The midfield position requires players to be comfortable both in and out of possession. It demands that players contribute to both sides of the game, whether in attack or defence. However, not every player in this position possesses these dual traits; some are skilled on the ball but struggle without it, and vice versa. That’s why players who can contribute effectively in both aspects are in high demand.

One such player is Aston Villa and Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans. The game of football is constantly evolving, and players like Tielemans, who are adept at balancing offensive and defensive responsibilities, are invaluable to any team.

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Early Beginnings

Tielemans came through the ranks at Belgian club Anderlecht from 2002 to 2013. He quickly established himself as one of the club’s brightest young prospects, earning a fast track to the first team in 2013 at just 16 years old. He soon became the youngest Belgian to start in a Champions League game, playing against Olympiacos at only 16 years and 148 days.

That season, he contributed to Anderlecht’s league title victory, making 29 appearances and winning the Belgian Young Player of the Year award in each of his first two seasons. Tielemans continued to excel with Anderlecht, playing a pivotal role in their 2017 league title win, where he was also voted Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year.

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In 2017, he moved to French side Monaco but struggled to secure a place as a first-team regular and was loaned to Leicester City in 2019. It was at the Midlands club where he truly found his stride once again. Now at Villa, Tielemans is competing in the UEFA Champions League and taking his game to a new level under Unai Emery.

Short Passing

In the 2020/2021 season, he ranked fourth among midfielders for most completed passes, with an impressive total of 1,989, and ranked 11th among midfielders for chances created, with 49. Passing in space and reading your players’ movements is an extremely difficult skill that requires high alertness and thinking on the fly, something the Belgian is adept at.

Here, Tielemans (indicated by the red circle) has two options ahead of him, with both Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy in advanced positions. However, with six Brighton players in and around that area and a narrow gap to play into, he requires a run from one of his teammates to create a passing opportunity.

Tielemans recognizes that Iheanacho is about to make a run, though it’s still unclear where exactly he’s headed, so Tielemans waits for the right moment to see the play in front of him more clearly.

Once Iheanacho makes his move forward, Tielemans doesn’t hesitate. He delivers a perfectly weighted pass to Iheanacho, threading it through a small gap between the defenders. The weight of the pass is crucial here: too short, and the ball would be intercepted; too long, and it would roll out of play.

The Belgian finds his striker in space, evading Lewis Dunk’s slide tackle and setting up a one-on-one opportunity that Iheanacho successfully converts. Key to this goal from Tielemans’ perspective are his skills in reading runs and precisely weighting passes. Here, he not only understands what his striker wants but also executes the pass with pinpoint accuracy, allowing Iheanacho to run onto it without breaking stride.

In this situation, Tielemans receives the ball and is immediately pressed by Scott McTominay.

He cleverly lets the ball run across his body, using McTominay’s momentum against him to beat his marker.

After getting past the Scotsman, he has the option to pass off to Wilfred Ndidi and keep the play moving. Instead, he takes a risk, opting for a slightly longer pass into the space behind United’s defence on that side.

He manages to find the player who is in loads of space and has all the time in the world to deliver a dangerous cross into the box, and he once again shows his willingness to look for opportunities to break lines and create dangerous situations for his team.

Tielemans receives the ball in space with options ahead, but three players are closing in, cutting off his passing lanes and making his job much harder.

He delays the pass just long enough for one of the three players to break from their position and try to engage him, opening up a bit of space for him to pass the ball into.

He exploits this space perfectly, breaking the midfield line and delivering a precise ball to his striker, allowing him to pin the defender in the box and set up runs off him. From delaying his actions to letting the perfect opportunity arise and reading the field ahead, the Belgian skillfully breaks lines and creates dangerous scenarios for his team through accuracy and timing.

Long Passing

Tielemans is also skilled at finding runners in space with long balls. While his long-pass distribution can occasionally be untidy, he has the ability to not only spot a pass from deep but also to locate his teammate in stride.

In this scenario, Tielemans has two teammates positioned in the box, but they’re outnumbered by five Bournemouth players. For an effective play, he’ll need a run from one of his teammates, providing a cue for where they want the ball delivered. Alternatively, he could place the ball into a specific area or space for them to attack, giving his teammates a chance to beat the defenders to the spot.

The moment Tielemans sees Vardy make a forward run into the open space, he delivers the ball without hesitation. His quick decision-making and immediate response allow Vardy to receive the pass in stride, maximising the advantage of his movement and keeping the defence on the back foot.

The ball is once again perfectly weighted for Vardy, who rises above his marker to head it home for the Foxes. It’s not just Tielemans’ precision that stands out but his ability to adapt quickly as the picture changes around him. Many midfielders opt for safer passes, which isn’t necessarily wrong, but in the final third, creativity is essential to break down defences and create chances.

