James Maddison’s recurring England squad omission is becoming a running joke. The 25-year-old is proving every week that he is without a shadow of a doubt, England’s best creative midfielder. The whole country knows it, the Premier League knows it, the players know it.

So why is this fact so foreign to England manager Gareth Southgate?

Just have to break the temporary silence to insist once again that @Madders10 is @England’s most creative midfielder, and surely has to be in the squad for Qatar.

— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) October 3, 2022

It’s as if the former Coventry City & Norwich City midfielder must consider a positional change to right-back to be even in the frame for his country. Judging by the amount Southgate could take on the plane to Qatar this winter, it seems the more plausible route for Maddison.

But that shouldn’t be the case. Gareth Southgate’s stubbornness and blind loyalty to his so called “trusted” lieutenants – players who are barely featuring or performing for their clubs so far this season – is simply becoming his undoing, as recent UEFA Nations League results suggests.

Even a blind man can see that James Maddison deserves a spot in the England camp, and a regular one at that.

Right at this moment, there’s only one English attacking midfielder arguably performing on a similar or better level than Maddison, and that’s Manchester City’s Phil Foden. Both players have 10 league goals, and four assists between them so far this campaign (five goals, two assists each) which means they are both the country’s best performing midfielders right now, but only one of them is gathering all the spotlight – arguably because he plays under Guardiola and for the best team in the land.

Though, Maddison has a strong case to even trump Foden.

The midfielder once again shone in Monday’s 4-0 thrashing of Nottingham Forest, scoring two and setting up another to help lift the Foxes off the bottom of the table.

It means Harry Kane is the only other Englishman to have more goal involvements (34) than the 25-year-old in the Premier League since the start of last season (27).

Also, in 2022, James Maddison has had a direct hand in 22 goals. Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish and Mason Mount combined have played a direct hand in only 19. The proof is in the pudding, but Southgate is ignoring it.

With around five weeks until Southgate names his squad for the World Cup, is Maddison hoping to make a late dash for the plane to Qatar? He certainly believes he can force his way in.

“That is an ambition of mine, it is a goal of mine,” Maddison told Sky Sports. “An opportunity at that level is one I would desire and one I know I would make an impact at.”

The 25-year-old’s only England cap came against Montenegro as a substitute in November 2019. Around that period, the midfielder was controversially pictured in a casino after pulling out of the squad for a Euro 2020 qualification date with Czech Republic, in which Southgate later hinted that his eyes are on others players as a result of his mishap.

Since then, the likes of Jack Grealish, Mason Mount, Phil Foden have been regular picks ahead of Maddison, despite his stunning form for Leicester City.

And the stats below again force the idea that the 25-year-old is far and away England’s best performing attacker bar Harry Kane.

Premier League goal involvements since start of 21-22 season – England players
Player	Games	Goals	Assists	Goals & assists
Harry Kane	45	24	10	34
James Maddison	42	17	10	27
Ivan Toney	41	17	7	24
Bukayo Saka	46	12	11	23
Jarrod Bowen	44	13	10	23
Raheem Sterling	37	16	6	22
Mason Mount	39	11	10	21
Phil Foden	36	14	7	21

Maddison has registered 17 goals and 10 assists in 42 Premier League games since the start of last season – evidently more than Foden, Mount, Bowen, Saka and Grealish.

Some more stats for your trouble, James Maddison has scored more league goals from outside the box (6) than any other player in Europe’s top five divisions in 2022.

Indeed, his 14 goal involvements in his last 11 Premier League appearances going back to 11 May is bettered only by Manchester City’s superstar striker Erling Haaland.

In case you needed reminding, James Maddison is pure class 🎯💪 pic.twitter.com/sFym62fpdr

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 3, 2022

As per FBRef, over the past 365 days, amongst midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, Maddison ranks in the 99th percentile for goals per 90, assists per 90, non-penalty goals per 90, xG per 90 and ranks in the 98th percentile of midfielders for shot-creating actions, 99th percentile for goal creating actions and also in the 95th percentile for key passes per 90. He also ranks in the 96th percentile for progressive passes received meaning that he is the player Leicester always look to pass to in order to create clear goal-scoring opportunities.

