Senegal Scouting Report

This confidential scouting report may not be reproduced or translated in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the author.

June 2015

Written by: Matarr M’Boge

Senegal Scouting Report FIFA International Friendly CHAN team vs Mauritania (a)

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2 © M A MBOGE – 7.6.15 SENEGAL CHAN Opposition Report

Opposition Scouting Report: Senegal versus Mauritania at Stade Olympique, Nouakchott Date: Sunday 7th June 5pm ko Score: 0-1 Weather: Sunny, cooling wind breeze Pitch Condition: Artificial turf, good bounce of the ball Stadium was two thirds full with strong home support Starting Line-ups and Formations:

System: Moustapha Seck set the team up in a 1-4-2-3-1 system which featured a roaming playmaker that is essential to the build-up play and two midfielders that gave good protection for the back four. The second option for Seck was a 1-4-4-2 where the play became more direct, quick and wingers become much more involved. They were against a 1-4-3-3 from Mauritania that concentrated on keeping possession and playing balls in behind the Senegalese full-backs. Style of Play: Senegal have an emphasis on a mixture of slow and patient passing by playing out from the back and working the ball into the feet of the no.10 who is the main playmaker of the team. The wingers are also an option and all work to create chances for the lone target man. The team is also flexible enough to play direct passes for the target man to flick on to the supporting players.


Trends, Units, Player Profile, Strengths, Weaknesses:

GOALKEEPER – #1 CHEIKH A B THIOUB started the first half and looked nervous particularly when he had the ball to his feet. He is happy to use either foot however he is particularly weak on his left and made several inaccurate clearances and passes with his left. He did very well to deny Mauritania when their right winger was through one-on-one, the goalkeeper stood tall and waited as late as possible to make the save. He wasn’t very communicative and preferred to allow the back four to organise themselves. Good shot stopping ability and confidence when coming for high balls. Replaced at half-time by #16 PAPE DIATTA NDIAYE and it was noticeable that during the warm-up he was particularly uncomfortable when coming for high balls. However, he had his defenders and poor finishing to thank for not having to do too much when he came on. For the penalty he dived to the correct side, to his right, but could not save it. He was more commanding than the starting goalkeeper but became particularly frustrated as the game ended.

FULL-BACKS – #15 MATAR KANTE on the right didn’t have the opportunity to go forward and was more defensive as the game went on even though from the first whistle he was happy to join the attacks. #3 PAPA AMADOU TOURE on the left was very attack-minded which meant that the majority of Mauritania’s counter-attacks came down his side. Both are athletic full-backs who can defend one on one but #3 in particular doesn’t have the speed to drop back and cover when the ball is played in behind him. Neither full-back was able to provide accurate crosses during the match and disappointed with their attacking play, #3 is more comfortable on the ball than #15.

CENTRE-BACKS - #21 MOMO CISSE and #13 SEYDINA KEITA looked very uncomfortable on the ball, particularly #13 who was substituted after half-time. #21 is very tall but cumbersome and is happy to deal with high balls, with #13 controlling the line. #21 played risky angled passes to the right that could easily have been intercepted,


he made them with either his left or right foot. Both centre-backs are predominantly right-footers. #2 GUY OLIVIER NDIAYE replaced #13 and also later took the armband. Again he is tall, right-footed, strong but slow and doesn’t have the recovery pace to get in to position once he is beaten for pace. He is more than comfortable dealing with high balls and was controlling the line every time he made a headed clearance. #21 and #2 found it difficult to cope with quick players particularly on the counter-attack.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD – the back four was screened by #8 OUSSEYNOU THIOUNE and #6 BOUBACAR CISSOKHO who started as the captain. Both were happy to take the ball from the defenders or the goalkeepers and they had a good rotation when the team was building up play. Both are athletes and are able to cover lots of ground in midfield and played as box-to-box players. They also break up attacks very well and are very determined to join in when the team is on the counter-attack. Neither had the discipline to stay in one position and protect, preferring to join attacks and see if they could help the forwards. #8 was more comfortable on the ball than #6, who was replaced by #4 MAMADOU DIEYE who looked tall enough to be a centre-back and therefore didn’t have the mobility required to get around the pitch as much as #6. He was also caught out in possession after taking too long to make a pass and generally looked off the pace when he came on.

