Sheffield United’s start to the season has been so unpredictable. Half a year after achieving promotion into the league, the Blades are now competing for a fifth-place spot in England’s top tier of football. Much of the credit can be given to manager Chris Wilder, but the players have been a big part of the success too. That hasn’t deterred Wilder from looking to improve his squad in January, however. According to the Sheffield Star, the Sheffield team are monitoring Everton’s Mason Holgate.
The Star’s article claimed that Wilder was hoping to bring Holgate in to strengthen the depth of his squad. Should one of his centre-halves receive an injury or suspension, it could be detrimental to Sheffield’s tactics. But what kind of player is Holgate and why are Sheffield so interested in him?
Would Mason Holgate be a good signing for Chris Wilder?
Yes
No
TIF Tactics – How has Mason Holgate performed so far this season?
The 23-year-old has finally started to earn a decent run of games at Everton. Holgate has started the last 10 of Everton’s matches after playing in the club’s match against Leicester yesterday. With Carlo Ancelotti on the verge of signing on as the club’s new manager (Football Insider), Holgate’s future at Goodison Park is still yet to be determined. But how has the young centre-back performed in the early stages of the 2019/20 season?
Defensively, Holgate wins 74.4% of his defensive duels and engages in 6.07 on average per 90 minutes. He averages 11.66 recoveries per games and 5.06 interceptions. But with overlapping centre-backs being a crucial part of Wilder’s tactics, it is important to look at the defender’s passing statistics as well. Having played in the midfield for a few of his matches with Everton, the player is a capable passer of the ball.
A large number of his passes are forward, averaging 16.38 forward passes per 90 minutes with a 77% accuracy. He averages 46.18 passes in total, per 90 minutes, with an 88.3% accuracy. He is also capable of playing the ball into the final third, averaging 5.06 per 90 minutes with a 68% accuracy.
Holgate’s passing statistics suggest he could be an ideal pickup for Wilder and his team. If they can pry him away from the Toffees it would seriously bolster their options at the back. The speculation is still very much up in the air, however, with Ancelotti on the verge of signing a contract. When and if he does, we may begin to get a better idea of whether Holgate is in his plans.
(all data and stats from Wyscout.com, accurate at the time of writing)