What gives these numbers such impressive reading is that it is all coming playing for a side who have been well-below par this calendar year. The rumoured £50m man is basically keeping Brendan Rodgers in the Leicester City hotseat, and it is a credit to his character, desire and ability that he has taken such creative responsibilities especially when the going has gotten tough.

“It has been a weird position because we have been bottom of the league but I have been as confident as I have ever been,” Maddison continued. “I don’t remember over the past 12 months playing better and feeling better.

“I am not naive, I know there are top, top players in the forward areas but I have a self-belief I am a top player and can be in that category.

“I have to force my way in because the players at the big clubs are in and they are top. I think there could be a space for me, so I will keep working hard.”

It’s not only Maddison’s impressive stats that warrant him a spot on the plane to Qatar but his wonderful qualities in possession and in the final third. The 25-year-old is a player that can take games by the scruff of the neck. Also, his classy craft from direct free-kicks and set-pieces, a player capable of the extraordinary from distance as well as delivering balls right on the money for his teammates.

James Maddison, that is INSANE! 🔥🔥🔥

Those replays 🤤 pic.twitter.com/zVf5snGUNB

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 3, 2022

He’s a smooth and meticulous operator, a player who works at his game, who takes responsibility for his role and thinks about the technical and tactical elements; his positioning, where to be to hurt the opposition, the team shape, organisation and the constant scanning of the pitch, being aware of where his teammates are, concepts in which he can be fluent. Concepts which make him one of the Premier League’s most decorated creators.

England’s problem for much of the past year, is looking to control games and taking the game to the opposition – being proactive rather than passive, then reactive. The latter was their problem throughout the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy with players shirking away from responsibility on the ball, and not being brave enough to play their way through an Italy side who were there to be got at. Possessing a player of Maddison’s ilk and composure in the final third immediately addresses that deficiency.

The need for Maddison’s inclusion is made more urgent by Gareth Southgate’s admission that his squad does not possess an obvious No 10 who plays the position for his club. Certainly, Maddison has largely been deployed on the right side of the attack for Rodgers, but it’s his great understanding of his position, the ability to come inside and operate between the lines, working in tandem with his full-back whilst picking up dangerous pockets to hurt opposition defences that arguably propels him above the rest.

Maddison can play all three slots behind the striker (RW, 10 & LW) to a high level. Plus he’s regularly pulling out goals & assists due to his own individual brilliance in a team which has been far from tactically perfect. Both factors make him the ideal tournament squad member.

— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) October 3, 2022

His vision and ability to split defences is a huge asset, particularly given the kind of direct attacks from which Leicester – and Vardy/Daka in particular – are extremely dangerous. He adopts effective positions between the lines and can deliver accurate passes that split opposing defences, for forward runners to chase.

When he is on the ball, the Leicester attackers know they need to be on the move. His stunning performance against Forest also included a Luka Modric homage, picking out Jamie Vardy with a raking pass in his own half that led directly to the second goal buried by Harvey Barnes. It’s that level of ingenuity, invention and imagination that Leicester are thriving off and that England so desperately need right now.

So, after all this explanation and revealing of evidence as to why Maddison deserves an England spot, what is actually Gareth Southgate’s issue? Is it that can he can’t find a place in his XI for Maddison? Because he doesn’t track back? Is it a punishment for past mistakes in his squad?

If he's not on the plane it's embarrassing

— Darren Bent (@DarrenBent) October 3, 2022

Southgate recently gave the admission that he picks players on form, but that certainly wasn’t the case in his latest England squad for last months internationals. It’s high-time he goes back to his word, because his future as manager depends on it in Qatar. If England are to change course from their current form this winter, Southgate will need to place his trust in players currently performing consistently, and there’s no better case for a spot on the plane right now than James Maddison’s.

Ajax winger Antony’s career continues to go from strength to strength.

Since his move to the Dutch giants from Sao Paulo in 2020, he has become a key figure in Erik ten Hag’s Amsterdam revolution, picking up his second Dutch Eredivisie title as well as exciting fans on the European stage in the UEFA Champions League stage.

12 goals and ten assists in just over 2,500 minutes of first team football suggests that the 21-year-old has played a big part in Ajax’s success, and has also catapulted himself to become one of Europe’s finest and most exciting wingers.

