The young guns have been ripping the football world to shreds lately, what with the way the game has changed in only a few short years. Italian clubs have a penchant for retaining veteran players for the wisdom and expertise that comes with age.
However, the Italian youths’ lack of playing time is something seldom discussed. Indeed, this is a major problem that needs fixing.
The Italian national team is full of grizzled veterans, but the fresh perspective and boundless ambition of the squad’s youthful players are undeniably the way of the future. Given the dominance of teenagers across the globe in football, every Italian club should be largely comprised of homegrown players.
Edoardo Bove established himself as a key cog in José Mourinho‘s long-term plans during the 2021–2022 campaign, scoring once in thirteen games the year before. He was an essential part of the team.
Bove was often utilised by Mourinho to inject some much-needed life into the squad in the final minutes, but he never let the Portuguese manager down when given the nod to start.
Daniele De Rossi was the first adolescent the Stadio Olimpico had ever seen go to such lengths to preserve the badge, and he gave all he had. There have never been sky-high expectations for Bove, but he is still seen as a talented young player with a chance at cracking the main squad.
By being included in Mourinho’s midfield plans for Roma, 20-year-old Bove has taken the first step toward realising his dream of becoming the next superstar.
Bove’s career at AS Roma will be the subject of this tactical analysis that takes into account all of his moves. This analysis serves as a scout report to assist determine whether or not Bove will be an integral part of Mourinho’s tactics in the years to come.
Player profile
Bove, a naturally right-footed midfielder, began his football career with the Roman team Boreale Donorione and remained there until 2012 when he joined Roma after a trial season. Bove signed a contract extension to remain with Roma until 2024 on November 20 of that year.
In the Europa League encounter against Young Boys, Bove was called up to the first team for the first time without making his debut.
Bove is an attacking insertion specialist and a tactically disciplined midfielder with a keen eye for the goal. To put it simply, Bove knows how to win games. Thanks to his transformation, he could play in deep or advanced roles in the midfield with uncanny precision.
Bove is reminiscent of some of the silent players combined with a pinch of physicality and fidelity. His movements make him a bit more of an advanced playmaker in a deeper position.
The accompanying heat map displays his frequent movement throughout the playing area. In spite of his defensive positioning, he brings an attacking mentality and some clarity to the team.
While Bove’s early career saw him mostly operating as an attacking midfielder, the club now intends to use him more defensively. Although he can play in any position in the midfield, his recent deal with his dream club was based on his ball-winning abilities in a deeper role.
In terms of raw skill, he isn’t even close to becoming the best player of his or any previous generation. However, his determination to succeed is unmatched, and he is likely to go farther than anybody else on the field. That’s the kind of mentality Mourinho wants serving as his team’s backbone.
Attacking positions under Mourinho
While Bove began his football career as an attacking midfielder, he has since shifted positions and developed into a physically imposing and energetic midfielder. So, he’s been playing an unexpectedly offensive role, particularly since Mourinho took over, and that’s a bit of a surprise.
Against the ten-man Fiorentina, we got to see his duality with the ex-Juventus man Paulo Dybala. Naturally, as a left-footed right winger, Dybala tends to cut in and make a few combinations.
Bove at the other end takes up his position to drag a defender and shake the right side of the defence. He does it well as he has experience playing in a more advanced position. Having done pretty much nothing, he creates the difference and gives room to his nearest teammates.
Another scenario against Empoli saw him do a 50-yard sprint to reach the end of the cross. Right from the half-line, he contributes as the key player to get into the box for the counterattack. Even though he’s meant to be a defensive midfielder, if an opportunity presents itself, he goes for it.
He gets to the end of the cross but fails to find the back of the net. Well, the efforts taken have given him the pole opportunity to add another to the team. By seeing more of these scenarios, it’s just a matter of time before he gets goals.
With Bove on their side, the Giallorossi almost jumped into an early lead against Genoa in the Coppa Italia. Bove’s deep penetration sent shivers down Genoa’s defence as Zalewski was unable to overlap or otherwise help out the wide Zaniolo.
He saw a huge hole in the defence between the left back and the central defender and made a quick decision to take advantage of it by running through it. Zaniolo benefited from his interceptor’s assistance, which opened up space for him to make a pass, but unfortunately, Bove’s cross could not make its way into the box.
He has indeed shown attacking prowess in recent games. With Bove’s help, Roma now seems to be able to play more often despite the drought in Italy. As a defensive midfielder going into attacking situations this kid has gotten himself into at such a young age, the room for improvement seems to be positive with Mourinho and Roma on his side.
Defensive strides
He was given the fewest minutes against the mighty Napoli who’ve been running riots against all of them this season. Bove was subjected to play a more defensive role while the team was losing by one goal.
The tenacity he would provide was indeed needed by Mourinho in the dying minutes against the leaders. The position that he takes up on the pitch requires a lot of work and a dire mentality.
