Dribbles, tackles, sprints… What are Simon Adingra’s strengths?
He comes in to bolster the Red and Whites’ attacking line. Having arrived at the foot of the Rock to see out the remainder of the season with AS Monaco, Simon Adingra will have the chance to showcase these qualities for the good of the team. Ahead of his big debut, here’s a closer look at the profile and strengths of the Ivorian winger, with the help of our statistics provider Opta. 📊
Among the best dribblers in England 🌪️
He hope to take Ligue 1 by storm after making his mark in the Premier League. While he struggled for game time at the start of the season with Sunderland, Monaco’s new number 24 truly came to the fore with Brighton during the 2023-24 sason. Over the course of the season, he caught the eye, quickly establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s best dribblers.
With an average of 5.04 attempted dribbles per match, he ranked among the top three behind Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus (7.83 – then at West Ham) and new Arsenal signing Eberechi Eze (6.10 – then at Crystal Palace) in the 2023-24 campaign. He placed better than 89% of players in the same position for dribbles, while the Ivorian also proves very active in the opposition box, with an average of 6.66 touches per 90 in the penalty area the 2023–2024 season.
Present in the box… 🥅
The touches in the opposition box per 90 is a return that places him just outside the Premier League top 10, behind the likes of Mohamed Salah (9.2 – Liverpool), Bukayo Saka (8.81 – Arsenal) and even Erling Haaland (6.87 – Manchester City). In the process, he outperforms 91% of players operating in the same area. But beyond his attacking output, Simon Adingra also stands out for his tireless defensive work.
Start your week with EVERY goal and assist from our AFCON winner Simon Adingra during his memorable first season with us! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RijBMxsMZ4
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) June 17, 2024
…But also — and above all — defensive contribution! 🚧
Taking his best season as a reference once again, he recorded 118 ball recoveries, on par with players such as former Reds winger Luis Díaz (127). It’s a haul that helps explain why he carried out more defensive actions than 93% of comparable players. It is therefore no surprise to find him once again among the attacking players who made the most tackles during the 2023–2024 season (45).
Not one to shy away 🏃♂️
Here again, he’s in good company with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, and Jérémy Doku. Always willing to put in a shift, Simon recently proved it once more by ranking among the players with the most sprints per game in the first half of the season at Sunderland (17.5). Another point highlighting his profile as a tireless winger, he is also the ninth highest dribbler in the Premier League over the past three years (4.64 per match).
There is no doubt, then, that the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations winning alongside Wilfried Singo, who is also the 12th Ivorian in history to represent AS Monaco, will put his strengths to work for the Red and White collective.
Photo credit (cover image): Icon Sport / Statistics source: Opta
