left, but multiple times in a game, he also shifts into the left-half space or centrally (you can see there is not much centrally, indicating a more off-the-ball/positioning duty.) His positioning in his own half is prominent too.
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Shakhtar often try to isolate him, usually in the mid 3rd. This is done via switches from CBs or even by the GK. However, since he drifts inside a lot, you can see the quicker long balls can be hit into empty spaces. Isolating him vs a FB though, is key.
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In the att. 3rd, Mudryk rotates positionally with the LB, Mykhaylichenko. One drifts in to drag the defence narrow, gifting the other space + time. Mudryk is capable of running a flank by himself, but this fluidity definitely accentuates his threat.
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How Chelsea Should Use Him: Mudryk would be best at LW or LM in any system. Potter has deployed both recently. Out of possession he slots effortlessly in a 4-4-2. Shakhtar factored in Mudryk's high-risk/high-reward style by offering him good protection – Heorhii Sudakov at LCM,
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Taras Stepanenko at DM and Mykhaylichenko at LB all offering good cover in advanced positions. Ideally, an in-form Cucurella is very well suited to the support role. Lewis Hall, capable of inverting into midfield (since he is a CM) will also be a great pair with him.
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To maximize Mudryk's skillset, Chelsea should:
- constantly isolate him vs opp. FB/WB ball to feet.
- offer a mobile LB for width, inverting & simple passes to edge of the box.
- find him quickly + often to feet/in space on transition
- ensure left sided cover for high-risk style
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Why did Chelsea pay: Chelsea have lacked a definitive, explosive 1v1 threat since Eden Hazard, which has coincided with a steep decline in chance creating and scoring numbers in attack. The three best LW options in the market were Leão, Kvaratskhelia & Mudryk. Leão would arguably
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cost similar, but is far worse at quality and quantity of def. work. Kvaratskhelia has a small albeit rich sample size but would require negotiating with Aurelio De Laurentiis. Mudryk is quicker than Kvara, & shows similar potential in evolving into an all-round wide attacker.
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€100m is eye-watering, but it addresses a vital profile the club has severely lacked. How he adapts physically, socially & to a brutal calendar are valid questions, but his venomous pace & directness will unsettle stoic defences the side has struggled to break down for years.
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