Scout Report – Erik Lamela
Introducing a new feature on Just Football, the Scout Report. The Scout Report will be a new regular feature on the site, brought to you by our effortlessly knowledgeable columnist Tom Shaw. Tom is a pro scout for a Premier League team and a consultant for teams in the Football League. From Australia’s Tommy Oar to Zambia’s Emmanuel Mbola, Just-Football’s resident pro scout will aim to bring you the hottest talents in world football. First on the Scout Report – a young Argentine sensation:
In my profession I am often asked to go to matches where the teams and players are unfamiliar to me. In this situation it is important to be able to make quick judgements in a match as to who the best players on the pitch are. This enables a scout to focus his attention on those better players more than the lesser ones. When watching unfamiliar players I use a number of indicators to quickly assess all the players on the pitch.
One very simple indicator of the ability of a player is whether he takes set-pieces. A team’s set piece taker is on most occasions the most technically gifted player in the team.
So when an inexperienced young player comes into the first team and immediately takes command over his team’s set pieces you naturally sit up and take notice.
When this happens in one of the biggest matches in world football, the Superclasico between River Plate and Boca Juniors in Argentina, the seemingly insignificant feature of an 18 year old taking set pieces becomes even more of a telling indicator of ability.
The 18 year old in question is River’s trequarista Erik Lamela. Lamela though is no new sensation. As a 12 year old he was courted by Barcelona – probably in search of a new Lionel Messi – but the move did not go through despite Barcelona reportedly offering over €100,000 per year for Lamela to move to Spain.
Lamela chose to stay in Argentina with River Plate and is now just one of a number of talented teenagers playing for the Buenos Aires giant. River have had a very difficult past few seasons and are in danger of relegation and have now placed their trust in a new generation of players. Lamela was joined in the Superclasico by two exciting 19 year olds, left winger Roberto Pereyra and forward Rogelio Funes Mori.
Against Boca it was Lamela who was most impressive, dictating the play in the centre of midfield with astonishing composure and maturity for a player with less than 10 senior appearances, in one of the most intense derbies in world football. What was perhaps even more impressive was that he outshone his opposite number, Boca’s Juan Roman Riquelme.
Comparisons of Lamela are closer to Riquleme than to Messi. He stands at over 6ft tall and his main attribute is the accuracy of his passing with his left foot. He lacks the explosive acceleration of Messi but he does have the ability to dribble past players in order to find the space to play a pass. However, it is the unerring accuracy of his delivery from set pieces that catches the eye above all.
In a tight first half it was Lamela who was at the centre of River’s best attacks. From open play he was able to find spaces in a congested midfield and launch attacks for the wingers Ariel Ortega and Roberto Pereyra. However, it was his delivery from set pieces that was most impressive, taking all corners and free kicks for his team. He came close to scoring from two direct free kicks, at the beginning and end of the second half, both times forcing good saves from Boca’s goalkeeper. It was from a corner that River opened the scoring early in the second half. Jonathan Maidana scored with a powerful header from a Lamela cross that was whipped in from the right.
River Plate held out for a 1-0 win to boost their chances of survival in the Argentinean league and an impressive performance from Erik Lamela will surely have cemented a regular place in the River first team for the talented 18 year old set piece expert.
November is youth football month on Just Football. Head over here to read some of the Youth Football articles we’ve already brought you and like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to keep up-to-speed with further youth football features we have planned for you the rest of this month.
In my profession I am often asked to go to matches where the teams and players are unfamiliar to me. In this situation it is important to be able to make quick judgements in a match as to who the best players on the pitch are. This enables a scout to focus his attention on those better players more than the lesser ones. When watching unfamiliar players I use a number of indicators to quickly assess all the players on the pitch.
One very simple indicator of the ability of a player is whether he takes set-pieces. A team’s set piece taker is on most occasions the most technically gifted player in the team.
So when an inexperienced young player comes into the first team and immediately takes command over his team’s set pieces you naturally sit up and take notice.
When this happens in one of the biggest matches in world football, the Superclasico between River Plate and Boca Juniors in Argentina, the seemingly insignificant feature of an 18 year old taking set pieces becomes even more of a telling indicator of ability.
The 18 year old in question is River’s trequarista Erik Lamela. Lamela though is no new sensation. As a 12 year old he was courted by Barcelona – probably in search of a new Lionel Messi – but the move did not go through despite Barcelona reportedly offering over €100,000 per year for Lamela to move to Spain.
Lamela chose to stay in Argentina with River Plate and is now just one of a number of talented teenagers playing for the Buenos Aires giant. River have had a very difficult past few seasons and are in danger of relegation and have now placed their trust in a new generation of players. Lamela was joined in the Superclasico by two exciting 19 year olds, left winger Roberto Pereyra and forward Rogelio Funes Mori.
Against Boca it was Lamela who was most impressive, dictating the play in the centre of midfield with astonishing composure and maturity for a player with less than 10 senior appearances, in one of the most intense derbies in world football. What was perhaps even more impressive was that he outshone his opposite number, Boca’s Juan Roman Riquelme.
Comparisons of Lamela are closer to Riquleme than to Messi. He stands at over 6ft tall and his main attribute is the accuracy of his passing with his left foot. He lacks the explosive acceleration of Messi but he does have the ability to dribble past players in order to find the space to play a pass. However, it is the unerring accuracy of his delivery from set pieces that catches the eye above all.
In a tight first half it was Lamela who was at the centre of River’s best attacks. From open play he was able to find spaces in a congested midfield and launch attacks for the wingers Ariel Ortega and Roberto Pereyra. However, it was his delivery from set pieces that was most impressive, taking all corners and free kicks for his team. He came close to scoring from two direct free kicks, at the beginning and end of the second half, both times forcing good saves from Boca’s goalkeeper. It was from a corner that River opened the scoring early in the second half. Jonathan Maidana scored with a powerful header from a Lamela cross that was whipped in from the right.
River Plate held out for a 1-0 win to boost their chances of survival in the Argentinean league and an impressive performance from Erik Lamela will surely have cemented a regular place in the River first team for the talented 18 year old set piece expert.
November is youth football month on Just Football. Head over here to read some of the Youth Football articles we’ve already brought you and like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to keep up-to-speed with further youth football features we have planned for you the rest of this month.
