Ross Jones

Mon 1 June 2020 20:16, UK

The link between West Brom and Argentine striker Adolfo Gaich has dominated Baggies headlines in recent days.

Ever since Albion were touted as a potential destination for the 21-year-old by TYC Sports, there has been plenty of discussion surrounding him and his potential.

But perhaps the most illuminating comment on the hitman so far came from Argentina U23s coach Fernando Batista earlier this year.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, he said: “It is worth betting on Gaich. I do not have doubts. He has power, air play, it is strong. In heads-up play, speed can also prevail. Despite his height, he knows how to get an opponent off his back.

“I imagine him on those perfect European pitches, with the wet grass, ideal for him. The characteristics would perhaps fit better in the Premier League, in the Bundesliga, in Italian football. Now he could also play perfectly in Spain and in Barcelona

“Gaich also has some [Robert] Lewandowski things. I see it similar in the physical, in how it puts the body, in how he holds the ball.”

Comparisons to Lewandowski leave Gaich with some big shoes to fill, but Batista does have a point.

Obviously, at 21, Gaich has a long way to go to match the Bayern Munich talisman, but some of his natural traits are certainly very similar, especially in a physical sense.

Both tall and powerful, the immediate parallels are obvious, but a closer look at the stats actually proves that Gaich is very much on par with the Pole already.

The graph above, courtesy of Wyscout, shows that Gaich has contested an average of 8.56 aerial duels per game this season, with a success rate of 38.8%.

Moreover, he quite often exceeds his average, and only really has his number dragged down by matches in which he has made fleeting cameos.

As a point of reference, Lewandowski has a career average of 5.1 aerial duels per game, with a success rate that is only 0.7% higher than Gaich’s.

Similarly, the South American contests an impressive 27.98 duels per game – aerial or otherwise – with a success rate of 36%, as shown above.

Compare those numbers to Lewandowski, whose equivalent graph is shown below, and we can see that Gaich contests 5.6 more duels per game.

He even wins 0.9% more duels than the Bayern man.

Clearly, being a centre forward isn’t just about winning aerial duels and putting yourself about the pitch.

But Batista is right to point out the similarities in the physicality between Gaich and Lewandowski.

In fact, you could even argue that the youngster has already overtaken his more esteemed peer in that regard.

In other West Brom, Report – PL club in talks with West Brom to bolster off-field legal bid.

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