Now several reports are emerging that he could well follow Ten Hag out the Ajax exit door and on to greener pastures in the North West of England, potentially plying his trade under the Dutchman at his new club Manchester United.

If there’s one thing for certain, the young Brazilian wizard is ready for the next step in his fledgling career. A move to Old Trafford certainly won’t be too overly-ambitious for him, he could become the catalyst for change, transformation and improvement at a fallen giant.

The newly-capped Brazil international now looks likely to be a part of his nation’s World Cup squad too, after playing in Brazil’s last seven qualifying fixtures off the bench, including scoring against Venezuela and Paraguay. 

This all came after Antony was part of Brazil’s gold medal-winning team at the Tokyo Olympics. 

Who is Antony?

Home to 700,000 people, Osasco – a city in Brazil’s Greater São Paulo region – shares a similar population density to Tokyo and New York City. Its motto, ‘Urbs labor’, literally translates from Latin as ‘work city’. 

It is the place AFC Ajax’s Antony Matheus dos Santos calls home and more importantly, it’s the place of his birth.

Eryck Gomes’ 2020 interview with the Brazilian youngster in The Guardian outlined just how difficult Antony’s upbringing was.

He recounts rubbing shoulders with drug runners and witnessing police raids, as well as borrowing football boots from the shoe shop his mother worked at – an entirely different life to the sheltered academy education of his European peers.

At age 12, he joined the São Paulo setup, where he would sign his first senior contract in September 2018.

It was later that year playing in Copiñha, a football tournament for all youth teams in the São Paulo area, that he truly emerged as a precocious and gifted footballing talent.

120 clubs, thousands of players took part, and yet Antony stood out emerging as Player of the Tournament, scoring four goals and registering six assists on the way to São Paulo securing the title.

His four goals crucially came in the final two outings of the competition, including a hat-trick against Guaraní in the last four.

Antony is immensely grateful to São Paulo head coach Fernando Diniz for believing in his natural ability and affording him the freedom to play his game and to express himself – something he is regularly showcasing with his current employers.

Ultimately, it was that belief and promise that earned him move to Europe and a route to the upper-echelons of world football which he will undoubtedly overcome.

Last year, both Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea entertained the prospect of signing him, but Ajax so decorated in locating top-tier talents swooped, sealing a deal for the 20-year-old in February 2020, signing a five-year deal for an initial £13 million, which could rise to £18.2 million.

What’s so good about Antony? What will he offer Manchester United?

First of all, the Brazilian attacker is a true magician, wizard whatever you want to call him. He is imaginative, inventive and exceptionally courageous.

Not afraid to attempt to the most audacious of attacking actions in the final third, and more times than most, he’s perfectly capable of producing the outrageous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaJ1QtCPPiw

Antony is an incredibly intelligent footballer. Looking at him on first glance, you’d almost mistake him for a one-trick pony winger, but he possesses such stunning understanding and tactical awareness in his game, and much of that is down to the meticulous and praiseworthy coaching he has been receiving at Ajax.

The foundations of Ten Hag’s build-up are very solid, free-flowing and really quite conventional. But where the value lies, is not only how Ajax are able to progress the ball and begin to create, but how they can utilise well-coached movements and problem solving to adapt against various opposition shapes.

In terms of ball progression, the keys, once in settled possession, are: opening up passing lanes to exploit, having time and space to make the pass and lastly, allowing the receiver to consistently receive in an optimal manner.

When Ajax form their conventional build-up structure, the fullbacks tend to drop into a narrower position. To oppose this, the wingers move wider to open a diagonal lane.

This means the wingers (who are typically inverted) such as Tadic and Antony can receive in a consistent manner, back to touchline providing them the full view and width of the pitch so they can create freely and move into areas (in half-spaces) where they feel they can affect attacking phases of play and hurt the opposition.

Antony & Mazraoui (now at Bayern Munich) shared a strong relationship on the right-flank, with the full-back knowing when to leave the winger in a 1v1 situation against the opposition.

Within Ten Hag’s system in Amsterdam, every player held the confidence in themselves and in their teammates when creating chances, and that was proved in how each component worked in tandem to disrupt a deep opposition block.

