Riechedly Bazoer’s Resurgence

There was a point where Riechedly Bazoer is touted as one of the hottest young prospects in the footballing world. A 17-year old with deft touch on the ball, excellent positioning, and supreme technique, he’s granted with the highest privileges that a young protégé could ever imagine, as Barcelona, Chelsea, and Arsenal (yes, a top club then) was interested in him, hundreds of YouTubers created a compilation of him with ear-drum ripping EDMs, and EA making him a high potential player on Career Mode.

This rating isn’t that bad, right?

However, as his career goes on, Bazoer fell into obscurity, where his spell on Wolfsburg was hampered by injuries, the following loan to Porto and Utrecht doesn’t end so well, and a training bust-up in Vitesse seemed to seal his fate as a failed wonderkid.

Then, a gleam of light is coming. As the new coach Thomas Letsch arrived and changed the team’s main system as a 3-at-the back, a long lost secret that helped Bazoer on reviving his career is revealed.

Bazoer IS NOT a fixed midfielder.

This statement had been echoed by the legendary recruiter (who notably brought Ronaldo into the Netherlands), Piet de Visser.

“Riechedly Bazoer. He was a huge talent as a teenager. He was still playing in the back. I have all pluses behind his name. On the ball: good. Defense: good. Technique: good. As a central defender he could have become a sensation, an international topper. I am convinced. But he thought he should play in midfield.

He always went there where he shouldn’t walk. And he damned improving on that. Later he even became a kind of playmaker, but for that role he does not have the qualities at all. It always hurts me when guys don’t have the right mindset to get the most out of their potential. Bazoer is a typical example of a player who has just squandered his great talent. ”

Bazoer’s game have been excellent this season, and he starts in almost all of Vittese’s matches (bar one red card suspension). Therefore, how does Bazoer influence his team greatly?

Role at the pitch

Playing as a sweeper who have the license to carry the ball, roam, and be the additional midfielder (even as an 8) at the pitch, Bazoer has been pivotal on Vitesse’s success this season. One of the most important thing as a player is that they’re have to be able to play in multiple systems, and Bazoer is excellent at that aspect.

Bazoer playing as a 10 in a 3–4–1–2 and a shifting 8 in 3-man midfield system.

Bazoer’s versatile skills on the ball allows him to play multiple positions on the pitch. If he’s given license to carry the ball from the back, he shifted his gear and accelerate like a F1 racer. If someone make a run, he’ll find the player with a perfectly weighted, QB precision pass (he could also do Hail Mary’s, too). If you decide to man mark and lead him into the corner of the pitch, he’ll get past you with astute close control and body orientation. Pick your poison.

Let’s just say…. Bazoer has been everywhere. (Source: Sofascore)

Bazoer on attacking build-up

Bazoer often sets the tempo on attacking build-up, either by speeding it up with line-breaking dribbles/fast passes into the advanced midfielder/pass into runners on the pitch, or slow it down with a switch to other side/playing simple pass to a near player. Bazoer also often roams as an additional midfielder and gets forward when the opponent’s are too far high up on the pitch.

Bazoer on an attacking transition.

He could build the attack from back, helping carrying the ball to a midfield, and pass with purpose from multiple areas on the pitch (which will be explained below).

Bazoer as a ball progressor

Bazoer’s role in progressing the ball across the pitch usually begins by him playing hide-and-seek behind the first pressing line. After he gets the ball (and opportunity arises) he progressed the ball with excellent acceleration alongside his awareness, strong body and ball control. This allows him to beat opponents’ tussle while maintaining balance to continue dribbling and having time and space to spot the passing target.

He attempts 1.4 dribbles per 90, highest among Eredivisie centre-backs with minimum 7 90s, which ends up in a 57% successful rate.

Bazoer receiving in behind the forwards, evading them and progressing the ball, and putting an inch perfect pass.

Bazoer’s excellent body control and awareness on holding the ball and instantly changing direction.

Bazoer is 7th in terms of getting fouled on the league (playing as a central defender on paper, mind you!) His excellent acceleration lures opponents to tackle and stop him.

Bazoer attracts fouls because of his excellent acceleration.

Bazoer sometimes also failed while doing moves, when his momentum are read by opponents. Since he’s a risk taker on doing progressions, this could lead into instant transitions for the opponents. However, Bazoer is comfortable and skilled on dribbling, so this thing won’t be a big problem.

Bazoer’s failed fake pass.

Bazoer as a playmaker

Bazoer is one of the most accurate CB passer/chance creator in the league. His key passing rate of 1.1 per 90 puts him as the second best CB creator in the league (adjusting for minimum 7 90s). As for long passes, he attempts the highest accurate long passing rate among CBs (8.5 per 90), and the third-lowest inaccurate long passing rate (2.4 per 90).

He attempts many kinds of passes, such as a switch to wide players, line-breaking pass to players appearing in behind the midfield line, to releasing a perfectly weighted pass after reading a runners’ cue. What makes Bazoer different, however, is his playmaker-like accuracy and swerve of passes. He read cues instantly, which make his pass harder to stop.

(Pass 1) Bazoer’s long ball to a running Openda (red)

(Pass 2) Bazoer passing through the gap (yellow) to a running Openda (red), with his body aligning towards a Vitesse player on the right side (blue)

(Pass 3) Bazoer passing into an onrushing striker, right after a fast carry (not seen here)

(Pass 4) Bazoer passing on a player (not seen) in a 3v2 situation.

However, not all of Bazoer’s risky passes are successful, which could end an attacking build-up prematurely. But this problem isn’t that catastrophic to the squad, because of his high risk-reward turnout.

One way to stop Bazoer creating from deep is to man mark him in a particular zone. However, since Bazoer also have versatile skills on and off the ball, the scheme is particularly hard to do as he could drift across the pitch and do something else with similar degree of success in other zones (in the defensive and middle third of the pitch).

One method to stop Bazoer is man marking him when he lurk in behind the two strikers. The counter of this is a Vitesse player “tagging” the man marker so Bazoer could go through.

Bazoer on defending

To sum it up, Bazoer is a decent communicator, have quick reactions on opponents’ moves, able to recover quickly on defense, but have a tendency to be complacent and often have no idea on what to do when he lost the ball further up the pitch. He also noticeably often jogs back when defending transitions. The problem often happens when he’s given a free-roaming role, while he could press and close decently if he is put in an advanced (and fixed, most importantly) position upfront in another system.

Bazoer checking his shoulders to mark the runner.

Bazoer communicates to the defender (red) to close a potential zone (yellow) for the opposing player to exploit.

Bazoer leaving the striker (red) to close down the runner (blue)

Bazoer recognizing a runner and keeping up with him.

Bazoer jogging after a turnover in possession.

Bazoer idling and doesn’t cover the space well to the Feyenoord full-back, after a possession turnover high up the pitch.

Bazoer getting frustrated, instead of running back quickly, and took 6 seconds to walk back to this position (right bottom, picture 2).

Bazoer ignoring Heerenven’s player who potentially could attack the open lane in front of him.

Conclusion

Bazoer is a complete player who have a vast array of offensive skills and take calculated risks excellently. However, his defensive skills still needs some polishing, especially in messy transitions. But, his decent recovery speed, communication, movement reading, and reaction could help him to accomplish that.