The next generation of Progressive Passers

Watchlist: how to scout this week's European fixtures for deep-lying, quarter-back midfielders.

Yes, I almost forgot about this newsletter.

It feels like a lifetime since the last round of UEFA Champions League fixtures and preparing to watch it in January is completely alien.

However, in the previous UEFA Watchlist, I asked you to pick a player profile to focus on for this MD7 version, giving you the choice of Power Forwards or Quarter-backs. You voted for Quarter-backs.

In some way, we are looking for Toni Kroos regens. We are trying to discover young players that are dictating tempo and getting the ball forward in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. For some reason, the UEFA Conference League packed up after six matchdays.

Anyway, for more detail on some of the metrics I will be using, it would be worth reading the MNS newsletter below which explores the true definition of Progressive Passes. This watchlist puts those learnings into practice.

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Who is the most progressive passer of them all?

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I exported per 90 data for every player born in 2001 with at least 90 minutes across the UCL and UEL this season. That returned 381 players. I cut this down to 93 by selecting players that had exclusively played in midfield. We are not looking for versatility and we want to exclude as many wide players as possible.

I am aware this is all based off a small sample of matches and minutes, but it is more about the process. Even then, plenty of names that have appeared in the Watchlist series have popped up this January. El Hadji Malick Diouf is a good example.

So, to discover the next generation of progressive passers, here are the European games you need to watch on MD7:

• 🇸🇰 Slovan Bratislava vs. VfB Stuttgart 🇩🇪

• 🇳🇱 Feyenoord vs. Bayern München 🇩🇪

• 🇵🇹 FC Porto vs. Olympiacos 🇬🇷

• 🇧🇪 Union Saint-Gilloise vs. SC Braga 🇵🇹

Allow me to tell you why…

Angelo Stiller

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🇸🇰 Slovan Bratislava vs. VfB Stuttgart 🇩🇪

UEFA Champions League — 21 January 2025, 20:00 GMT

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Angelo Stiller (2001) will already be on your radar. European nights give you an opportunity to watch him.

In our pool of midfielders, he ranks first for Passes into the Final Third, Non-PPA Progressive Passes (Progressive Passes excluding Passes into the Penalty Area) and Progressive Passing Distance. He also ranks in the 91st percentile for Key Passes and 90th percentile for Shot-Creating Actions - Stiller takes a good set-piece, a bonus but not a necessity for this profile.

There is a slight negative correlation between the number of Passes Completed and the % Passes as Non-PPA Progressive. In most cases, the more passes a player completes, the lower their share of progressive passes. Finding the balance between metronomic and penetrative passing is key to mastering the quarter-back role. You may know it as Kroos Control.

Essentially, for Stiller to be racking up 83.6 Passes Completed per 90 - in the UEFA Champions League, remember - and still log 11.5% (70th percentile) of them as Non-PPA Progressive is impressive. His output will be setting off alarms bells within the recruitment teams of Europe’s biggest clubs. Hop on the train before tickets sell out.

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For each game, I will also provide a list of every player born in 2001 or later that has appeared for each side in the UCL this season. Here’s your first set:

🇸🇰 Slovan Bratislava: Nino Marcelli, Artur Gajdoš, Idjessi Metsoko, Dávid Strelec.

🇩🇪 VfB Stuttgart: Jarzinho Malanga, Benjamin Boakye, Anrie Chase, Enzo Millot, Ameen Al-Dakhil, Leonidas Stergiou, Fabian Rieder, El Bilal Touré, Anthony Rouault, Angelo Stiller, Jamie Leweling