Possessing a player of Antony’s qualities will be incredibly useful at Old Trafford, seeing as he is not only an effective out-an-out winger, but an extroadinary creative force via his wand of a left-boot and his ability to link-up effectively with his teammates.

The forward registered eight goals and four assists in the Dutch top-flight last term, building up from his nine goals and eight assists the season before last.

The Red Devils lack a left-footed out-an-out attacker, especially in comparison to their other top six counterparts (Saka, Salah, Kulusevski, Mahrez, Havertz), and Antony is the perfect component to address that rather strange conundrum at Old Trafford. It is no wonder why much of their attacking play since Mason Greenwood’s suspension has looked rather unbalanced and lacking the required panache.

Like Raphinha who left Leeds United this summer, Antony is just at good creating and forming chances out of nothing than he is scoring them, a unique weapon and surely one which Ten Hag will be looking to add to dramatically improve United’s attacking play next season.

Ajax under Ten Hag often played so the Brazilian can receive 1v1 in a deep and wide position. His distribution from here is excellent – particularly his in-swinging crosses. He also enjoys being in a 1v1 scenario regardless of whether Mazraoui is overlapping or standing off.

Antony’s signing from São Paulo was hailed as a repeat of the David Neres transfer some years earlier, but in practice, the Brazilian magician is more comparable to the recently departed Hakim Ziyech. 

Antony took to life excellently at Ajax, and has his gifted left foot to thank.

Much of the time, he enjoys hanging wide on the right – as instructed by Ten Hag – so he can gain momentum after picking up the ball by driving inwards. His acceleration from a standing start is explosive; his elite balance and lower body strength allows him to remain on his feet even under heavy pressure – he is a worker with great endeavour, and attacking class.

During his time Brazil, the forward relied on moments of ingenuity to create openings, and while there are still aspects of that in his game, he’s now performing with more maturity,  and sensibility, while retaining that endearing unpredictable streak – an aspect of his game that has proven so crucial to Ajax’s game since his move from Brazil.

It is perhaps misleading to describe him as unstable and uncontrollable at times, when one of Antony’s most prominent moves has delivered goals on multiple occasions already for the Dutch giants. When he gets on to that left foot, in the half space just outside the penalty box, he loves to bend in floated crosses to the far post.

His command over the ball is masterful, the swing of his leg and shaping of his body illustrative of well-cultured muscle memory.

It is a very useful tool to have against sides intent on packing their own defensive third and congesting central areas.

For a player of such stature and speed, it would be easy to assume he is obsessed with the by-line. But his relative one-footedness – 41 of his first 45 shots in the Eredivisie were taken with his left – means he much prefers to check back inside. 

Most of the time, he sticks to the byline, to gain a greater perspective of his surroundings, providing him with the ample opportunity to affect the play with great regularity.

Blessed with mesmerizing skill and trickery, and a wonderful first touch but also possessing the knack of knocking the ball forward and bursting past full-backs with consummate ease means he is indeed one of the most exciting and captivating forward on the continent.

When he is in the mood, defenders just don’t know how to stop him, or halt his progress when trying to create openings. At times, his markers are better served fouling him so he can’t be as effective as he can be. His ability to evade tight spots with stunning footwork and deceptive movements makes him a very difficult outlet to halt.

In the Champions League last season, he was certainly the player Ajax heavily relied on to create openings out of nothing. In fact, for some metrics he ranked amongst the best in the competition. He ranked joint-tenth for passes into the penalty area (18), joint-tenth for crosses (23) and joint-second with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Robert Lewandowski for goal-creating actions (10). In fact, he ranked first in the competition for goal-creating actions per90 (1.57) showcasing just how crucial he was for Ajax in the final third.

His underlying numbers over the past year make for tremendous reading, again showing that he is amongst the most effective and decisive wingers within Europe’s top five leagues. He ranks in the top 1% of attackers/wingers for goal-creating actions per90 (1.57) and in the top 12% for shot creating actions (4.55). His defensive numbers are outstanding too, a true testament to his all-round game and the high-intensity counter-pressing style incorporated from Ten Hag. Antony ranks in the top 15% for tackles in the attacking third (0.47), in the top 3% for interceptions (1.88) and in the top 9% for tackles + interceptions per 90 minutes (3.45).

