The 2024 League of Ireland season kicked off on Friday night, with the Premier and First divisions getting underway.
The reigning Premier Division champions Stephen Bradley and Shamrock Rovers aim to retain their title and make it five in a row.
Meanwhile, Galway, the First Division champions, are eager to maintain their top-flight status, while Cork City will be relegated and aiming to bounce back at the first time of asking.
The winter transfer window saw numerous players moving on, including Premier Division joint-top goalscorers Jonathan Afolabi and Jack Moylan, who departed from Bohemians and St Patrick’s Athletic.
Former Celtic man Afolabi opted to sign with Belgian Pro League side K.V Kortrijk, while Moylan made the move to League One side Lincoln City.
Additionally, there have been some exciting transfers in the opposite direction, with plenty of clubs sending their players on loan to the League of Ireland to get some first-team experience.
With the new season underway, there is no better time for us to highlight the players to watch in the 2024 campaign.
This tactical analysis will focus on five players we think could greatly impact the League of Ireland Premier Division this season.
Will Patching Scouting Report At Derry City FC
This section of the scout report focuses on 25-year-old attacking midfielder Will Patching from Derry City, a former Manchester City youth player.
Patching, who primarily operates in the ‘number ten’ role within Derry’s 4-2-3-1 system, showcased his prowess last season by accumulating 11 goals and seven assists in all competitions.
He serves as the link between the defence and attack for the team.
Analysing the pizza chart above, we can assess Patching’s performance compared to his counterparts during the 2023 campaign.
It reveals that he ranks highly in terms of passes per 90 and accurate passes.
Patching proves to be reliable in possession, consistently making sound decisions in his passing choices.
Patching is one of Derry’s primary set-piece takers, and he played a part in the seven assists he contributed last season.
This does not take away from the fact that he has an eye for a pass, making him an excellent playmaking option for Ruaidhrí Higgins’ team.
Averaging 6.13 progressive passes per 90 during the 2023 season shows that Patching is able to link up play effectively.
The data visual shows us where on the pitch his progressive passes occurred.
We can see that the Derry City man likes to receive the ball in central areas and play it outside to the wingers or fullbacks.
This ties in with the fact that Ben Doherty (Derry’s left-back) led the LOI Premier Division assists charts last season with eight.
Additionally, Patching averaged 0.26 second assists per 90.
Moreover, Patching’s wonderful vision and playmaking abilities are on show in this example.
He receives the ball from a teammate, turns with it and carries it forward.
Whilst not allowing the opposition players to put him under pressure, he has his head up and is scanning the pitch, assessing where the best passing option is.
He sees McGonigle making a run in behind the Drogheda defensive line and plays a wonderful pass through to him.
Furthermore, Patching generally works for the team and looks to put his opponents under pressure when they are trying to play out from defence.
As per the data viz, he completed 53 counter-pressing recoveries last season, with 38 being in the attacking third.
The Derry midfielder averaged 5.49 recoveries per 90 in 2023, and here is a prime example of him putting opponents under pressure.
He forces the opposition defender to play a too short pass and follows the ball using a quick burst of acceleration; consequently, Patching can intercept.
The 25-year-old playmaker will likely play a pivotal role if the Candystrips are to challenge at the top of the Premier Division this season.
Max Mata Scout report At Sligo Rovers (on loan from Shrewsbury)
A familiar face returns to The Showgrounds in the form of New Zealand-born striker Max Mata.
Having already made over 50 appearances for Rovers during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns before signing for League One outfit Shrewsbury last August, Mata rejoins the club on loan until the summer.
We can see from the pizza chart just how influential Mata is in and around the penalty area.
He dominates in the aerial duels, forming a key element to the Sligo Rovers attacking play.
Mata averaged 11.87 aerial duels per 90 last season and was a constant target for crosses from either wing as Sligo sought to use his aerial abilities to their advantage.
This is something that will most likely continue this season now that Mata is back in the fold at Rovers.
Mata does not just bring an aerial threat to the Rovers attack.
Although he mostly likes to operate in and around the penalty area, he is more than capable of leading the line and making runs behind the opposition’s defensive line.
Here, he accelerates into the open space and latches on to a wonderful through pass from his teammate.
Then, Mata carries the ball into the box, confidently bypasses his opponent by cutting inside and scores a powerful shot at the near post.
Having a forward that provides a dynamic threat, such as Max Mata, is a useful weapon for Sligo to look to exploit.
The data viz shows us that four of Mata’s goals during the 2023 season came from the penalty spot.
He scored eight non-penalty goals from an xG of 7.92, indicating he is right on the money regarding his actual and expected goal contributions.
