The League of Ireland Premier Division has seen some impressive young players break through and make a name for themselves recently. One such rising star is Sam Curtis, an 18-year-old right-back currently making waves at St Patrick’s Athletic.
Curtis’s performances for St Pat’s Athletic have not gone unnoticed. His agility, defensive acumen, and adept ball progression have seen him become one of the breakout stars of 2023. He recently became the PFAI Young Player of the Year for the season just gone, making him the youngest player ever to win the award.
With a promising career trajectory and impressive performances throughout the 2023 season, Curtis has become the subject of speculation, with strong indications linking him to a potential move to England with clubs in both the EFL Championship and Premier League keen admirers of the Irish youngster.
Hailing from Navan, Sam Curtis has rapidly evolved into a key player for the St. Pat’s team. The young defender spent some time in the youth set-up at Shamrock Rovers before moving to the Inchicore-based club in 2021. European clubs have also kept a keen eye on Curtis as the young full-back has also spent time training with the likes of Serie A giants Roma and Bayer Leverkusen.
Recent reports have intensified speculation regarding Curtis’s future, with strong links suggesting Sheffield United and Hull City are frontrunners in the battle for the 18-year-old’s signature. Both clubs have been keeping tabs on him for a while as they consider him an exhilarating prospect for the future and could offer him a clear path to the first team.
In this tactical analysis and scout report, we will delve into the intricacies of Sam Curtis’s game. We will analyse his impactful performances at St Pat’s Athletic and asses how he complimented their tactics so well, in addition to looking at what he could add to Sheffield United or Hull City.
Seasonal stats:
The pizza charts above allow us to assess how well Sam Curtis performed over the 2023 campaign. Pizza Chart 1 compares the St. Pat’s player to fellow right-backs in the League of Ireland Premier Division. We can see that Curtis is a pretty well-rounded player. What immediately stands out is how well he performs in ‘dribbles per 90’; this indicates that he is a player who likes to run with the ball at his feet and carry his team forward.
Furthermore, keeping our attention with Pizza Chart 1, we can also see that Curtis stands out in the number of aerial duels he engages in compared to his peers. Additionally, we can see that he ranks above the 65th percentile for all defensive metrics, indicating he is a solid defender capable of executing his tasks well.
Interestingly, the area where the right-back ranks lowest is pass accuracy. There could be many reasons for this, one being that perhaps Curtis is simply wasteful with his passing, or perhaps he attempts to play risky passes which don’t always find their intended target. This is something we will look at in this scout report.
According to the TFA league tier system, the LOI Premier Division is a Tier 7 league. Now, if we turn our focus to Pizza Chart 2, we can compare Curtis to right-backs in Tier 6, 7 and 8 leagues, allowing us to generate a good overall assessment of his game.
We can see he does well in terms of defensive duels per 90 and the number of them that he wins. This further suggests that Curtis is a competent defender, capable of engaging in duels and battling to regain possession.
Dynamic attacking play:
Ball carrying
In modern football, the role of a full-back extends beyond traditional defensive duties, demanding a multifaceted skill set that includes the ability to progress the ball up the pitch.
The data visual above gives us an idea of how Curtis fared in terms of ball progression throughout the 2023 season. We can infer that he is very adept at picking the ball up in his own half and making progressive runs forward, averaging 1.48 per 90.
The full-back’s ability to progress the ball allows for quick transitions from defence to attack. This allows his team to capitalise on moments of transition and catch their opponents off guard. Curtis can surge forward with pace and precision, which is vital when initiating counter-attacks and exploiting spaces left vacant by the opposition’s defenders.
Here, we can see Curtis carrying the ball forward in action. He receives a pass from his teammate, and his first thought is to be progressive. He confidently and swiftly carries the ball up the pitch, using his agility and close control to ensure his opponents cannot get a foot on the ball and dispossess him.
Beyond simply providing width, Curtis provides an additional attacking outlet as he is capable of taking on defenders in one-on-one situations, which adds unpredictability to the team’s play.
In this scenario, the young full-back bypasses two challenges from opponents and still retains possession. Consequently, St. Pat’s are able to hit Sligo Rovers on the counterattack in a 5v5 situation.
Moreover, we can use the data visual here to understand how Curtis performs in his dribbling compared to fellow League of Ireland full-backs. We can see that Sam Curtis averages 2.76 dribbles per 90, with a 59.6% success rating. This means he is performing above average compared to his peers.
His willingness to contribute to the buildup allows for a more balanced and varied offensive strategy, especially as Curtis possesses an excellent burst of acceleration, enabling him to get forward rapidly.