Antony has been decisive in his early days at Ajax, outperforming his expected goals and posting incredible dribbling numbers – astoundingly high in both volume and success rate. While his hot finishing streak may cool, it is largely underpinned by well-placed shots from range under little pressure. 

While he has somewhat dialled back the speculative shooting – par for the course in South America – Antony still attempts a fair portion of his shots from less-than-efficient areas, which is another similarity with the departed Ziyech. This is underpinned by his inherent confidence in his ability, though: his shots in general are well-refined, powerful and testament to strong technique.

Closer to goal, he is yet again very decisive, which frustrates and encourages. With better decision-making, he could easily be a 15-20 goal-a-season attacker. In a more transition-oriented team, he could be devastating too. Five of his first seven Ajax goals were scored on the break or shortly following a turnover in possession. He is a very good player to possess in a reactionary sense.

What does the future hold for the Brazilian?

Antony’s adaptation to the Netherlands has caught everybody by surprise.

There is indeed no telling where he could end up next in the future, but there’s no doubt that if he does indeed follow Ten Hag to Old Trafford soon enough, then he’d indeed be a player they incredibly need meaning he will more than likely make an immediate impact under a manager he knows so well.

The Premier League isn’t for the faint-hearted, that’s for sure so it could take Antony some getting used to, especially within a team that is trying to find it’s identity again, which means that a move for the Brazilian there represents a big risk. Though, it’s one Ten Hag will be incredibly brave in making.

Don’t be surprised to see the forward continue in Amsterdam for one more season, with the World Cup in the horizon in November. More game time, and an even better campaign for Ajax means a pivotal berth in the Brazilian setup.

In Richarlison, Tite already employs a hard-working wide forward in his Brazil team – Antony has the potential to be just as arduously effective in an attacking sense.

As with most Ajax players under the age of 25, the Johan Cruijff Arena will not be the last stop on the Antony Express. Slotting into elite European competition without skipping a beat is a sure-fire way of alerting Europe’s financially well-endowed sporting directors. 

Hakim Ziyech left Amsterdam at 27 years old for €40 million, but quite easily could have departed at various points in previous years. Clubs may not be as hesitant with Antony; it would be no surprise to see him leave for a similar figure, and certainly before he reaches the Moroccan’s age.

One things for certain, this is a player with a big future in his hands and the club who snaps him up next could well possess a player ready to become one of Europe’s most decorated assets, if he isn’t already.

Sassuolo’s Gianluca Scamacca has become a forward watering the mouths of every football fan in Italy over the past year, and very soon he’d certainly be tantalizing the taste-buds of every football fan across the continent and on the world stage.

Nicknamed “Il Bomber”, the 23-year-old has previously been described as “deadly” by talent scout Jacek Kulig and dubbed “a bit Zlatan-ish” by sports journalist Maxi Angelo.

The way his campaign has gone in the Italian Serie A it is easy to see why the £27m-rated hitman has long been considered this season one of the most promising strikers on the continent.

16 goals in 36 league outings breeds pure goal-poaching levels, especially for a player who has just undergone his second-full season in the Italian top flight, considerably improving on his eight goals for Genoa last term.

It is why several clubs across the continent are now scouring after his signature of late with the likes of Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter Milan, West Ham United and Newcastle United the latest of potential suitors for the Rome-born forward.

Lazio, Roma, PSV, Sassuolo, Cremonese, PEC Zwolle, Ascoli, Genoa isn’t the usual career path that one of the most promising youth players in Italian football takes. But then again, Gianluca Scamacca isn’t your usual player.

Six foot five inches tall, tattooed up to his neck and with somewhat originating from a quite intriguing and controversial family line — his father smashing executives cars at Roma or his grandfather threatening a man at knifepoint in a bar — the three-time Italian international attacker is the classic example of you should never judge a book by its cover.

So who is Gianluca Scamacca?

It has taken a while for the Italian to apply himself at senior level. For years, he has excelled at international level after debuting for Italy’s under-17 side as a 15-year-old. 

