Newcastle United’s mercurial star Allan Saint-Maximin continues to dribble past opposing players for fun, and he is out on his own in that category across Europe.
Even Wolverhampton Wanderers’ speed demon Adama Traore is struggling to maintain the impressive pace the Frenchman is setting this campaign.
Newcastle’s number 10 has only failed to complete at least one dribble in a match on one occasion this season, and that came in the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace back in October.
Across Europe’s top five leagues, Saint-Maximin sits at the top for the average number of dribbles per game (4.3), according to WhoScored.
Traore is close behind on 4.2, but the Spaniard doesn’t utilise his dribbling skills to the same devastating effect the former Nice man does.
The Wolves winger has one Premier League goal to his name this season whereas Saint-Maximin has five goals and three assists in the top-flight.
The French under-21 international has already equalled the number of goalscoring contributions he has made in his previous best Premier League campaign (8).
It shows that Saint-Maximin is improving his decision-making, when attacking, to compliment his dazzling dribbling skills.
In fact, no player across Europe’s top five leagues has dribbled past more players than Saint-Maximin (97), according to FBref.
Saint-Maximin’s closest challenger is Real Madrid Vinicus Junior who is way back on 72.
Although Saint-Maximin is improving his contribution output he can still work on other areas of his game.
There are times when he chooses to dribble in dangerous defensive areas when being dispossessed puts the team on the back foot.
Saint-Maximin sits in the top five across Europe for the average number of times he is dispossessed per game (2.9).
That will be an area of his game Eddie Howe will no doubt be working with him on, improving his footballing intelligence and identifying when is the right time to take risks.
We don’t want Saint-Maximin trying to dribble his way out of trouble when we’re under the cosh.
But if we can get him on the ball, isolating the opposition’s full-backs, it won’t be long before Allan Saint-Maximin has dribbled past his 100th player this season.
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