Each episode in this series will focus on a different league. From within that league,
we will suggest a handful of young, promising talents; players you may not have heard of
yet but may well be hearing from in the future. We’ll be looking not just at their strengths
and weaknesses, but also their current teams’ systems and their suitability for that system,
in order to make suggestions for their ideal future team. But bear in mind, our suggested
‘ideal teams’ are chosen based on their tactical systems and not their level or quality
of play.
Today’s league is the Serbian Super Liga.
Jočić is a technically gifted, unselfish player who has been deployed as a central
attacking midfielder or an inverted winger coming inside from the left. His technical
excellence means he excels at creating space for his teammates, collecting the ball between
the lines in a way that makes defenders leave their assigned positions, then playing a quick,
one-touch pass into the space. He works well with overlapping full backs, as when he comes
inside he can attract the full back who’s marking him, as well as drawing a centre back
towards him. Jočić’s physical ability also means his dynamism carries an edge, because
he can move quickly after passing and hold players off while playing one-twos.
Jočić’s numbers don’t leap out – we don’t have stats for the Serbian Super Liga’s
U19s – but in last year’s UEFA U17s European Championships he managed 0.42 goals per 90,
0.83 shots per 90 at 50% accuracy, 0.83 dribbles per 90, and 7 forwards passes per 90 at 47%
accuracy. Nothing in those stats would indicate just how good Jočić is and can be, and it’s
hard to rank him on the basis of them. Nonetheless, Jočić is a real talent.
Because of his intelligence and awareness, Jočić wouldn’t find it hard to adapt to
any particular style. He’s played as the 10 in a 4-2-3-1, as an inverted left winger
in a 4-4-2, and even as the more attacking central midfielder in a 4-1-4-1.
He would suit teams that play as a 4-2-3-1 or a narrow 4-3-3 where he plays on the left,
and teams that play a fluid, possessional style, based on quick interchanges of pass
and move football. Because of his movement, he’d suit a side that doesn’t play with
a false nine, as there might be a clustering of players between the lines, but Jočić
is likely smart enough to adapt.
Ideal types of team: Ajax, Tottenham Hotspur
Njegoš Petrović, who has just joined Red Star Belgrade from Rad Belgrade, is a central
midfielder who can do it all – he’s equally comfortable with both feet, physically impressive,
and has great technical ability. Last season he made almost 40 passes per 90 at 84%, 2.75
dribbles per 90 at 47% success, and three interceptions and 6.2 recoveries per 90. He
has a good ability to ride physical challenges, often coming away with the ball due to his
good close control. Petrović liked to drop back to receive the ball from Rad’s back
line, his role being more of a playmaker in Rad’s double pivot alongside a more robust
ball-winner. But he’s not a quarter-back type of player, and should be considered as
a dynamic force, pushing up and even getting into the box. At previous club Rad, these
opportunities were limited, but it’s clear that Petrović benefits from greater attacking
freedom.
Petrović is not dissimilar to Uroš Račić, the Valencia midfielder – a good passing
range, although his longer passes can drift a bit long, capable of driving his team forwards,
and always looking for the ball. For a young player, he seems to want responsibility, although
there are one or two question marks from Serbian observers about his temperament, and he would
benefit from working under a strong coach and alongside teammates who can elevate his
level.
He would best suit a team who play with three in central midfield, where he could occupy
the left hand side and push up aggressively towards the ten slot, dictate the play, and
make late runs into the box. He can also play in a midfield two, but would need a really
strong defensively minded presence. His passing range means he could play well for a direct
side, but he has the technical ability to thrive in a quick passing, possessional system
too – add to this his ability to read the opposition and make interceptions, and he’d
fit most defensive systems well.
Idea types of team: Napoli, Manchester United
While Partizan’s Strahinja Pavlović and Red Star’s Srđan Babić are both left-footed
centre-backs attracting a lot of attention, there are question marks over both: both are
physically dominant and decent to good passers, but Pavlović can be reckless and positionally
undisciplined, while Babić can be sluggish and slow, and may not have the mentality to
step up a level.
