Players worth keeping an eye on playing for other clubs

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Not a player, but a coach. I say this with plenty of bias as an Australian but Ange Postecoglou would be an unbelievable Spurs manager whenever Conte leaves (obviously hope this isn’t for a while). He’ll definitely be in the Prem before that happens though, done an unbelievable job at Celtic this year. Won a J-League title and revolutionised Yokohama, won Australia our first ever Asian Cup and made Brisbane Roar (who are a bit of a minnow) the best team in A-League history for a couple of seasons. Plays attacking football and good at promoting youth, would be an ideal ‘project’ manager presuming that’s what we’re after when Conte’s time comes.
 
Adam Hlozek is - as Modric once was - untested in one of the big leagues...
The Bundesliga is a more likely destination for him with both Bayern & Bor Dortmund being after him


 


Micky van de Ven​

STRENGTHS​

  • Dynamic, big-bodied athlete
  • Extraordinary ball-carrier from deep
  • Elements of dominance as defender

WEAKNESSES​

  • Technique in one-v-one situations
  • Lacks focus in defensive situations

Background​

Micky van de Ven broke into the FC Volendam first-team two months into the 2019/20 season, and he has not looked back. Since making his senior debut in the Eerste Divisie, Van de Ven has started almost every game he has been available. He impressed last season but has improved again this, and has recently assumed the role of captain of the club he joined at 12 years old.

This summer, Van de Ven was mired in controversy as his agent, Mino Raiola, tried to engineer a deserved move away from Volendam. After threats of legal action and a later retraction, he eventually got his move, joining Bundesliga club Vfl Wolfsburg.

STYLE OF PLAY​

Van de Ven played as the left-sided centre-back in a 4-3-3 shape for FC Volendam. He possesses a tall, lean but athletic build with very long limbs. He uses his size to overwhelm opponents in contact in defensive situations and when protecting/carrying the ball. The Dutchman has a good burst of speed off the mark and an excellent change of speed over longer distances which he uses to maintain/increase separations created by initial accelerations.
He plays with an aggressive style which has its positives and negatives, but certainlt has elements of dominance in his skillset. His athleticism enables him to cover big spaces behind defence and in wider areas, while he utilises his large frame in contact; good at sealing/levering against the ball to disrupt opponents cleanly and recover possession effectively. His timing in challenges is average though, and he can lack composure when diving in too aggressively. He possesses poor technique in one-on-one duels, often standing too upright and unbalanced in his posture – he needs to be lower to match opponents and shift direction.
Crucially, his focus can slip at times, and he can be beaten too easily by simple changes of tempo. Conversely, he is solid in aerial duels; again, he uses his frame well to give himself decent reach and conviction in headers. He is not dominant in the air, but there is clear potential.

On the ball, he has good technical ability in general, with strong fundamental skills and unique nuances in build-up. Clean, consistent first touches help him to set up positive actions. He is not a standout passer but has adequate technique, especially with switches to wider areas. Composed and confident under pressure, he commits players to dribble out of small spaces and drive forward while manipulating the ball with neat close control. He is then able to burst out of pressure and drive forward with great athleticism.
He is excellent at carrying into midfield and beyond from the back, blowing past defenders on the outside with long strides and withstanding challenges at full speed. From there, he executes good passes/crosses inside while on the move. He is extremely disruptive and difficult to stop as he carries the ball forwards.






 




David Raum: The Latest Talent Catching the Eye in German Football​

February 6, 2022

Player Analysis
The January transfer window is notorious for desperate business and last-minute loan deals as clubs pay far over market value for disgruntled stars and injury stopgaps.

For every Virgil van Dijk and Nemanja Vidic, there are countless examples of players introduced with massive expectations, only to vanish out of view almost as soon as they’ve arrived.

In light of the financial impediments derived from playing football behind closed doors for the better part of the last 3 seasons, many clubs have now given up on the January window all together, instead using it to build the groundwork for a successful summer period.

