Benedikt Howedes: Scout Report

Bendikt Howedes is a German footballer. At club level, he plays for the renowned German team, Schalke 04, where he is club captain. He stands at 187cm tall, and is currently 24 years old. He debuted in 2007 as a 19 year old for Schalke. His first appearance for the national team was in May 2011, against Uruguay.

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Positions

He generally enjoys playing on the wide right, and his most natural position is at right full back, or wingback. However, he can also cover for the center back, and play as one if need be.

Match Performance

Howedes came on for the injured Mats Hummels midway through the first half. In a fast paced game, he provided an energetic performance for his team, and capped it with a goal late into the game.

When he came on, Jerome Boateng was moved to center back, allowing Howedes to play in his favoured right back position. From here, he made lots of runs into the opposition half throughout the game, and kept his opposite number, Faustino Rojo, generally quiet. Showed ample signs of his boundless energy and ended with a goal. A characteristic feature of his runs forward was his willingness to use the inside channel that strikers so often use, thus allowing the attacking midfielder to drift wide, and making himself hard to mark. His tackling and challenges were robust and he was always keen to close down the opposition players. His goal came late into the match, and was no more than a consolation for the team. Regardless, it was an impressive diving header, after being set-up by Toni Kroos and Mario Gotze.

All in all, it was a solid performance from the Schalke skipper, and should hold him in good stead with the coach, Joachim Low.

Strengths

Energy: Howedes showed a lot of energy, and was always a willing runner down the right hand side. He constantly made runs into the opposition area, and got into both, scoring, and crossing positions on a number of occasions. Always willing to close down, defensively he was energetic as well, and didn’t show any signs of slowing down deep into the match.

Power: Howedes proved to be a powerful player, both as a strong runner, and in the robustness of his challenge. He never seemed shy to get stuck in, and always looked eager to tackle.

Technique: In a very fast paced game, which was characterized by excellent short passing from both sides, every player’s technique on the ball was tested, and Howedes passed this test with flying colours. He showed composure on the ball, a good touch, and played a number of accurate passes to his teammates. He proved to be a decent crosser and header of the ball as well.

Leadership Qualities: He’s already club captain at the age of 24, and last night he was very keen to impress his national coach, Joachim Low with his performance and it showed. He played the entire game with a lot of passion, and determination, and demonstrated the commitment and never say die attitude that Germans are famous for.

Weaknesses

Positioning: Many a time it seemed as if Howedes was getting carried away with his attacking freedom, and was ignoring his defensive duties. His poor positioning meant that Argentina enjoyed a lot of space and time down their left hand side. His eagerness to get stuck in and close down often left his teammates vulnerable to attacks down his side, in fact, the cross for Argentina’s second goal came from the left. However, he is still young and learning at this level, and will greatly benefit from the experience he gains from such games.

Discipline: Howedes put in an intense performance, but his competitive streak led to him bending a few rules every now and then.

Transfer situation

Chelsea, AC Milan: He’s an energetic right back, and both the aforementioned teams are in the market for exactly such a player. However, his availability raises issues, and his willingness to leave is not known either. There isn’t much speculation linking to him to a move away, and so it may be safe to assume that he will stay at Schalke 04 for at least one more season.

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