Édouard consistently featured in a front two at Celtic across 2020/21, when their preferred shapes were a four-diamond-two (below) and a 3-5-2 in which Albian Ajeti, Leigh Griffiths and Mohamed Elyounoussi were likeliest to feature alongside him. Instead of bouncing the ball into the third man running centrally, movements in wider positions can lead to opportunities from which to cross, when he is effective at delivering low, driven efforts, and at curving his runs around the outside of his opposing defenders. Runs into or through wider territory, similarly, help to create goalscoring chances for those around him. His awareness means that those forward runs register with him, often leading to incisive, third-man combinations and early releases of possession to encourage those teammates to penetrate in behind. Those same movements into deeper territory (below) are also occasionally followed by Édouard linking with teammates offering supporting runs, even if his priority often remains to instead shoot at goal. That same composure also exists inside the penalty area, where he often successfully moves the ball away from pressure, and which proves particulalry valuable against compact low blocks or emergency defending. He remains as focused on creating potential goalscoring opportunites when he drifts wider to occupy the inside channels, from where his ability to disguise doing so, and his composure, impresses instead of rushing his execution, he favours placing his attempts into the corners of the goal. If his back is instead to goal (below) he can retain the ball and then roll infield in an attempt to shoot as early as possible. He subtly drifts away from his marker to receive between the lines and then create opportunities to shoot at goal, potentially from outside of the penalty area. When withdrawing away from opposing defenders and towards the ball, Édouard adopts effective positions in which to receive it.
That he can then slow down and compose himself – perhaps against increased defensive pressure or if confronted by a goalkeeper – or change direction effectively to create new angles to shoot at goal enhances that variety. When advancing in behind his upper-body strength is significant in him holding off opposing defenders, and his explosive pace complements him doing so regardless of whether he has the ball. That same variety extends to his movements, which involve him withdrawing into deeper territory as often as he runs in behind and through on goal like a traditional striker.
Our rebuild of course will be more of an augmentation, we have the spine of a team to compete in Europe, four or five key signings and we could yet see us compete with the big names, however, such a squad will murder the SPFL next season.Īfter Covid the natural balance was shaken, it is good to see that the planning for 3 in a row is already underway and that the natural order threatens to stay in place for a very long time.Édouard favours his right foot, but he is also a capable finisher with his left, and has therefore demonstrated a wide variety of techniques to score (below) with both feet that includes both powerful drives and more delicate touches. With the Shame set to have a rebuild of Bosmans and journeymen, Desmond’s arrival looks set to take Celtic to the next level.
Just as the suitors are being killed off we have seen that desmond has arrived with his cheque book just after we have seen a few days of hyperbole out of Sevco, something that provoked him last time. The second is Tottenham who are already out of the running for the Champions League and the Europa League and look likely to finish outside of the Conference League as well. In the EPL there have been 2 teams he is consistently linked with, Leeds who are themselves in the relegation zone and can have their relegation confirmed if they lose and Forrest and Everton win. With Celtic guaranteed another bonanza of Champions League money and having already posted a record outlook for the coming financial year, Desmond can be under no illusions that keeping Ange and giving him the cash he will need are themselves conflated.
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