Tom Bischof: Scouting Report by Adam Khan
This article is adapted from Adam Khan’s Medium Portfolio – a collection of professional scouting reports highlighting some of the most exciting talents in German football.
If you are interested in sourcing his video-scouting expertise for your club, agency, or company, please reach him at business.adamkhan@gmail.com or on Twitter at @XxAdamKhanxX.
In today’s report, we analyze TSG Hoffenheim midfielder, Tom Bischof. We highlight his strengths, weaknesses, current ability, and potential.
Biography
Tom Bischof is one of the most talented 18-year-olds in Germany. The young creative midfielder has already made 12 appearances in the Bundesliga and has captained the under-18 German National Team.
Massive German outfits like FC Bayern, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig are already keenly monitoring the young midfielder’s development, but with a contract until 2025, it is in Hoffenheim where Bischof will look to make the next big career step in the upcoming campaign.
Injury History
No notable injuries that should have an impact on his value, or future potential.
Player Style
Tom Bischof is an Advanced Playmaker. He is a highly technical and creative orchestrator in the final third with an eye-catching ability and confidence on the ball. Bischof can also operate effectively as a Wide Playmaker. In this role, Bischof frequently looks to move in from wide positions to combine with teammates in central channels, and link play towards goal.
Player Model: Julian Brandt
Strengths
Tight Ball Control
Bischof is a player with superb ball control and an excellent first touch. He is able to receive effectively both in the air and on the ground, and regularly takes his first touch away from pressure to set up a creative follow-up action.
360° Vision & Awareness
Bischof is able to account for the full dimension of the pitch in possession, assessing where teammates and opponents are placed before receiving the ball. He is regularly able to effectively switch play into less congested zones, or take his first touch away from oncoming pressure.
Capable of Delivering Creative Solutions to Bring Teammates into Play
Bischof is capable of implementing various on-ball techniques to bring teammates into play and deliver creative solutions in the final third. He can use the outside of either foot effectively, provide well-weighted back heels into the path of a teammate, or play dinked 1-touch passes around the corner. The true variety of ways in which he can manipulate possession and bring teammates into play makes him an extraordinarily unpredictable threat for opponents to come to terms with.
Impressive Long-range Finishing Ability
Bischof stands out at youth and senior levels for his long-range finishing ability. He has a powerful, yet controlled strike, which can often provide problems for an opposition defense and goalkeeper. He also doesn’t shy away from taking these opportunities from range, seeking initiative when goalscoring opportunities present themself.
Exceptional Direct & In-direct Set-piece Threat
Bischof has very impressive set-piece qualities. He is a dangerous goal threat from direct set-piece opportunities, using his pure striking ability to regularly find the net at the youth level. He also has considerable creative qualities in dead-ball situations. Whether on corner kicks or wide freekicks, Bischof has a proven ability to create dangerous goal-threat.
⭐ Sharp Body Manipulations & Efficient Turning Ability
Bischof has an eye-catching ability to turn with fluidity in possession. He is sharp and efficient, using few touches to change direction and accelerate away from any opposition challenge. There is a level of simplicity to these actions as well. Bischoff doesn’t implement extravagant skill but rather looks for the quickest and most effective route forward.
Weaknesses
Lacks Physical Robustness
Though Bischof is quite tall, he lacks the physicality to truly compete at the senior Bundesliga level. He has a tendency to be easily dispossessed and lose balance when an opponent can initiate clean contact, and, likewise, he struggles to use his own frame to dispossess an opponent from the ball. While it is a significant issue for Bischof’s short-term future in senior football, it is something that should easily be developed over time and doesn’t lend itself to being a long-term hurdle that can keep Bischof from reaching his full potential.
Lacks the Pure Speed & Dynamism of a Traditional Wide Player
While not necessarily a weakness, a club interested in Bischof should be aware of his limitations in wide areas. Though by no means slow, Bischof does not have the raw agility and acceleration associated with many high-level wingers. If a club is interested in acquiring him for a wide position, he should be utilized in a possession-centric role with the freedom to invert centrally. Otherwise, his talents are largely wasted.
⭐ Lacks a level of Maturity & Composure in his Passing Game
Bischof plays with pure energy and dynamism in possession, constantly looking to create or progress play forward as quickly as possible. It’s a powerful and potent skill, but it also leads to many unnecessary giveaways where more maturity and composure would have provided additional value.
For example, Bischof routinely turns over possession attempting needless 1-touch passes or seeks a low-probability incisive through ball which has little, to no chance, of actually reaching its intended target.
GRADING
Current Ability:
A club/level of club where the player has the qualities to play at least 70% of available minutes right now.
5/10 – A solid mid-table outfit in the 2nd Bundesliga, or a relegation-threatened side in the Eredivisie
- Kalsruher SC
- Greuther Fürth
- FC Volendam
Potential Ability:
A club/level of club where the player has the qualities to play at least 70% of available minutes at his career peak.
8/10 – A consistent round of 16 qualifier in the UEFA Champions League
- RB Leipzig
- AC Milan
- SL Benfica
OVERVIEW
Tom Bischof is an impressive talent with the potential to be a star for the better part of the next two decades of European football. The Hoffenheim Academy graduate garners attention for his impressive technique and creative ability. He has an excellent first touch, an ability to manipulate and turn with possession under intense pressure, and exceptional direct and indirect set-piece qualities.
By developing his physical resilience, and adding more composure and maturity to his actions in possession, Bischof has the qualities to play a substantial role in the upcoming Bundesliga season for TSG Hoffenheim.
If you are interested in sourcing my video-scouting expertise for your club, agency, or company, please reach me at business.adamkhan@gmail.com or on Twitter at @XxAdamKhanxX.