Dirty Details
Name: Ladislav Krejci
Nationality: Czechia (9 U21 Youth Caps)
Current Club: Sparta Prague
Age: 21 (Birthday, April 20 NICE!)
Physical Stats: 1.91m, 86 kg
Transfermarkt Value: $2.75M, contract ends 2023
Position: Defensive Midfielder, Central Defender
Strengths: Aggression, Strength, Aerial, Technical
Weaknesses: Aggression!, Awareness
To Be Determined: Defensive Pressing
Not to be mistaken with left winger and teammate Ladislav Krejci, the next report in the Atalanta Passione Scouting Series dives into the qualities of Sparta Prague’s young hybrid defender Ladislav Krejci. Capable of playing both as a defensive midfielder – which he does in league – or as a central defender – which he did sparingly in Europa League – the lefty’s ability to move around the pitch can be useful in Gasperini’s complex defensive system. Trying to find defenders that can fit in Gasperini’s back three is always a challenge. Given the unique qualities his defenders need – like the ability to contribute in attack, and be comfortable in possession – it seems more fruitful to look for bigger defensive middies rather than classic center backs. Enter the young Czech.
Previously included on UEFA’s 50 For the Future list, Krejci has been a staple of Sparta’s midfield this year, with his play and goal contribution lifting them to 2nd in the Fortuna Liga behind Prague rivals Slavia. Krejci has five goals out of midfield this year, surprisingly less than the amount of matches he’s missed year due to suspension. He did have one red card in the Europa League against Lille, where he made a last man tackle to stop a goal scoring chance (frankly I thought it was kind of soft kind of similar to Freuler’s red).
At times he is unfortunately a recklessly aggressive player. His brutal elbow to the face against an FC Pardubice opponent earned him a four match ban. While the attack was vicious, and he has a poor disciplinary record – he’s young and still has time to learn how to effectively utilize his aggression (just look at Cristian Romero). The video below is quite a brutal blow, I’m hoping he can get this out of his system and he learns from it.
Now enough of the negative chat, let’s look at what he does well. I watched his Europa League match against Lille that ended in a 2-1 defeat to the Frenchman – despite the loss Krejci was one of the top men on the pitch for both sides. Consistently up against the pace of Jonathan David or the technicality of Yusuf Yazici, Krejci held his own in marking, anticipated well, and calculated his aggression much more astutely.
Defensively he’s capable of fitting in on the left and can thwart attacks against a strong offensive setup. However, what separates him from a classic centerback is his technical arsenal. As a defensive midfielder he’s required to be good on the ball and passing. Combining his game management with defensive astuteness is just icing on the cake. Against Lille, he showed adeptness in striking balls long to (sometimes to his name twin) attackers, and he’s always composed when on the ball and doesn’t make foolish passes or dribbling decisions when under pressure. Against Lille he neatly beat a two man press with a tidy Cruyff turn and a nice dribble to initiate an attack out of his own 18.
At 1.91 meters he of course is also excellent in the air – not just in winning headers but contributing to attacks as well. He’s fantastic at fighting for position on set pieces, and scored a fantastic goal against Lille from a long set piece, and also hit the post in Sparta’s Europa League match against Celtic.
There’s a lot to like with Krejci. Asides from his youth, his positional flexibility makes him a unique option to fit in Gasperini’s complex back three. I could easily see him slotting in on the left side of the back three, and comfortably be able to contribute in the attack and enjoy partnering with Gosens and Freuler in the left side passing triangle. Of course the aggression is a concern, and his four match ban for his clothesline was one of the more brutal fouls I’ve seen on a pitch. Instead of holding it against him, I see it as an opportunity for him to harness his aggression and use it as a calculated weapon. Aggression and aerial confidence can make him a huge threat in the air on both sides of the pitch and a dangerous man to cover on corners and set pieces. With Palomino being Atalanta’s only left-footed defensive option – not to mention his piss-poor play – having the flexibility to slot a lefty in the back three would be a huge win for Gasperini and crew, and at less than $3M in value, it would be great to swipe Krejci up now before the Bundesliga starts looking his way. Thanks for reading, and Forza Dea!
