The 2023/24 marketing campaign was Dan Ndoye first ever season within the Serie A. Whereas he did play an underrated function in Bologna’s march in the direction of the Champions League below Thiago Motta, his performances on the European Championships final 12 months actually put him on the map.
The world witnessed the Switzerland worldwide’s tireless working skill, tendency to tackle defenders and use his physique to create a spot between himself and the defenders. Whereas he scored solely as soon as on the Euros, his workrate was at all times very good.
This season, Ndoye has come leaps and bounds below Vincenzo Italiano. Final season, his software within the ultimate third was a relentless difficulty as he grabbed solely a purpose and an help, however that has modified this season.
Bologna are pushing for one more Champions League spot this season below Italiano and up to now, Ndoye has a tally of seven objectives and three assists. His inventory has risen to some extent the place Napoli and Inter have emerged as candidates to land the extensive participant, who was linked with Manchester United final summer season.
However the 24-year-old’s enchancment goes past simply objectives and assists. He has change into extra mature, calmer and extra decisive when it actually issues, having scored his seventh of the season in a 5-0 win over Lazio on the weekend. He has had some health issues up to now, however that hasn’t stopped Ndoye from getting higher.
Numbers behind Ndoye’s enchancment
There’s one main distinction between how Motta and Italiano function. Whereas the present Juventus boss depends on breaking the press and utilizing areas left by the opposition, Italiano is understood to be extra sustained together with his in-possession method. Generally, that helps gamers extra as they get on the ball extra and so they’re discovered within the field extra.
As per FbRef, Ndoye has obtained 4.28 touches per 90 minutes contained in the penalty space this season. That quantity final season stood at 3.76 per 90. He now will get a little bit over 24 touches per 90 minutes within the ultimate, which is an enormous enchancment on 21.5 touches per 90 from final season.
In consequence, he’s additionally dribbling much less and receiving within the ultimate third extra. He has tried round 1 take-on much less per 90 this season however he has obtained 10.2 progressive passes per 90 minutes. That’s fairly larger than how issues have been final season.
This doesn’t imply that he’s getting on the ball much less, although. Out of regulars within the Bologna squad, nobody has made extra progressive carries than Ndoye (5.67 per 90). He has additionally obtained extra progressive passes than anybody else.
Italiano’s utilization and setup serving to Ndoye
An enormous cause for the 24-year-old’s enchancment is all the way down to Italiano’s utilization. His heatmap is an effective reflection of that.
Final season, Motta used him for the advantage of the system. Ndoye’s working skill made the system perform higher and it used the participant’s working skill. However on the identical time, it didn’t convey the perfect out of him as he performed totally on the appropriate and was always shunted extensive in a labourious function.
Beneath Italiano, issues are totally different.
There’s a variety of emphasis on him as he’s enjoying on the left and he usually comes into central areas from his most well-liked facet, additionally carrying from deep at instances. That’s as a result of Bologna now play in a extra possession- oriented system than they used to and so they was once final season. Gamers simply get extra time on the ball within the ultimate third and that’s sure to make them higher.
Large transfer coming for Ndoye?
This season is a particularly reasonable reflection of what setup fits Ndoye greatest and it isn’t to say that he is not going to thrive in a counter-attacking setup. He has the skillset for that too – as he did so tirelessly below Motta.
These talents and the flexibility to cowl floor make him an excellent asset even at wing-back and that’s the reason Antonio Conte additionally likes his profile. On the identical time, Ndoye also can simply play as one of many tens behind the striker in a Conte setup.
Even at Inter, he can simply slot in as a wing-back on both facet below Simone Inzaghi. Liverpool have beforehand been talked about as an occasion and so they completely love uncooked extensive gamers and runners like Ndoye and Manchester United, who could make do with wing-backs below Ruben Amorim, also can use Ndoye effectively.
All in all, the Swiss star’s future seems shiny and his expertise is lastly shining by way of.
Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN