Regardless of what happens from this point on, Oliver Glasner will undoubtedly and deservedly go down as one of the best managers in Crystal Palace history.
The Austrian coach ensured that’d be the case when he guided Palace to their first-ever piece of major silverware last season: the FA Cup.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s rise to becoming one of the Premier League’s top strikers has been another of Glasner’s most impressive achievements as Eagles boss.
Glasner deserves immense credit not only for Mateta’s individual improvement but for constructing a cohesive attacking framework based on his strengths.
This Jean-Philippe Mateta scout report and player analysis examines Jean-Philippe Mateta’s thriving role in Oliver Glasner tactics, outlining how and why Glasner’s reign at Selhurst Park has been the making of the 28-year-old marksman.
Watch Jean-Philippe Mateta Tactical Analysis On YouTube
Jean-Philippe Mateta Style Of Play
In a nutshell, Jean-Philippe Mateta (190cm/6’3”, 84kg/185lbs) profiles as a target man.
He has a reliable first touch and thrives when receiving with his back to goal.
He is tasked with linking the midfield to attack and bringing teammates into play.
This is important to remember when evaluating Mateta’s game and evolution under Glasner.
The Austrian coach has played Mateta to his strengths and, around him, built an attack that’s arguably the best in England’s top-flight right now, with Palace boasting the highest xG in the league after eight games: 15.98.
Glasner perfectly identified Mateta’s profile and recognised how to get the best out of the Frenchman more than Roy Hodgson or Patrick Vieira, who had coached the striker at Crystal Palace before Glasner.
Great management, whether it’s in football or any other field, can at least in part be boiled down to the principles of making the best of the hand you’re dealt and always aiming to accentuate the strengths of your assets while masking the weaknesses.
Glasner has achieved this to a greater extent than other coaches Mateta has worked with at Selhurst Park.
Now, Crystal Palace are reaping the rewards.
Jean-Philippe Mateta Stats
Jean-Philippe Mateta Shooting Stats 2021-2025
With the caveat that minutes have obviously not been the same from season to season, nor have the teammates Mateta’s played with, Figure 1 goes some way to quantifying Glasner’s impact on Mateta’s game.
In 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, Mateta’s shot volume stayed roughly the same, but shot quality was not great, worsening from the first season on our table to the second.
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