Is Matthias Ostrzolek Better Liverpool Transfer Target Than Ryan Bertrand?
Liverpool are trying to sign Chelsea left-back Ryan Bertrand, per James Pearce at the Liverpool Echo, but would Augsburg's Matthias Ostrzolek be a better summer transfer window target?
To cover that hypothetical scenario, here is a scouting report on Ostrzolek, a 24-year-old, 5'10", 158-pound German-Pole.
Ostrzolek Positives
One clear weakness in Bertrand's game is the inability to cause turnovers at an exponential rate.
If you are to use Ricardo Rodriguez of Wolfsburg as the standard-setter of what Liverpool should seek in a left-back, Ostrzolek is comparable and Bertrand is second-tier.
| Matthias Ostrzolek | Ricardo Rodriguez | Ryan Bertrand | |
| Tackles Per Game | 2.5 | 3.1 | 1.8 |
| Fouls Per Game | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.2 |
| Tackles Per Foul | 2.0 | 2.8 | 1.5 |
| Interceptions Per Game | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.9 |
| Possessions Won Back Per Game | 3.6 | 5.0 | 2.7 |
When you have full-backs like Bertrand, who are not prolific ball-winners, they need to compensate in the attacking half.
But Bertrand is limited in that area.
His attacking output correlates with centre-backs shifted out to full-back.
| Matthias Ostrzolek | Ricardo Rodriguez | Ryan Bertrand | |
| Goals | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Shots Per Goal | - | 7.6 | - |
| Assists | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| Key Passes Per Game | 1.2 | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| Passes Per Game/Pass Completion % | 38.1/74.2 | 45.7/80.5 | 33.6/74.2 |
| Dribbles Per Game | 1.5 | 2.5 | 0.4 |
Ostrzolek is free-flowing in transition and aggressively attacks the open space.
He thrives in playing an uptempo brand of football.
In the example below, with Stuttgart right-back Gotoku Sakai sitting deep, Ostrzolek hurtled down the left flank at speed, and played in then-Augsburg (now Borussia Monchengladbach) right-winger Andre Hahn:
With then-Eintracht Frankfurt (now Wolfsburg) right-back Sebastian Jung unable to contest, Ostrzolek delivered an in-swinging cross to Hahn, who headed the ball past Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, seen here:
Crossing is an attribute where Ostrzolek is undoubtedly superior to Bertrand.
Ostrzolek's cross-completion percentage (25.4) was 18.3 percentage points highter than Bertrand's (7.1) last season.
Ostrzolek Negatives
Being such a forward-thinking full-back, Ostrzolek lacks defensive solidarity.
He was exposed by Hertha Berlin central attacking midfielder Anis Ben-Hatira's through ball to Hertha right-winger Marcel Ndjeng, as seen in this GIF:
Ostrzolek was a step behind Borussia Dortmund's Sven Bender, who had made a deep run from centre-back (he generally plays in midfield, but was deputised in defence that game), which led to Augsburg conceding:
While Rodriguez's cross was pin-point accurate, Ostrzolek failed to adequately mark Wolfsburg centre-forward Ivica Olic, who nodded the ball past Augsburg goalkeeper Marwin Hitz, shown here:
Tactically, Ostrzolek is more suited to being a wing-back in a 3-5-2, where there is an extra layer of defence to back him up.
He is prone to making odd defensive errors.
With Augsburg leading 1-0 two minutes before full-time against Hannover 96, Ostrzolek inexplicably handled the ball and eventually cost Augsburg a win, as seen here:
Ostrzolek conceded another penalty for hand-ball against Bayern Munich:
As illustrated below, a defensive mix-up led to Ostrzolek comically kicking the ball into Hitz's face for a Benny Hill-esque own goal against Mainz.
Bottom Line
Ideally, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers would sign Rodriguez, a once-in-a-generation left-back.
But Wolfsburg are backed by the billion dollar automobile manufacturer Volkswagen, so the Bundesliga club will flex their muscles in the negotiation room.
It also does not make sense on Wolfsburg's part to sell Rodriguez in this window when his value will continue to increase.
Liverpool targeting Bertrand suggests he is a backup target.
However, Ostrzolek is an up-and-coming left-back, who is better than Bertrand.
Hamburg want to capitalise on Ostrzolek.
"We have submitted an offer [for Ostrzolek]. It's serious and very, very good," Hamburg general manager Oliver Kreuzer said, per Bild (h/t Thomas Zocher at Sky Sports). "[But] the demands of Augsburg are too high, so to say."
Hamburg correctly projected the upside of talents like Heung-Min Son, Jerome Boateng, Nigel de Jong, Rafael van der Vaart, Vincent Kompany, et al.
Ostrzolek could be the same and he should be considered as a viable Liverpool transfer alternative to Bertrand.
Statistics via WhoScored.com
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