The new Power Forwards, Gvardiol’s secret weapon and Barça’s superhuman duo
Monday Night SCOUTED: And just like that, another international break begins.
This weekend did not feel quite as dramatic as those past.
Perhaps the matches picked for the classic TV spots were to blame - they served up some uninspiring, underwhelming games that had promised to be goalfests, specifically at Villa Park.
But maybe these lowkey games were a result of the memorable midweek Champions League fixtures? It was always going to be difficult to match the effort required to inflict Bayern’s first defeat of the season.
With that in mind, I have continued a theme that bubbled away during the European fixtures. Massive men scoring massive midweek goals have made it all the way to Monday Night SCOUTED.
But first…
All stats correct as of 07/10/2024 17:00 BST unless otherwise noted.
Last week, I mentioned Bukayo Saka hitting the Jackpot without registering a goal or assist. Against Southampton, although he did not repeat the 7+ take-ons completed, Saka attempted 7+ shots (again), created 7+ chances (again), assisted two goals and scored the other.
The Stathead database for these metrics only goes back to the 2017/18 season. In that timeframe, he was the only player to have 7+ shots and make 7+ key passes in multiple Premier League games. It later transpired that he was the only duplicate in the Opta database as well, which goes back to 2002/03.
Remember, there is no more Mr Nice Starboy this season. And maybe it is time to recognise Arsenal’s No.7 as the StarMAN.
To avoid this becoming a newsletter about Bukayo Saka’s exploits, we’ll leave it there. I just really wanted to follow up from last week.
Go Go Power Forwards
I know am I leaning on an NBA phrase (again), but I’ve come up with new nomenclature for the modern breed of striker we’re watching emerge. I call them the ‘Power Forward’.
I think it works as a re-imagination of the ‘Target Forward’ we’ve long used in football. I wish I had thought of this when selecting Orri Óskarsson for The Shortlist.
In my head, the phrase ‘Power Forward’ evokes all the classic physical traits associated with the traditional prefix, but allows for the inclusion and emphasis of modern traits: explosive speed and sharp off-the-ball movement, for example.
The opening lyrics from the full version of Ron Wasserman’s Go Go Power Rangers theme song sum it up best.
They've got a power and a force
That you've never seen before
On Thursday night, Samu Omorodion unleashed that unseen power and force upon Manchester United.
The night before that dominant display, Benjamin Šeško and Jhon Durán showcased another must-have attribute for this new breed: ball-striking.
I previously discussed Durán’s destruction of xG in more detail here. As I was writing this paragraph, Aston Villa confirmed Durán had signed a new contract with the club until 2030. This confirms his status as their Project Nine or, at the very least, protects his value. It’s similar to Šeško’s summer decision amidst interest from Arsenal. You can read Šeško’s journey from dunking on the basketball court to dunking on centre-backs here.
SCOUTED subscribers are used to Stephen’s articles being plastered over recent newsletters. And I’m doing it again. We cannot state how important this role is, both for elite clubs and for those looking to maintain or achieve top-flight status — see Liam Delap, Ipswich Town’s Power Forward. If you still have not read it, please do.
In that article, Stephen highlighted potential Project Nines for a variety of styles. In this week’s Monday Night SCOUTED, I wanted to share a couple of potential Power Forward projects that I have found from a quick interrogation of some basic data.
Full disclosure: this is once again a taste of a full-blown scouting project, the assembling of a preliminary shortlist, primed for further tracking and analysis.
I narrowed my search to 2003-born forwards and picked one from within Europe’s Big Five Leagues and another from without. My key Stathead metrics were: Non-Penalty Expected Goals, NPxG per Shot and Average Shot Distance. I then calculated Touches per Shot and % of Total Touches inside Attacking Penalty Area as a way to drill down into those single-minded strikers. I will refer to the final stat as Penalty Box Proximity for now, but I am still working on a name. I also imposed a height restriction: you must be at least 185 cm to ride.
A limitation of this impulsive search was that Stathead does not have advanced data for the Austrian Bundesliga and the Danish Superliga, two famous exporters of centre-forward prospects.
