Bradley Barcola is a 20–year–old French midfielder currently playing for French Ligue 1 side Lyon. He first joined Lyon’s academy at a very young age and has been a part of the club ever since. His impressive skillset and work rate have earned him a place on the senior team, and he made his debut for the first team in the 2021–22 season. He is comfortable playing in any position in the front three, and his versatility is a key factor in his game. With Lyon currently in 10th position, the player most recently scored as well as providing an assist in the match against Lille. His contributions have helped his team earn points, and he has plenty of potentials. Below are some of his stats from the current season.
Bradley Barcola has made 17 Ligue 1 appearances this season. The forward brings an attacking threat in the final third and excels in 1v1 situations with his excellent dribbling ability. The above viz shows the percentile rank of the player’s stats compared to other similar players in Ligue 1 in 2022–2033. His attacking prowess is highlighted by his high ranking for indicators like dribbles and touches in the opponent’s penalty area. He has shown the ability to find progressive passes and also contributes well in defensive transitions by winning defensive duels. He also has a mature sense of positioning and likes to get into dangerous areas.
Goal contributions
Another area where the forward can contribute is in his ability to take shots and create danger. This season, he has scored one goal from open play and hasn’t missed any of his four penalties. The player averages 2.04 shots per 90 minutes in the 2022–23 Ligue 1 season and has an accuracy rate of 41.2%. The xG map above shows that the youngster has taken most of the shots from inside the penalty box. He has taken 17 shots, of which seven have been on target.
The above viz shows the player’s shot assists from the current season. It can be observed that most of his intensity is in the final third, from where he attempts to provide dangerous passes into the box. He has provided two assists for Lyon this term and has a total xA of 1.07. From the shot assist viz. above, it can be observed that most of the chances he created were through cutbacks or through passes into the box.
Contributions in the final third
The above viz illustrates the player’s winger actions from all games played in Ligue 1 in 2022–2033. It can be observed that the forward shows high intensity on the flanks, particularly in terms of putting crosses into the box. Currently, he averages 2.04 crosses per match with 35% accuracy and also attempts 5.88 dribbles on average. He also averages 1.22 touches in the opposition’s penalty area and makes 1.88 progressive runs per match. He has made a total of 30 penetrating carries, as seen in the second visual, and uses both flanks to make entries into the box.
The above viz represents the overall high regains made by Bradley Barcola for Lyon in Ligue 1 in 2022–23. It can be seen that the player makes movements up the pitch in order to put pressure on the opposition. As a forward, the Frenchman has made 16 counter-pressing recoveries in the opposition half. Additionally, he has made the same number of high regains and nine dangerous recoveries that have led to shots.
Versatile forward
One of Bradley Barcola’s attacking abilities is to stretch the opposition to create spaces for his team to attack. He advances with the ball into dangerous areas by performing successful dribbles and putting dangerous crosses into the box, as seen in the visual above. By performing these attacking actions, the 20-year-old creates chances for others as well as getting into scoring positions himself. He is versatile and can adapt to both flanks, which is an advantage for his team.
Overall, Barcola has the potential to be an important player for Lyon in the future. He has all the qualities necessary to become a key player on the team and will continue to improve with experience. His ability to play in various positions and his technical ability make him a valuable asset to the club.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
