Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:35 pm
Tuesday 19th August 2014
Cardiff City defeated bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield Town by three goals to one on Saturday to remain unbeaten in this fledgling Championship season and record their first victory since dropping out of the top flight last year.
Kenwyne Jones scored twice and Peter Whittingham once to move the Bluebirds into the play-offs after two games. Jones rightfully took most of the plaudits after the game but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is adamant that it is Mats Daehli who will be the talk of the Championship this season.
The Norwegian boss has taken the 19-year-old with him everywhere he has managed after plucking him from Manchester United’s youth academy back in 2013 to take him to Molde. When Cardiff came calling, Solskjaer immediately brought Daehli to the Cardiff City stadium with him back in January and although he found opportunities limited in the Premier League, the young play-maker has the potential to set the Championship alight this season.
Against Huddersfield, Daehli was the link between the midfield and the attack. He isn’t the quickest player but he is extremely intelligent and in order the get the best out of him it appears Cardiff will give him the free role he needs to flourish. The youngster requires freedom to roam around the pitch to link play and find pockets of space in central areas to thread balls through to the strikers.
In Cardiff’s first home game of the season, Daehli showed how talented he is when he gets on the ball. He was always looking for the ball and when he did receive possession, the Norwegian was repeatedly trying to influence play and succeeded regularly. Daehli never stuck to one position, which gave the defenders a headache in itself.
His ability to roam inside from wide areas and overload the attacking area, gave the full-backs the chance to provide width. A quick look at his pass map from the game shows how influential he was. The 19-year-old was attempted plenty of penetrative passes, linked up play with short, crisp passes and played longer balls in order to stretch Huddersfield. In total, Daehli completed 81% of his passes but his sheer positivity on the ball did hinder this tally somewhat.
A quick glance at his Heat Map further shows off his ability to influence play in several areas of the pitch. This type of player is quite rare at this level of English football. Daehli has to be regarded as one of the most technically gifted players in the division.
Daehli has phenomenal control and very quick feet which allow him to twist and turn on the ball in order to make space for himself. The attacking midfielder showed off this talent at the weekend as he bagged himself an assist as well as creating a further chance. You get the feeling that despite this outstanding display, we still haven’t see the best of this talented 19-year-old schemer.
Following the performance, Solskjaer said to Wales Online, “When you look at the Nasri’s, Silva’s and that type of player, you look at Mats and think he could end up as similar in his style.” There is a long way to go in his development but you can see where he is coming from. At Man City, Nasri and Silva play as inverted playmakers, meaning they are encouraged to cut inside to overload central areas, forcing their full-backs to provide the width.
Both City schemers have quick feet, an eye for a killer pass, are very good dribblers and are aware of the space around them at all times and despite being much younger and rawer, Daehli is Cardiff’s version of Silva and Nasri. He has the potential to run riot in the Championship as he is more technically gifted than many in the division.
Cardiff City defeated bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield Town by three goals to one on Saturday to remain unbeaten in this fledgling Championship season and record their first victory since dropping out of the top flight last year.
Kenwyne Jones scored twice and Peter Whittingham once to move the Bluebirds into the play-offs after two games. Jones rightfully took most of the plaudits after the game but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is adamant that it is Mats Daehli who will be the talk of the Championship this season.
The Norwegian boss has taken the 19-year-old with him everywhere he has managed after plucking him from Manchester United’s youth academy back in 2013 to take him to Molde. When Cardiff came calling, Solskjaer immediately brought Daehli to the Cardiff City stadium with him back in January and although he found opportunities limited in the Premier League, the young play-maker has the potential to set the Championship alight this season.
Against Huddersfield, Daehli was the link between the midfield and the attack. He isn’t the quickest player but he is extremely intelligent and in order the get the best out of him it appears Cardiff will give him the free role he needs to flourish. The youngster requires freedom to roam around the pitch to link play and find pockets of space in central areas to thread balls through to the strikers.
In Cardiff’s first home game of the season, Daehli showed how talented he is when he gets on the ball. He was always looking for the ball and when he did receive possession, the Norwegian was repeatedly trying to influence play and succeeded regularly. Daehli never stuck to one position, which gave the defenders a headache in itself.
