De Paul-ing from grace 📉
Not so long ago, De Paul was a standout star in Serie A. His World Cup performances however have epitomised a very quick decline, so why is this? (THREAD)
Not so long ago, De Paul was a standout star in Serie A. His World Cup performances however have epitomised a very quick decline, so why is this? (THREAD)
In five seasons at Udinese, De Paul became the outstanding talent in a very poor side. He scored 34 goals, and in four seasons between 2017 and 2021, he hit double figures for G/A.
The team was built around his individuality. De Paul had the license to attempt difficult passes and gear chance creation around him being on the end of them. Without him, Udinese would have been condemned to Serie B.
So good was he, that a move to a higher level was never disputed. Involved in between 4.7 and 5.26 SCAs/90 at Udinese, the chance to translate this unique creative and goalscoring midfield profile to a more complete team was an enticing one.
Moving to Atletico has seen a drop off in his creative numbers. 5.03 SCAs in 2020/21 has fallen to 3.97, and then slightly improved to 4.17. As in Udine, roughly 1/4 of these are coming from dead ball situations, so the drop off can't be attributed to being taken off set-pieces.
Whilst never being a huge shot taker, De Paul's shots have taken a huge tumble. 2.7 in 2019/20 has fallen to 1.0 and 1.7 in the last two seasons. This is hardly surprising in a Simeone Atletico side of course, but sheering De Paul of his scoring threat removes much of his appeal
His deployment in a midfield pivot for Argentina was particularly alarming. Be it on or off the ball, De Paul's best work comes in the opposition third. He has never been a player to show for the ball in deep build-up, and this showed against Mexico
Time and time again, Guido Rodriguez would drop to collect the ball from the centre-backs, and his pivot partner De Paul would be nowhere in sight. When he did collect, De Paul's carries were often into traffic. He was unsuccessful in all of his 3 attempted dribbles
At international level De Paul has often been used to do the dirty leg work of those ahead of him. Playing him in the central pair of a 4-4-2 doesn't even allow him to do this as it pulls him away from both his build-up and positioning responsibilities
This is not a 'how to fix' situation. De Paul is being played in a way that doesn't suit his profile. Equally however, his shortcomings are no surprise. At Udinese he was a liberated creative force in a poor side. Translating that to a team that wants to be more patient and...
Formulaic in possession build-up is simply not what his playing style not capabilities can achieve.
If you wish to read about De Paul's glorious Udinese years, read my piece from a few years ago!
firsttimefinish.co.uk
If you wish to read about De Paul's glorious Udinese years, read my piece from a few years ago!
firsttimefinish.co.uk
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