Youssouf Ndayishimiye — Analysis
In the summer of 2020, Ndayishimiye came to Yeni Malatyaspor from Burundi and his adventure in Turkey ended yesterday with a rumored 16 million euros. It was a transfer that we will not see very often in Turkey. Transferring a youngster from a lower league and selling him for a good price is a very necessary policy, especially in this period when teams are struggling economically. The sale of the 24-year-old Burundian is a great
achievement in this respect.
After a successful season at Yeni Malatyaspor, the player signed for Başakşehir and showed that he is one of the best defenders in the league with his performance in the 2 seasons he played. Therefore, his transfer to Nice, one of the most important teams in the Ligue 1, is not a surprise for many football fans.
So what kind of player is he?
He was an important part of Başakşehir, whose style of play is based on possession. Although the coach Emre Belözoğlu preferred him mostly as a centre-back, he also played as DMC or MC in some matches.
Ndayishimiye’s most defining characteristic is his ability to read the game and his intuition. He prioritizes recovering the ball by blocking the opponent’s passing lanes rather than one-on-one challenges. In positions where most players will turn back from turnovers, he anticipates the channels of potential danger, marking the players who can pass in that area, ensuring that the attack ends before it starts, and slowing down the transition attack.
When he plays as a DMC, we see that when the full-back goes to press out of position and the backline is empty, he comes into his position and covers the area. This is actually related to his ability to read the game.
Ball carrying is a particularly important skill for today’s defenders. It is especially important to get the team on the attack. Ndayishimiye is a player who likes to run with the ball.
Ndayishimiye carries the ball at least 5 meters with the ball a total of 22 times per 90 minutes. This makes him second in the league. Of course, Başakşehir’s style of play has an influence here, but he is a player who can play this style and play it well. In the build-up phase, especially when he is a centre-back, we see that he is able to find space in front of him and make a run with the ball.
In the video above, the Burundian player’s dribbling from his own half, followed by a great pass, is actually one of the best sequences reflecting his style. It is certainly possible to say that he makes progressive runs, which is moving the ball more than 25% closer to the goal, more often than an average centre-back. He starts his run from the zone between the home and middle thirds and usually finishes it in the half-line.
Başakşehir is the 4th team with the most possession in the league. Therefore, it is normal for the player to stand out in terms of the number of passes per 90 minutes. When we look at the number of passes per 100 touches, we find that the number of link-up passes is much higher than the average, rather than progressive passes, which is moving the ball more than 25% closer to the goal. We also saw this in our playing style graph. However, there is a remarkable situation in terms of passing to the final third.
For a team that is sitting in the opponent’s half, the importance of a centre-back to recirculate the ball is undeniable. And that’s exactly what Ndayishimiye can do.
In the build-up phase, he tries to contribute to the team with link-up passes. However, it should be noted that he does not have the regista skills to receive the ball in front of the defense with his back to the opponent, turn and pass. He is more of a passing option and plays as a link player.
When we looked at the locations where he received passes, one thing caught our attention. This was especially the case when he played as a DMC or MC.
The Burundian player can especially use the inside right channel. It wouldn’t be fair to say that he does this very often, but in transition attacks when the opponent is leaving space in their own half, he can make runs into these areas and provide a passing option for his team.
His biggest cons are his occasional loss of concentration and diving for the ball during the match. Sometimes, when he focuses too much on the areas where he has the ball, he is too slow to react to the free runs of the players in his own area or those he is marking.
In the passage of play seen above, we can see that when he either presses high up the pitch or focuses too much on the area where the ball is, he is always late against players running behind him, leaving the zone in front of the defense unguarded.
FINAL WORD
The Ligue 1 is a league with high pressing power and physical quality. Ndayishimiye is also a player who is well-suited to this playstyle in terms of closing the passing channels and reading the game. In respect of passing, however, he is likely to face some difficulties. Başakşehir was a team that prioritized passing. Therefore, players do not have a problem finding passing options. The same is not the case for Nice.
But it’s still a great step for the player and of course a transfer success for Basaksehir.
