Many will expect the Netherlands to be in the hat for the last 16, however as we know two teams must qualify from each group. Group A is poised brilliantly with the hosts kicking things off on Sunday vs Ecuador. All four teams have a right to believe they can reach the knockouts. While we may know what to expect from the Netherlands and possibly Senegal given their recent AFCON triumph, we may be less sure of what to expect from the other two.
Ecuador qualified for their fourth World Cup finals by finishing fourth in the South American qualification and despite not winning any of their last four games in qualification managed to avoid the dreaded play-off. Ecuador had the youngest team to qualify from South America, with an average age of just over 25. At just 22, Gonzalo Plata is just one of many youthful players that coach Gustavo Alfaro shows faith in.
Gonzalo Plata, 22 (Ecuador/Real Valladolid)
Plata is predominantly a right winger, who at both club level and for his national side can play in a more reserved right-midfield role too. At club level, Plata has featured in 4-3-3 and 4-1-4-1 formations, the latter coming mainly away from home. Despite being utilised on the right wing, Plata is very much a left-footed player and often likes to cut inside onto his favoured foot.
Let’s get into the numbers then. Plata has featured in 594 minutes this season in La Liga and basic stats tell you that in six starts, he’s mustered zero goals and two assists. By no means are these eye-catching statistics for a 12th placed Valladolid side, however underlying numbers suggest he’s having a solid start to the season.
When comparing data with other wingers and attacking midfielders in the top 5 leagues, UCL and UEL a few things stood out.* Despite only registering two assists this campaign, both of them coming in the same game vs Elche, Plata finds himself in the 80th percentile for shot-creating actions. Having previously mentioned his tendency to cut-in and play on his left, both his assists vs Elche came from right-footed driven cut-backs into the box.
Plata scores within the 93rd percentile for completed dribbles by completing 2.94 dribbles per 90, the average being 1.58. His ability to find space through his explosive first touch is a real danger. At just 178cm, Plata has a deceptive stride making him seem much taller than he is, his range of movements therefore cause defenders a lot of problems. This dribbling ability is almost certainly a contributing factor to his impressive shot-creating actions tally.
Finally, we must touch on another side of his game – the defensive side. Wingers are not known for getting through much defensive work, however Plata finds himself in the 88th percentile when compared with other such players across Europe. Strong in a tackle, but also awkward too which is no criticism. The work he is able to get through defensively will play a major role in two of the more winnable games Ecuador face in the group.
*All statistics taken from FBRef website
Statswise FC 