ARTICLES: On Henry Onyekuru
Posted: Wed May 24, 2017 12:12 pm
Henry Onyekuru: A Detailed Analysis Of His Playing Style
http://scoutafriq.com/henry-onyekuru-analysis/
Anthony Musker
Henry Onyekuru is the Nigerian sensation, who has been causing havoc in Belgium this season and is unsurprisingly being linked with a move to many high-profile clubs this summer.
He is a direct and pacey forward who can play anywhere across a front three, or in an alternative system, as a winger. He has featured heavily from the left flank, coming inside and using his dangerous right foot.
Onyekuru was born on the 5th of June 1997, in Onitsha, Nigeria. He is 5ft 9, and his gradual, early progress saw him move on from the Aspire Academy to Belgium, where he has continued to develop into one of the most exciting prospects from Nigeria in recent times.
The KAS Eupen superstar has erupted onto the European scene. Let us guide you through the talents of the 19-year-old in a bit more detail –
The first time I watched Henry, I thought to myself “This is a natural born finisher.”
Onyekuru took little time to adapt to European football and during his first season with Eupen (15/16) began to make an impact from the substitute’s bench, securing his place in the starting eleven as the New Year arrived. Featuring 19 times that season in the Belgian second tier, he produced 6 goals in just 859 minutes on the field.
Due to structural re-arrangements from the Belgian Football Association and license issues for the division winners’ White Star Bruxelles, KAS Eupen, who finished second in the division, were promoted. This provided Onyekuru with a new challenge amongst stronger opposition to test his early, but raw promise.
Henry found no difficulty at all in adapting his game for the higher standard and he has been a revelation for Eupen, who fought capably for Europa League qualification, but ultimately just fell short. However, Onyekuru was a driving force for the team across all fronts with a sensational goal-scoring output.
In the regular Jupiler League season, he scored 12 non-penalty goals before adding a further 11 (9 non-penalty) in the Europa playoff season matches. Adding to this, two goals from the three Beker van Belgie (Belgian Cup) fixtures he was involved in.
Therefore achieving a phenomenal 25 goal total for the campaign, one conversion every 152 minutes. Producing an ultimate output of 0.59 goals per 90 (minutes). For a harsh but insightful reference, Monaco wonder kid Kylian Mbappé’s goals per 90 – 0.95, so a bit of a way to go yet. But that is not fair and he is not normal. Even still, these are fantastic numbers for a 19-year-old in any professional environment, outperforming his expected goals (xG) per 90 of 0.29. This highlights the quality of his ability to finish chances which are of difficulty (unexpected value) and also to do this consistently.
But what is it which allows Henry Onyekuru to be so effective in front of goal….
Behind the numbers, we can see there are many goals which display unbelievable promise and potential that Henry possesses the requirements to adapt and achieve realistic sustainability in an alternative, more intense European League. This is due to the wide variety of tools which he has utilised in accumulating these 25 goals.
Many of his goals have been far more complex than being in the right place to finish off a well-developed move. He has proved to score goals of different varieties all based on a foundation of his direct movement, pace and elusive dribbling. But he combines this with a composure in tight spaces, a coolness to slow the game down when everyone else is panicking.
He showcases a wide range of shooting techniques including off-balanced toe-pokes, powerful and explosive strikes, well-composed/finessed finishes and ridiculous solo efforts. This is a portfolio of real versatility and excitement.
His goal breakdown is heavily weighted to his stronger right foot, with that contributing to 20 of his goals (80%), three from his left-foot and two headers. His two penalties (right foot) were dispatched without hesitation like a true goal-scorer. All but one of his goals have been scored from inside of the penalty area.
His goal-scoring appears extremely natural, and he is capable of adapting his body position to the needed situation in order to get the best chance of converting along with appropriate shot selection. It is instinctive and ruthless.
He is constantly finding space in between centre-backs and exposing high-lines or on the counter attack. Henry is ridiculously relaxed and comfortable one-on-one with the goalkeeper, he shifts the fear and has no problem in going around the keeper.