Explanations and excuses out of the way, here are the picks.
Strasbourg have been on my Monday Night SCOUTED watchlist for a while. Yes, the morals, politics, pros and cons of their BlueCo ownership can be discussed at length — as Llew mentioned in his early season SCOUT NOTES, the club’s ultras are not on board.
But on the pitch, they must be pleased. Strasbourg sit 7th in Ligue 1 after seven games, losing just once. 15 players born in 2001 or later have played at least 90 minutes, a leading figure across Europe’s Big Five Leagues. One of them is an archetypal Power Forward.
2003-born Emanuel Emegha is 195 cm tall and was signed at the start of last season from Sturm Graz.
Say the line, Jake…
Regardless of age, the Dutchman leads Ligue 1 for Non-Penalty Expected Goals (3.9) and ranks 7th for this metric across Europe’s Big Five Leagues. This averages out to 0.23 NPxG per shot, which is more than Samu (0.21), while his average shot distance is 13.6 yards - Samu is averaging a tasty 11.6 yards.
Let’s just say that if Chelsea fail in any future attempts to sign Samu or Durán, it seems as if they are developing a third option via Strasbourg.
From outside of the Big Five Leagues, I stumbled across a 192 cm, 2004-born striker in the 2. Bundesliga.
Damion Downs made 10 appearances off the bench as 1. FC Köln were relegated from Germany’s top-flight last season. In 2024/25, he is leading the line and the club’s scoring charts in the second tier. His NPxG per shot (0.18) is not quite as high as Emegha’s, but he is rattling off 3.7 attempts per 90 at an average distance is 13.8 yards.
But the most eye-catching metrics were 5.84 Touches per Shot and 25.5% Penalty Box Proximity - Emegha’s is just 16% while Samu’s is 21.5%. The combination of this output with Down’s physical profile is extremely exciting. In all honesty, the fact he is averaging 1.3 offsides per 90 also piqued my interest. Why? Because it could be an indicator that he is constantly challenging the backline with runs in behind.
This is an example of a metric I would highlight with the aim of discovering why it is happening. If the theory is correct, that willingness to run in behind is a valuable asset, and the timing of those runs can be improved with coaching. If not, and it is due to poor positioning in non-transitional moments, he would move further down the list.
Downs is eligible to represent both Germany and the United States at international level. I’ll be interested to see whether either country makes an early move in order to secure a potential Power Forward. After all, it’s not just clubs that have to plan for the future.
If you want to learn more about another “giraffe-sized” Power Forward, listen to the SCOUTED Podcast. Joe’s Interesting Transfer fits our brief in terms of style, but was born in 2002.
As we explore this role further, perhaps we’ll find that not all Power Forwards have to be super tall. I used a minimum height to refine my search, but Llew highlighted a stockier variant in his latest SCOUT NOTES.
Also, SCOUTED50 is coming soon. Spoiler alert: it includes another Power Forward prospect I have purposefully not mentioned. Support us and subscribe now so you don’t miss out.
Double ‘07
Heading into the international break, Barcelona have a three-point lead over Real Madrid, thanks in no small part to their generational 2007-born duo.
As mentioned earlier, Strasbourg has given at least 90 minutes to the most 01+ outfield players in Europe’s Big Five Leagues this season. Barcelona rank second with 12, including Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí.
To provide context for my upcoming attempt to stun you with long lists, you should know that 458 outfield players born in 2001 or later have played at least 90 minutes in Europe’s Big Five Leagues so far in 2024/25. Within this group of 458 players, Barça’s teenage sensations rank first for the following metrics:
Lamine Yamal: Expected Assisted Goals, Passes into the Penalty Area, Progressive Passes Received, Carrying Distance, Progressive Carries, Take-Ons Attempted, Take-Ons Completed
Pau Cubarsí: Touches, Passes Completed, Progressive Passing Distance, Long Passes Completed, Progressive Carrying Distance (Yamal is second)
That’s 12 metrics led by two 17-year-olds.
