One of the top performers in Serie A 2022-23 is Armand Lauriente, who plays for Sassuolo as a winger. The French professional arrived on a permanent deal from Ligue 1 side Lorient last summer and has become an integral part of Sassuolu’s game plan since. Armand is having an impressive first campaign in Serie A, with 13 goals and contributions under his belt thus far. He has the most goals and assists for Sassuolo, and his contributions have helped the team remain in contention for a top-half spot as they are only two points short of the tenth position currently. The 24-year-old has scored or assisted against the likes of AC Milan, Atalanta, and most recently Roma. Below are some stats from the current season to assess the player’s contributions to his team.
Armand Lauriente has made 19 Serie A appearances this season and started all of them. The winger is a threat on the flank with his ability to beat 1v1 situations with his dribbles and his affinity to deliver crosses. A right-footed player, he prefers playing on the left flank, from where he likes to cut inside and shoot. The above viz shows the percentile rank of the player’s stats compared to other left-wingers in Serie A in 2022–2033. Laurinete has done excellently in the attacking department, and his ability to retain and pass the ball has also been decent. His defensive indicators show that Lauriente has a decent sense of positioning, but his overall defensive contribution is low.
Attacking contributions
Armand Lauriente has netted seven times for Sassuolo in Serie A 2022-23, with one coming from the penalty spot. He has taken 43 shots thus far and accumulated a total of 3.72 xG. Lauriente averages 2.3 shots per 90 minutes with an accuracy rate of 45%. The shot map shows that most of the attempts came from the left side of the pitch. He can penetrate the penalty box and has scored most of his goals from close range, with one coming from the edge of the box. The player has also shown the ability to shoot from a distance.
The viz above shows the xG map of the French winger from the most recent match against Roma. Lauriente gave one of his best performances of the season by scoring a brace and providing an assist against Jose Mourinho’s side. He scored from his two shots on target inside the penalty box for an xG of 1.07, highlighting his finishing ability and composure in front of the goal.
In addition to netting goals, the 24-year-old has the mindset to create scoring opportunities for others. The above viz shows the shot assists delivered by Lauriente in the current Serie A campaign. He has recorded six assists thus far with an xA value of 4.59. It can be observed that some of the key passes are directed into the penalty box, while the others have been a few layoffs and crosses from the final third. Currently, Lauriente averages 2.24 shot assists per 90 minutes and has also created six big chances.
Creative gameplay
As a wide forward, one of the Frenchman’s main responsibilities is to stretch the opposition to create spaces for his team to attack. He advances with the ball into dangerous areas on the left side by performing successful dribbles and making progressive runs from the final and middle thirds. On average, he attempts 8.1 dribbles per match (a 63.1% success rate) along with 4.14 progressive runs. He also does well at delivering crosses into the penalty box (3.22 per match), but his accuracy of 26.8% can improve.
Armand can carry the ball effectively and penetrate opposition lines. He performs ball-carrying actions mostly from the final third, helping his team by stretching the play and creating spaces to attack. The winger has made 97 penetrating carries into the penalty box thus far, particularly from the left side. He also averages 3.1 touches in the penalty area per 90 minutes. By performing these actions, the 24-year-old creates chances for others as well as getting into scoring positions himself.
Ball recovery
Another way the Frenchman contributes to the team is by recovering the ball in the final third. He puts high pressure on opposition players inside their half and wins possession back for his team. This is evident through the 19 counter presses and 13 dangerous recoveries he has made. On average, the 24-year-old makes 3.1 recoveries per 90 minutes. 66.7% of these recoveries have been in the attacking half, including five inside the opposition penalty box, three of which have led to shots.
Armand Lauriente has proven his worth for Sassuolo amid a challenging campaign. Apart from leading the attack as a genuine goal scorer, he also contributes to the team with his creative attributes and abilities on the ball. Sassuolo will hope for the same level of performance from the 24-year-old for the rest of the campaign as they look to continue the fight to enter the top half of Serie A.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