Additionally, we can see that all of Mata’s goals are from inside the area, which aligns with everything we already know about his playing style.
Max Mata does work the channels at various points throughout games, particularly the left channel and half-space.
This is particularly useful for dragging opposition defenders out of position and creating space in central areas for the midfield runners to exploit.
The 23-year-old averaged 1.99 dribbles per 90 and as we can see from this data visual, he made 36 carries into the penalty area.
Whilst this is certainly not the primary focus of Mata’s game, he is expected to provide the goals; knowing that he can progress the play forward is a useful aspect of his game and something Sligo may utilise every so often when trying to break through.
When facing compact defensive structures, Mata’s ability to drag defenders out of position and then run at them in 1v1s could provide a vital spark in the Sligo Rovers attack.
Jack Byrne Scout report at Shamrock Rovers
It was inevitable that a Shamrock Rovers player would appear in this scout report.
The reigning champions possess a squad brimming with talent, and Stephen Bradley certainly knows how to get the best out of his players with his tactics.
Jack Byrne has been a pivotal player for the club under Bradley’s management and has gone from strength to strength as a result.
Playing as an attacking midfielder in a 3-4-2-1 system has really allowed his playmaking abilities to shine through.
Looking at the pizza chart, it is clear that Byrne is not overly involved in the defensive phase of play; this could be for many reasons.
Firstly, Rovers tend to dominate possession and play on the front foot.
Therefore, Byrne does not have many defensive responsibilities due to the style of play.
Secondly, as we can see from the passing stats (which we will look at in more detail soon), his primary objective on the pitch is to act as a playmaker.
Byrne acts as the link between the defensive and attacking thirds; he utilises his passing range and abilities to carve out goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.
Thirdly, Rovers also look to utilise rapid transitions; this requires them to have players high up the pitch to latch onto long passes out of defence when they are looking to hit opponents on the counter.
Byrne is typically one of those players who will stay relatively high, looking to facilitate a counterattack when his team recover possession.
Unsurprisingly, Byrne topped the charts for progressive passes last season, averaging 13.43 per 90 with an accuracy rating of 86.06%.
We can see from the data that the 27-year-old looks to spread the play out to the wing-backs and plays plenty of passes into the opposition area, averaging 6.88 per 90 in 2023.
Here, we can see an excellent example of Byrne’s vision and passing ability.
He plays a wonderfully weighted pass to his teammate, who places the ball above the goalkeeper.
As a result of his playmaking, Byrne notched up five assists last season (although he does take set pieces, which will influence this).
However, this is significantly below his xA of 9.48.
This is perhaps due to teammates not scoring the opportunities he created for them.
However, he averaged 0.84 key passes per 90, indicating he frequently creates shooting opportunities.
This will most likely be pivotal to Shamrock Rovers this season.
Although currently on his way back from injury, when fully fit, Jack Byrne is a creative force and the spark that often drives Shamrock Rovers forward.
He will likely be a key player for them as they seek to make it five in a row.
Andrew Quinn Scout Report At Drogheda United
The next player we will look at in this scout report is now 22-year-old central defender Andrew Quinn.
After spending the 2023 season playing for Damien Duff’s Shelbourne, Quinn put pen to paper with Kevin Doherty’s side ahead of the 2024 campaign.
He is considered the replacement for Conor Keeley, who has moved on to St Pat’s Athletic.
Quinn struggled to cement his place in Duff’s lineup last season, so he will be looking for regular first-team football at Weavers Park.
When he did play, Quinn typically lined up as the right-sided centre-back of Shelbourne‘s 3-5-2 system.
With Drogs mostly using a back four, it will be interesting to see how he adapts to playing in a central defensive partnership of two rather than three.
As we can infer from the pizza chart, Quinn is a pretty solid defender.
He typically likes to stay on his feet and use his physical strength to ensure he wins the defensive duels of which he averaged 6.55 per 90 with a success rate of 75.3% during 2023.
The young defender is also very adept in aerial battles, averaging 4.53 per 90 last season with a success rating of 57.6%.
Of course, having a defence they can rely on is imperative for any team and in Quinn, Drogs have acquired just that.
Moreover, we can see from his heatmap that playing in a back three encouraged Quinn to carry the ball out of defence, as per his dribbles per 90 rating on the pizza chart.
This offers the capacity to build from the back.
By carrying the ball forward, Quinn actively participated in Shels build-up play, linking with midfielders and contributing to the development of cohesive attacking movements.
