Lesley UGOCHUKWU - 5 Alternatives to Moisés Caicedo for Chelsea's midfield (4/5)
Born in Rennes in 2004, joined Stade Rennais at 8 after two spells in Rennes’ biggest local omni-sport clubs.
2nd youngest pro and debutant in Ligue 1 for Rennes after Eduardo Camavinga (02) Also eligible for Nigeria.
Nephew of Onyekachi Apam (14 caps for Nigeria), a 2005 U20 World Cup runner up with John Obi Mikel’s Nigeria, against Leo Messi’s Argentina in 2005.
Who played at Rennes, French Brittany between 2006 and 2010.
National team curriculum
No competitive football except Ligue 1 / Ligue 2 from spring 2020 to summer 2021 in France was definitely… a decision. Only training allowed, for professional athletes only.
Lesley Ugochukwu for France’s age groups
U17:
U18 in 9 friendlies in 21-22, captaining the team
U19: 3 quali + 3 friendlies. Will play the U19 Euros in 2023
Debut against PSG: no pressure
Lesley Ugochukwu was given his debut against PSG at 17 by Bruno Génésio in a 1-1 draw in May 2021.
Racked up close to 400’ in 2021-22 turning 18 in March, but mostly as a sub (3+15)
Starts to cement his place in 2022-23, in 433 or 442, or recently 343 in the 1-0 win vs PSG.
Pass launchpad
Lesley Ugochukwu is a CM willing to help his team progressing the ball, which he does with:
Incisive progressive vertical passes, requiring box to box support runs for layoffs. He’s not fannying around, attackers better be ready to receive a flat pass on deck, otherwise the possession is recycled laterally without slowing the game down.
Ugochukwu’s left foot is clearly not a hindrance, he backs himself to play needle passes with it (and doesn’t rely on it just to get on the bus).
Ball carries, that of which the intersting part is that he likes to attack the left side of the pitch, instead of trying to overload the right side as a right footer; as most out and out dribblers tend to do on their strong foot.
Ugochukwu has 72% success from 1.1 dribbles attempted (0.8) per 90.
On par with the rest of his game, no fuss, steadily effective.
However, there’s two occurences against PSG (one ball carry, off screen, and that run to get beyond the winger) where he ends up in a bit of a nowhere land.
He’s also pressure resistant, can break the press with a dribble. His turn of pace is good, the motion is fluid, his use of arms is good (he uses them not to be put off balance), comparing to most players his age who don’t because they play like emperor penguins and are knocked off the ball, regardless if they’re 5ft5 or 6ft3.
Ugochukwu’s fouled 0.5 time per game.
That doesn’t suggests he needs to invite contact more, but eg Matic was between .5 and .9 between 2013-2020.
There’s always room to improve, at 0:45, rest assured that Nemanja Matić doesn’t let anyone whithin his personal space, who usually meets the palm of his stretched arm to stay at bay.
Even the penguin in possession (🙄) does use his wings here, lot of players could take note:
Positioning 101
Lesley Ugochukwu’s defensive positioning is sound.
The first play would be worth waffling for a good 30 tweets (there’s more digestible Kouign-amanns than some of the tactical threads the Twitter algo bumps to the surface).
Losely, there’s three types of defensive organisations:
Man marking: follow the man even at the loo
Zonal marking: close the ball carrier if you’re closest, otherwise cover the closest (chain structure, everyone adjusts to each other)
Mixed marking: taking care of whoever enters one’s area losely whithin the structure
An entire team isn’t set set mathematically and rigorously to do only one of these things.
The difference is granular, but practically relies on timing in terms of instructions players are passed onto.
Man marking: get tight before the player receives the ball
Zonal marking: get tight during the pass
Mixed: get tight before the player receives the ball, only whithin one’s area.
No need to draw an imaginary hopscotch grid on the pitch, defensive structures are straightforward to understand. Rennes were using the third one.
Like most modern teams do, don’t listen to the “poor structure” charlatans, football is a players game and the match-ups are important to keep momentum on side (don’t let the opposition settle and gain territory by getting on the ball).
Back to Lesley Ugochukwu (LU). Who needs to pay attention both at the ball and Warren Zaïre-Emery (WZE) as one of the two CMs in Rennes’ 343.
LU tracks WZE until WZE decides to exit Ugochukwu’s zone, at which point LU stops to maintain the structure.
Then LU checks his shoulder to see who’s about to fill the zone WZE just vacated and it’s none other than Messi.
When Messi shows for the ball, LU reads the trigger and closes him down.
Messi plays one of his trademark trigonometry-defying passes knowing he’s closed down.
The pass was intercepted by Tait whose motion to close down WZE starts before Messi plays the pass (because it’s mixed defending, and not man-marking nor zone).
This isn’t exactly quantum physics to understand, but it’s certainly not a given either, players don’t magically perform there.
It requires a good coaching from one end, and on the receiving end; players being able to read and execute the strategy live.
It certainly requires a level of game understanding, focus (on top of being physically ready, and not have tunnel vision for being out of one’s depth or breath).