This is what Hoffenheim did last season, and Die Kraichgauer are now reaping the rewards of a more far-sighted approach.

Just 3-points off a Champions League spot and playing some of the most attractive football in the German topflight, manager Sebastian Hoeneß has formed a fearsome attacking outfit at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena in his second season at the helm.

Though numerous players have stood out throughout the opening 20 matchdays, one of the most consistent elements is left back David Raum.

Hoffenheim turned quite a few heads when signing Raum from Greuther Fürth on a pre-contract agreement last January, yet 12 months on it is arguably still the best piece of business done around Europe.

Since Hoffenheim announced his signature, Raum has earned promotion to the Bundesliga, won the under 21 European Championship, become a full German international, and established himself as one of the continent’s best young fullbacks.

Without a clear pathway into the topflight, Raum took the gamble of not extending his contract ahead of the 2020/21 season, one which paid off after a slight tactical shift from Fürth’s manager Stefan Leitl.

Whereas Greuther Fürth had previously set up in 4-2-3-1 shape, ahead of and during the 2020/21 season Leitl moved to a more narrow 4-3-1-2.

Though an innocuous adaptation on paper, the additional room afforded to Fürth’s fullbacks allowed Raum’s output to shoot up.

In this player analysis, Adam Khan looks at the key aspects of Raum’s game which have allowed him to go from a previously unheard-of entity to one of the biggest prospects in German football.

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Like most modern fullbacks drawing attention around Europe, David Raum is an exceptional attacking threat. Whether through a lung-bursting run, or a well-placed delivery, the 23-year old has one of the most devastating creative Woolwich’s in the topflight this season.

Yet, this wasn’t always the case. In fact, David Raum initially struggled to find his feet in professional football. In Raum’s first 3 seasons in the Bundesliga 2 for Greuther Fürth, the youngster registered just 3 goals and 6 assists.

By no means a woeful return, it nevertheless didn’t speak volumes of a player we now consider a shoo-in for Hansi Flick’s World Cup roster.

In 34 matches last season, Raum contributed 1 goal and 15 assists, the joint-most in the 2020/21 season and the most of any defender in the Bundesliga 2’s history. Now at TSG Hoffenheim, Raum has maintained these exceptional standards.

Despite missing out on the entire preseason through his involvement at the Olympic Games, after 20 matchdays Raum has been in the lineup on 19 occasions, with his one absence coming through an ankle injury on gameweek 10.

More importantly, Raum has maintained his world-class output even amongst the tougher opposition in the topflight.

In 19 matches he’s contributed 2 goals and 6 assists, many of which have been crucial interventions like his opening goal and game-winning assist over fellow Champions League aspirants SC Freiburg.

Though he may ultimately fall short of his ludicrous 15-goal haul from the last campaign, the 6 he has provided this season not only make him the most dangerous defensive creator in the topflight this season, but also one of the best of all time.

Since the Bundesliga was founded in 1962, only 4 defenders have ever registered more assists than David Raum 20 games into a season.

Those would be Raphaël Guerreiro in 2020/21, Jan Heintze in 1996/97, Franz Beckenbauer in 1973/74, and Philipp Max in 2017/18. All players who, unlike Raum, had at least 50 Bundesliga appearances before putting up their record-breaking tallies.



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David Raum has had a fantastic 2021. One could even argue the best in the world! Between January 1, 2021, & December 31, 2021, no defender in world football contributed more assists in one, or multiple, domestic leagues.

It’s clear to see that Raum is a fantastic creative presence. Regardless if he’s playing in front of empty stands in Germany’s second-tier or lining up for his national team in a crucial World Cup qualifier, the Nürnberg native has shown in the past 18-months an exceptional ability to provide in key moments.

Like some of the Bundesliga’s other attacking wing-backs, Raum excels in his ability to pick out a teammate through an aerial delivery.

Though just 41% of his crosses have found a teammate this season, Raum’s ability to get into crossing positions means his imperfect delivery is balanced out by his relentless volume.

