The Ones to Watch series is back again.
We’ve already covered Curtis Jones, Charlie McNeil, Dusan Vlahovic and Harvey Elliott.
Today, we’re going to be looking at Reading playmaker, Michael Olise.
Marginal Pains’ Ones to Watch series is brought to you in association with FIVEYARDS.
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Heading into the 2020/21 campaign, few could’ve envisaged Olise having the impact he’s had. The France under-21 international racked up 19 appearances for the Royals last season, playing a little over 1,200 minutes in England’s second tier.
He failed to score a goal or register an assist. Olise had an expected assist (xA) per 90 average of 0.04. He wasn’t unlucky, he just wasn’t creating chances for team-mates. In fact, his expected goals (xG) average was double his xA.
The former Chelsea and Manchester City youngster was dribbling (5.4) while he was attempting 35 passes per 90. Granted, he was just 18 at the time, nothing suggested he’d explode into such an output player.
Reading hired Veljko Paunović and this changed everything for Olise. The Croatian tactician shifted his No.7 onto the right flank.
Last season, he spent the majority of his time on the left and this was prohibitive. He isn’t an old fashioned winger and playing a left-footer on the left can limit their impact.
The change in position immediately had an impact on Olise. With the freedom to cut inside onto his stronger foot, he was able to pull the strings. He was no longer marooned out wide and his on-ball ability really came to the fore.
What he did to Milwall (above) isn’t something he was in a position to even attempt last year. The youngster picked the ball up in a deep area and outpaced an opponent on the outside before slaloming his way onto his stronger foot. He then weighted his pass to perfection but was robbed of an assist.
Olise has a unique profile. He’s a wide forward by definition, but he’s more of a playmaker than he is a goalscorer. Few teams in the modern game operate with such a player within their attack.
Watching the fleet-footed Frenchman dance past opponents, though, you can’t help but feel there’s a space for someone like him. Managers would have to tweak things to ensure the side had the required number of goal threats, but it might be worthwhile to get someone as creative as him into the starting XI.
The 19-year-old is joint first for assists this term with nine while only Emi Buendia has a better xA total, with the Reading maestro racking up a 7.61 total to date. Everything about his form just screams sustainable. When signing players, that is exactly what you want.
Perhaps even more impressive is the fact Olise manages to impact games even when he’s not at his best. Like with all youngsters, the Reading No.7 can be inconsistent. His influence can wane and he can, at times, be viewed as a passenger. Yet he’ll still find a way to make something happen. Whether that be a dribble, of which he completes near 70% of the six he attempts on a per 90 basis, or simply a flick of his trusty left foot to expose a defensive line.
These days, it’s all about efficiency. Olise is a bit of a throwback in that regard in the sense he’s just a fun player to watch.
Jose Gomes, the manager who gave him his debut, recently did an interview with Sky Sports and he really painted a picture of the sort of player the fleet-footed playmaker really is: “We are talking about a player who will bring people to the stadium. It is impossible not to feel happiness when watching his movements and his technical ability. He loves to play football and he has the courage to try magical things even in tight areas. Things that some players cannot even do in training, he will do them in a game."
He’s one to watch, not just because of his potential, but because it’ll be interesting to see how he develops and what he becomes.
The same could be said for Eberechi Eze during his time with QPR. Some viewed him as a luxury player, but he’s shown this season that he can be impactful in one of the toughest leagues in the world. He’s been one of Crystal Palace’s star players and he’s not had to tweak his game much to impress.
There’s no reason Olise, valued at £30million on the FIVEYARDS platform, couldn’t have a similar impact if he made the step up.
With his reported £8million release clause, you can expect there to be a scramble for his signature once the season comes to an end. Under the right manager, he has the potential to be a genuine game-changer.
Very interesting player, but tbh the article was hard to read: poorly constructed sentences, needlessly complex phrases and sometimes conclusion were drawn out of nothing ("everything screams sustainable", but the article doesn't explain what "everything" is, except for only talking about xA). Hate to criticize, but just want to provide feedback in order to improve in the future. Because I like reading Marginal Pains.
Great read and analysis. Thanks Marginal Pains