Jong AZ have been one of the most entertaining teams in the Eerste Divisie so far this season due to their high goalscoring and conceding tallies. With 49 goals scored and conceded each, Jong AZ are both one of the best teams in front of goal and one of the worst when defending their own goal.
Their recent performances in the UEFA Youth League have earned them massive victories against both Barcelona and Real Madrid in the knockout stages, with these impressive performances from certain individuals being good enough to award them a straight pathway into the first XI.
In this tactical analysis, Jong AZ’s tactics will be thoroughly investigated to understand their success in attacking the goal. Furthermore, we will conduct an analysis of why they struggle to defend their goal, even with a high-pressing philosophy. A scout report of one of their key players, Mexx Meerdink, will display his role in the starting XI, and why AZ have a potential gem on their books.
AZ’s On Ball Solutions
Jong AZ have often started games in a 4-3-3 system. In their own third, they attempt to pass out from the goalie in order to attract pressure, creating space further up the pitch. The holding midfielder’s job is to find open spaces from where he can receive the ball behind the first line of pressure, and progress the ball into the front line.
We can see the backline of Jong AZ under pressure below, with the ball player holding onto the ball until the holding midfielder can move out of the opponent’s cover shadow. Once the first line of pressure is passed, the holding midfielder will usually have time on the ball due to the back line being pinned back by the front three, as any defender who steps out would leave dangerous space in behind for the attackers to run into.
In addition, the two advanced midfielders alongside the centre forward who will drop to receive the ball offer three different passing options for the holding midfielder to try and play into, with the three central players usually overloading the oppositions midfield line.
In settled play, AZ attempt to shift into the 2-3-5 shape which offers a strong rest defence and attacking structure. The full-backs invert, opening up the passing lanes into the wide players whilst also taking up more dangerous positions in the final third. The far-side winger is slightly out of the image, as he is hugging the touchline, to stretch the opposition’s defensive line. The two central defenders and three midfielders offer a strong base from which Jong AZ can retain the ball and probe the opposition until they find an open player. Whilst the shape and system have shown to be effective, AZ have often lacked patience, with their direct passes often causing them to make unforced errors, gifting opponents possession of the ball.
A benefit of having central players pushing up into the front line alongside the front three is that it creates numerical overloads, with opposition defenders having problems knowing who to mark. The image below shows AZ having a clear 4v3 overload in the forward line. While both central defenders are marking an attacker each, the opposition left back is left with two players to deal with. As a result, he gambles to press one player, which is recognised by the midfielder who plays the ball to the free player out wide, where he can attack the space that had just been vacated for him.
This 5v4 overload in the last line has allowed Jong AZ to frequently attack the box with a player who has no defender ahead of him. They have also attacked with numbers, causing massive problems for opposition defences.
Mexx Meerdink: Leading from the front
Arguably their brightest prospect, Mexx Meerdink, is a young forward who is the main man every time he steps out onto the pitch. The 19-year-old has scored six times in 10 league appearances, whilst also scoring an impressive seven goals in five UEFA Youth League matches. His playing time has been slightly limited due to injuries, but his fabulous performances of late earned him a spot in the first-team squad in both the Eredivisie and UEFA Europa Conference League, with a debut off the bench against Lazio.
Although primarily a goalscorer, Meerdink has shown great link-up play, through his strong hold-up play, deft touch and 360-degree awareness. Meerdink has often been used as a reference point, to release his team from opposition pressure by receiving pressure after building up from the back and releasing the ball into the space between the lines for his teammates.
The image below displays Meerdink passing the ball into the space between the midfield and defensive lines with a backheel. He only needed one scan over his shoulder to identify his teammate’s location, and having his back to goal allowed him to manipulate the defenders into thinking he was about to play the pass backwards, opening up the space between the lines.
Below is another example of how comfortable Meerdink is in linking his teammates into the action. He is able to evade pressure through his ability to take quick steps and change direction sharply. We can see Meerdink evading two challenges before playing a perfectly weighted ball into the space behind the defensive line. Meerdink has displayed the ability to play high-quality passes over both long and short distances, as well as having the vision to identify his options, although at times he has held onto the ball for too long.
Mexx Meerdink is also extremely sharp and innovative in front of goal. He can consistently come up with fresh ideas of how to create distance between himself and a defender, in order to get shots off on goal. One method, something which happens very rarely in football, is where he scoops the ball up for himself, to create a volley scenario from a static position where the ball is dead.
Usually, we see an attacker attempting to shift the ball to either side before getting a shot off, but flicking it up instead offers many different benefits. Firstly, having the ball in the air allows the player to get more power on his shots, in comparison to shooting from the floor. From close range like in the image below, a volleyed effort becomes incredibly difficult to react to.
