Bryan.Mbuemo ......
The City group have recently announced the purchase of Troyes AC, a Ligue 2 club with interesting recent history. Beating Newcastle in 2001 to win the Intertoto cup & the Ligue 2 in 2014/15. A club that Bryan Mbeumo joined at the age of 14 (2013). He progressed well through the ranks, featuring his cup final performance in the prestigious U18 Coupe Gambardella competition, scoring twice at the Stade de France.
In 2018, the Avallon-born made his debut for Troyes, though relegation was their fate he used the following season to gain momentum in senior football. The decision paid off as Brentford offered a club-record offer of £5.8million to bring him to the Championship. Bryan hit the ground running, helping form a formidable front line & reaching the Championship play-off final. His efforts were recognised with a nomination for EFL player of the year & young player of the year.
The Franco-Cameroonian has also capped France at U17, U20 & U21 level.
In Thomas Frank’s 4-3-3/3-4-3, Bryan Mbuemo features on the right-hand side of the front three. His positioning skills are high class as it enables Brentford to keep their width; he has excellent progressive traits and also a right eye for goal.
WINGER
Bryan’s starting position is high & wide, occupying the opposition full-back. Part of the attacking four, alongside Benrahma, Jenson & DaSilva, he looks to break as soon as the ball advances to Norgaard. His involvement in this phase is minimal, though when support is needed he does drop in a more profound role offering an outlet out wide.
His first thought is to protect possession, getting his body between the ball & the opponent. Strong legs & a secure upper body allows him to be retentive in vulnerable positions, averaging less than 1 lost ball in his own half.
PROGRESSION INTO THE FINAL THIRD
Mbeumo’s slippery movement allows him to float between the touchline and centre of the pitch. The Brentford players look to penetrate the first line of defence quickly by getting Norgaard on the ball, this is a trigger for Mbeumo who will decide whether he will drop in to collect or run in behind. He is compelling coming in short as he has the skills to retain, combine & spin away under pressure. A usual opposition tactic would be to press with numbers due to the limited space. This is a trap that most players fall into. From a stationary position, he invites pressure & uses swift body feints to find a way out. His flairy
unpredictability in style is complemented by his cultured left foot. Performing stepovers & a sharp burst into space makes him hard to pick up.
He prefers to explore the inside spaces upon collecting the ball, though also strong in going on the outside of the defender. Due to the fluidity & understanding between the front three, their interchanges allow him to be positioned across the whole front three. This suits him as the further left he goes, the is more central to the goal & further to the left he can deliver a threatening in-swinger into space. He combines excellently with his teammates, in complete telepathy at times. He possesses an eye to break the final line of defence with his through balls between gaps for third-man runs to get onto the end of. He averages 1 key pass a game & has created 32 chances.
TRANSITIONS
key player off the ball run passed ball
In transitions The Bees seek to be on the front foot, especially the attacking players. Mentally, the french-born player is very switched on when possession is lost, springing to the opposition player and cutting out space for him to manoeuvre around. Healthy in a tackle he averages 2.5 per 90. opposition teammates
SCENARIO 01
Running in behind to meet through ball and attack goal
SCENARIO 02
Receiving the ball and taking on opposition defenders
Not only does he initiate the hard press, but he also has a strong understanding on how to back up the initial press. When he needs to be conservative with his energy, he reads patterns of play and uses that knowledge to cut off passing lanes. The game vs Swansea was an excellent example of him being patient, waiting for the ball to be played to the wide-player but being on the front foot. He then drove the ball from the touchline into the inside and curls home a beauty.
FINISHING & ASSISTS
Bryan has had a significant influence on Brentford’s 80 goals. Scoring double figures (15) from out wide in his first season is an outstanding achievement. He actually overachieved his xG by two goals, showing a good variety.
Brentford created a high number of chances by pumping balls into dangerous areas primarily for Watkins to be a nuisance. But Mbeumo’s movement was also a threat, as shown at the Liberty stadium. Play was being progressed into the final third and Mbeumo was central in the box a couple yards of the centre backs. The ball reached Rico Henry who was gearing to put in a cross; this trigger alerted Bryan to make a run in front of the
defender. The cross is made, and Bryan connected with it sweetly to convert it home.
More on his movement, his understanding of exploring spaces is top class. The game vs Cardiff is another perfect example. Also, when considering the game vs Millwall, it testifiys to the player’s ability to create his own chances.
Scrappy goals are also something he has no problem incorporating into his game, getting at the end of loose balls, challenging for headers in the box and rebounds. He is a classy winger with a very strong inside game.
Whilst contributing to putting the ball in the back of the net, he has also shown the ability to assist his teammates. Marginally exceeding his xA by one assist shows us that he is performing at an expected level from this department. His assist vs Hull City showed that he is capable of producing individual brilliance.
In terms of delivery into the box, you only need to look at the game he played vs QPR where he picked out a cross for Ollie Watkins to head it past the QPR keeper.
CONCLUSION
For his first season in English football, he has been highly successful. He shows that he can put numbers on the board and be an influence.
However, one thing that we noted is his influence during big games. His games vs Leeds & West Brom were four underwhelming performances. Adding to that, his performance in the Play-off Final was subpar, which saw him getting hooked 60 minutes in. As difficult as it may be for wideplayers to have influence in big games, it is essential to show your impact as that is what takes you to the next level. Indeed, he is on the radar of Premier League clubs, though that could be a red flag that will need addressing.
With that being said, building consistency through the whole season & adding mileage to the clock will be the next target for Bryan. With the departure of Watkins & Benrahma, he will be looked at to step up and offer more contributions. That includes putting numbers on the board, as well as the selfless duties. We hope to see an increase in his passing accuracy; not having the current ecosystem around him would require him to be more conservative in possession. Though still, at only 21 years of age with the right development he will follow the footsteps of Watkins soon.
