AARUSH

Natnael Abraha Rating - 8.25🟢 Palace 1 - 1 Hoffenheim. Opinion. Very, very impressed, more so than any rating I could give him (8.25 is what I’m going with tho🤣), I think the context here is really important. He made his senior debut at the weekend, and today was his European debut, away at Crystal Palace. If I’d watched this game without knowing any of that, it would never have crossed my mind that this was only his second senior appearance. The biggest indicator for me that he was ready for this level, and certainly wasn’t playing within himself, was his composure in possession. There were numerous occasions where the ball dropped out of the sky, often with an opponent applying pressure, he could’ve been forgiven for playing the percentages, going long and simply making sure he didn’t make a mistake. But he rarely did that. He’d bring the ball down, take a couple of touches, assess his options and then either find a pass or clear it if necessary. I absolutely loved that. He never looked rushed or panicked, even in situations where you might expect a young player to be. There were a couple of poorer situations. He tried carrying out of defence on a few occasions when it wasn’t really on, losing possession as a result. He was also caught dwelling on the ball a couple of times. But again, that’s something you’d expect to improve with more exposure to senior football. What I actually liked was his willingness to take those difficult options, evn when they didn’t come off, he didn’t go into his shell or suddenly start playing safe. Defensively, he made some excellent tackles. Even when isolated in 1v1 situations, he looked mature and comfortable. He used his body well to shield the ball, took his time to assess situations and rarely looked flustered. (Big pro when I’m watching anyone, let alone a 18yo) That’s probably what impressed me most. His decision making wasn’t always perfect, but his mentality and composure were outstanding for someone with rarely any senior experience. The fact I’m sat here genuinely struggling to believe that was only his second senior appearance tells me everything. Mature beyond his years, technically secure and clearly has the mentality to trust himself at this level. A player who I think will only get better and better with exposure, really, really impressed.