Joaquin Correa 2019/20 – scout report

Joaquin Correa has caught the eye in Serie A this season, the forward has taken his game to new heights at Lazio, scoring seven goals and three assists in 22 league appearances, attracting the interest of current runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Correa signed for Lazio from Sevilla in 2018 for a reported fee of £13.77 million, adding to the long line of Argentinian players to have played football at the Stadio Olimpico. Simone Inzaghi clearly sees the potential in the left-winger, who he has usually deployed in the role of a second striker. 

The Argentinian has played a total of 3,484 minutes of football in Serie A across two seasons for Lazio, adding 20 goal contributions in this period, which averages one per every 174 minutes played.

In this scout report, we explore the important role which Joaquin Correa plays in Simone Inzaghi’s system at Lazio, examining the Argentinians contributions across the defensive, middle and attacking thirds of the pitch, in his role as a second striker through a tactical analysis. 

Style of play

This season Lazio have generally favoured the tactics of a 3-5-2 formation under Inzaghi; the Italian has utilised this shape in 90% of matches in Serie A, in which Joaquin Correa has operated in the role as a second striker, supporting current Capocannoniere Ciro Immobile. 

Looking at Joaquin Correa’s heat map, the striker mainly operates from two areas of the pitch  the advanced area of the middle third and the attacking third, favouring a position on the left-hand side of the pitch, which is understandable considering his history as a winger. It is from this area of the pitch that Correa can look to utilise his explosive speed and ability on the ball to isolate opposition or make runs to create space for the likes of Immobile exploit.

The role of a second striker does not carry the burden of a goal scorer, due to acting as a link between midfield and attack. However, at Lazio the burden to score goals holds significant value for Ciro Immobile; the striker has scored 45% of all team goals in Serie A this season, therefore there is a need at Lazio to help the Italian carrying the team.