Pierre Ekwah: Scouting Report by Nene Afadzinu
AGE: 21
HEIGHT: 6’2”
WEIGHT: 78 KG
FOOT: LEFT
CLUB: SUNDERLAND AFC
NATIONALITY: FRENCH/GHANAIAN
Defensive midfield commander. Predominantly left footed but is very comfortable using his right foot. Quite tall for his position. Has a sturdy frame. Can struggle to turn at pace on occasion. Good pace for a player of his stature.
Has very good ball control and an excellent first touch. Can keep possession under pressure with tidy footwork. Capable of taking on and beating his man 1v1 with skill. Occasionally charges forward on powerful runs with the ball into space. Does not dwell on the ball and will find a teammate as soon as he is available. Excellent short to midrange passer. Prefers to play safe passes to keep possession. Sporadically shows he has the vision and technique to see and execute long balls, with varying results. Capable of distributing adeptly with either foot. Can beat defensive lines with his passing or carrying. Not afraid to let fly from range and can unleash a venomous strike on goal with his stronger left foot. Good crosser when he gets into position and can deliver into dangerous areas with either foot.
Often plays on the left of a defensive midfield pivot in a 4231 or as the left sided central midfielder in a 4411. Tends to sit in front of his defense but will occasionally support attacks by loitering on the edge of the box. Very disciplined positionally. Marks his man tightly but will prioritize defending his zone and wouldn’t leave it out of possession unless he is certain he can recover the ball. Always makes himself available to receive possession and often receives it. Finds space in possession and exploits it. Scans constantly and always seems to be aware of where his teammates and opponents are at all times.
Jockeys to cut out passing lanes and block or intercept passes. Forces the opponent to turn the ball over without fouling him by jockeying and being an overbearing presence with his physicality. Rarely goes to ground, preferring to read the direction of the ball and stop it instead of taking his man with him. Uses his height to his advantage in aerial contests. Shields the ball very well with his upper body strength, making it very difficult for the opposition to take the ball off him.
Assured in and out of possession. Does not force the issue and will recycle the play if he has to. Has a relaxing presence. Very vocal and is constantly communicating with his teammates. Is a natural leader of men, commanding and motivating his teammates off the ball and directing his team’s play on the ball. Sporadically loses his focus in high pressure moments and makes uncharacteristically rash decisions.
Ekwah reads the play and anticipates the trajectory of the pass to make the interception…
…uses his clever footwork to beat his man on his right foot…
…before cutting back inside onto his left foot and unleashing a venomous dipping strike past the keeper from over 25 yards out.
PLAYER MATRIX
| TECHNICAL ABILITY | (0-10) |
| Ball Control | 9 |
| Attacking Ability | 7 |
| Defending Ability | 8 |
| Heading | 8 |
| Long Passing | 7 |
| Short Passing | 10 |
| Right-Footed Passing | 9 |
| Left-Footed Passing | 10 |
| Shooting | 8 |
| Running With The Ball | 7 |
| Attacking 1v1 | 7 |
| Tackling | 7 |
| TOTAL | 97/120 |
| TACTICAL ABILITY | (0-10) |
| Vision | 9 |
| Awareness | 10 |
| Movement Off The Ball | 8 |
| Decision Making | 8 |
| TOTAL | 35/40 |
| ATHLETIC ABILITY | (0-10) |
| Pace | 7 |
| Sharpness | 6 |
| Mobility | 6 |
| Body Strength | 9 |
| Work Rate | 7 |
| TOTAL | 35/50 |
| CHARACTER | (0-10) |
| Effort To Win The Ball Back | 7 |
| Bravery – Physical | 8 |
| Bravery – Mental | 10 |
| Energetic | 6 |
| Leadership | 10 |
| Talkative | 10 |
| Competitive | 8 |
| Team Player | 9 |
| TOTAL | 68/80 |
ABILITY = 235/290
= 81%
80 – 89% = Good player in a top league
Ekwah has the potential to be a key player for the Black Stars and a world class player for a top team in the Premier League or La Liga. Improving his sharpness and mobility would help him take the extra leap into becoming an elite player.