Furthermore, he is a valuable asset in breaking down stubborn defensive setups. In situations where the opposition adopts a low block, his close control and ability to navigate through tight spaces and drive into the final third becomes instrumental. He can create goal-scoring opportunities or draw defenders out of position, opening up avenues for other attacking players.
Additionally, Curtis is very adept at carrying the ball into the penalty area, as the above data visual demonstrates. In 2023, Curtis made 111 penetrating carries into the penalty area in all competitions. Firstly, this shows that he likes to play an active role in the attacking phase and can be relied upon to create goalscoring opportunities.
Secondly, this can create an overload, causing defensive imbalances. As defenders are forced to track the young full-back’s run, spaces open up for other attacking players. This scenario can lead to additional passing options, increased opportunities for combination play, and improved chances for said goal-scoring attempts.
In this instance, we can see Curtis making one of his marauding runs forward. He is a very dynamic player with an excellent explosive pace, which means once he gets going, it’s very difficult for opponents to stop him, especially if St. Pat’s are on the counter. His willingness to get forward is critical to the team’s play during the transition from defence to attack.
Progressive passing and link-up play
Curtis can deliver progressive passes from wide areas, which serves as a way to unlock opposition defences. We can see from the data visual above that he not only plays progressive passes down the right flank but also looks to play them into the penalty area.
He averages 7.72 progressive passes per 90, contributing to the team’s overall attacking versatility. By being actively engaged in wide areas, Curtis forces the opposition to spread their defensive coverage, creating additional space centrally. This spatial manipulation allows St. Pat’s to exploit gaps and means Curtis can utilise his passing ability to play the ball into the box.
Moreover, Curtis is proficient in link-up play in the wide right area, which automatically increases the range of passing options available to the team. He often acts as a conduit between the defensive and attacking thirds and can establish seamless connections with wingers, midfielders, and even strikers. This not only facilitates ball circulation but also allows for quick transitions from wide build-up to more central attacking phases.
Here, he links up with a teammate to take one opponent out of the game and then uses his speed to bypass another. This allows Curtis to get into an excellent crossing position and play a low drive into the box.
In this case, his link-up play enhances his team’s ability to stretch the play horizontally. This creates wider passing lanes, making it more challenging for opposing defenders to maintain compact defensive structures. As a result, Curtis becomes a key component in creating overloads in specific areas, leading to numerical advantages and increased offensive efficiency.
Crossing
In terms of his crossing accuracy, Curtis is slightly below average compared to his LOI peers. With an average of 2.43 crosses per 90 throughout the 2023 season, the 18-year-old performed above average in this metric. However, his crosses into the box did lack accuracy, as only 28.74% found a teammate.
Firstly, the act of putting crosses into the box provides a direct avenue for goal-scoring opportunities. Therefore, if Curtis could just improve his accuracy, it would become a potent method of supplying the ball to strikers and attacking players in prime scoring positions. Throughout 2023, St. Pat’s Athletic averaged 14.7 crosses per 90, so this is a crucial part of their game plan.
Here, we can see Curtis getting into a good crossing position and whipping a ball into the box. On this occasion, his teammate was able to confidently score a header to put St. Pat’s in front.
This is advantageous when facing a compact or well-organised defence. By utilising the width of the pitch, Curtis can stretch the opposition’s defensive structure. As we can see here, defenders are drawn out to block the cross, creating spaces in the congested penalty area. Furthermore, this means rather than relying solely on central playmaking; his teammates can utilise Curtis to initiate attacks from wide positions, offering a different angle of attack that keeps the opposition guessing and prevents predictability in offensive patterns.
Defensive actions:
Positioning
Sam Curtis provides some wonderful attacking qualities with his style of play. However, as a right-back, his primary role is to defend, which the Ireland U21 international does well.
He is very effective with his defensive positioning, which enables him to anticipate and limit opposition attacks. He demonstrates an excellent understanding of how to maintain a correct spatial relationship with the opposing players, meaning he can intercept passes quickly and efficiently, disrupting the flow of the opponent’s offensive manoeuvres.
In this instance, we can see Curtis adopts a good position within the St. Pat’s defensive structure. As Cork City swept the ball out to their player on their left wing, Curtis sprung into action and calmly made the interception.
His good defensive positioning ensures he is well-placed to make these kinds of interceptions; being in the right defensive position allows Curtis to close down space and limit the opponent’s options. This proactive positioning is crucial in preventing attackers from exploiting gaps and advancing dangerously into the defensive third.
Curtis is often well-placed to defend against his opponent in one-on-one situations. This is crucial as it directly impacts his team’s defensive stability and ability to neutralise individual attacking threats. On this occasion, he adopts an excellent position. He remains on his feet, using his body orientation to close down the angles available to the attacker, therefore preventing him from being able to play in a cross. As a result, Curtis can get a foot to the ball and ensure it goes out of play to safety.