Bear in mind that within this criteria, Yamal is competing against Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Florian Wirtz and Nico Williams. While Cubarsí is matching up against William Saliba, Levi Colwill, Joško Gvardiol and Micky van de Ven among others.
Yes, Yamal and Cubarsí have played more minutes than most, but that in itself is impressive for any 17-year-old. This level of performance, the consistency of it and the volume of output is not normal for a teenager, let alone two within the same team. It is superhuman.
Both players will feature for Spain’s senior side in the upcoming international break. They are at least four years younger than any other player in the squad.
You already knew it, but all the signs and stats point towards Spain and Barcelona producing and developing two generational talents within the same year group. Do not take it for granted.
SCOUTED Stats
You’ve had a glimpse of the overall stat leaders through the dominance of the Barcelona duo. So, as there were matches this weekend, it’s worth one more week of single-game leaders.

As I alluded to in the intro, it felt like this weekend lacked a spark. That is reflected in the fact that only a couple of records were broken, and finding an October entry in a top 10 was rare.
However…
Joško Gvardiol completed 19 Progressive Passes against Fulham, a new record. He also embarked on 84 Carries, the third-best tally. Although Fulham should have won the game, I wanted to lean on this feat to highlight my favourite Gvardiol quirk.
João Cancelo was incredible as an inverted left-back, cutting inside into his right to play-make. But he very rarely held the width and was unreliable in defence. That’s why Rico Lewis displaced him. He was comfortable in possession and more solid in all phases. But he could still be dominated physically. Nathan Aké stepped in as the ultimate shutdown full-back: a monster in the air and almost unbeatable on the ground. But his play in the final third was limited and he struggled to maintain full fitness. Over to you, Gvardiol.
Although he found it tough at the start of his Premier League career, the Croatian has mastered his role in 2024. The clutch goals have been important, but there is a hidden trait I’ve noticed within them that highlights his biggest strength.
He’s completely two-footed. Not just because he’s scoring with his weaker right foot. Watch how often he receives the ball with his right and even takes his first few touches with it. This opens up new angles and allows him to combine the best bits of all three aforementioned left-backs.
Gvardiol is built like a centre-back but moves like a full-back, this strength and speed provides the physical foundation. Technically, his natural left-footedness allows him to keep the width or punch progressive passes through the lines from a slightly narrower position. While the comfort with his right means he can carry the ball infield, into dangerous areas and towards the box.
He is a complete player, as this new passing record against Fulham showed - and don’t forget about that clutch block. Next time you watch him play, focus on his feet.
Florian Wirtz racked up an incredible 89 Touches in the Attacking Third during Bayern 04 Leverkusen’s 2-2 draw with Holstein Kiel, beating the previous record of 71, set by Wirtz himself. In fact, the German is now responsible for each of the top four entries for this metric.
As for inside the box, Noni Madueke now holds the record. He notched 16 Touches in the Attacking Penalty Area against Nottingham Forest, Carrying into the Penalty Area five times as well. He cracked off seven shots, scoring for the first time since his hat-trick against Wolves.
Four of his seven shots against Forest were assisted by Cole Palmer; it will be interesting to see if Palmer strikes up a similar relationship with Bukayo Saka for England.
Finally, Yáser Asprilla set the record for Passes into the Penalty Area with eight against Athletic Club.
The 2-1 win is likely to be remembered for Paulo Gazzaniga’s penalty heroics, but the Colombian’s role should not be understated. Alongside the new record, Asprilla scored his first LaLiga goal and led all players on the pitch for Touches in the Penalty Area and Carries into the Penalty Area.
Next week’s Monday Night SCOUTED will be a full review of the overall stat leaders from Europe’s Big Five Leagues, which should be fun. I enjoyed writing about international football, but it was harder to find data and discover stories.
Fortunately, Llew’s SCOUT NOTES is back. That will cover the all the niche international break insight you could ever need.
Enjoy the break,
Jake.
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Really enjoying these columns, great stuff Jake!