Photo by Martin Meissner/Pool via Getty Images. He has good overall speed over medium distances but doesn’t have the best mobility. In midfield, he shows himself as a very intelligent player out of possession, he’s well drilled and understands the system. Also he has a strong leap, being very strong in the air, winning 65% of his aerial duels which is the highest for Bundesliga midfielders. He has a lot of energy , and spends it by chasing after the ball to recover possession. He’s only 21 and if he can improve his explosiveness, 1v1 technique and be able to progress the ball better then he could be a good player. They’ve been ineffective in possession and unable to score goals with their striker isolated and the midfield unable to progress the ball enough, and just ending up circulating the ball without being able to move up the pitch and create any chances. He doesn’t choose to move into space and is quite static, meanwhile the defence struggle to play through the press. However, a few times his passing lacked accuracy and at times I felt this was because he rushed the pass because he was already trying to make the run forwards. He eventually finished the season with 25 total appearances in all competitions. Scouting Report: Weston McKennie September 29, 2017 There is an American teenager on the brink of a breakout season in the Bundesliga and his name is not Christian Pulisic. There was a problem submitting your report, please try again. Statistics do a poor job of accounting for context or fittedness. In recent matches, Wagner has made changes to his selection and system but Schalke’s young side haven’t been able to get results. He can drive into space but doesn’t do it often enough and doesn’t try to beat his man in attacking 1v1s, opting to go backwards instead. Weston McKennie You surely know about Christian Pulisic. His turning speed isn’t great with average agility and needs to be more explosive with better acceleration and changes of speed in order to be even more effective despite his good work rate. A lot of the passes he makes are after picking up a loose ball or winning possession, he picks up his head early and plays simple but smooth passes to the nearest teammate and his job is done. He makes 6.5 pressures and 2.2 interceptions per 90 minutes, which are both good numbers and show his work rate. Overall, he’s not the finished product and at 21 has loads of time to improve. The American midfielder has 19 caps for his country. Having a look at Schalke’s numbers, they press a good amount in higher areas but don’t have a great attack, finding it difficult to create many chances. TargetScouting.com, CA Independiente – Match Report vs. CA River Plate 19/01/20, https://twitter.com/GriffinFtbl/status/1266012386907095045/photo/2, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – Player Report – Target Scouting, FC Schalke 04 – match report vs Bayern munich 18/09/20 – Target Scouting. McKennie himself could have better positioning though when his team have the ball. With the return of the Bundesliga, Schalke’s terrible form has been a big story. He’s a defensive-minded midfield but the American is also versatile. He has amassed almost 90 competitive appearances for the Schalke 04. Last summer he signed a 5 year deal running to 2024 so looks to have his future set in Germany for a while longer at least. He’d suit teams who don’t care about possession as well but I wouldn’t want to rely on him in the final third, which plays to his strengths. (Photo by Ronald Wittek/Pool via Getty Images). My first few times watching him, I wasn’t sold on him at all but I now quite like him as a player. This comes from 90min, who claim an exclusive. He’ll look to pass and move in the attacking half which are good but don’t cause a big threat. The midfielder has 19 caps for the US National Team, where he has scored six goals, including a hattrick against Cuba. A hard-working, physical, versatile player fits the mould at Liverpool. On the ball in space, he scans a lot and has good vision and takes his time to pick the right pass, possibly slowing play though at times though. But there’s no rush. Whereas, coming from the side or behind he’s much stronger and better with his timing. The midfield is packed at the moment and McKennie wouldn’t be a first-teamer right away. When he is on the ball, his passing is smooth and simple, but could often have a bit more power to make them more crisp. Standing at 6’1″, the American international has a good frame, he’s decently built and strong in the challenge. The Bundesliga definitely suits him and his style of play, so he could be a good pick up for another side who want a pressing game. 19-year-old Weston McKennie has made a name for himself at Schalke 04 early in … Weston McKennie – Player Report Aged just 21, turning 22 in August, McKennie already has over 70 Bundesliga appearances for Schalke since moving to Germany in 2017. David Wagner hasn’t been able to turn around this form and it’s likely that his days are numbered at the Veltins Arena.