The best players in the final third not only read the play but, when they see an opportunity, trust themselves to make the decisive pass. It requires more than just skill — it requires confidence in that skill. Tielemans demonstrates this confidence time and again.

Here, Tielemans finds himself in space in midfield once again. He quickly spots the space behind the defence and notices his three teammates making runs into it.

He clips a delicate, chipped ball behind the defensive line, perfectly placing it into his teammate’s path and once again into a dangerous position.

With both feet, he adeptly finds players nearby or far ahead, adjusting quickly as the situation around him changes while still delivering accurate balls, whether in behind or to his teammates’ feet. His vision and execution consistently prove how dangerous he is when given the time and space to lift his head and pick his pass.

Dribbling – Evading Pressure

Midfielders need to essentially have “eyes in the back of their heads” to help them escape situations from all angles. In this day and age of high-pressing systems and tactics, midfielders who can scan the area around them and navigate tight situations are very important. Tielemans falls into this category. In the 2020/2021 Premier League season, he ranked 7th for dribbles completed by central midfielders, with 21.

He then uses Adam Lallana’s momentum against him by shifting the ball in the direction from which the Englishman is coming to evade pressure and retain possession for his side.

Here, Tielemans receives the ball and is again closed down by the onrushing marker. The Belgian is once again able to use his marker’s momentum against him by shifting the ball quickly across him and escaping the pressure.

Here, Tielemans (indicated by the circle) is once again immediately closed down as he receives the ball. This time, though, the ball is in the air, making it even more difficult for him to control.

He improvises brilliantly, chipping the ball over the Atlético Madrid player to once again beat his marker. To get away from pressure and retain possession like this requires not only great improvisation on the fly but also awareness of what’s around you.

The Belgian may not be someone who immediately comes to mind when considering dribbling, but his close control, quick thinking, ability to scan his surroundings, and, most importantly, his knack for using his opponent’s momentum against them make him one of the most press-resistant midfielders in Europe, allowing him to dribble past markers with ease.

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Although many people attribute dribbling to skill moves and flair, it really is about finding a way to beat your marker and remove him from the equation. The Aston Villa midfielder does this simply and effectively.

Out of Possession – Tackling

The Belgian may not look like the most imposing figure in the middle of the park, but he certainly knows how to put in a tackle, ranking fifth for the most successful tackles among midfielders in the 2020/2021 season with an impressive 84. Although he has a small frame, standing at just 5 ft 9 in, he is still capable of using his body effectively in duels and anticipates loose balls and where they might drop very well. Tielemans here recognizes the loose ball in the middle and goes after it.

Tielemans here recognizes the loose ball in the middle and goes after it. He then charges it down in order to beat the player to it.

Tielemans is strong in the tackle and is able to regain possession for the Foxes. Here, Tielemans positions himself side-on to show Richarlison down the line, using the line as an extra defender.

He manages to get tight to the Brazilian and dispossesses him before his teammate carries the ball away.

Rashford is on the ball here, and Tielemans, realising how quick he is, makes an effort to close down the space around him to make it difficult for him to get off the mark.

He then smartly reads Rashford’s body movement and extends a leg in that direction to make a successful tackle.

During the same sequence, Cristiano Ronaldo finds himself with the ball after Tielemans dispossesses Rashford.

He then reads the opponent’s body movement, anticipates where the ball is most likely to go, and sticks out a leg to win possession for his team.

From diving tackles to smart reading of the game, Tielemans is very capable of screening his backline and winning the ball for his team. However, in terms of weaknesses, there are certain facets where Tielemans is going to need to improve if he is to reach his ceiling and emerge as one of the best midfielders in Europe.

Although the Belgian has many weapons in his arsenal, one slight criticism of him is that he sometimes allows games to pass him by and doesn’t impose himself as much as his talent suggests he could. This is just a small flaw in his game, as it doesn’t happen very often.

Conclusion

Since departing Leicester City on a free transfer in 2023 and joining Aston Villa on a four-year deal, Youri Tielemans has emerged as an increasingly important figure in Unai Emery’s team. What’s more, with Douglas Luiz joining Juventus this past summer, Tielemans has taken his responsibility to a new level and solidified himself as the creative cog of Villa’s midfield.

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He excels in most aspects of the game and brings experience and leadership at the highest level, both for club and country, having made his senior debut at such a young age. Not only can he spot a pass, but he also screens the defence very well. He is a capable long-range shooter and contributes to his side’s goal tally. With all these impressive attributes, it’s no surprise that he is thriving under Emery at Aston Villa.

By: Mark Bruce / @MarkV_Bruce8

Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Plumb Images – Getty Images