The Lowdown: Christian Atsu

The Lowdown: Christian Atsu

Get the lowdown on Christian Atsu and what the View From The Stand Is!

Name:                Christian Atsu 

Age:                   22

Nationality:         Ghanaian

Position:             Winger

Current Team:     Chelsea                 (0 Apps 0 Goals)

Previous Teams:   Vitesse (Loan)        (28 Apps 5 Goals)

                          Porto                    (17 Apps 1 Goals)

                          Rio Ave (Loan)       (27 Apps 7 Goals)

The imminent arrival of the Atsu at Everton from Chelsea will most certainly please the Goodison faithful, with numbers desperately needed for the up coming season; from the added pressure of their European adventures this year, combined with the fact that the squad at Martinez's disposal is relatively thin and the departure of one Gerard Deulofeu, both bodies and wingers are needed at the club, and it seems that Atsu is the answer. 

The small yet powerful midfielder was one of the many players Chelsea loaned to Vitesse in the Eredivisie where had an impressive campaign notching 5 goals and 6 assists from 28 appearances. Deployed all over the midfield area his main position, surprisingly was through the middle, playing 17 of his games as an attacking central midfielder, however his speed allows him to drift with ease around the pitch so most of the time he found himself on the wings with space, and that is where he is most dangerous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogvo0Vw5-lk  (Highlight reel of his time at Vitesse)

His lightning fast pace and acceleration mean that he is almost impossible to stop unless you concede a foul in the process, in terms of raw speed Atsu wins hand down when comparing him to Deulofeu, however one of his downfalls is his touch. Unlike Deulofeu whose touch was extremely impressive considering how fast he was Atsu doesn't have the natural 'finesse' that Gerard had, often he had wayward touches and allowed the ball to run to far and not bringing it under control, albeit Christian's speed is one that the Everton faithful will embrace, and certainly one that Martinez will relish. With counter attacks rife under the new management and with players like Barkley, Mirallas and Lukaku all waiting to pounce on the break, Atsu will be a welcome addition.

Everton are also lacking in 'true' wingers, with Mirallas, McGeady and Pienaar the only recognized wide midfielders in the club, (although all three have a reputation for cutting inwards) there is a need for another payer in this position, with Pienaar's injuries last season and McGeady still adjusting to the pace of the premier league another body will ease the over-reliance on Mirallas when the games come thick and fast.

The View From The Stand

Atsu would be a welcome addition to this already young and hungry squad, his skill set is one that Everton may not necessarily have at the minute and with the reported 7 million option to buy him at the end of the loan, Everton could have yet another young and exciting prospect for a decent fee.

The View From The Stand Is: Exactly what Everton need