The second play is an exemple of good defensive footwork to cover space, and double team out wide. The imaginary line between the ball and the goal is always covered by Ugochukwu.
He’s not dragged out of position by the decoy of the fullback getting beyond (it’s up to the defensive unit below LU to take care of runners - always pick the nearest runner to goal).
The jockeying to stay dynamic on the toes with narrow footwork is something midfield players need to do as second nature, to change direction seamlessly and close down space and players in possession (in that case, Messi)
The third play is the 1-0 goal, LCB Théate and LWB Truffert have both underlapped/overlapped so the channel is open for a counter attack, unless someone fills the gap. Which Ugochukwu does.
Just like any midielder should do, that was Michael Ballack’s role in Ancelotti’s 4321, 433, 4diamond2 at Chelsea a decade ago.
That’s why he’s outside the frame.
Again, hardly rocket science to figure out, but got to appreciate players disciplined to do as told or recognize a vacated space the opponent can exploit.
Winning the ball back: a DM’s bread and (salted) butter
Lesley Ugochukwu’s defensive involvement in Ligue 1 this season (FBref).
2.7 tackles per90 ranks him in the 86th percentile,
however 1.2 succesful ones is only 44% success (team winning possession)
Might be about the way the data is collected, eg tackles on the sidelines being accounted as a turnover of possession.
1.1 / 1.6 dribblers tackled (68%) is good.
0.3 “dribbled past” per 90 on WhoScored.
1.4 interceptions
1.4 blocks (0.6 shots, 0.8 passes) puts him quetly into the significant “knows how to get in the way” bracket (ie: it’s not a fluke).
So overall, 4.12 tackles + interceptions attempted per 90.
1.6 aerials, 70% success (16/23)
Remains to be seen whether he’ll develop into a *DM* or more a passing 8 / ball progressor.
Depends if he replicates his goalscoring at youth level at senior level (which is the deciding factor before awarding midfielders license to enter final third, otherwise it’s like non-salted butter, useless).
Room to grow
Obviously Lesley Ugochukwu's far from finished article (50 senior games!)
His touch on the first play is a tad casual, doubling with the right foot takes him slightly backwards off his stride. Back foot, front foot is irrelevant.
But if the first touch isn’t positive, the framework to go with “receives from the right, control with back foot left” makes sense to fall back on. (there’s other instances in the same game).
This is the “going beyond possession” play in nowhereland mentioned earlier.
Was he carried by momentum (or if anything, doesn’t sound overly ideal to have the CM at the opposite corner flag, both attacking-wise and to defend the subsequent counter).
Joe Willock would probably make something out of a similar situation, as a stealth "winger-8”, and end up in the box.
By design or “shortcoming”, Ugochukwu has only one of FBref’s “Carries into Penalty Area” in the total 855’ minutes he has in Ligue 1.
Not yet replicating his exploits in younger age groups.
On the second play, his separation movement is too straightforward towards the ball. He should delay his movement (stay on the move, but go against the flow or slow down) in order to “split” the triangle (= entering it) when Truffert receives the ball.
Instead, he’s already in the middle of he triangle when Truffert receives.
Forcing him to look for another “triangle” to split (there’s none because he’s screened, there’s Gouiri drifting wide).
The move breaks down and possession is recycled backwards
On the third play, Ugochukwu is ball-watching, and paying attention to how Kalimuendo fares between 3 players instead of thinking about providing an angle, in between the two PSG players (Zaïre-Emery and Ekitike).
Receives, is put under pressure straightaway and forced to play backwards, whereas the switch was open (that’s not a “easier to conjecture from the stands” play)
Solving is: when Kalimuendo does his stuff, check the shoulder and step back a couple of yards.
cue= WZE is close, Ekitike is quite far, just get in the middle of both.
to Joe Rodon and Christopher Wooh’s annoyance (CCB, and RCB)
A defensive situation already mentioned in the Hicham Boudaoui newsletter (3/5)
Ugochukwu’s closing down angle is wrong and he does the “baseball home run”. He ends up level with WZE (instead of closing him down from the front), gets beaten by a simple give-and-go.
Ends up wrong side and could clip in from behind and collect a dumb booking.
Correct defensive run (green) is to run in a “U” to protect the route to goal, then make sure he can move forward to close down (and show the opponent where he wants, inside, outside depending on how the pressing trap is set).
These are 4 plays I took opportunity to break down in more detail.
It’s obviously not a poster dunk because in the same game there's also instances of similar plays and effective moves.
This is the kind of stuff coaching staff and player development folk in clubs are supposed to do when players are in house. Most of the time it’s not done, because if I (or you) can see it as well, so should they and then work on video or on the field to adjust it.
In regards to scouting, the most important factor is to find out if the player is told and can’t pick up, isn’t told (but might still pick up or find out by himself because it’s a player’s game, regardless if you defend a goal or a lamp post), or is told and obviously can’t figure out (or execute) what’s required.
Airplane dashboard analysis
Takeaways from that airplane dashboard: fasten your belt
Ugochukwu is at the receiving end of passes back inside (top left heatmap), from wide areas, mostly left side; mostly with a angle, as a supporting option (he comes from behind the ball).
