Josha Vagnoman 2019/20 – scout report

2. Bundesliga is a really good place to go to if you’re looking for incredibly talented young players with reasonable price. Though it’s only a second-tier league, the level of football being played is pretty decent and there are plenty of young talents that can be discovered.

Hamburg full-back Josha Vagnoman is one of the numerous talents that have seen a rapid increase in interest as well as market value due to his exposure and impressive performances this season in the league.

Though the versatile full-back only has a total of eight appearances this season in all competitions and had to be sidelined for several months since November due to fractured foot, he has been extremely impressive in all his games in the current campaign and shown considerable development from last season.

This tactical analysis/scout report will take a look at his attributes and his role in Dieter Hecking’s tactics at Hamburg.

Impressive physicality and athleticism

Vagnoman is a naturally athletic and powerful player. Standing 1.87 m (6’2”) tall and weighing 86 kg (190 lbs), Vagnoman has a decently developed upper and lower muscles. He has a medium build, not bulky and not lean either. It’s quite clear even from the first time watching him that his impressive physicality and athleticism are what stand out the most in his game.

His frame is quite big compared to an average full-back in Europe but he’s supported by his outstanding athleticism. His movements are not awkward and despite his size, he’s quite agile and very well coordinated, allowing him to manoeuvre and change directions with or without the ball rather easily. His good agility also allows him to make quick turns and change directions while in high speed as he doesn’t take much time to decelerate (or take an odd extra step when decelerating/changing directions) and he can adjust his body quickly and properly. His hips seem to rotate sufficiently and he doesn’t seem to struggle turning and twisting towards any directions.

Aside from his agility, Vagnoman has superior upper, core, and lower body power, displaying great strength and balance on and off the ball. He’s very hard to move off the ball and can be a rather difficult opponent to go against in both ground and aerial challenges.

Vagnoman also has a pretty decent burst of acceleration. While he can’t be described as explosive over short-range, he certainly possesses an outstanding amount of pace once he gets to his top speed. This is why Vagnoman can cover large distances very quickly although it takes a little time for him to get into stride. His excellent medium-long range speed is extremely useful as he’d use it most often in transitions, whether it be attacking or defensive transitions. This will be explained a bit later in this tactical analysis/scout report.  

Vagnoman’s excellent strength helps him win a lot of defensive duels. The 2000-born full-back is usually able to outmuscle pretty much any winger he goes against and can give big trouble for attackers with similar or bigger size. Due to this, Vagnoman often doesn’t even have to stick out a leg to steal the ball but can just body charge his opponent off the ball to win possession. 

When on the ball, it can be very difficult to win the ball from him as well. As mentioned previously, he’s quite agile and has pretty decent acceleration. He’s quick enough to turn and beat his defender after receiving the ball and he’s able to hold off defenders when dribbling  not easily shrugged off or rendered off balance. Vagnoman usually doesn’t play with his back to goal but when forced, he uses his body very well to shield and protect the ball.

Vagnoman’s impressive physicality helps him a lot in aerial duels. Statistically, the tall full-back averages 3.1 aerial challenges per game with a success rate of 53% which is pretty decent, but certainly can be improved.

His height coupled with excellent lower body power helps him reach great vertical distance when leaping, meanwhile his upper strength gives him great advantage against his opponent. Vagnoman often looks to use his physical advantage in aerial duels by participating in offensive set-pieces.