Sandro Tonali, "l'onnipresente" to Newcastle

Written byRaúl García Santana Sandro Tonali Newcastle Analysis   Follow @raulgarciaa15
July 26, 2023
Sandro Tonali Newcastle

Sandro Tonali is an Italian defensive midfielder who was signed by Newcastle (from AC Milan) for an amount of 64 million euros. His reading and vision of the game, mobility, and rival marking stand out.


Playing style:


Tonali radar data comparison Compare midfielders

Very high opponent marking:

Sandro is a player who marks the opponent with a lot of continuity. Here we can see that he chases the opposite pivot to make it difficult to get the ball out.

Initiation of team pressure:

By providing offensive aid by occupying a non-defensible space, he decides to put pressure on the opposing goalkeeper to cause the miss. We see that it is him who presses and generates the opposite loss.


Freedom of movement:

Not having a fixed position, he usually hangs around any part of the field to benefit the team. In this play, he opens up on the wing and then puts a cross into the area and the striker finishes off. Such mobility and freedom give him the confidence to be just another striker in the box and occupy space. Here we can see that he tries to find the gap between the defense to embed himself between them and try to finish off, assisting his teammate.

Intense ball recovery:

One of Sandro's most representative qualities is his persistence and desire to win the ball back. The rival tries to go out alone but Tonali manages to recover the ball. That intensity is reflected in divided actions or duels in which with the help of the physical and his play with the body he manages to resume the action. On this occasion, his recovery serves to score a goal.



Set pieces:

Thanks to his technique and vision of the game, he is a great set-piece shooter. He executes a perfect thread so that the defense and the goalkeeper hesitate to go to clear the ball; finally, his partner scores. Another great feature in set pieces is its quality in corner kicks. In this play, Tonali executes a well-measured center so that the striker finishes off almost at will with a great turn of the neck.



Statistics:

Relevant data:

He is the under-23 footballer who produced the most chances during the 2022/23 season in Serie A (62). His probability of assist per game is 0.22, and the number of clear chances per game is 3.11.

Heat map and graphics:

Sandro Tonali is a footballer who adapts to the team's style of play and doesn't mind going to any central area of the field to receive the ball. An all-rounder anywhere on the pitch.


Tonali heatmap

For being a very qualitative footballer, Sandro has the knack for acquiring a terrific game changer. He is one of the midfielders whose long pass is longer and more precise than the rest, with game changes of about 40 meters.


Tonali plot comparison long passes serie A midfielders Plot midfielders

Here's a comparison with other renowned midfielders:


Tonali vs Guimaraes data comparison radar Compare midfielders

Bruno Guimarães: Tonali stands out in the key passes he makes against the Brazilian.


Tonali vs Garcia data comparison radar Compare midfielders

Aleix Garcia: Tonali surpasses him in defensive actions.


Tonali vs Merino data comparison radar Compare midfielders

Mikel Merino: Tonali surpasses him in duels and driving.



How does he fit in Newcastle?:

The formation that Eddie Howe could use would be a 4-3-3 with Tonali a little more free to exploit his qualities. His role in this team is to build from below with Guimarães and then take the play to attack.


Tonali Newcastle

Conclusion:

That's it for today's tactical thread about Sandro Tonali, his game, and adaptation in Eddie Howe's plans. Thank you for reading!


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