Giovanni Moreno

Giovanni Moreno

Name:Giovanni Moreno
Team: Racing (Argentina)
Birth date: 01.07.1986
Nationality: Colombia
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2015
Estimated Yearly Wage: 250.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 5.000.000 €

Position: Offensive Midfielder/Forward - Giovanni plays regularly as a linking player between the midfield and the forwards in a 4-3-1-2 system. He can also be used as a left midfielder in a flat 4-4-2, or as a forward.

Potential (0-10): 9 - Moreno is a tremendous talent, but a rare one too. To find a spot in a more competitive European league he needs to make some tactical adaptations. The biggest risk is the time, as Moreno was only 24 when he left Colombian football to play in Argentina.

Physical description: Much of his unusual profile comes from his physical attributes. He’s a thin and very tall player (1,93m). This is much more common in centre forwards than in creative players, but Moreno makes good use of his long legs to keep the ball away from opponents. His height can also be a useful resource to a more direct ball approach. He is not a very fast player.
Technical description: Left footed and extremely gifted player. It’s Very hard to take the ball away from him, as he combines his physical qualities with an unusual ball control. He’s also a threat for his shots, both from open play or free kicks.

Tactical description: Giovanni has good movement off the ball, both dropping to collect the ball and going forward to finishing positions. His decision making is also usually good and every time the ball reaches his feet, something can be expected from him. His main problem is that the position where he usually plays hardly exists in European football and if he’s to make a further step in his career, he needs to prove he can be useful also when the team does not have the ball.

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Nene

Nene

Name:Nene
Team: Monaco (France)
Birth date: 19.07.1981
Nationality: Brazil
EU Passport: Yes
End of Contract: 06.2011
Estimated Yearly Wage: 1.500.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 4.000.000 €

Position: Left winger / midfielder - Nene plays as a left winger in Monaco. He can be used as an inside-left midfielder or as a forward.

Potential (0-10): 8 - At the age of 29, Nene is at the top of his game. He´s been the most influential player at Monaco and can be even more useful in a team with more global quality.
Physical description: Elegant player, 181cm, Nene uses some of his physical characteristics as a support to his more technical game. Has strength to hold defenders when in possession and speed to run away from challenges.

Technical description: His left foot is the most important part of his game. He uses it to at holding possession, creating passing solutions and delivering through balls and crosses. The ball in Nene´s left foot is always a safety for the team and a menace to the opposition.

Tactical description: Nene´s technical ability is only useful because he has good decision making. He has good off the ball movements and understands well his tactical job. Not known for his hard work, but also a player that has a good defensive attitude.

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Diego Biseswar

Diego Biseswar

Name:Diego Biseswar
Team: Feyenoord (Holland)
Birth date: 08.03.1988
Nationality: Holland
EU Passport: Yes
End of Contract: 06.2012
Estimated Yearly Wage: 800.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 5.000.000 €

Position: Winger - Biseswar can play either side, normally as a winger in 3 front men system. He has played in more free role in a 2 men front system and can also player as a wing midfielder.

Potential (0-10): 8 - Biseswar has some rare qualities that could make him a very good prospect for the future. For him ever to reach that level it would take some development in his tactical capacity.

Physical description: Small (1,73m), strong player. Biseswar has small quick legs that provide him fast acceleration movements, important to get away from defenders. Also to mention is his capacity to use his body to protect the ball from opposition.

Technical description: The most impressive aspect of Biseswar is his capacity to use his both feet with enormous quality. His shooting and crossing are a menace from almost anywhere and it is not easy to find another player with this capacity in the world. Apart from this, he’s also a very strong player at holding the ball in more inside positions, being a strong player in possession situations.

Tactical description: Biseswar likes to stay wide and if possible drop to the midfield, trying to get the ball to his feet and almost never in the space. This way of playing, and despite his qualities, limit the level of his game. Biseswar needs to improve his off the ball movements in order to become a less predictable player. If he does so, he can become a top player, if he doesn’t he will never get much better than the level he is now.
In defensive situations, Biseswar is not a very strong player but he is a useful one, maintaining a fair attitude towards defensive situations.

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Mounir El Hamdaoui

Mounir El Hamdaoui

Name:Mounir El Hamdaoui
Team: AZ (Holland)
Birth date: 14.07.1984
Nationality: Morocco
EU Passport: Yes
End of Contract: 06.2012
Estimated Yearly Wage: 1.000.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 8.000.000 €

Position: Forward - El Hamdaoui is a versatile forward. His technical ability allows him to play almost everywhere, the important being to give him enough freedom in order to get involved with the team’s play.