WINGERS – #7 ARFANG DAFFE started on the right and #20 MAMDOU GANDO BA on the left but they made a

switch at half-time. #7 on the right can play both as a direct winger and can also cut inside. #20 plays as wide as possible and prefers to use his pace to beat his man. When he is on the right, he doesn’t use his right foot for crosses or passes even when he had beaten his man for pace. #20 can also at times swap with the striker, #18 SINY DIAGNE, and play more centrally. #7 tracks back more than #20 who didn’t protect #3 during the first-half which meant that Mauritania were able to continue attacking that side. After 70 mins, #7 was replaced by #11 DOMINQUE MENDY who was very good on the ball, skilful and possesses a number of tricks to beat his man. He started on the left but then moved to the right, where he was able to cut inside using his left foot, looked dangerous is the time he was on and Senegal had most of the play on whichever wing he was playing on.

PLAYMAKER - #10 ABDOULAYE BA was the stand-out player for Senegal, everything goes through him. Small in

stature, he likes to roam and try to find the ball, wherever it is on the pitch. As a result, he can find himself on the ball in the middle third of the pitch for the majority of the time. He is deadly on the turn, particularly when he is given time and space and has a cultured left foot that he uses to thread passes through the opposition. He is also very skilful and comfortable on the ball, although he hardly uses his right foot. He made the team’s only shot in the first half which was a tame effort on target. It is clear that the team relies on him to produce something special and he was always the platform for any of their attacks. However, when his team don’t have the ball, he can be caught walking and ball-watching and he doesn’t track back aggressively as the other central midfielders. The momentum shifted when he was replaced in the 50th minute and the home crowd were happy to clap him off for his display. He was replaced by #5 ABDOU KARIM SANE who struggled to make the same impact and was


virtually anonymous for the rest of the game. Was comfortable on the ball but didn’t have the threat that #10 was creating previously.

FORWARDS – #18 SINY DIAGNE is tall and a fighter when the ball is in the air, however he has a poor first touch and control and the ball often bounced off him. Because of his tall frame he doesn’t seem happy chasing the ball down from the opposition defenders and as a result he can become isolated on his up front. When he doesn’t get the ball he likes to drift to the wings, particularly the left channel where he will interchange with #20. Had one golden chance that he mis-kicked into the ground and didn’t pose any threat apart from winning two high balls. He sustained an injury to his right shoulder after 65 mins and was forced off to be replaced by #17 MOHAMED WALIOU NDOYE, who wasn’t as tall but more mobile and comfortable on the ball, again he struggled to make his mark on the game. STORY OF THE GAME Senegal started off poorly and it was Mauritania that dominated the first half. They had several openings attacking down the right hand side and the Senegalese full-backs were forced to maintain their position and weren’t allowed to join the attacks. The Mauritanians created several openings thanks to winning the ball high up against the Senegalese centre-backs who were struggling to play out from the back. The Mauritanian wingers had several opportunities to send quality crosses into the box but were let down by inaccurate passes and not being composed enough in the final third. Senegal had their first and only shot of the first half after 30 minutes through #10 ABDOULAYE BA who was their most influential player. Mauritania had the best chance of the first half when on 45 minutes, a through ball against the sleeping Senegalese back four left the right winger 1 v 1 against the Senegalese keeper but the shot was saved and the scores were goalless at half-time. The second half saw Senegal start much better, with the wingers switching sides and the play being quicker than it was in the first half. #2 GUY OLIVIER NDIAYE was introduced into the back line and he was a calming and commanding influence that settled the team down. They created good openings down the wings in particular and it was #18 SINY DIAGNE who had a chance to open the scoring but he mis-kicked his shot for the keeper to easily claim the ball. Mauritania began to sit deeper but gained the momentum once #10 ABDOULAYE BA for Senegal was taken off. Mauritania then introduced some attacking players of their own and this helped to overload the right hand side where a cross hit the arm of a Senegalese defender and the resulting penalty kick was scored to open the scoring at 1-0. Senegal were demoralised at this point and tried in vain to get the equaliser despite the best efforts of the tricky #11 DOMINIQUE MENDY who was introduced as a substitute. The final whistle produced celebrations for the hosts and several Senegalese players arguing with the Gambian referee and his team about the award of the penalty.


