Cheick Doucoure 2019/20 – scout report

Mali is one of the strongest nations in Africa when it comes to football and one of the most prolific producers of talented footballers as well. One of the latest names set to make it in the top-level football is 2000-born Cheick Doucouré whos currently plying his trade at the recently-promoted Ligue 2 side Lens.

Doucouré developed as a youth player at JMG Academy Bamako where the likes of Adama Noss Traoré, Amadou Haidara, Diadie Samassékou, Yves Bissouma, and many other Mali international footballers learned their crafts early in their careers before moving on to play at a higher level. Doucouré then spent his 2016/17 season with AS Real Bamako before moving again the next season to current club Lens. Doucouré quickly cemented his place at Lens in the 2018/19 Ligue 2 campaign with him playing a total of 34 games across all competitions that season. Now hes an ever-present figure in the team and his development as a player can be seen as his presence certainly positively impacts the game for his team.

In this scout report, were going to take a closer look at Doucourés abilities and his role in Lens tactics through an in-depth tactical analysis as well as using a few statistics to match the eye test.

Style of play and role in Lens tactics

Though originally a defensive/central midfielder, Doucouré has been given the experience of playing as a centre-back this season, slotting in often as a left centre-back while occasionally being deployed on the right side of the back-three as well. However, hes still most often played as a defensive/central midfielder, mainly being played on the left side though occasionally also on the right side.

Though he plays in a deeper position as a