Kevin Strootman: Scout Report

Style, Strengths & Weaknesses

(L-R) Kevin Strootman of Holland U21, Lorenzo Insigne of Italy U21 during the UEFA EURO U21 championship semi-final match between Italy and Netherlands

Kevin Strootman is best deployed as a defensive midfielder, positioned in between the defence and advanced midfielders. Having played alongside Van Bommel at PSV Eindhoven, Strootman has developed into a solid defensive minded player. There is a large misconception in the the football fraternity as to Strootman’s style of play; many have labelled him a box-to-box midfielder, but from my inference, Kevin isn’t suited for such a role.

His strengths lie in his natural physical stature; at 6’1?, he’s a giant in midfield with the ability to enforce play and bully the opposition off the ball. He has been gifted with a strong upper body strength, which allows him to not only hold off the opposing players but also to win possession for his team. Van Bommel has made an exceptional impression on Strootman’s career, allowing him to become a solid defensive midfielder. Despite having a poor disciplinary record (another trait he may have acquired from Van Bommel), Strootman is extremely effective with his tackling. He doesn’t unnecessarily leave the ground, rather opting to play a more cautious game. His reading of the game allows him to make tons of interceptions in dangerous areas, thus proving to be an important security to the defenders behind him; he sees the game quicker than most other players when it comes to the defensive phase of the game.

Strootman further complements his defence, moving into their defensive positions when a gap is left to fill. His defensive intelligence is showcased here, as rarely would you see a defensive midfielder drop as deep as a centre back or as wide as a full-back.

He can be effective in marking an attacking player out of the game; he’s cautious in this area as well, rather than sticking to his marker he chooses to hover around him, giving his opponent some space before closing down when he’s on the ball. This allows the midfielder to make more of a contribution in the other parts of the pitch.

Being most comfortable in his own half, Kevin Strootman constantly asks for the ball in that zone, attempting to play it out and start an attack. His vision in terms of passing is decent, but not overly impressive. Rarely would you see him attempting a defence splitting long-ball, he prefers a cautious approach in the passing factor as well. Shorter balls to attacking players to get the ball rolling is the major feature of Strootman’s passing ability. When he finds himself in possession in the attacking zone, Strootman is effective in playing nifty little through balls to the striker; this is where he receives the plaudits for his vision.

Having captained his national team and U-21 side, Strootman is bound to possess leadership qualities. He has the experience to lead and inspire his team-mates, and any side would benefit with a player of that sort. This characteristic has also allowed Strootman the authority to organise his team, he’s often seen getting his defenders into position while asking his attackers to fill the gaps as well. His footballing intelligence is further reiterated here.

The former Sparta & Utrecht midfielder possesses a lethal left foot, with the ability to take ‘bullets’ from long range, when he does venture forward. He can be a beast in attack when running at the defence, shrugging off the opposition. His superior left-foot consequently makes him ‘handicapped’ as he rarely opts to utilise his right foot. Given his height, Strootman is an incredible asset for aerial duels both in defence and in attack. His height combined with his physical strength allows him to significantly deal with crosses & set-pieces.

The primary factor that prevents Strootman from being an effective box-to-box man is his lack of pace. He’s slow in both his speed off-the-ball and with his movement while having possession. Even with the ball at his feet, Strootman doesn’t look very comfortable and rarely will he be able to take on a man in 1-on-1 situation (unless of course he shrugs him off). Owing to his lack of pace and inability in possession, Strootman naturally isn’t seen advancing forward. Even after winning back possession, there is no urgency in his play to get forward and support the attack. Given his height, Strootman would be extremely effective in making late runs into the box, going unmarked and getting under crosses from the wings.

His cautiousness in defence is a positive for the team, but that same cautiousness that restrains him from getting forward restricts his development as a player. Due to his lack of pace, Strootman is slow even getting back into his defensive duties after he has moved into an advanced role.

A lot has been said about Strootman over the last few months, comparison have been drawn with the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Yaya Toure (he interestingly shares the same sports management agency with him). But Strootman isn’t a playmaker in the Pirlo-esque form, neither does he have the stamina and speed to play as a box-to-box midfielder. He is, though, a solid defensive midfielder reminiscent of Phillip Cocu, and his mentor Mark Van Bommel. He has the right ingredients to be a solid force in an attacking sense, but doesn’t do so often enough. He will however, be the perfect partner for a box-to-box midfielder.