Deportivo La Coruña’s season was like a rollercoaster ride till this moment as they spent the bigger part of it at the relegation zone of La Liga 2. But after changing their shirts from ones with the horizontal blue lines to ones with the vertical lines, remarkably, they haven’t lost a single point. The squad managed to win seven games in a row and make a huge leap after they appointed new coach Fernando Vázquez, under whom the players blossomed, including youngster Victor Mollejo who played an important role in that comeback.
The winger on loan from Atletico Madrid searched for the right form from the start of the season and finally find it in the recent months pointing himself out for the return to Wanda Metropolitano. The 19-year-old is the embodiment of Diego Simeone’s fast-break play and could easily fit the current squad of Rojiblancos after he finishes his case-hardening at Depor. This tactical analysis scout report will show you why young Spaniard could be the solution for Atleti’s problems down the flanks.
Transition and positioning
Deportivo La Coruna’s transformation came up with the change of attitude since they’ve quickened their attacks and went to play more directly. They’ve accepted the 3-4-3 formation and they use it as the weapon of their variability with Mollejo next to one of the sidelines, preferably on the left because he is left-footed and can provide width. The thing about him is that he can easily cope with the transitive football as he is the two-way player useful both in attack and in defence, which is the first thing Simeone’s squad ask for.
When fast-countering, the youngster is on the left coming as the second-plan option and often playing unguarded enabling his side to move from one side to the other, getting him in the isolated situation.
Here we can see the most typical usage of the young player, who tends to come with the wide run-ins providing his attackers with crosses from those areas. He has good communication with his teammates and cooperates well with them, being unselfish in most of the scenarios.
Mollejo has also a good sense for space, knows how to time his runs and exploit the free room behind the defenders’ backs. Most of his actions take place out of the width due to the pace advantage he has when he is faced towards the opponent. His first step is often a lead for his team because he picks the right moment to cut in behind and leave the defender with no options.