While he has flourished at youth level, he had often struggled to translate his dominant performances to senior club level.

First, Scamacca had a torrid time in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven after leaving boyhood club AS Roma as a 16-year-old. His return to Italy with Sassuolo then saw him move on loan to Cremonese in Serie B and PEC Zwolle, where he struggled to play significant minutes.

Eventually, his loan move to Ascoli two seasons ago heralded the long-awaited emergence of Scamacca at senior level. 13 goals in just under 2,500 minutes in Italy’s second division was a healthy return for a young striker still learning to manage the jump in physicality from youth to senior level.

This campaign, and the last has seen the forward take giant steps and improvements in his development and he now looks more and more capable of becoming a physically dominant presence for years to come.

What’s Scamacca’s style of play?

The days of a lumpy and lanky centre-forward are numbered. However, mobile 6′5″ strikers that possess a dominant athletic profile with a well-rounded – though still developing – technical skillset? Every team can certainly use one of those, and these calibre of forwards are in high demand, not least this silky Italian freight-train.

While his frame, looks and physical features and may scream danger zone in some quarters, he plays with the elegance and beauty that is often associated with the prestigious country that he hails from.

At just 23-years of age and having his best season to date — 0.67 goals per ninety minutes played — he appears to be ready for the next step.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykYod-jrjnE

Sassuolo signed the striker from PSV in January 2017 but had sent him out on loan every year since. Their intention to give him space this season was signalled when they let Francesco Caputo – scorer of 32 goals over the past two campaigns – leave for Sampdoria in the summer.

It was a gamble. Scamacca’s qualities were evident – physical power, extravagant technique and rare height at almost 6ft 5in. But the step from there to becoming a consistent scorer is still a significant one. He netted a modest nine times at Genoa last season – though that number starts to look more impressive when you see that it was one goal for every 104 minutes he spent on the pitch.

It has taken some time for the 23-year-old to settle into senior football. Despite his height as a teenager, he was not physically equipped to deal with the senior demands in the same way a ready-made player like Erling Braut Haaland was during his emergence at Salzburg in 2019.

The former Genoa man isn’t the most explosive like that of the Norwegian talisman; he is slimmer and more agile, but lacks the same raw straight-line speed and ability to bulldoze through defenders.

Physically, the best historical comparison is probably to a young Zlatan Ibrahimović, to whom Scamacca is frequently compared. A comparison of their technical qualities can be made too. Like Ibrahimović, especially when he was younger, Scamacca is capable of being a nuisance to defenders from anywhere in the final third. 

He may not have the physical attributes to bulldoze defenders, but he uses his street-smarts, confidence and arrogance to warn them off.

He is willing to hit the channels and run wide, play a target man role to hold the ball up for others, drop into attacking midfield to combine, or sit on the shoulder of the last man and wait to burst through for an opportunity on goal.

Scamacca certainly doesn’t confine himself to specific areas of the pitch, he likes to get himself about, confusing his markers as well as creating space for the likes of Domenico Berardi to exploit the areas he vacates.

Unlike Zlatan, Scamacca has not found himself in favourable situations at club level, often having to scrap for everything he can playing up front in unfancied teams. But it has certainly helped him mature. 

His hold-up play has developed immensely; once predicated predominantly on his sweet first touch, he is now able to receive more difficult passes in the air while simultaneously using his massive levers to fend off opponents. 

And he has proven to be an effective decision-maker with his back to goal, not only looking to help his team retain possession but also seeking out avenues that will help drive his team towards the penalty box. This is all underpinned by an under-rated ability to manoeuvre himself with the ball in tight spaces between a crowd of defenders.

As we can see via his season heatmap from SofaScore, while he predominantly operates in the central areas, he is more than able to drop into the midfield areas, our out wide in order to get the ball at his feet.

He holds the spatial awareness, technicality and the positional nous to perform as somewhat of a false-nine, dragging defenders about the pitch to become most effective to his team’s play. The Italian is very skilled with the ball at his feet, hence his unique ability to evade tight spots despite his tall and lean frame – an uncommon theme for a striker of his ilk.

For example, he is an effective player to play long balls into, as the ball sticks to him and he is able to then hold the ball, lift his head up and relieve the pressure on his defence.