General approach play in possession [1] Goalkeeper and centre-backs will play out from the back and through midfield in order to find the feet of #10 who

is the platform for all their attacks. They can also vary their approach by playing direct balls up to the target man. #6 and #8 take turns to receive the ball from defenders and goalkeeper and interchange frequently. #7 prefers to work inside on both the right and left flank while #20 is a more direct runner with plenty of pace. #10 dictates the tempo of the match and is capable of playing one and two touch football to a very high standard.

[1] #10 main playmaker

General approach play out of possession [2]

They dropped back behind the ball and maintained a disciplined shape throughout the game, preferring to press only in their defending third or the middle third of the pitch where they tried to force mistakes.

The centre-backs organise the defense and the two central midfielders work extremely hard to stay as a unit and protect, #7 also works hard to get behind the ball, however the same can’t be said of #10 and #20.

[2] Men behind the ball


Transition when winning possession [3] The team get forward quickly and with numbers, with the central midfielders in particular, driving forward but

leave the back four without any protection. The team will look to play into the feet of #10 or out wide in order to attack quickly in order to send crosses into

the box. When they were chasing the game they started to play long balls up to the forwards to chase.

[3] Aggressive counter-attacks

Transition when losing possession [4]

As soon as the team loses possession, they try to drop back and form a deep defensive block however, #10 and #20 struggled to fulfil these duties as #20 was often caught too high up to get back quickly enough and both him and #10 don’t track back as aggressively as the rest of the team.

#3 was left unprotected because of #20 not tracking back and this left him exposed to the counter-attack on several occasions.

[4] #10 and #20 don’t track back


SET-PIECES Attacking corners Senegal had one corner in the match which was an elaborate routine that involved a short pass to the #3 on the edge of the box who feinted to leave it for #8 who was outside the box and who had a shot from long range that went far wide. Defending corners #15 stands on near post #21 marks tallest player Three players mark zonal six yard box Other players man mark 2 attacking players stay high up

Attacking free-kicks Senegal didn’t get any free-kicks in dangerous areas throughout the game Defending free-kicks #10 and #20 stay high 2-5 man wall depending on location #21 and #13 pick up tallest men #6 on the edge of the area or acting as spare man in the box Other players man mark

The Senegal team had a couple of players that looked a set-piece threat purely because of their height and strength and this included #21, #18, #2, #4 and #11.


How to beat them (1) Target the centre-backs – the team is instructed to play out from the back but the centre-backs can be caught out in possession and can be pressed into making errors and giving the ball away. They can also be beaten 1 v 1 for pace if they are isolated and neither has the covering pace to remove any danger to their goal. Forwards must be instructed to work very hard to unsettle the centre-back pairing whoever it may be (most likely to be #21 and #2 on this showing). (2) Press goalkeeper – both goalkeepers looked indecisive when the ball was played back to them, they must be pressed and not allowed to have time to clear the ball. If they are forced to clear early, the ball ended up for a throw-in on the edge of the attacking third. (3) Counter the counter-attack – when Senegal win the ball they try to counter-attack very quickly, however, they can also give the ball away easily when this happens so it’s important to exploit the fact that six players automatically think about attacking whilst the back four is left exposed. The back four also push up when the ball is won so this is another area to exploit (see below).

(4) Counter-attack down their left flank - #3 is the more attacking full-back but he isn’t covered by any of the central midfielders or the #20. Look to attack the area that he leaves when he attacks and also take advantage of the fact that the winger in front of him will not work hard to drop back, so over-work the #3 (see below)

(5) Reduce effectiveness of #10 – on this showing he was clearly the main attacking threat of the team and produced the only shot for the team in the first half. He needs to be contained by blocking off passes to him or by assigning a man marker to not allow him any space to operate. He needs to mark tightly to avoid turning on the ball when he becomes a danger because of his vision and range of passing.

Documents

Senegal Scouting Report