Bove’s work rate was never in question as his fierce-minded mentor takes everything out of him. All good managers have one thing in common, they just take it, and that’s why they have the biggest impact on players.
He puts his energy into physically challenging the opponents with the right mind to win the ball and start the attack. The above image perfectly illustrates how he tends to use his toughness.
He doesn’t care to go clash with any of the opponents head-to-head to knock the ball off his feet. The brutality the kid displays should awe everyone including the Special One.
He wraps his leg around against Fiorentina, to kind of win the ball and physically demoralise the player. Although this ended in a foul, he was the only one in the opponent’s half to put in this kind of energy. In the top shot, we see his physical presence around the player and how he tries to nick the ball off his feet.
To redeem himself, he came in as a substitute in the last 15 minutes of the Europa League match against HJK Helsinki and scurried all over the field, making interceptions and tackles.
Bove seizes an opening as Abraham presses the fullback on a bouncing ball, and runs against the midfielder seen above. With just five yards between him and the player, he timed him out and made an interception.
His tough play encourages the other team to commit more fouls, slowing the pace of play. Playing longer under such a guide would lead the kid to a moment of realisation beyond which he would explode.
The fact that their opponents were caught off guard by his return to the scene was a huge boost to the team’s chances of victory. It’s most efficient for him to toe-poke the opponent to retrieve the ball.
Bove’s involvement in the game centres on his ability to make recoveries. The more he accomplishes, the more of a spectacle he makes of it by centring the action on himself. The amount of effort he puts into his opponent’s half is absurd.
His physical prowess and a pinch of technique give him something to work with. Bove sneaked past his closest opponent after the defender took the shot, as shown above, in order to gain an advantage in the event that it became essential.
Bove’s awareness to keep hold of the man in his zone has certainly impressed Mourinho on the centre of the field. He keeps his marker close and on the radar if there’s any movement. He makes sure to cut down the space quickly and not allow the opponent to ever think of turning.
The awareness metre has been the aspect that most attackers take advantage of. These days at a time when data and analytics is growing widely, the parameter of how aware the player is determines the output of the game in some way or another.
Especially after he knew he was part of the plans under the manager, his energy was unmatched and brightly loved by every one of them watching the game.
On the ball ability
Bove is very shrewd and discreet when it comes to holding on to the ball until he can locate a passable alternative. He can achieve things that Roma’s defensive midfielders have never done before because of his rapid responses and physical cover.
He has tremendous control over the ball when it comes to dribbling in closed spaces. He could go either direction to find space for himself to advance the team into the final third. He drives from the right centre of the pitch to almost near the sidelines to be in a 1v1 situation with the full-back.
He makes the split-second decision to cut to the outside, luring the defender into a tackle as he effortlessly glides by. As seen above, he is now free to spread out while waiting for the rest of his teammates to group inside the box. Bove’s stunts had not finished until he pulled off an intricate cross inside the box, which was not met by any of his compadres.
His final third passing accuracy has given a big hand to Roma’s attacking plans as he has an astonishing 75% throughout the year. His passing has been hugely inspired by the classy Andrea Pirlo, the Italian magician.
When he’s about to receive a pass just outside the box, he sees the defender charging at him and puts his body in front to turn him away to face the goal. The first touch performed with a half-turn puts him right past the charger facing the mouth of the goal.
The opponent doesn’t let him go any further and puts him down for a foul. Now, Bove’s action within just a second gives Roma a pivotal free-kick to add another to the scoresheet.
And yet again, there he goes against Inter’s mid-block. Does a half-turn very similar to that of the previous example, the first time he receives it, which sets him right away for the next event that he’s about to do. He then makes a pass to the half-space where two of his teammates are seen.
At times, he puts his body before the ball so that opponents don’t get a chance to peek at it. He does everything to keep hold of possession to keep things in motion. There is a spot for him in the starting eleven thanks to his deft touches and pinpoint passes.
He has certainly been demonstrating the breadth and depth of his talents. A team’s dynamics would be improved by having a player who can play defence as a major but is also rather accurate with the ball.
Conclusion
Bove has developed from the sort of player he was in Roma’s junior system to the kind of player he is now: a gritty midfielder who gives up nothing for free.
Starting as a box-to-box midfielder and now acquiring traits to that of Manchester United’s Casemiro, it’s just a matter of time before this kid will rise to glory under the Special One.
Bove found motivation in the example of former Roma captain Daniele De Rossi. It can’t be easy for a young guy to think of filling such hefty shoes. Still, the pleasure he would get from comparisons to him would be irreplaceable.
Edoardo Bove has garnered attention from Italian clubs, but he will likely remain in Rome and take on a larger role for José Mourinho’s squad next season.
With his growing bond with the manager, Bove is likely to get more playing time in upcoming seasons. Reports indicate that Roma is keen on putting more emphasis on the youth midfielder. But there is certainly a nagging sense that Edoardo Bove is going to shock the world and establish himself as a staple in Rome.
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