Potential (0-10): 8 - At AZ, El Hamdaoui is quite clearly the star player. His technique and ability make it possible for him at higher level. The possibility of him succeeding in one of the top teams in the world is, however, dependent of his development in some areas of his game.

Physical description: He’s a regular sized player (1,83m). He’s not particularly quick or strong and he’s well known for being a technical player and not a physical power. However, running away from defenders like he does is only possible with the good acceleration and balance that he has got.

Technical description: His right foot is the great strength of his game. El Hamdaoui is a very strong technical player, being particularly noticed for his capacity to hold and hide the ball from the opponent, dribbling, passing, crossing and accurate finishing. Despite scoring many goals in the box, he’s not a very good header of the ball.
Tactical description: Being a very technical player, El Hamdaoui feels the need to participate in most every building movement, dropping down to get involved. He’s quite strong at this, but he also exaggerates at holding the ball. This is the matter where he should develop more, finding more simple ways to get involved. This shouldn’t be hard for a player of his skills as he’s also been strong in many off the ball movements, manly at arriving in finishing positions, where he has scored many goals in recent years. If he can improve to balance his off the ball movements, he can play at almost any team.
Finally, it is also to mention, although not being this the main area of his game, that El Hamdoui’s working attitude should be improved, as he frequently lacks aggressiveness at pressing situations.

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Douglas

Douglas

Name:Douglas
Team: Twente (Holland)
Birth date: 12.01.1988
Nationality: Brazil
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2012
Estimated Yearly Wage: 600.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 5.500.000 €

Position: Central Defender - Plays a central defender, normally on the right side. Has also played as defensive midfielder, but that’s not where he’s at his best.

Potential (0-10): 8 - Douglas is a very young player that made a very good adaptation to Dutch football. He’s got some rare qualities but to reach a higher level he needs to play in a more demanding environment and progress in some areas.

Physical description: Tremendous physique. He’s Very tall (1,92m) and very strong. This makes him particularly strong on physical challenges and areal duels, where he shows a good timing to jump for the ball. His handicap is the agility, being a big guy he’s got natural problems on quick, turning movements.
Technical description: Apart from his physical attributes, Douglas is easily spotted for he’s comfort on the ball. He’s good technically and feels very comfortable to build up play.

Tactical description: Having good very physical and technical attributes, Douglas has some areas where he needs to develop. On the ball he sometimes takes too many risks, this being also a consequence of the teams playing mentality, very focused on possession. Defensively, the Dutch league doesn’t allow him to develop in a proper way. He has good anticipation, but needs to develop his positioning in some areas. With his age a talent it’s probable that he succeeds if he’s given the opportunity to do so.

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Bryan Ruiz

Bryan Ruiz

Name:Bryan Ruiz
Team: Twente (Holland)
Birth date: 18.08.1985
Nationality: Costa Rica
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2013
Estimated Yearly Wage: 1.000.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 7.500.000 €

Position: Winger/Forward - Plays as a free winger in a 4-3-3 formation. This is his better role, but he can be used as a free forward in a 2 front men system or as a wing midfielder.

Potential (0-10): 8 - Ruiz has come a long way, coming from Costa Rica and adapting to European football. Today he’s a mature footballer that guarantees already a very high level. He’s got every condition to be successful in a more demanding challenge in his career.

Physical description: Tall (1,86m) and elegant player. He’s got very good agility and body control. He’s also quick player.
Technical description: His left foot is his best technical resource. Almost perfect first touches and good passing and crossing. Also, has a good finishing in the box. From long range he is not so comfortable and also doesn’t go for it very often.

Tactical description: Having very good physical and technical conditions, what brings Ruiz to a higher level is his game comprehension. On the ball, he’s got very quick thinking and good decision making. Very important to mention is his quality off the ball. Ruiz usually starts from the wing but he’s very good at finding spaces inside, both to support his team’s play and to show up in finishing situations. His working mentality is also very good, despite being an offensive player.

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Jonathan Cristaldo

Jonathan Cristaldo

Name:Jonathan Cristaldo
Team: Velez Sarsfield (Argentina)
Birth date: 05.03.1989
Nationality: Argentina
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2011
Estimated Yearly Wage:150.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 4.000.000 €

Position: Forward - Cristaldo plays as a forward in a 4-4-2 system in Velez. Given his profile, it’s recommended to use him in a 2 front men system.

