Sunderland midfielder Pierre Ekwah has been criticised for something he simply ‘doesn’t want to do’.
Sunderland has had a poor season thus far, with Ekwah possibly being the most disappointing.
The Frenchman lit up the Championship with some of his exploits in the second half of last season, setting a very high bar for this season.
And, while he has not been awful, he has clearly not lived up to expectations, with EFL analyst Ryan Dilks naming Ekwah the Championship’s most disappointed player for 2023/24.
So far this season, Ekwah, 22, has appeared in 32 Championship games, scoring four goals and assisting twice.
Michael Graham critical of Pierre Ekwah at Sunderland
Ekwah may be an incredibly frustrating player to watch.
One thing most people can agree on is that Ekwah has buckets of technical skill; he can pick up the ball anywhere on the pitch and beat his man, shrugging off rival players with his control and size, and this season has found his scoring touch.
His off-ball work rate, however, is likely his most serious critique.
Ekwah does not put in the yards required of a Championship midfielder, as journalist Michael Graham has pointed out.
Ekwah just doesn't want to do the dirty side of the game. In fact I don't think he wants to even acknowledge there is a dirty side.
Huge 18 months for him coming up because if he can add some aggression off the ball to his quality on it, he can be anything he wants to be #SAFC https://t.co/5vgw3kKqev
— Michael Graham (@Capt_Fishpaste) March 20, 2024
Pierre Ekwah defensive stats
Ekwah’s ability to move forward in possession is obvious, but his defensive statistics offer a contrasting image of his effort rate off the ball.
According to Sofascore, Ekwah averages 0.5 possession won, 0.8 interceptions, and 1.3 tackles per game.
A player with Ekwah’s pace and strength may be a dominant force in the midfield, but his stats indicate that he is only mediocre defensively.
A tricky one for Mike Dodds to manage
Typically, if a player isn’t putting in the effort off the ball, he’s dropped.
But Mike Dodds’ midfield options are exceedingly limited, making it nearly hard to drop Ekwah right now.
It’s even more tough to let him go because he’s a guy who can create a great spark when he has the ball.
Ekwah may soon realize his mistake, and, as Graham suggests, he could become a world-beater.
But something has to click for him to start putting in the yards; when that happens, every element of his game might improve, and he’ll quickly demonstrate why he’s so highly regarded by so many.
This season may be a wash for Ekwah and many of his colleagues, but if Sunderland can bring in some midfield competition for him this summer, it might significantly increase his work rate.
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