His ability to roam inside from wide areas and overload the attacking area, gave the full-backs the chance to provide width. A quick look at his pass map from the game shows how influential he was. The 19-year-old was attempted plenty of penetrative passes, linked up play with short, crisp passes and played longer balls in order to stretch Huddersfield. In total, Daehli completed 81% of his passes but his sheer positivity on the ball did hinder this tally somewhat.
A quick glance at his Heat Map further shows off his ability to influence play in several areas of the pitch. This type of player is quite rare at this level of English football. Daehli has to be regarded as one of the most technically gifted players in the division.
Daehli has phenomenal control and very quick feet which allow him to twist and turn on the ball in order to make space for himself. The attacking midfielder showed off this talent at the weekend as he bagged himself an assist as well as creating a further chance. You get the feeling that despite this outstanding display, we still haven’t see the best of this talented 19-year-old schemer.
Following the performance, Solskjaer said to Wales Online, “When you look at the Nasri’s, Silva’s and that type of player, you look at Mats and think he could end up as similar in his style.” There is a long way to go in his development but you can see where he is coming from. At Man City, Nasri and Silva play as inverted playmakers, meaning they are encouraged to cut inside to overload central areas, forcing their full-backs to provide the width.
Both City schemers have quick feet, an eye for a killer pass, are very good dribblers and are aware of the space around them at all times and despite being much younger and rawer, Daehli is Cardiff’s version of Silva and Nasri. He has the potential to run riot in the Championship as he is more technically gifted than many in the division.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:54 pm
Great post! I would really like to see him start in the centre, as he is not utilised enough out wide. For the Coventry game, I don’t think he was on the ball once from 5 to, say, 13 minutes into the game. And just look what happened when he was moved inside at the Huddersfield match. Things started happening immediately. I don’t go along with Terry Philips too much, but his third amendment for this season, I totally agree with: Give the ball to Mats, at every opportunity!
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:00 pm
It states that he's not the 'quickest' of players? I'm sure someone said on here last week that they had been told by a member of the training staff that Daehli was our fastest player? He certainly looks pacy whenever I have watched him 
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:00 pm
Least there's some positivity about Daehli rather than Blakey being an absolute moron
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:10 pm
I think we should enjoy him while we have him.
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:31 pm
Leytonstoneblue wrote:It states that he's not the 'quickest' of players? I'm sure someone said on here last week that they had been told by a member of the training staff that Daehli was our fastest player? He certainly looks pacy whenever I have watched him
His acceleration over the first 5 - 10 yards is very impressive and is plain for folks to see.
Great OP for us nerds!
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Tue Aug 19, 2014 5:08 pm
Wow, that is a lot of research you done there. Looks very professional
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Tue Aug 19, 2014 5:33 pm
He's still looking a bit lightweight for me, so I think there will be some games where he just won't have much impact.
I agree that he's better roaming free in the middle, but I think teams would tighten their marking on him. As a result, I kinda think he should start out wide, then be pulled into the middle once the game has settled down, just to really mess with the balance of the opponent team.
I agree that he's better roaming free in the middle, but I think teams would tighten their marking on him. As a result, I kinda think he should start out wide, then be pulled into the middle once the game has settled down, just to really mess with the balance of the opponent team.
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Tue Aug 19, 2014 6:00 pm
welshie wrote:Wow, that is a lot of research you done there. Looks very professional
I'm afraid it was...
http://www.squawka.com/news/why-mats-da ... son/160382
Perhaps a link to honour the original writer was in place
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Tue Aug 19, 2014 10:06 pm
Quiet again tonight and a disappointing start to the season from him. And no he isn't quick or anywhere near our fastest player. I'm sure he'll come good though, bags of talent 
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Wed Aug 20, 2014 10:05 am
I just don't get this obsession with Daehli. he has shown very little in our 3 championship matches so far. Nothing like the player he's cracked up to be.
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Wed Aug 20, 2014 10:13 am
How long is left on his contract? I can see Daehli becoming one of our best ever players, the kid has a ridiculous amount of skill and potential 
Re: Why Cardiff’s Mats Daehli can be a Championship’s star
Wed Aug 20, 2014 11:12 am
Colourblind wrote:I just don't get this obsession with Daehli. he has shown very little in our 3 championship matches so far. Nothing like the player he's cracked up to be.
Lets send him back to the PL as he seemed to be doing quite well there
