Sunderland’s interest in Matías Soulé goes beyond goals and assists – with some key traits fitting Régis Le Bris’ demands
Matías Soulé’s attacking numbers make it easy to understand why Sunderland have reportedly identified the Roma forward as a possible summer target.
The Argentina youth international scored six goals and registered five assists across 33 Serie A appearances last season, starting 28 times and playing 2,161 minutes. He outperformed his expected-goals figure of 3.96 and also created 45 chances for his teammates.
Soulé is comfortable operating as an attacking midfielder or from the right, where his left foot allows him to move inside and threaten the penalty area. His 98 touches inside the opposition box underline that he is not simply a winger who remains on the touchline.
There is also evidence of a player who can carry a significant creative responsibility. Soulé completed 835 passes at an accuracy of 84.4 per cent, produced five assists from 4.21 expected assists and created five big chances. FotMob’s player-traits model placed him in the 73rd percentile for chances created, the 71st for shot attempts and the 62nd for goals when compared with players in similar positions and leagues over the previous 12 months.
Those figures paint the picture of a technically gifted attacker who wants the ball and can influence games in the final third. However, there may be another reason why Soulé has emerged on Sunderland’s radar. Régis Le Bris places enormous importance on the work completed by his wide players without possession. It is not enough to produce the occasional flash of individual quality – Sunderland’s wingers must press, recover their position and understand their defensive responsibilities.
That has become even more important in the Premier League, where a winger switching off can quickly expose his full-back and destabilise the entire defensive structure. Soulé’s overall defensive-contribution percentile is not particularly impressive, while he also won only 39.8 per cent of his duels and 26.5 per cent of his aerial contests. At 5ft 9in, he is never likely to dominate physically.
Dig a little deeper, though, and some of the numbers are interesting. Soulé made 132 recoveries last season and won possession in the final third on 38 occasions. He also recorded 19 tackles, nine interceptions and 42 defensive contributions. Those are not numbers which transform him into a defensive winger, but the final-third recoveries in particular suggest a player willing and capable of participating in an aggressive press.
That could be significant. Simon Adingra was not ultimately fancied by Le Bris, while wide players such as Abdoullah Ba and Adil Aouchiche have fallen by the wayside in recent years when their off-the-ball work did not consistently match their ability in possession. Sunderland will clearly be attracted by Soulé’s creativity, shooting and versatility. He could play from the right, behind the striker or potentially as part of a fluid attacking unit.
The more revealing question is whether Le Bris believes he can develop Soulé into a dependable Premier League winger without the ball. The Argentine has the technical talent. His pressing numbers may provide an early indication that there is also enough tactical potential for Sunderland to work with.
Continue Reading