Furthermore, saving a volley for a keeper also becomes harder because of the more unpredictable nature of volleys. In the same kicking motion, it is possible to either put your foot through the ball forcing it into one corner or slice across it into the other side of the goal. It also becomes possible to kick the ball into the floor to bounce in front of the keeper, or alternatively, it is possible to put more pace onto a chipped effort. Mexx has flicked the ball in the air on numerous occasions, and it could possibly become a trademark move of his.
Meerdink’s ingenuity is apparent the very second you see him on the ball. He always attempts different and practical methods of either creating chances or scoring goals, while they seem improbable due to the rarity of the number of times they have been attempted. We have seen players attempt to score goals from a long distance, which Meerdink frequently attempts, but he has also shown an excellent technique to attempt this from a wider angler, where the keeper isn’t directly in the way.
The quickest way to goal is to kick it straight at it rather than looping it, and Meerdink has displayed his excellent ability to keep the ball flat and quick in this example below, although it narrowly goes wide of the post. The young forward always looks to score goals, no matter the position he is in on the pitch.
The final, most glaring quality Meerdink possesses is his excellent ball-striking and finishing ability. With consistency, he can power shots on goal, with keepers having little time to react. Furthermore, Meerdink’s shot placement is incredible, with 15 out of 17 attempts in the UEFA Youth League being on target. Context is important to understand whether these shots force goalkeepers into easy or difficult saves, but it is clear to see that Meerdink never shoots with fear, as every shot over a certain distance is hit hard and into the corners. This example below encapsulates what Meerdink is all about: a ruthless finish powered into the roof of the net even though he had the opportunity to go closer to goal and possibly get into an easier goalscoring position.
Pressing from the front
Another way in which AZ have been able to score so freely is through their ability to create counter-attacking scenarios by winning the ball back high in the opponent’s third. When the ball is deep in the opposition’s third, AZ push up high with their players to force players into making mistakes under pressure.
The press has been particularly effective because of their compact 4-4-2 shape. This formation allows the team to be secure horizontally, preventing opponents from playing through them while also keeping close distances between the different lines to prevent teams from receiving the ball in tight central areas.
A key feature of Jong AZ’s press has been their ability to invert their wide players during the press. Allowing the far-side player to come narrow helps increase the central congestion of the pitch, making it difficult for opponents to progress the ball through the press. The only available passing option is to the far-side full-back, who by the time he receives it would already be pressured by a defender.
During the high press, while the winger inverts to press the centre-back, the full-back is left unmarked as a result. While this isn’t an issue when the ball is on the far side, there are occasions when the ball-side full-back is left open by the wide player. In these circumstances, the full-back will step up to join the press, while the other defenders shift across to cover the space left behind. The example below illustrates the man-to-man press Jong AZ utilise once they have forced play into one side of the pitch, with the successful regain of possession leading to a dangerous counterattack.
One issue that AZ have faced when attempting to press opponents high is failing to deal with players from the front line dropping deep to overload the midfield zones. The most effective pressing structures involve cutting out every passing opportunity, but when a forward drops deeper, the central defenders are hesitant to leave their positions to mark the opponents. As a result, teams can frequently play through the press by overloading the midfield areas, where it becomes easier for an opponent to turn with the ball and run directly at the defensive line.
The central defenders’ poor decision-making has been a frequent issue for Jong AZ. One other way in which this has been clear throughout the season is their inability to deal with long balls over the top of the defence, which they come up frequently against due to their high press. The central defenders often struggle in aerial duels, meaning opponents can regain possession through long balls.
In addition, the image below shows their poor decision-making, with the defenders attempting to maintain the high line even though the opposition have a free pass with no pressure. When there is so much space behind the defensive lines, defenders should be prepared to cover the space in case a ball is played. However, the stubborn defence maintains their high line, while the opponents have the ability to perfectly time their runs due to the lack of immediate pressure.
Summary
This tactical analysis has described the different ways in which Jong AZ have been able to score so many goals. From well set-up attacking structures, balanced starting squads, winning the ball back in high areas and strong individual performances, it is no surprise that Jong AZ have scored so many goals this past season.
In the run-up to the end of the season, Jong AZ have a real chance of winning the UEFA Youth League and attempting to reach the playoff in the league. Their defensive worries continue to be highlighted due to specific weaknesses, but the sheer quality in the attacking line has often been good enough to carry them to wins. Things may change, though, should more of Jong AZ’s starters continue to be promoted to the first team, leaving Jong AZ understaffed and left with a dip in quality in the starting squad.
