Thread by @nufcsanjay

THREAD🧵: Sven Botman - Newcastle United's Sensational New Centre-Back

The Dutchman is set to finally sign for the Magpies after a long and drawn-out transfer saga. Why was Eddie Howe so keen on Botman, and how will he impact #NUFC? 🇳🇱🦇

An Ajax academy graduate, 22 year-old Sven Botman has been one of the most impressive defenders in France over the last two years. The Dutchman played a huge role in Lille’s title win in 2021, and although 'Les Dogues' slumped in 21/22, Botman’s brilliant levels did not waver.

Under both Galtier and Gourvennec, Lille have mostly operated in a 4-4-2 mid-block, with Botman filling the role of the left-sided centre back. He’s started more-or-less every game which he’s been available for, and has been a consistent presence in Lille’s back line.

First and foremost, Sven Botman is a brilliant out-and-out defender. He has excellent defensive fundamentals - he weighs strikers off the ball in duels, intercepts well, and tackles well. His biggest - and in my opinion - most valuable strength, is his ability to read the game.

Botman is very much a back-footed defender, who uses his intelligence to mop up behind the defensive line. His tendency to constantly scan to assess danger, his strong body position, and his decisiveness, has made him one of the most formidable covering defenders in Europe.

His ability to follow runners when gaps open up and anticipate their actions, is one of the big reasons why he’s one of few young left-sided centre-backs who are very capable of playing in a back four.

Even when he’s exposed, his ability to read the game can bail him out.

Our ability to defend with discipline at the end of last season was a huge part of our turnaround. When we dropped into a low-block, or faced spells of pressure, we often withstood it.

Adding a player with the 18-yard box defensive quality of Botman will only improve that.

Standing at 6”4, Botman is unsurprisingly a force in the air. With 74.8% of aerial duels won last season, Botman was in the 94th percentile of centre-backs in Europe’s Top 5 Leagues. This aerial power is also felt offensively, with Botman regularly being a threat from set-pieces.

The main weakness of the Dutchman is probably his pace. He’s definitely not as slow as some think - when he gets up to full speed, he usually copes very well.

The issue is primarily with his agility, his pace on the turn, and his acceleration.

When he gets isolated out wide, he sometimes struggles. Wingers that have quick changes of pace can often deceive him, and beat him on the outside.

It happened a few times at Lille, and it’s the only real time where the usually-composed Botman starts to look a little flustered.

Although it’s a weakness which has been highlighted in the past, it’s not something I’d worry about too much. We don’t play a high enough line yet for him to be badly exposed, and the sweeping ability of Nick Pope will help deal with space behind the back line.

Botman's main combatant when in a footrace is his slide-tackling. These lunges to cut out attacks on the touchline, or even in the area, have become a trademark of his.

There’s always a risk when going to ground as often as he does, but he tends to time these tackles very well.

Modern CBs are required to be comfortable on the ball, and Botman, characteristically as an Ajax academy graduate, is no different.

He played a key part in Lille’s build-up phase, often striding out of defence, before spraying it out wide, or to a receiver between the lines.

His eye for these line-breaking passes is a huge asset, and I’d imagine we’ll see him regularly threading the ball into Joelinton in the left half-space. He’s astute at timing his passes too, by inviting pressure, and then moving the ball into the space he’s helped to vacate.

His tactical intelligence means that he knows when to step into midfield to provide numerical superiority, and when to drop off. Similarly, he’s capable of single-handedly quickening the pace of a phase of possession, and he’s willing to take responsibility of this.

He regularly looks to curl the ball into the left channel, over the opposing fullback, for his winger to run onto to get in behind.

This type of pass is something Dummett said Howe is keen to work on in training, with Schar often attempting similar passes in the right channel.

His switches of play are also a regular occurrence (2.23 per 90, 82nd percentile), and he hits them with such unerring accuracy. Having a player like Botman who can quickly shift the ball from left to right into space will be a useful asset to have in possession.

Botman will walk straight into our starting XI, where he’ll likely be partnered by Schar on the right, should no other CBs be brought to the club. Burn probably deserves to keep his place, but I’d imagine Schar is more likely to play alongside Botman. #NUFC

He's young, good on the ball, solid defensively, left-footed, and comfortable in a back four. Botman has an incredibly desirable (and rare) skillset, so the fact that we’re only paying ~£32m makes the deal even sweeter. It’s a tactically and financially astute transfer. #NUFC

Sven Botman is already a CL quality CB, and at 22 y.o, he’s still got plenty of time to improve. He’ll immediately be one of the better CBs in the PL, and if he fulfils his potential, Botman is a player who could easily become one of the finest defenders in the history of #NUFC.