Pressure, what pressure? Celtic’s Odsonne Édouard is the real deal
Pressure can crush players. It can also help turn them into diamonds. In the case of Odsonne Édouard at Celtic, it was very much the latter.
The Bhoys sold goal-machine Moussa Dembélé on the final day of the 2018 summer transfer window. No obvious replacement was signed but, earlier on in the summer, the Scottish champions had made Édouard’s initial loan move from Paris Saint-Germain a permanent one.
His nine-goal haul in the league during the previous campaign was enough to convince the Hoops to part with a club-record transfer fee to secure his services.
Looking back now, Édouard appears to have been an absolute steal for Celtic. But, at the time, the transfer was something of a risk. During his two seasons as a professional, he’d scored 12 goals. He was tasked with replacing a striker who over the same period of time had scored 48 times.
Yet in the seasons since, Édouard has outscored Dembélé 54 to 42. The Bhoys put their faith in their No.22 and he’s repaid that backing with goals and assists.
The 22-year-old’s treble against Hamilton in Celtic’s 2020/21 opener was a reminder of how much his game has developed during his time at Parkhead. They’re unlikely to make his highlight reel, with all three goals arriving in or around the six-yard box, but they do highlight why he’s now arguably one of the most well-rounded centre-forwards in Europe.
Édouard has always been a facilitator. Unlike other No.9s, he wasn’t averse to dropping deep and he was keen to link with his team-mates. In fact, in the below timeframe he ranks first in the Scottish Premiership for attempted link-ups (11.4) and second for link-up plays completed (7).
Not only would Édouard act as a backboard for attacks, but he would also make those selfless runs in behind to stretch the opposition. He wasn’t shy about getting stuck in, either. For example, since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, the 22-year-old has averaged over three pressing duels on a per 90 basis.
His radar is a piece of art, too. For strikers, the Celtic man is in the top percentile for goals, expected goals, post-shot expected goals, shots attempted, assists and expected assists. He is the definition of a goal threat. But unlike so many other attackers, Édouard actually carries out his threats. The Frenchman’s output is there for all to see.
What is even more encouraging from a Celtic point of view is that everything points towards his goal return being sustainable. He slightly outperforms his post-shot expected goals average of 0.73, scoring 0.99 goals per 90. But elite strikers tend to do just that, especially forwards who are clinical finishers.
As you can see looking at Édouard’s shot placement map above, the Celtic forward likes to hit the corners. His shot selection is what turns good opportunities into great ones. His return of eight goals from 12 shots to the right side of the goal is nothing short of exceptional. The No.22’s shot map goes some way to explaining why he’s able to be so consistent with his efforts.
On the left, we see Édouard’s post-shot expected goals map. He takes very few efforts outside of the penalty area and the majority of his shots seem to be from 12-yards or closer from within the width of the net. Furthermore, the majority of Édouard’s shots are a shade of red, showing they’re high-quality efforts.
It’s rare to see a goal map quite as emphatic as his. Usually, there would be the odd yellow marker to indicate a fortunate goal. All of the very best forwards get a stroke of fortune. However, it appears all of the Celtic forward’s goals over the past year, at least in the Scottish Premiership, have been deserved. His sublime finishing plays a big part in his prolific ways.
Under the pressure of spearheading the attack of one of the most prestigious clubs in Europe, Édouard has flourished.
All the graphics and visualisations in this article use Wyscout data and were produced in the Twenty3 Content Toolbox.
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