There are many stand-out goals from Henry Onyekuru this season which will be remembered:
Firstly against Club Brugge in the Cup, receiving the ball outside of the box with his back to goal yet wriggling through four players and poking the ball beyond the goalkeeper –
Another memorable solo effort was the driving run from inside his own half against Royal Excel Mouscron, beating another four men, to somehow squeeze away a finish in off the post –
But maybe on a lower key level to those eye-catching moments are some of the other goals which outline his purity as a finisher. The chipped finish in the Juplier fixture with Lokeren – Onyekuru holds his line to stay onside before embarrassing the keeper with a subtle lobbed shot –
He executes a lot of aesthetically pleasing goals, such as against Oostende, where he controlled the ball with his right foot, marked tightly by the defender in the box, then dropped a shoulder to turn and unleash an emphatic left-footed strike.
It is addictive to watch his style as he operates at full speed but unlike many with that skill set, he appears to be consistently capable of providing an end product. And this can also be accounted for in his creative production.
Henry Onyekuru registered nine assists for the 16/17 season and looking at the more detailed breakdown of his creation, he was able to provide 1.35 key passes per 90 minutes on the pitch at an expected assists rate of 0.15 per 90. Meaning that the productivity of Onyekuru’s key passes should result in an assist every six-and-a-half games. With an impressive total per 90 of 0.39 through passes (just under one every two games), it identifies his direct and progressive yet intricate intentions. For context, that is a higher through ball output than Cesc Fàbregas’ per 90.
This is a respectable contribution especially when considering combined with his scoring potential, he is an obvious and legitimate goal threat offering an invaluable dual scoring contribution of 0.80 per 90, across his 41 matches. It is quality production for a player who has so much time to develop and learn.
And Onyekuru’s technical dribbling ability provides the catalyst for so much of his capability to find space for crosses and shots, operating at above 3 dribbles over the course of a match and with a pass completion of 75%, his ball retention appears to be solid at this level.
Looking at Onyekuru’s heatmap, it is evident that he was deployed from the left this season but enjoyed drifting centrally, as before-mentioned, to occupy the gaps left by defenders and take up strong scoring locations – with an xG of 0.13 per shot taken, he is logical in his shot choices and rarely takes long-range ‘chancers’. In keeping with this shooting pattern, Henry Onyekuru only needs just under eight shots to find the net.
onyekuru heatmap
Overall he is a refreshing player with energy and directness, a genuine love of being on the ball, making things happen and ultimately scoring goals. Almost like a Jermain Defoe, Asamoah Gyan or Nicolas Anelka, not always stylistically, but in a way in which you look at them and say, yes, you were born to score goals, regardless of all else.
It is completely fair to argue that the defending may not be of the toughest quality in Belgium, but one thing which is certain, if Onyekuru is warranted space, be that on a counter attack or defenders backing off, he can punish teams instantly and will not hesitate to attack with his change of pace and composed head when it counts.
His reactions, balance and unorthodox style should see him cope in the not too distant future with whichever League’s defensive obstacles he is faced.
It will be interesting to see if he does move centrally as his career progresses as he could be likened in style to Samuel Eto’o. Technical, fast and devastatingly clinical. But with his impact running in from wide and using his direct dribbling nature he may feature on the wing to keep learning his trade for a few years yet. Much like a similar Henry did – Thierry.
And Arsenal are actually one of the teams who have been rumoured to be interested in Onyekuru’s services this summer transfer window. He would be an exciting project for any Premier League club.
But the pathways of Michy Batshuayi (Standard Liège, Olympique de Marseille, Chelsea) and Ousmane Dembélé (Stade Rennais F.C., Borussia Dortmund) are good guidelines to follow. Sensible, stepping-stone moves. Competitive enough with adequate exposure.
Ideally, for Henry Onyekuru would be a move to a club bridging the Europa to Champions League gap, in a mainstream European division, who promote and believe in talented youngsters (RB Leipzig, Ajax, Olympique Lyonnais, Borussia Dortmund etc). In this environment, he could quickly attract further attention and blow up if used correctly in an effective system where he can improve his skills around similarly gifted players and has the freedom to attack.
Statistical data: via Global Soccer Network –
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