But Strahinja Bošnjak, despite playing in a very poor Voždovac team, does catch the
eye. His numbers do not look good, but it’s clear that much of this is down to how direct
Voždovac are – they played more long passes per 90 than any other Super Liga side – and
because he was sometimes played as a left-back. Nonetheless, there’s potentially a seriously
good player there, with a lovely range of long, well-weighted passes and good, low,
vertical distribution through the lines as well.
Bošnjak’s issue, and the reason that Partizan loaned him to Teleoptik and Zemun before releasing
him, is that for a centre-back, he is physically unimpressive. While he’s listed at 6ft,
that looks generous, and he can be pushed around, especially in the. However, his passing
ability and potential, as well as his positional awareness, more than make up for this for
us – it was very apparent when he was a youth at Partizan and his lack of progress
is more down to misuse than any inherent lack of talent.
Tactically, he could be used as the left-sided centre back in a back three, where his passing
and ball-carrying can be used and his physical weakness is mitigated by playing alongside
two, stronger players. However, our suggestion would be that Bošnjak be redeployed as a
defensive midfielder. His movement, positioning, and passing ability would suit this position,
while exposing his defensive flaws less. He would suit the sort of team who plays with
a deeper playmaker as part of a midfield three protected by a couple of shuttling midfield
colleagues
Idea types of team: Inter Milan, Hoffenheim
Šehović is another player predominantly used in a youth team, although he played 698
minutes last season for the first team with 5.4 progressive passes, 7.4 interceptions
adjusted for opposition possession, 8.5 defensive duels with a 64% success rate, and 2.19 dribbles
with a 65% success rate, all per 90. Physically very strong despite his age, with good balance
and stamina, he has the makings of an excellent modern full-back or wing-back.
Despite his strong defensive numbers, he can be a little rash and push on too quickly to
shut the opposition down, but his one on one defending is solid and helped by his athleticism.
His main attacking quality is probably his off the ball movement and runs. He uses his
pace to make well timed runs in behind, and overall, he is a fullback that likes to roam
high on the pitch, inviting long diagonal passes, and reacting quickly. His delivery
is not great from deeper positions, but he is really good in the final third and pulls
the ball back well.
Šehović appears to be an intelligent player who knows his role well and has the physical
attributes to dominate a flank both defensively and offensively. He needs to develop some
tactical maturity, and he’s certainly a player who would benefit from playing in a
system that suits his abilities. We think he could be an excellent left wing back playing
ahead of a back three. He would suit a direct, counter-attacking side, probably with a midfielder
who can hold position and clear the way for his over-lapping runs.
Ideal teams: Eintracht Frankfurt, Schalke 04
Only 16 – he will turn 17 in September – Stevanović is currently the brightest talent from Partizan’s
highly respected academy. He’s appeared as a substitute in their last two Europa League
qualifying games, despite his age. Playing as a left winger, or an attacking midfielder,
he’s a brilliant dribbler, technical superb, and get go past people with a burst of pace
and excellent footwork. He’s right footed, so he tends to cut inside to look for shooting
opportunities, but he can also deliver a good early cross or get to the goal-line and pull
back shorter crosses. He likes to start very wide, hugging the touch-line, and so he’d
need to work with a full back who either pushed inside to cover and bulk out the midfield,
or a more disciplined, defensively-minded full back who provides solidity.
Stevanović made his first team debut in December of last year and while he isn’t ready to
take a first team starting place yet, expect to see him increasing present as a substitute.
This suits him currently, as he can inject pace and creativity without flagging or being
physically overwhelmed by older, stronger players, but it cannot be too long before
he’s ready to be a starter in Serbia. Versatile, he could also play as a central attacking
midfielder who would drift left, swapping with a more narrow, inverted left attacker
– his passing from central areas can be impressive, and he can shoot well. Importantly,
he also looks like a player with a strong mentality, willing to try things and take
players on without his head dropping when it doesn’t come off.
He would suit the sort of team that Guardiola likes to coach, with dynamic wide players
who start very wide then push infield or towards the goal-line for pulled back, short passes.
Unusually, we feel that if Stevanović gets proper minutes this season for Partizan, he
could be ready to jump to a major club quickly – he has the potential to be a really good
player for a top European side.
Ideal teams: Manchester City, Bayern Munich