Posted on 29th Sep 2020 10th Nov 2021 by Fraser Clark
BK Fremad Amager – Match Report vs Hvidovre IF 20/09/20
Fremad Amager ran out comfortable 4-0 winners at home to Hvidovre in the 1st Division, with two goals in each half keeping Fremad in control throughout. Fremad lined up in a 3-5-2 formation with the wing-backs pushing very high up the pitch in possession and Emmanuel Toku given a free role in the midfield. Hvidovre utilised a 4-3-3 system and were unlucky not to score in the game with two shots cleared off the line in the first-half, but were punished for being far too open defensively and lacking organisation.
Emmanuel Toku
Player Profile:
Nationality: Ghanaian
Current Club: BK Fremad Amager
Career: Cheetah FC, Boavista FC B, BK Fremad Amager
Position: Attacking Midfield
Toku formed part of the central midfield trio but was given a free role which allowed him to find pockets of space to receive the ball all over the pitch and use his ball-carrying abilities to drive the team forward. He was the best player on the pitch in this game and was heavily involved throughout, scoring the third goal with a left-footed finish from outside the box and helping set up the fourth with a lovely pass in behind that was squared for a tap-in.
Toku was the chief creative outlet for Fremad and was very effective at progressing the ball up the pitch by using his diminutive 5'7 frame and low centre of gravity, coupled with flashes of impressive skill and technique, to protect the ball and beat players before accelerating into space. His ability to move past opponents with the ball and create space for himself was very impressive but he also showed good technical ability and vision with his passing, playing some well-weighted passes in behind and into the channels and rarely giving the ball away when under pressure.
He enjoyed a lot of possession in the first half, constantly on the move off the ball to find where space was opening up and moving into it to make himself available to receive a pass. His first touch and close control was consistently at a very high level and he was able to both control the ball under pressure and open out into space to give himself a better view of the game. He had less influence on the game in the second-half as Fremad started to protect a comfortable lead but his press resistance was very important to the game plan in the first-half.
Whilst he is comfortable inviting and evading pressure he was guilty of holding on to the ball for too long at times in this game and allowing Hvidovre to get bodies around him. He has the agility and sharp movement to move the ball on quickly and find space for the return pass but he was occasionally slightly too reliant on progressing the play with the ball at his feet and would benefit from finding the right moments for short passing interplay.
Defensively, he was not given too much responsibility but he pressed well and limited the opponents time on the ball in the midfield areas. On the rare occasion where he entered a defensive duel he looked a little lightweight and too easy to get past but, with the players around him breaking up the play, his was given the creative license to drift into advanced areas and collect the ball on possession turnovers.
Rating – A1
Toku is a dynamic midfielder who has the ability to run the game at this level and looks ready to test himself in a more difficult division. His style of play is not suited to a particularly physical league but he would perform well in a team with a focus on technical ability and creativity and a move to a Superliga side would be a realistic and positive next step.
Maxime Soulas
Career: Montpellier HSC (Y), PSV (Y), BK Fremad Amager
Soulas played on the right of the back three and put in a dominant defensive performance that nullified Hvidovre's attack down the left side. He is a tall, lean defender, standing at 6'3, and he utilised this height to good effect to easily out-jump his opponents and win almost all of his aerial duels as well as prevent a goal with a an important header off the line in the first-half. He was also very effective in ground duels and extremely difficult to get past 1v1, showing great defensive technique and using his long legs to step in and win the ball cleanly.
He liked to position himself aggressively and defend high up the pitch, stepping out of defence and engaging opponents early on in attacks before they had time to develop. He has a very good reading of the game which allowed him to pick the right time to step-in and win the ball, something he did regularly and effectively in this game. He had a calm and composed defensive style and won his ground duels with minimal fuss, staying on his feet and ensuring he got a foot on the ball whilst using his physicality to ease his opponent out the way.
He is not a progressive passer and preferred to keep things simple in possession with mostly short lateral passes or clearances upfield when under pressure. As such, he rarely gave the ball away and didn't invite pressure but at a higher level he may be asked to be more confident and forward-thinking on the ball and it was not evident from this game whether his passing ability is at the levels that may be required. It's also worth saying that this was a game in which Fremad were fairly comfortable throughout so I did not get to see him defend against sustained periods of pressure.
A comfortable and confident defensive performance that definitely indicates an ability to play at a higher level but would need to watch more before being able to give a strong opinion on how high his ceiling is.
Lukas Engel
Nationality: Danish
Career: Kastrup BK, BK Fremad Amager
Position: Left Back
Engel has already been made captain for Fremad at just 21 and it was evident why from this match as he was a strong presence on the pitch, constantly organising and communicating and leading by example with his work ethic. He was playing at left wing-back but positioned himself very high up the pitch when in possession and saw a lot of the ball in the midfield, often drifting into central areas as more of an inverted wing-back.
He started the game well with some driving runs down the left side but gave away possession too much over the course of the match. He wanted to get on the ball a lot and showed his passing ability with some nice switches of play and line-breaking passes to feet but he seemed to lack composure slightly and struggled to retain the ball when under pressure. He did contribute offensively, however, with the assist for the opening goal after following a corner in at the far post and heading back across goal for a tap-in.
Whilst his narrow position added bodies to the midfield area when in possession and helped Fremad's passing build-up play, he needed to be more disciplined and hold his position out of possession as he was leaving too much space in wide positions for Hvidovre to get crosses into the box unopposed. He very rarely won the ball cleanly when defending 1v1 but seemed to relish the scrappiness and was usually effective in coming away with possession. This determined persistence and aggression seemed to be a theme of his play and he was very difficult to play against throughout.
Engel looks good at this level but I have doubts, based on this game, of his ability to perform at a higher level. Improvements certainly to be made before that is to happen but at 21 he has lots of room to development and, having been called up for the U21 squad for the latest international fixtures, he is clearly well-regarded in Denmark.
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