MY ACCOUNT
Sven Botman is quickly establishing himself as a key part of a Newcastle backline that have conceded only nine goals in the Premier League this season.
The 22-year-old Dutchman swapped Lille for Tyneside this summer in a move that set the Magpies back £35million and is now part of the league’s best defence.
Ahead of Newcastle’s clash against Tottenham on Sunday, we take a look at Botman and how he can shut down Harry Kane and Co.
Commanding presence
At 6ft 4in, Botman is the perfect mould for a centre-back and his style of play compliments Newcastle under Eddie Howe.
He has a consistency that saw him accumulate over 2700 minutes for Lille last season — no player under the age of 22 in Europe’s top five leagues played more.
One of his biggest strengths is his aerial ability with the 12-cap international winning 19 of his 24 attempted aerial duels, ranking him 34th overall.
This works out to around 1.7 wins per 90, which is impressive when you consider the youngster is adapting to a completely new culture in England.
Pass master
Left-footed centre-backs are a rare sight at the top level of football and Botman may find himself in high demand once again in the summer.
The likes of Antonio Conte and Graham Potter rely on a defender who can operate on that side of a back three and they may look at the former Lille man as a potential upgrade.
Botman is composed and technical with the ball at his feet and is proven to be comfortable in possession.
Having completed 346 of his 398 passes this season, it is clear to see why he would be an asset in most teams.
What makes Newcastle’s No4 even more valuable is his willingness to play forwards — his progressive nature is often the catalyst for counter-attacking football.
Sometimes he can be guilty of unleashing risky passes, but the mentality of the player is high-risk and high-reward, a rare trait in the Premier League.
Aware of his surroundings
Another impressive trait in Botman’s play is his positional awareness.
Blocks are an important part of a defender’s game and the ex-Ajax man is always in the right place at the right time.
This awareness will need to be used to its full effect when Botman comes up against Kane, who likes to roam free in the opponent’s half.
Marshalling his opponents is something that is hard to measure through statistics, but the powerhouse has made six interceptions and nine tackles in the league this season.
This suggests that Botman is aware of when he needs to cut out the passing lanes and when to charge down his opposition.
The maturity shown at such a young age is one of several reasons why there was such a large interest in securing his services in the summer.
More to come
Howe has sung Botman’s praises since he opted to join the club over AC Milan.
The defender is yet to face defeat since he became a member of the Toon Army as he was an unused substitute in the loss to Liverpool.
Howe is doing his best to calm any hype around the player but believes he can only get better.
He said: “Defensively, I think he’s got all the tools. He needs to work and develop certain aspects of his game like everybody else does but I do feel he has a huge platform now to grow and build into the defender he’s going to be.
“He is still laid back and very calm around the place, and how he performs is the mirror of his personality really. He’s a winner and fiercely determined.
“I don’t want to put unnecessary pressure on him but my faith in him is huge. I think he’s already rewarded that show of faith because I see so much potential in his game.”
If Botman does keep England skipper Kane quiet on Sunday afternoon, Howe’s words will fall on deaf ears as excitement around the young talent continues to grow.