Amongst all the defenders in Europe’s top five leagues, not one player has completed more crosses or crosses into the penalty area than David Raum.

Even Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, so revered for his aerial delivery, has completed 13 fewer crosses than Raum this season despite playing almost 200 more minutes in the Premier League.


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Being able to put in an extraordinary volume of crosses has a lot to do with smart positioning and great timing, but as a fullback, it’s equally, if not more important, to simply have the ceaseless engine to pop up in the final third for a full 90 minutes.

David Raum embodies this non-stop tempo, leading the entire Bundesliga in sprints, placing second in intensive runs, and even registering in the top 10 for distance covered.

Alongside Mainz 05’s Silvan Widmer, Raum is the only player in the Bundesliga to appear in the top 10 for all of these categories.


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With Hansi Flick flirting with the idea of a 3-4-3 in the German national team, David Raum could be the perfect solution to keep up with the physical demands required of an attacking wingback.

Having prematurely extended his Hoffenheim deal to 2026, David Raum will not be going anywhere for the time being.

The 23-year old feels comfortable committing his future to Sebastian Hoeneß’s project, and will be looking to cap off another impressive calendar year with a spot in Flick’s World Cup roster.

As of now, one would expect Raum to play second fiddle in Qatar to Inter Milan’s Robin Gosens, but 8 months is a long time in football, and one can only imagine the player Raum will be if he continues to improve at this astronomical rate.

Though he, and the entire German national team, will be hoping for a deep run at the tournament, this is only the first step in an international career that will undoubtedly have more highs than lows

Alongside the likes of Karim Adeyemi, Jamal Musiala, and countless others, David Raum has the potential to dominate international football across the next decade, and add that elusive 5th World Championship to Germany’s trophy cabinet.

Did you enjoy this player analysis? Then why not subscribe to The German Football Weekly to never miss an update on all things Bundesliga & Bundesliga 2!

By: Adam Khan / @XxAdamKhanxX

Featured Image: @GabFoligno / DeFodi Images


David Raum: Who is the Hoffenheim left-back now in the Germany squad?​

3 DAYS AGO

After helping Greuther Fürth to Bundesliga promotion in 2020/21, winning the U21 Euros and representing Germany at the Olympics, David Raum is now part of Germany's senior squad.

bundesliga.com has the lowdown on the fresh blood in Hansi Flick's first-ever Germany squad

David Raum

Age: 24
Club: Hoffenheim
Position: Left-back
Country: Germany (5 caps)

Key stats

Despite being born and raised in Nuremberg and joining local club Tuspo Nuremberg aged just four, it was neighbouring city rivals Fürth - just six miles to the west - who noticed Raum within just a year and signed him at five years of age. The then out-and-out midfielder rose through the ranks quickly, scoring 10 goals and providing 12 assists in his final full season with the club's U19s.

By the end of the 2016/17 season, Raum was part of Greuther's first-team squad and made five appearances from left midfield. That number became 20 the following season while he was tested in several positions such as left midfield, right midfield, left-back and even centre-forward. By the start of 2019/20, his third full season in Bundesliga 2, Raum was settled on the left side for Fürth.

In 2020/21, Raum took the league apart. He scored just once but assisted a league-high 15 times to help push Fürth to promotion on the final day. Several Bundesliga clubs showed interest as a result, and Raum signed on the dotted line with Hoffenheim ahead of the 2021/22 season. His first top-flight assist came in the 3-1 victory against Wolfsburg on week six and - having featured in 32 of TSG's 34 Bundesliga matches - Raum ended the season on 11 assists and three league goals, with just four players collecting more provisions league-wide in 2021/22. His maiden Bundesliga strike came in Matchday 15's 2-1 win at Freiburg where Raum scored the opener after just three minutes and then set up Chris Richards' 94th-minute winner in a man of the match performance.

