Cyril Ngonge is a Napoli player on loan at Torino.
Ngonge started the season convincingly and has attracted a lot of attention so far, with two assists and one goal from seven appearances.
Ngonge will likely make Napoli regret loaning him out, as Antonio Conte will certainly be short of suitable options for the right winger position should Matteo Politano get injured or suspended during the numerous upcoming games on two fronts and later on three fronts: Serie A, UEFA Champions League, and Coppa Italia.
Ngonge will add a lot to Il Toro‘s attack this term, given his talent and acquired experience in Serie A, knowing that playing for Torino will certainly allow him sufficient playing time and give him the chance to shine and make his real breakthrough if he is determined to convince bigger teams like Napoli of his quality.
Ngonge showed during his spell at Hellas Verona that he is not just a regular winger but someone with creative abilities and adaptability to positions that allow him to create the threat from any attacking position, and that’s already special.
In this Cyril Ngonge player analysis and scout report, we will stress the Belgian player’s abilities and what he can add to Torino’s attacking performances.
We will also discuss what he can improve to secure a key spot within one of the big teams in Serie A soon.
The analysis will therefore explore the player’s possible positions, mastered roles, and key skills.
Cyril Ngonge Profile, Positions & Roles
Ngonge can definitely play more than one attacking role, as he possesses the experience and abilities needed to make a positive contribution as a right or left winger, advanced playmaker, or even centrally.
Cyril Ngonge Positional Map
The following heat map and positional graphic indicate that Ngonge has played as an advanced playmaker and striker on numerous occasions, while his primary position has consistently been on the right wing.
That said, Ngonge was also used as a left winger on many occasions and did very well in that position, too, confirming that he is a player who can adapt quickly to changes of position.
That will help him a lot in his journey with Torino and later on with Napoli or another team.
Players with the potential and ability to play in more than one role without necessarily impacting their level of performance are much needed nowadays, as Marco Baroni will surely need them in emergency cases in various positions other than the right winger.
For now, Baroni has already relied on him as a striker alongside Giovanni Simeone in a 3-5-2 formation.
On other occasions, he used him as a right winger in a 3-4-3 formation, a 5-4-1 formation, a 4-1-4-1 formation, and a 4-2-3-1 formation.
This already means that Ngonge represents one of Baroni’s main weapons at Torino this season, since he has continued using him in all games so far, despite the tactical changes made in each match.
Ngonge was unable to showcase his abilities or ensure consistency and continuity in his performances, mainly because Antonio Conte did not rely on him as a key player and used him only for late second-half substitutions, which were clearly insufficient for Ngonge to convince or have an impact.
Despite this, when Ngonge had relatively sufficient playing time the previous season, he scored seven goals and made three assists in 35 appearances.
The conclusion is that Ngonge still requires more playing time to fully demonstrate his talent and convince managers of his ability to be a starter, rather than just a substitute used in emergencies or given just a few minutes in each game.
Ngonge has worked extensively on improving his shooting abilities over the past few seasons, and the results were already evident at the start of this season.
He has become very dangerous when shooting, whether from inside or outside the box, including shots from difficult angles.
The diversity of his shooting techniques and the confidence with which he executes his shots are making him a more dangerous winger than he was before.
The reliance on Ngonge as a striker at times helped him enhance his shooting accuracy and initiative, and work on becoming difficult to beat when in possession of the ball.
Ngonge’s ability to resist the opposing defence’s disturbance and play with his back to the goal makes him even more useful as a second striker.
If both players continue to work on their chemistry, it will help them establish a good connection with Simeone.
What helps Ngonge even more as a winger or striker is his ability to penetrate through defences quickly, yet with agility and intelligence, which usually allows him to succeed in such attempts.
Ngonge’s agility and dynamism, combined with his continuous development of considerable physical strength, have enabled him to make significant progress in terms of penetrations, ball protection inside the final third, and the ability to break down defences.
