Borussia Mönchengladbach have secured Franck Honorat from Ligue 1 side Brest in a significant transfer move.
The talented 26-year-old French winger has signed a contract until 2028, filling the void left by Jonas Hofmann’s departure.
Honorat had long been a target for Borussia, and the club reportedly paid between €8m-€10m for his services, a similar amount received for Hofmann’s transfer.
Sports director Roland Virkus expressed his satisfaction with the signing, highlighting Honorat’s versatility, speed, goal-scoring ability and playmaking skills.
The club had been monitoring his progress for some time and were delighted that he chose Borussia despite other offers.
Head coach Gerardo Seoane also commented on the new player, comparing him to the departed Hofmann: “In terms of personnel and profile, he [Honorat] is someone who can replace Jonas, though not strictly.”
The signing has been completed, so this tactical analysis and scout report will focus on what gap Hofmann leaves at and what Honorat brings to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Also, this analysis will identify how he fits into Gerardo Seoane’s tactics.
Gerardo Seoane Tactics
Under Daniel Farke’s tactics in 2022/23, Gladbach played in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
When out of possession, Mönchengladbach utilised a 4-4-1-1 defensive structure.
Although they initially pressed intensely, their aggressiveness decreased over time, allowing opponents to play in possession more comfortably.
Both Daniel Farke’s Mönchengladbach last season and teams led by Gerardo Seoane so far employed an identical formation in both offensive and defensive phases.
The departures of key players like Marcus Thuram, Lars Stindl, Yann Sommer (FC Bayern), and Rami Bensebaïni (Borussia Dortmund) jeopardised the club’s future goals.
But still, Seoane’s potential tactics are expected to stay with the 4-2-3-1 formation during possession.
The Swiss manager prioritises possession-based football and utilises flank exploitation to disrupt the opposition.
Most passes of Seoane’s teams are distributed laterally, showcasing their preference for wide distribution and wing play.
A notable aspect of Seoane’s tactics is the coordination between the winger and the full-back in possession.
This creates unpredictability and challenges for opponents.
Seoane adapts his approach based on the available players, emphasising build-up play with deep involvement from full-backs.
This approach enables the team’s wingers to offer diverse attacking options while mitigating vulnerability to counterattacks.
Furthermore, Seoane stresses having the winger and full-back occupy different zones in advanced areas, creating width and depth in the team’s attacks.
This strategic positioning enhances the effectiveness of combinations and stretches the opposition’s defensive structure.
The departure of Jonas Hofmann
Jonas Hofmann is a versatile player who operated in multiple positions depending on Gladbach’s tactical setup.
When deployed in deeper areas, he showcases the qualities of a central midfielder, dictating the play and delivering vertical passes to wide players in space.
Alternatively, he can also excel as a wide man, making himself available to receive passes from teammates.
His attacking mindset is evident regardless of his position, as he seeks to swiftly and directly attack the opposition.
Jonas Hofmann is a highly skilled player known for his exceptional passing ability, which is one of his greatest strengths.
His precision in short and medium-range passes allows him to dictate the tempo of the game.
He showcases excellent decision-making skills, being able to slow down the pace when necessary to maintain control of the game.
Additionally, he possesses the vision and technique to play incisive vertical passes, making him a dangerous weapon in exploiting counterattacking opportunities and breaking through high-pressing defences.
Hofmann’s passing ability added a creative and dynamic dimension to Gladbach’s attacking play, making him a key player in unlocking defences and creating scoring chances.
In the final third, Hofmann’s intelligent movement enables him to occupy dangerous spaces inside the opposition’s box.
There, he can receive the ball at his feet and then pass it to better-positioned teammates for scoring opportunities.
Hofmann showcases excellent dribbling and mobility.
However, he lacks the explosive pace to beat top-level defenders down the wings consistently.
As a result, he does not attend many direct dribbles anymore.
But under pressure, he excels with smart touches and passes to find solutions in tight spaces.
Jonas Hofmann brings more than just passing skills to the table.
Hofmann showcases fearlessness in taking accurate shots towards the goal.
Hofmann’s ability to contribute goals adds another dimension to his attacking prowess, making him a valuable asset for Gladbach.
Hofmann is not just an offensive contributor but also a diligent player in the defensive phase.
He can effectively press opponents, disrupt passing triangles, and apply pressure on the ball carrier.
His commitment to defensive duties makes him an active participant in all game phases.
