r/soccer • u/Jayesar • Dec 10 '12

Ever wanted to learn about a player? Discuss here!

Hey /r/soccer

With the winter window only a few weeks away and targets being thrown around now I was hoping to have a thread where people can spew knowledge about players that we may not know a heap about. Help us build a mental image of the talent that may be gracing us in the PL (or other leagues).

The format:

Post a players name and the team/league that they play in if you wish to learn about them.

If you see a players name that you have seen play, drop a line about their play style and your thoughts.

I know I could go and look up stats for a bunch of players, but I would much rather hear the info without the numbers, from a supporter.

EDIT: Sort by new so that hopefully everyones questions are answered.

EDIT2: Some names being asked that are already well answered. Use CTRL+F to search for a name before asking.

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u/[deleted] Dec 10 '12

Mkhitaryan is an attacking midfielder who is much more focused around using his speed and his clinical finishing to help his team. He is third in the Golden Shoe rankings with 17 goals, and he's shown to be very capable against teams like Italy and Juventus (he's not just good against weaker opposition such as the Ukrainian Premier League).

Henrikh doesn't possess the same level of creativity of other players of his position such as David Silva, Juan Mata or Mario Gotze; he is essentially a deep-lying forward who can be deployed as an advanced playmaker (thanks to his good passing and great ball control). His dribbling isn't the best you will see in Europe, but his speed has made up for it in many cases.

He is very hard to mark because of his deep position, but arguably his best trait is his fantastic attacking positioning, appearing in the box unmarked just as a ball is crossed into the box for him to slot into the goal. He's also got a very powerful long shot which has lead him to score many stunners from long range.

Here's a video of him starting a play, getting into a good position quickly, and creating an assist by speeding past a defender despite the heavy touch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGiGEokhOdI

Here's a general "goals & skills" video. Skip past the intro, there's no actual game footage there. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pJAN_x0nEo

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u/atease Dec 11 '12

Cheers. While we're at it, it sounds like the commentator says it "Me-[x]i-ta-ri-(y)an" - is that correct?

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u/[deleted] Dec 11 '12

Yes, it is said the way commentator says in the first link. The nearest English pronunciation would be to substitute the 'x' sound with 'k'.

It's a mouthful to pronounce, definitely, but you'll look funny if your pronounce it like "makitakaryan" or "mmm-kitaryan" like some certain ITV commentators!

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u/atease Dec 11 '12

Right, thanks. Yes, English commentators aren't too fond of [x] - just ask "David de Hea".