http://outsideoftheboot.com/2015/08/13/scout-report-jannik-vestergaard/
Style of play, Strengths and Weaknesses
Vestergaard is a hard, strong and physical centre back. He has a great tactical view of the game and reads it well to put in a good shift in defence. He isn’t particularly fast but he compensates for it with his positional play and reading of the game. His height makes him a watch tower in defense and he is always present to head away threatening crosses from set-pieces. This aerial ability is not a threat only in defence but also while attacking. Call it the advantages of being almost 2 metres tall and long legs, he is capable of making seemingly impossible tackles.
He never has a hot head on the pitch and always carries himself well. With calmness and concentration when on the ball it is foolhardy to expect any mistake from him except his passing which can be astray regularly but not to the extent of being a precarious flaw in his game. It will become one if he isn’t more careful as he matures as he will be entering the prime of his career soon enough.
The stronger points of his game are obviously aerial duels and tackling. Taking the U21 Euros as the most recent example, Vestergaard won an average of 3 duels per game and averaged the same amount for sliding tackles as well. He commanded his defensive line and put in solid performances starting off with the first game with one of his best ever performances, going on to meet the expectations that were set for him when the competition started. He even made Outside of the Boot’s Team of the Tournament. This also helps in gather some important form for the upcoming season with Werder Bremen.
Speaking about Werder Bremen, he was no newcomer to the Bundesliga when he signed for them as mentioned before. He won a staggering 66.2% of his aerial duels last season and was a defensive rock. He was one of the main reasons for the upturn in form for the team and was a crucial part of the team that finished just below the European Spots after having endured recent horrendous years in the bottom parts of the Bundesliga table. His performances at Bremen earned him call ups to the senior national team of Denmark and he has 3 caps so far with surely more to come. A towering old fashioned centre back who is slightly faster than Per Mertesacker in my opinion, if he keeps performing and developing, there is a big future in European football for Vestergaard.
With him favouring to play on the ground even though his height enables him to be an aerial threat shows that he is capable of being multidimensional. Sometimes he could get caught with few options available but he has the skill to dribble his way out and play a pass to the nearest team mate. This is where his composure comes into play and has helped him on more than one occasion. The only thing standing in his way from becoming a better player is his passing. This should be an area that young Vestergaard works on before taking the step up to the next bigger challenge than with Werder Bremen and who knows, it could possibly bigger than Everton. Maybe even Arsenal considering how similar he is to Per Mertesacker and his ability to play in a system which depends heavily on zonal marking. As of now, both club and player have no interest of moving on, both are tremendously satisfied with each other but the situation may not be the same when the player develops in to a beast of defender, as he is sure to attract some of the better clubs of Europe if not for the best.
Not to mention, his dribbling, composure and reading of the game also earns him a place in the central midfield area. He is predominantly a centre back but can fill in as a CDM when required. Similar to what Sergio Ramos did for Real, but personally I feel Vestergaard lacks the pace and passing ability to excel at that position. He would be better off sticking to the CB slot.