Whilst he may not be expected to do this at Drogheda, it is important to acknowledge that he has this dimension to his play, which can catch opponents off guard and contribute to a more fluid and unpredictable style of offence.
Quinn also has an eye for a pass, as seen in this instance.
If given time and space, he will use it to his advantage; on this occasion, he plays a wonderful long pass over the opposition’s defence and into the path of his teammate.
The former Irish youth international averaged 5.38 long passes per 90 last season and 3.24 passes into the final third per 90.
He is generally quite positive with his playing style, and Drogs have acquired a good ball-playing defender for the 2024 campaign.
Kian Leavy Scout Report At St Patrick’s Athletic
The fifth player we will look at in this analysis is 21-year-old midfielder Kian Leavy.
The former Reading man spent time on loan at Shelbourne last season before penning a permanent move to Richmond Park in July 2023.
During his time at St Pat’s, Leavy primarily played in a central midfield role, although he can also play as a number ten.
As per the pizza chart, Leavy thrives when he can carry the ball forward, using his quick feet and close control to ensure his opponents cannot get near him.
During the 2023 campaign, Leavy averaged 6.18 dribbles per 90 and 2.28 progressive runs per 90.
He is a very progressive player and is at the heart of St Pat’s attacking play.
He is more than happy to carry the ball into the box; as we can see, he made 43 during last season.
Leavy receives the ball and wants to run at the opposition’s defence.
His direct runs disrupt the defensive shape of the opposition.
By navigating through the opposition’s midfield and defensive lines, Leavy forces defenders to make decisions, creating confusion and potential defensive errors.
This dynamic movement destabilises the opposing team’s structure, allowing him to exploit their vulnerabilities and find openings.
Additionally, there is also the potential to draw defenders out of position.
A midfielder who confidently carries the ball into the opposition’s box attracts defensive players towards them, leaving spaces behind for teammates to exploit.
Referring back to the pizza chart, we can see that Leavy does not average that many passes per 90.
However, we can also see that his passes are reasonably accurate, and he plays a good number of progressive passes.
The data viz shows that most of Leavy’s 3.3 progressive passes per 90 in 2023 were into the opposition penalty area.
These passes had an accuracy rating of 83.27%, indicating they mostly found their target.
Based on this, Leavy could play an essential role in St.
Pat’s playmaking during the 2024 season is a confident ball carrier who likes to charge forward, which is incredibly effective in transition.
Additionally, he can pass through the thirds, facilitate ball retention, and play passes into the penalty area.
Honourable mentions
Frantz Pierrot Scout Report At Drogheda United
Frantz Pierrot enjoyed an incredible goalscoring campaign in the First Division for Athlone Town last season, netting 22 goals in total.
Pierrot is a physical striker capable of playing as the lone forward or in a front two.
He uses his physical presence to hold the ball up very well, allowing him to turn away from his opponent and shoot or bring teammates into play; coupled with an excellent burst of acceleration over short distances, he can be tough for defenders to track.
His acquisition can potentially be a shrewd piece of business by Drogheda United and is one of the reasons why people are tipping them to be the surprise package of the 2024 campaign.
Romeo Akachukwu Scout Report At Waterford FC
17-year-old midfielder Romeo Akachukwu has become something of a mainstay in the Waterford first-team since breaking through in 2022.
He primarily plays as an attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 system, although he has the pace and technical abilities to do an adequate job as a forward in a front two.
As we can see from the heatmap, he covers a lot of ground for his team and can get into pockets of space to receive the ball.
He makes late runs into the area, often unmarked, as he runs into space created by the forward dragging the defenders away.
He can use his frame to control the ball in tight spaces, allowing him to retain possession and turn away from his opponent.
With three goals to his name in 2023, Akachukwu will be keen to prove himself in the Premier Division and continue to make a name for himself as he is already linked with EFL Championship clubs, including Southampton, who appear to be front runners for his signature.
Mason Melia Scout Report At St. Patrick’s Athletic
16-year-old striker Mason Melia has already been linked with Chelsea and Manchester United, so it’s fair to say he is highly thought of within footballing circles.
His exposure to the first-team has been well measured by St Pats, and after making 12 substitute appearances in 2023, Melia will likely be given more opportunities in the new season.
He is a dynamic forward who likes to work the channels, as we can see via the touch map.
His off-the-ball movement shows he has a high level of in-game intelligence, and if given the opportunity, he will continue to thrive.
Conclusion
The 2024 campaign has the potential to be hugely competitive.
Many LOI Premier Division clubs have made excellent recruitment decisions over the off-season.
In this scout report, we have highlighted a few players we think could play important roles for their respective clubs during the season.
