Garang Kuol: Australia’s next star who has just signed for Newcastle United – scout report

Garang Kuol has just had his move to Newcastle United and the Premier League confirmed. The 18-year-old Australian has had a quick rise through his footballing journey, attracting interest from Celtic and Borussia Dortmund. He has also just recently made his international debut for the Socceroos in a friendly against New Zealand. The forward will join Newcastle once the January transfer market opens.

Having only made his A-League debut in April of this year, it has been an impressive feat to earn an international call-up and a move to England. Kuol has racked up an impressive record given his low number of minutes for the Central Coast Mariners. He has amassed 4 goals and provided 1 assist in close to 250 minutes of league football.

The vast majority of his appearances have been from the substitutes bench where he was able to come on and impact the game. His goal tally certainly shows that he knows where the net is. He also displayed an impressive cameo for the A-League All-Stars against Barcelona, where he gained some social media coverage.

This scout report will provide a tactical analysis of Garang Kuol and how he is utilised as an impactful substitute. It will also be an analysis of the tactics used which have allowed him to flourish.

Player profile??

Kuol is very much an attacking player. His minutes in the A-League have come mostly on the right-hand side of midfield. The Mariners play a 4-4-2 formation with Kuol occupying the right midfield or left midfield. He has also featured as a striker in a game against Newcastle Jets.

He is 59 tall and weighs 68kg making him quite stocky. This bodes well as he is not the tallest but is able to use his body weight to protect the ball and go shoulder to shoulder with opponents.

Below is the heatmap for the young forward. His map shows his range of positions as the right-hand side is slightly denser but overall he has coverage across the full frontline. His ability to play in multiple positions adds value as he will be able to adapt and fit into systems easier. Predominantly Kuol is right-footed but he is comfortable on either foot.

Wing-play

The modern-day winger is expected to be able to carry the ball at his feet comfortably and create chances in the wide area. This could be through dribbling 1 versus 1 or creating chances via crossing the ball.

With the ball at his feet, Kuol is very confident and quick. He looks to be as direct as possible and is not afraid of trying to beat a man with a dribble. Below is an example of how he takes on an opponent by exploiting the space behind them. For someone so young and inexperienced, he has a great understanding of spacial awareness.