He is a sacrificial lamb for his teammates, but as he has shown on numerous occasions this season, he is still a devastating finisher despite that, in fact one of the finest in the Italian top flight.

Confident strikers are only known for one job, and that’s to score goals. We’ve shown he can perform other roles too, but it’s also vitally important to explain how good he is in front of goal.

His expected goals per ninety has largely stayed the same from last season (0.45 vs. 0.49) but he has more league goals this season than any other campaign previously with a tremendous 16 to his name.

Scamacca currently ranks in the top seventh percentile for non-penalty goals per ninety in the last 365 days compared to his positional peers (0.63), as well as the top fourteenth percentile for non penalty expected goals per ninety (0.42).

His goalscoring is improving, and one notable strength of the Roman is the technique he uses to strike the ball. If you need any indication as to how, just check out his two goals against AC Milan if you haven’t already, goals truly reflecting of the unerring quality, elegance and arrogance to which he performs at.

Gianluca Scamacca is a bad, bad man. pic.twitter.com/n9UJ8lyXZk

— Scouted Football (@scoutedftbl) November 28, 2021

‘Blink and you’ll miss it’ comes to mind for Scamacca’s shooting technique. He is able to put so much strength into a shot with what looks like so little effort. Goals like the one above aren’t just a one-off either, he is often seen trying the impossible and pulls it off more than any normal human should be able to.

Check out his goal against Napoli too, receiving the ball on his chest in a tight area in the penalty box before unleashing an unstoppable volley in the top of the net (2nd goal in the below clip):

Gianluca Scamacca

Good Linkup
Fierce Shot
Strong
Scores from any range
Scores half chances
Good Header
22 years old & most likely cheaper than Nunezpic.twitter.com/YxGVYRHrGM

— UTD JOLLOF 🐐 (@JolloFootie) May 16, 2022

This doesn’t mean he doesn’t score more conventional goals, he is able to — as you’d expect from a 6ft5 striker — use his head to great effect, and act as the poacher/off the shoulder attacker. But goals like this only improve Scamacca’s overall game, with the knowledge he can punish you with even an inch of space, defenders can’t afford him any space, which then opens up attacking areas for his talented teammates in Raspadori & Berardi.

If there is one criticism of Scamacca, then it would probably be the shots he does take. Long-range goals are the pinnacle of the sport when they go in, but they rarely often do.

This can often be to the frustration of teams and coaches. He can often have his head down and take a shot that has little chance of going in. This can of course be coached to a degree, and it is still something that makes Scamacca dangerous, but doing it on a less frequent basis may be beneficial to the Italian’s consistency.

As ever in the modern game, attackers are now expected to do a lot more than just attack. They are also expected to do some of the dirty going towards their own goal too, or even pressing their opponents to stop them progressing play into dangerous areas.

He currently ranks in the top 58th percentile for pressures per ninety (14.34), the top 35th percentile for tackles per ninety (0.88), and the top 50th percentile for interceptions per ninety (0.38). While none of these are exactly the top in his position, his overall defensive profile is extremely solid, and it shows an ability to adapt to his surroundings. He is indeed a confident and robust performer when he wants to be, and that makes him such an attractive prospect for any top calibre side.

Forecasting Scamacca’s Future

Scamacca’s enormous potential is no secret to many of Italy’s biggest clubs, but it is certainly not a surprise to see some of Europe’s other elite sides drawing towards his abilities.

It’s a real shame he won’t be gracing the world stage with Italy this year after their qualification mishap, because his talents certainly warrant a huge platform.

It’s increasingly likely he will leave Sassuolo this coming summer though, and maybe a bigger club and as a result, more refined and advanced coaching could well propel his game to a whole new level next season, and that is a scary sight for Italian defences if he does fulfil his wish to move to a bigger Serie A outfit like Milan or Inter.

Just imagine him with playing alongside Lautaro Martinez or playing with his icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He is certainly not short of suitors for next season.

The underlying numbers are there, and the improvement can be seen on the pitch. It feels that the hype around Gianluca Scamacca is simmering, and sooner rather than later it will explode. Italy needs its next great number nine, and Scamacca has all the tools to be that guy.