Potential (0-10): 8 - His present level is already very good and, given his age, it’s very likely that Cristaldo reaches a very high level, enough to play for most teams in top European leagues. He still needs to develop some areas of his game, though, specially on becoming a more explosive player.

Physical description: 178 cm. Doesn’t have an impressive physique and his football needs to find other ways to get the best of the defenders. Despite not being a very big player, Cristaldo is also not a fragile one. He deals well with physical challenges and knows how to place his body to hold the ball from defenders. Also his acceleration is very good, easily getting away from the defenders in short spaces.

Technical description: If anything distinguishes Cristaldo is his technique. Very good control and capacity to hide de ball from the defenders and specially and an impressive finishing ability in the box. Cristaldo is a right footer but he seems to be equally happy to shoot with his left one. This is a big advantage for him and makes him a very effective finisher. Also to mention his quick dribbling near and inside the box.

Tactical description: Despite being very young, Cristaldo already shows very matured movements in the game. Likes to work outside the box, bringing the defenders out and combining with midfielders. He’s also strong on diagonal movements in the box and creating finishing situations. Another positive aspect about Cristaldo is his defensive attitude, being a working player and always very available to pressure or dropping back to help the midfield line.

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Nicolas Gaitan

Nicolas Gaitan

Name: Nicolas Gaitan
Team: Boca Juniors (Argentina)
Birth date: 23.02.1988
Nationality: Argentina
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2011
Estimated Yearly Wage: 180.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 3.000.000 €

Position: Winger - Usually plays as a free front man, coming wide, both at left or right. His natural position is as winger, either side and would adapt more easily to a 4-3-3 system because it’s defensively less demanding. With his age and potential he can easily become a useful player in other systems too.

Potential (0-10): 8 - His talent is very easy to spot. If he can learn more about the tactical side of the game, both in decision making and positional play, he can easily get to a very high level.

Physical description: 173 cm, very easy to say his best physical attribute is the speed. Can accelerate very quickly and has good agility and balance. He’s not a physically strong player but is also not too fragile in physical challenges.

Technical description: His left foot is his weapon. Very good technically, both in first touch, passing, crossing and shooting. His main attribute, though, is the dribbling. Very fast receiving, turning and getting away from defenders, being very difficult to stop when running with the ball.

Tactical description: His talent makes it very easy to find offensive movements where he can be strong. In transition and more space, it becomes more obvious, but also with more organized defences he can be a weapon, with fast 1-2 combinations. The problem with Gaitan is that this is the only thing that has been asked from him. He needs to start playing in a more demanding tactical environment, where he can learn to make better decisions and to position himself in the defensive moments of the game. This is what separates Gaitan from a promising player from a top class one.

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Gabriel Hauche

Gabriel Hauche

Name: Gabriel Hauche
Team: Argentinos Juniors (Argentina)
Birth date: 27.11.1986
Nationality: Argentina
EU Passport: No
End of Contract: 06.2010
Estimated Yearly Wage: 150.000 €
Estimated Market Value: 3.000.000 €

Position: Forward - Argentinos play in a 3-4-1-2 formation. Hauche plays as one of the 2 front men, with a lot of freedom of movements, specially going wide. It’s possible to adapt to a 3 front men system, playing wide, but always with freedom to come inside.

Potential (0-10): 8 - At the moment he’s an underrated player, victim of playing in a modest team for so long. Already has the quality to play in most teams in top European leagues and the character that he shows leaves the idea that he’ll rise quickly once he has a first opportunity.

Physical description: Around 1,68 cm, he’s very much a Michael Owen type of player and also in his physique. One relevant aspect of his condition, besides the obvious pace is the surprising capacity he reveals on physical challenges, leaving the idea that he’s far stronger than he looks.

Technical description: Right footed, but uses his left foot with very good quality, both on finishing and crossing. His technique is obviously good, even if he doesn’t performe many tricks. The aspect that makes him special is the quality that he has when he’s running with ball. Once he gets the advantage from the defender is very hard to stop him, as he has perfect balance and ball control and also uses his body very well when the challenge comes. Other than this, he executes very well with both his feet, finishing or crossing. It’s rare seeing him miss the goal on a finishing situation. His weakness is when he has to play in the air.

Tactical description: He has 2 very strong movements. First, breaking the offside trap, with quick diagonals. Second, going wide and beating the full backs. When the spaces close down he gets a bit more trouble. Although he has good technique to come inside and bring defenders with him, he doesn’t do it too much and this the aspect of his game that has more to be developed. Also important to mention is his defensive attitude, being very reactive when the team loses possession and very aggressive as well, making him a very useful player for pressing.

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