Montpellier’s last taste of success in Ligue 1 was back in the 2011–12 season. The 2011–12 season turned out to be the breakthrough for the highest goal scorer for the French national team. Olivier Giroud became the top scorer in Ligue 1, and that earned him a move to Arsenal. This league success opened the doors for more success, and Giroud ended up winning the World Cup.
There is another striker who is looking for a breakthrough, and he is not of French descent. Akor Adams of Nigeria signed for Montpellier in the summer and has started to find his touch in France. Montpellier have struggled in recent years and finished in the second half of the table. They are looking to move up in the rankings and become a dominant force in Ligue 1. Let’s take a look at what this 23-year-old forward could offer to Montpellier.
Akor Adams has been slotted straightaway into the first team. The forward has started in every Ligue 1 game since making his move from Norwegian side Lillestorm. By looking at the above visual, we can observe that Adams likes to cover a lot of ground and makes his presence felt inside the penalty box as well. He manages nearly four touches per 90 minutes inside the penalty box.
Dream start in France
Things started nicely for this 23-year-old in France. The debut against Le Havre turned into a dream debut as the youngster scored a brace and won a point for his side. Now, in eight league games, Akor Adams has five goals to his name. The shot map shows that the Nigerian has found space inside the penalty box and has an accuracy rate of more than 50%. He has turned out to be the main threat in Montpellier’s attack.
Before joining Montpellier, Adams was playing regular football for the Norwegian side Lillestorm. He spent 1,451 minutes on the field in the Norway Eliteserien 2023 and scored 15 times. The player nearly averaged a goal per 90 minutes.
Adams averaged 4.47 shots per 90 minutes and had a decent accuracy rate of 38.9%. With an average of 5.8 touches inside the box per 90 minutes, the striker managed to find space around the six-yard box to convert the chances.
The youngster is also capable of creating a goal or two for his teammates. Before joining Montpellier, Adams had two assists to his name in Norway. Adams will look to create the same chemistry with his new teammates and hope to contribute more in the future.
The 23-year-old also recovers the ball more than one time in the attacking half. These recoveries often lead to goal-scoring chances.
Akor Adams is yet to make a breakthrough in the Nigerian national team. If he shows consistency then there is a chance that the player might become a part of Nigeria’s 2023 AFCON squad.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine