Thread by @tomhwilliams23

🧵DANIEL CROWLEY - #Notts

Luke Williams’ latest recruit is attacking midfielder Crowley

He’s especially interesting as he’s spent much of his career in the Netherlands

Here is a thread on the new man, and what we can expect from him 👇

The Key Stats

Age: 25
Height: 5ft9
Last Club: Morecambe
Position: AM (as shown in graphic)

22/23 (League One):
Games: 21
Goals: 2
Assists: 5
1.25 Chances Created per 90
671 passes completed (87% accuracy)
8 tackles won (73% accuracy)

The first thing that catches the eye about Crowley is the speed and quickness of his movement. In particular, how quickly he’s able to manipulate the ball by shifting his feet

Here he completely takes the defender out of the game, opening the space for a perfectly weighted pass

Crowley’s strongest position is as a 10, one who is allowed to roam and pick up positions in pockets of space. He’s best centrally, but does drift left a lot

Again the speed of which he moves the ball on is pleasing. From this left channel he opens the game up with a simple pass

Crowley is an elusive player, one who likes to play in the tight spaces where his quick feet give him massive advantages

His low centre of gravity allow him to shift quickly, allowing him to evade opposition defenders. Lovely control and technique of pass is on display here

He’s a very clever player, one who thrives no matter if he is facing goal. His vision and awareness is exemplary, as is his technique

Here is a great example of that. He’s once again in a tight space, but escapes- lovely reverse pass round the corner with the outside of his boot

Despite his smaller frame, Crowley is not easily pushed off the ball. Nor is he afraid to get stuck in when needed

Here he shrugs off a tackle, before opening the game out. His vision but also ability to play perfectly weighted through balls are his biggest strength

Both his speed of thought and execution are strengths of his too. He works the ball on quickly here, passing into space to help the counter

This will suit our style. We play with a high tempo, and his quick thinking and urgency in his play will fit our side perfectly

His overall link up play is excellent. Here he exchanges a few quick passes before opening the game out, spotting the run out wide

He is a player that is always aware of what’s going on around him. His central positions allow him to influence the game with his exceptional vision

I’ve mentioned that he likes to drift to the left; he does, we will see that later in the thread

But it was the right side where Ruben favoured, and Crowley could help replace this. Clips like this encourage me; he controls his own RWB, determining when the run will be made

As mentioned, Crowley is able to play with his back to goal. Normally his movement allows him to evade attention, but sometimes clubs instruct their CBs to spring on him

This drags them out of position, and his round the corner play allows him to exploit the space left

Vision. Crowley has it in absolute spades. He feints one way, turns and sends the game in another direction. He’s dictating play

I also feel this clip highlights something else tho; he’s a very one footed player. He scarcely uses his left. LW will work on this I’m sure

As we’ve discussed, Crowley is very much a creative AM. However, he also has an eye for goal too

He has excellent technique when striking the ball. From the edges he is such a threatening player.

This goal is absurd. No keeper saves that

This is a beauty. A curler taken first time, while running onto it. It’s a wonderful goal, and just highlights what a threat he could be in these attacking areas

He will help replace some of the goals we’ve lost with Ruben. We need a player who can score from those zones