He played in each of the Germany U21 team's games on their way to the European Championship title in the summer of 2021, as well as playing every minute of Germany's campaign at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. His progress was then capped by earning his senior international debut with a seven minute cameo in Germany's 6-0 dismissal of Armenia in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Starts away to North Macedonia and Armenia then also followed in Group J as Germany topped the group and Raum now has five Die Mannschaft caps to his name.

Plays a bit like: David Alaba

Raum's versatility in the positions he has played and - in left-back and central midfield especially - the positions he is used to playing has an air of David Alaba about it. The majority of Raum's assists in his final Bundesliga 2 campaign with Fürth were from passes rather than crosses, as may have been expected from his left wing-back position.

That midfield past means that Raum is very comfortable on the ball and has the smarts to know when to come inside from his left-back position or when to race down the flank. He possesses the vision to both find his attacking teammates within tight spaces as well as with crosses. Raum is also an aggressive attacking player, using his speed and strength to attack opposition full backs.

Did you know?

Raum was one of only three players to both represent Germany's U21 side at the European Championships in 2021 - going on to win that competition - and the Olympic Games in Japan which followed directly after. The others being Amos Pieper of Arminia Bielefeld and Arne Maier of Augsburg. In total, Raum made 46 appearances across the 2020/21 season.

What they're saying

"David is a highly talented and extremely fast player with a strong left foot who has developed into one of the most sought-after full-backs in Germany thanks to his outstanding performance this season." - Hoffenheim sporting director Alexander Rosen

"Once you've earned that kind of promotion, you soak it up. And when you can play for your own country, that's motivation enough, also because you've seen how much support came from Germany fans. It's not difficult to run yourself into the ground for 120 minutes." - Raum himself on playing for Germany at the Olympics.

"He handles everything very well. David Raum is a boy who has kept his feet on the ground with a great attitude. A very fine guy with his heart in the right place." - Hoffenheim coach Sebastian Hoeneß
 
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Dean Huijsen: The Juventus teenager who could be the next De Ligt​


The 17-year-old defender has already trained with the Bianconeri first team having joined the club from Malaga in 2021 amid interest from Real Madrid

On Wednesday, the Netherlands will look to become the first country in history to win three successive Under-17 European Championships.

The Oranje are facing off against France in Netanya, Israel, with a host of top talents having shone throughout the last fortnight in their run to the final.

Perhaps the standout performer, though, has been centre-back Dean Huijsen, a player with a unique skillset who has already begun progressing towards the first team at one of Europe's biggest clubs.

Just before his 17th birthday in early April, Huijsen was called-up by Massimiliano Allegri to train with the senior Juventus squad.

An impressive performer for the club's U17s during his first season in Turin, the defender was given his first taste of the first-team environment at the Bianconeri, as well as getting the chance to learn from a player whom he idolises and is sometimes compared to: Matthijs de Ligt.

Both tall, fair-haired Dutch centre-backs who match superb defensive instincts with a serenity when in possession, those comparisons are easy to make, though Juve are naturally keen to temper expectations at this early stage.

Huijsen is naturally right-footed, but rarely looks concerned when forced to use his weaker left, and standing at 6'4 (195cm), he possesses the physical attributes to dominate games among his peers.

“Dean is a very versatile player," the coach of the Netherlands U17s, Mischa Visser, told TuttoJuve, "and despite being a centre-back, he is very effective in the attacking phase.
 
What happened to Damsgaard? had an excellent Euro but went AWOL this season

Back in October he left a game against Austria with something that looked like a pulled hammy. Things went quit for a while, just expecting him to be out with a pulled hammy, but then we learnt he was at hospital and had liquid in his knee

He only just came back mid April and managed to get subbed on four times for Sampdoria. He’s with the national team now and we’ve only just learnt how bad it was. He had surgery on his knee because it had an infection resembling arthritis. Big questions about his career at the time but he sounds fairly positive about the future, so I guess we just have to see if he can get back on track
 
Amar Dedić (RB Salzuburg & Bosnia)
DOB: 18. August 2002
Right-back



 
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