Bouboukary Soumaré Part 1:

The most boring edition. He plays against PSG as a holding midfielder. He's never ever had a bad game in this role (better than Partey for me). Effortless. Let's start with the footage.

Let's start with the boring stuff. Simple interception and passing lane cut. Notice how PSG's right is blocked even if the receiver can attempt first time. You will see the intelligence in his every action.

This guy is 6'2". Absolutely gifted. Carries/dribbles like a winger here. Look at the recovery against Di Maria. Barely breaks a sweat. He's actually way faster than he sprints here. Doesn't rate Di Maria like that.

You'll see later how he's able to brush the ball. The right back should give it back to him here, but you'll see that he always supports possession with his movement, which is how player like this become passing hubs.

Very basic sign of a brain in DM. Getting tight to someone and not fouling. Controlled aggression. Do this enough times and the opponent will turn the ball over in error.

Hard to spot but he tells the no 7 to mark Gueye to support pressure from goal kicks. So many DMs don't do the basics with communication. I'm going to go through his CL games in another part just for his communication and leadership (it's that good).

Watch very carefully how little he sprints, yet marks multiple passing lanes and angles. Kanté is a genius at this. Cambiasso the gold standard if you wanna roll back the clocks.

This sport is too easy for him. I've genuinely never seen him troubled on a pitch.

Watch this pass very carefully. The attacker lacks a brain. His pass is designed to direct his touch past the onrushing PSG CB. His teammates aren't on that level of wavelength, but you can see his attacking brain.

He anticipates, intercepts and uses a bit of flair to draw out 2 PSG players. Effective (take lessons Pogba).

Here, his zonal control prevents a 3v2. Both defensive positioning/workrate and communication.

Look at this switch of play. Both backspin and sidespin. Different levels of tek.

(1/2) Good example to show what controlling actually is. He's the guy with the tek in tight spaces. The one - two with the man between the lines narrows PSG and makes space out wide. He spreads it and switches it with the space that interchange retained/creates.

(2/2) His movement towards the ball supports tempo. Later on, notice how his pass directs receiving player's next pass. That's also controlling. The actual tempo/flow of the game is natural and with synergy.

Not only does he pass to Yilmaz, he continues by making a run. Yilmaz could slip it in, but decides to shoot. It gives Yilmaz an extra yard because they don't know whether he'll pass it or shoot. IQ.

I watched this game for tactical play so big up Kimpembe! This freak athlete doesn't even get injured! He plays the next game!

My photographic memory comes to play here, but I'm having flashbacks to CBs charging out here and 2 player being beaten. Notice BK24 tells Botman to mark his man on the near post. Defensive intelligence. Leadership. Communication.

Here, he doesn't move and gets the ball. Big lessons to today's defensive players. Stop charging out all the time! Take sensible positions and the ball comes to you more often than not! Attacking is harder than defending!