His former coaches have highly valued his understanding of defensive responsibilities within his team’s pressing system at Gladbach.
Franck Honorat Style Of Play
Franck Honorat is a versatile attacking player who can also contribute in various positions across the forward line.
His ability to receive diagonal through balls is one of his most vital assets, as he knows how to time his runs to exploit gaps in the defensive line.
Honorat poses a constant threat on the counterattack, utilising his speed to significant effect.
Franck Honorat’s style of play is best suited as a Classic Winger, providing width and depth to the team’s attacking play.
With excellent dribbling skills, acceleration, and top speed, he excels at beating opponents by using his pace.
Honorat prefers to stay near the touchline and aims to deliver crosses into the opposition’s box, primarily targeting a target man striker.
Over the last seasons, he has been used more on the right wing, where he will replace Jonas Hofmann now.
With this, Honorat stays wide more of then than cutting inside.
He provides width and depth to his team, always ready to dribble and cross.
Hofmann is a more direct player who likes to cut inside and shoot himself, whereas Honorat stays wide and tries to create goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates.
This results in fewer touches in the opposition’s box for Honorat than Hofmann.
Additionally, their shooting threat differs, with Hofmann having higher expected goals (xG) due to more attempts inside the box.
At the same time, Honorat tends to shoot from outside the box and looks to assist his teammates inside the box.
Technically, he displays good ability, particularly with his first touch and shooting with his weaker left foot.
However, he needs to work on using his weaker foot more in possession.
He heavily relies on his right foot, which limits his options and puts him under pressure in certain situations.
Honorat is not the most press-resistant player in terms of his possession play.
When faced with pressure, he tends to prefer playing with fewer touches and could improve his decision-making in such situations.
Honorat’s pace is a standout attribute, with a top speed that exceeds 35 km/h.
He combines this speed with well-timed runs behind the defensive line, creating opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Honorat is versatile in his crossing ability when deployed on the wing, providing both high and flat crosses into the box.
Additionally, he poses a threat from set pieces, making him a suitable replacement for Jonas Hofmann, who was a crucial contributor in that aspect for Gladbach last season.
In the defensive phase, Honorat needs to work on closing down spaces more effectively and displaying greater aggression in his defensive work.
But in pressing situations, Honorat combines intensity, timing, anticipation, and good decision-making.
His presence will require the current right-backs, Lainer and Scally, to be more involved in defensive actions in central areas, as Honorat prefers to stay wide throughout all phases of the game.
Gerardo Seoane’s preferred playing style involves utilising the wings in possession and is well-suited for Franck Honorat.
Honorat can thrive in Seoane’s system by using his skills and strengths as a Classic Winger.
However, Jonas Hofmann’s departure from Borussia Mönchengladbach might be a significant loss because he excelled in the direct style of play that Seoane prefers.
This implies that Hofmann’s abilities and playing style were well-aligned with Seoane’s tactical approach, and his absence will likely affect the team’s ability to execute Seoane’s desired direct play style.
Potential Line up
In the potential lineup for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 2023/24 season, we could see them adopting a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Here’s how the team could shape up: Jonas Omlin – Luca Netz, Nico Elvedi, Marvin Friedrich, Joe Scally – Julian Weigl, Christoph Kramer – Alassane Plea, Florian Neuhaus, Franck Honorat – Grant-Leon Ranos (or another transfer)
It’s important to note that the squad and lineup may change as the transfer window progresses.
Nakamura, currently a centre-back, is likely to leave the club, and Manu Koné, a central midfielder, is out due to injury.
This lineup features a solid defensive unit with Netz, Elvedi, Friedrich, and Scally providing stability at the back.
Weigl and Kramer offer protection in front of the defence, allowing the attacking players to focus on creating chances.
Plea, Neuhaus, and Honorat bring pace, creativity, and goal-scoring threat in the offensive midfield positions.
Ranos or a new signing could lead the line as the striker, adding a different dimension to the team’s attacking play.
Conclusion
Franck Honorat is a winger who excels at providing width, delivering crosses, and posing a threat with his speed.
On the other hand, Jonas Hofmann is more comfortable operating in the half-space, where he can showcase his abilities.
Honorat’s proficiency in crossing requires a striker who can effectively convert those opportunities.
It is widely known that Borussia Mönchengladbach is actively searching for a suitable target player to fulfil this role.
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