He receives the ball centrally below centre circle (bottom left heatmap)
As oversaw on the previous match footage, there’s an interesting distinction between:
Very aggressive incisive progressive passes (possibly after carries) in the right vertical half of the pitch: the “where LU receives” and “from where LU passes” don’t overlap, and the “LU’s progressive passes” indicate why.
Ugochukwu’s having reasonable success in connecting with attackers in front of him in the centre-right, despite passes being very vertical (meaning the receiving team mate is likely to be facing pressure from behind, or just popping up in pockets of space).
The “where LU passes toward” (top right) indicate three clear clusters: wide right, wide left and right attacking 10 area
The returns suggest little “fannying around” with fake progressive passes, diagonal-ish, forward-ish, or statpadding passes (logged as such) that put the team’s progression into dead-ends (turnover whithin 3 passes, or 3 consecutive back passes).
Uguchukwu’s already very assured, has steadily effective distribution and doesn’t look to reverting into the easy option (or defaulting by writing off every option he can’t play, because he looks to be able to play every type of pass)
On the other hand, when superimposing 3 different viz:
From where LU passes (middle bottom)
Passes LU plays (middle top)
Where LU passes towards (top right)
There’s an assured distribution (eye test on match footage, passes are well hit) to help the team circulate the ball laterally.
Rennes like “galette saucisse” (can’t be worse than meatpies, can it?), mascot Erminig is cute and everything. But they’re all but a top club with big expectations, and quite the (expensively assembled) talent laden squad that subsequently often faces teams sitting deep against them.
Requiring midfielders to be able to show a strong level of reliability against set defences not to be caught on the break every other possession.
Creeping into numbers (crêpe-ing)
Don’t pile on that flat pun. This is a pile of crêpes bretonnes.
A look through @smarterscout's lenses (0-99 scale) with:
Kanté's 2021/22
Caicedo (benchmark)
Lesley Ugochukwu has good returns for box to box play (dribble, receive in box, link up) that would rank him more into the “central midfielder” type than proper “ball winner”.
Defensively, his “disrupting” rating is good.
Disrupting opposition moves: attempt to break up an opposition move by tackling or fouling a player, or by clearing, punching, blocking, or kicking the ball out of bounds (per minute out of possession)
Otherwise, his numbers so far are more a perspective through the numbers of a player at one development stage, numbers are never really good to have anything more than an incomplete picture, let alone drawing conclusions.
Perspective through numbers can make sense as a pit-stop for more seasoned pros (that Kanté obviously is, and Caicedo has become by necessity after 90 pro games, which is not that much - but also quite the lot at only 21).
Number 39 at Stamford Bridge
Trivia: Lesley Ugochukwu (39) was Stade Rennais' 12th substitute on the Stamford Bridge bench when facing Chelsea (naming only 11 subs) in November 2020 in the Champions League.
See also, now Leeds United's Georginio Rutter (35)
Taking opportunities early
The level of composure Ugochukwu displays for a debutant in that demanding base midfield role is very promising. How he develops from there will be interesting to follow, granted his reputation in younger age groups (sometimes deemed an even more settled player than Camavinga).
That being said, apart from the fact that Ugochukwu and Camavinga broke through at Rennes, they couldn’t be any more different
Camavinga being more of a shooting star, explosive complete footballer with purple patches, and bouts of less good spells of performance (which is expectable).
Ugochukwu on the other hand (so far) is hardly spectacular (as in: tiktok wow compilation), but mightily impressive for showing that amount of consistency at 18 after 50 pro games.
Considering clubs’ general inability to produce any remotely competent base midfield, players like Rice, Caicedo… become extremely valued on the transfer market (albeit one was released by Chelsea, and the other one was “only” poached by Brighton after a succesful U20 World Cup).
They look like the real deal, so will probably be the transfer quote when they do move.
In that sense, when clubs don’t seem to be able to develop these players in house, it’s better take transfer opportunities early & develop players (possibly on loan), than be forced into unhinged 60-80-100 million bids after 100 pro games played.
Ugochukwu signed a one year extension to his contract that now runs until 2025.
Arsenal and Tottenham were rumoured to follow his evolution. That would suit the kind of transfer they’ve done plenty of times (Pape Matar Sarr at Spurs, Guendouzi at Arsenal for recent examples of central midfielders who moved to London after one full top flight season).
My opinion
For me, he’s a steady presence in midfield, not a 6 (who can’t cross the midway line), not a 8/10 (who can’t stay in position and needs cover).
An all-rounder consistent CM, with every feature of his game suggesting he might become really good. Sarr and Guendouzi are good examples (Ugochukwu might have more goals in him though - based on his reputation at Academy level)
I’m not too concerned about his 2022/23 season being unspectacular like his team’s (6th),Player development is about improvement curves and also plateau-ing, anyone competent to give an opinion about it will tell you the same thing. There is no need to draw conclusions that we’ve seen enough because a 19 year old midfielder with 50 pro games looks like he’s “stalling” for a couple of weeks/months.
Excellent read. We signed a gem
Love your reports. First place I went when I saw we signed him!