Andreas Christensen 2021/22: Barcelona and one the most under-valued defenders in football – scout report

Andreas Christensen perhaps did not initially receive the same vociferous praise usually credited to Chelsea’s proud and illustrious list of Cobham graduates, struggling to assert himself in previous Chelsea sides and seeing the likes of Kurt Zouma start ahead of him. But the Denmark international has now firmly established himself as a key player for Thomas Tuchel’s outfit, encapsulated by his unflappable Champions League final performance last summer after replacing the injured Thiago Silva in the first half.

The notion of Christensen, still relatively young at 25, replacing Silva in May’s final could have been symbolic of a changing of the guard in Chelsea’s defence. However, whether it be due to off-field issues or otherwise, the Dane finds himself on the brink of an imminent free transfer to Xavi’s revitalised Barcelona side. Christensen’s ball-playing and progressive skills make him a seemingly perfect fit for the Catalans, who likewise advocate possessional autonomy for their centre-backs.

This scout report and tactical analysis will examine Christensen’s abilities and assess why Barcelona may be picking up one of the most undervalued defenders in world football.

Position

Christensen primarily operates as a centre-back but offers positional fluidity and has fulfilled a more conventional right-back role when called upon this season. Chelsea are arguably at their most defensively robust when Christensen assumes the RCB role in a back three, with Thiago Silva and Antonio Rüdiger completing a formidable defensive trio.

Being able to play in these slightly wider positions requires a clear, tight connection with teammates and an element of press resistance. Not being composed in possession when forced deep and wide subsequently puts the team in an awkward situation where they are unable to effectively build-up play from the back. From a tactical perspective, being able to efficiently recycle possession in wide and deep areas draws the opposition block vertically and horizontally, separating connections in defensive lines which could potentially be exposed. It thus constitutes an important part of the field in modern-day games.

Data and analysis – defensive contribution

The use of data in the recruitment process is always developing and now assumes a crucial role in the definition of player strengths and weaknesses. This analysis will primarily use Christensen’s defensive and possession-based metrics to quantify how much of an asset he is to this current Chelsea side. As Christensen predominantly operates as a centre-back, it is of the essence to begin with his defensive statistics.