Weston James Earl McKennie (born August 28, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Juventus, on loan from Bundesliga club Schalke 04, and the United States national team. By Peter Vice. Liverpool supposedly believe that McKennie could be a solid addition – but want to scout … Some decent progress next season and Liverpool might just make a move. McKennie made his first start in 2017/2018 season in September 2017 and was later rewarded with a five-year contract. Rather than just cutting off the passing lane and forcing the opposition backwards or long, he can set a trap by giving them a passing option through the press but then moving in when the pass is made to make an interception or challenge the receiver. Report: Juventus close to purchase of Schalke's Weston McKennie. He’s good in situations where the opposition are trying to penetrate the midfield, which is a very important thing to prevent and be able to defend against, as seen below. The first match shown was against Augsburg, where he dropped between the centre halves in the buildup phase, mostly circulating the ball between the centre halves without progressing it. They’ve scored the 4th lowest goals in the Bundesliga this season with 37, whilst they have the 9th best defence. If they try and get past him with tight control he is good at stepping in, getting between the man and ball, showing his strength and then calmly playing a short pass, but if a player is running at him at speed he can try to lunge in, plant his feet and get beaten on the outside. Wagner does have them pressing well though, which you can read about here, and McKennie is an important component of that. At Schalke, playing since he was 18 under Tedesco and Wagner, he’s been used in different roles and I’d argue that despite having fairly clear strengths and weaknesses, he hasn’t developed an identity and role he specialises in. I have an idea of where I think he could end up, but I’ll get to that at the end. He’s even played wide on the right once this season, and added three goals in his 28 appearances. He’s constantly on the move, adjusting his positioning and pressing out of possession. As long as he doesn’t move anywhere else, Liverpool can afford to wait and see how he develops over the next year. Both Di Marzio and Romano said the option to buy will be €18 million. He has areas to work on but is an interesting player with good fundamentals, good off the ball ability and an intensity to his game that could be utilised really well by the right team and manager. A constant problem for Schalke has been the lack of ability to progress the ball through the midfield, which has been the reason for trying McKennie in different roles I believe. Scouting Report: Guatemala. I.e., how McKennie played and performed at Schalke, with one set of players and one particular manager in one specific league, will not be the exact same way that he plays and performs at Juventus, with new teammates and Pirlo in Serie A. McKennie does appear to have a bright future and he fits Liverpool’s profile, too. When he does carry he does it fairly well, but isn’t the most elegant on the ball but could travel with the ball more at times. Starting with his passing, this season he’s attempted 45 passes per 90 minutes. What he does very well is lurking in midfield, meaning he ‘lurks’ behind players who are the passing option out of the Schalke press. Aged just 21, turning 22 in August, McKennie already has over 70 Bundesliga appearances for Schalke since moving to Germany in 2017. In 1v1s against quick opponents, they can knock the ball past him because he can slightly overcommit and rush in at times and doesn’t have the best acceleration. But as Liverpool’s midfield continues to age, the Reds will look for youth to come in. He’s valued at £18m on TransferMarkt with 4 years on his deal, I’m not sure how much he’d cost or whether he has a release clause but while trying to find it I saw that he has been linked with Liverpool before. Photo by Simon Hofmann/Bundesliga/Bundesliga Collection via Getty Images. Watching him, he reminded me slightly of the mould of player that Henderson and Wijnaldum fit for Klopp’s Liverpool. The Schalke side has been tweaked each game since the return with changing formations, roles and lineups. However, these situations tend to be in the middle third and while the receiving player is stationary or with his back to McKennie. @GriffinFtbl | @TargetScouting_ The forum exclusively for the discussion of United States national soccer teams. If the problem persists, please try again in a few minutes. Weston McKennie left Schalke 04 to join Italian giants Juventus, and Sergino Dest completed a transfer from Ajax to Barcelona, amid significant interest from … Liverpool are intensifying their scouting of Weston McKennie, according to reports. FC Schalke 04 already secured €4.5 million in loan fees from Juventus for Weston McKennie over the Summer. Scouting Players. Currently with AS Roma in Serie A, the 19-year-old defender is the latest of several players who have graduated from the FC Dallas Academy system and joined the likes of Weston McKennie … I believe McKennie is the type of player who can be under-appreciated as his on-the-ball work can be quiet or lack quality in terms of not having a huge impact going forward. Whereas his ability and intelligence out of possession could go unnoticed. Showing his game reading and intelligence to be well positioned, pressing players from behind and positioning himself in blindspots. McKennie has been a regular in the first team squad since making his debut. McKennie isn’t exactly like either one stylistically, but I think that he could be a player that a Klopp side could be interested in. Southampton lead a five-team race for the U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder’s services, but will first have to unload Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in order to obtain McKennie, Express reports . For example, here are three examples early on against Frankfurt where the goalkeeper is playing out. Gregg Berhalter wasn’t suggesting that Weston McKennie is better than Cristiano Ronaldo. ... Weston McKennie is already putting up the kind of numbers that show a complete midfielder. Weston McKennie Is Fighting for Something Bigger. Schalke Scouting Report. Weston McKennie was born in Little Elm, Texas 28 August 1998. This sees them 10th in the table overall, and with the most draws in the league. McKennie has played with various United States youth teams, including the under-17 and under-20 national teams. McKennie is a more aggressive defender than either of the other two. Intelligence. He is physical, but lacks aggression at times and ‘bite’. Scouting Pace. McKennie is not just brawn and no brains, however: he is remarkably intelligent for a player his age. I could also imagine’s Hassenhuttl’s Southampton being interested. 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