His 1v1 defending is pivotal for maintaining a compact defensive shape. Winning individual defensive battles minimises gaps in the defensive structure, making it more challenging for opponents to exploit spaces and breach the backline.
Furthermore, in the context of the modern game, where attacking players often possess exceptional skill and agility, Curtis’ ability to defend well in one-on-one situations becomes a valuable defensive asset. Opposing wingers or attackers may attempt to isolate the full-back, aiming to exploit vulnerabilities and create goal-scoring opportunities. However, he can nullify these attempts, preventing the opposition from capitalising on individual mismatches.
If we analyse the possession-adjusted stats for the 2023 LOI season, the data viz above shows us that Curtis averaged 6.67 interceptions per 90 and 0.51 sliding tackles per 90. This indicates that he is proactive when defending, which is instrumental in winning possession back for the team.
By making vital interceptions or forcing the opponent into less advantageous positions, Curtis not only stops immediate threats but also initiates counter-attacking opportunities. This defensive contribution goes beyond preventing goals and actively contributes to the team’s ability to seamlessly transition from defence to attack.
Duels
Additionally, Sam Curtis stands out compared to his peers in terms of the number of defensive duels per 90 and his win percentage in those duels. With an average of 8.14 defensive duels per 90 and winning 65.41% of them, Curtis performs above average in both metrics as per the data visual.
This means the young full-back can engage in physical battles with opposing players, preventing them from advancing into dangerous areas. Winning challenges in ground duels is crucial for regaining possession, disrupting the flow of the opponent’s attack, and ensuring that the defensive line remains secure.
Moreover, this contributes significantly to Curtis’s proficiency in his individual defensive responsibilities. When faced with skilful attackers attempting dribbles or intricate plays, he can win these one-on-one battles, which minimises the risk of the opponent breaching the defensive line, providing a robust defensive foundation for his team.
As we saw from the pizza charts at the beginning of this analysis, Curtis also excels in aerial duels. With an average of 4.27 aerial duels per 90 and a win rate of 53.59%, the defender performed above average throughout the 2023 season.
His ability when competing and winning headers in defensive aerial duels is crucial for clearing crosses, preventing goal-scoring opportunities from set-pieces, and ensuring that the opponent cannot exploit the aerial aspect of the game. The Irish defender’s ability to dominate in these situations adds an extra layer of defensive resilience for St. Pat’s Athletic, making it challenging for the opposition to capitalise on height differentials.
Curtis helps nullify aerial threats by consistently winning headers, reducing the likelihood of conceding goals from lofted passes or crosses. This defensive prowess in the air complements the efforts of his centre-backs and contributes to an effective defensive partnership across the backline.
Sheffield United and Hull City comparison
As we mentioned previously, Sheffield United and Hull City are favourites for securing the signature of the 18-year-old right-back. So, in this section of the scout report, we will make a brief comparison between Sam Curtis and both clubs’ starting right-backs.
Jayden Bogle:
The radar chart shows us how Curtis compares to Jayden Bogle. However, it is essential to remember that this is relative to how each player performs in his respective league. The Premier League is classed as Tier 1, whilst the LOI Premier Division is Tier 7, so there is rather a significant difference between the two.
We can see that Curtis has enjoyed more influence with his on-the-ball activities, although with the Blades fighting relegation, they are not one of the most possession-heavy teams in the Premier League. We can infer that Curtis might bring his marauding forward runs should he sign for Sheffield United, which could provide Wilder’s side with another attacking outlet, which they currently lack.
Lewie Coyle & Cyrus Christie:
The following two radars show how Curtis compares to Lewie Coyle and Cyrus Christie, both of whom have played a significant number of minutes for Hull City at right-back. We can see that Curtis appears to execute more dribbles per 90 than Coyle, but it is important to remember this relative to the league they are both playing in. Therefore, Curtis may not achieve the same level of influence over games in the Championship.
Christie is much more influential in terms of his passing efficiency and accuracy. Meanwhile, Curtis and Christie are closer in profile in terms of their dribbling and opposition penalty area entries. In fact, out of the three players, Curtis is probably closer to Cyrus Christie’s profile in many ways, which could be one of the reasons why Hull City have identified him as a potential signing.
Conclusion
This tactical analysis has highlighted Sam Curtis’s individual skills and why he stood out for St Patrick’s Athletic in 2023. We have seen his attacking dynamism and how he uses this intelligently. Moreover, Curtis also demonstrates excellent defensive abilities and knowledge, which he also uses well.
Whether he opts for a move to Sheffield Hull or elsewhere, the young Irish right-back is immensely talented and will most likely go on to play at the highest level.