Furthermore, passing is an aspect that Ngonge needs to work on improving, as he has the experience and vision necessary to make more key passes per match and provide assists more regularly.
Opting for simple passes or crosses will not be enough for Ngonge if he plans to become a key player in a big Serie A team soon.
Providing dangerous passes between the lines or at the back of the defensive line is necessary to become a more complete winger and someone who can make a difference through passes rather than just through penetrations or dribbling.
The following pizza map highlights Ngonge’s strengths and weaknesses, showing that his passing numbers are not very good, especially when it comes to making dangerous passes.
At the same time, he is exceptional in terms of positioning and winning aerial duels, as well as in terms of the number of shots on goal and the dribbles per 90 minutes.
The pizza map also suggests that Ngonge’s goal contribution rates have been poor so far, and that’s an area he should continue to work on improving to increase such important rates for an attacking player.
He knows this season will allow him to gain the playing time he needed previously while being more mature and experienced as a player.
Cyril Ngonge Stats
Cyril Ngonge Goalscoring Talent
Ngonge has already started showing what he is capable of achieving with Torino.
He scored a beautiful goal against Parma, which confirms that he can be extremely dangerous in terms of goalscoring, especially if he succeeds in guaranteeing consistency and gains more confidence in his goalscoring abilities.
Cyril Ngonge Right-Footed Finishing
The picture shows Ngonge shooting with his right foot after he dribbled past two opponents thanks to his body feint.
He pretended to shoot using his left foot, but turned it into a body feint when he noticed his shot would be blocked.
Making the right decisions regarding dribbling and shooting despite limited time means that Ngonge is a player who excels in tight spaces and can create the danger needed, whether from the wings or through similar penetrations from the middle.
This also confirms that Ngonge can be very suitable for an advanced playmaker position, especially if he improves his passing skills and key passing attempts.
Cyril Ngonge Left-Wing Actions
Another very important aspect to consider when analyzing Ngonge’s profile is his ability to master more than one attacking role and be crucial in that role through scoring goals or making dangerous penetrations that confirm his ease in interpreting those positions with confidence and reliability.
His goal against Palermo, one of the instances where he was given the necessary time to play with Napoli, highlights Ngonge’s ability to shine as a left winger, despite being naturally a right winger.
Being capable of interpreting that role with ease makes him a very useful player, not just for Torino but also for his upcoming teams, given that he made this action look easy and natural.
He received the ball inside the final third and tried to cut inside, but he noticed that there was not enough space for him to continue his penetration.
So he quickly decided to dribble externally and followed his dribble with a powerful shot that went inside the net.
Furthermore, mastering curved shots from the right wing is one of Ngonge’s most powerful and reliable finishing weapons, as he scored numerous goals in his career using that technique.
Cyril Ngonge Bicycle Kick Against Udinese
However, Ngonge has also demonstrated on numerous occasions that he can be very dangerous inside the box, whether in open play or during set pieces and crosses.
He can deal well with marking and play with his back to the goal while still protecting the ball.
In fact, he scored goals that required him to receive the ball like a stationary striker with his back to the goal before turning and shooting, and he did that successfully.
Another very convincing trait that enables Ngonge to play as a second striker without issues and perform well in that role is his ability to efficiently exploit crosses.
A perfect example of his abilities in the air is his bicycle kick goal against Udinese, which was outstanding and very telling regarding Ngonge’s goalscoring potential, despite the disturbance caused by four Udinese players.
He just needs to continue improving his finishing accuracy to increase his goalscoring rate per game and become much more crucial to Torino.
Another crucial aspect that requires a lot of work from Ngonge is his key passing, given that He has not been good enough in this regard.
Conclusion
Ngonge should seize the golden opportunity he has to shine at Torino and prove to everyone, including Napoli, that he deserves more playing time and greater confidence.
After doing so, he can receive even better offers than when he returns to Napoli.
However, guaranteeing consistency in terms of goal contribution and enhancing his key passing accuracy and attempts will be crucial to determining whether Ngonge will make a concrete breakthrough.
