Florian Sotoca: The Best Attacker You’ve Never Heard Before
I serve my head like Sotoca
I’m everywhere like Sotoca
A real machine like Sotoca
Do you get it or not?
I’m on the ground, determined like Sotoca,
Everything for the team, I’m collective like Sotoca
One of the more surprising fact of Ligue 1 is on how RC Lens, a team that had just promoted from Ligue 1 three years ago, managed to keep themselves at the top half of the table — finishing 7th both times, especially at this season where they’ve managed to keep toe-to-toe with other, more financially sound teams.
The northern France-based club is currently cruising at the 4th position, ahead of the likes of Lille and Rennes. They have proven to be a tough team to beat; winning 14 matches, drawing 7, and losing only 3.
A player that has contributed on Les Sang et Or’s successes is Florian Sotoca. The 32 year-old forward has proven to be an integral part of Franck Haise’s squad, scoring 7 goals and 8 assists across all competitions (Ligue 1 and Coupe de France).
Sotoca has been an endearing figure to the supporters, in which his hardworking and sacrificing nature corresponds well with Lens’ working-class roots. In this article I will expand more on Sotoca’s game and his contributions to the Lens squad.
Lens primarily plays in a 3–4–3/3–4–1–2 formation shape. They often created midfield diamonds to create superiorities centrally. Sotoca, who often plays as a right winger/right-sided №10, often drops to be the right-sided midfielder that will sometimes drift wide to collect the ball or receive beside the opponent’s defensive line.
A 3–4–3 formation often lacks numbers in midfield, so Sotoca often drops to be a passing option in midfield, allowing Lens to further progress the ball upfront. Lens are circulating the ball back to the opposite side, triggering Troyes’ high press. With most of the passing options being closed, Sotoca drops to be an additional player. This sequence eliminates 5 Troyes players, and created an opening for the team.
Another of Sotoca’s tendency is to position himself as a support/connecting option when his teammates are being pressured at the wing. Take a look at his positioning to receive a diagonal pass from the wing, allowing the player with-ball an exit option. With Sotoca receiving the ball, Lens are directly facing PSG’s last backline.
In general, Sotoca is given freedom to initiate plays by offering himself ball-near. At this example, he dropts to collect the ball, noticing gaps at Lorient’s defensive line, and able to break them with an incisive pass.
Sotoca’s involvement during the attacking build-up is shown on stats: compared to other Top 5 Leagues wingers/№10s, Sotoca has one of the most touches at the middle third area (85th percentile with 28.21 touches per 90 minutes).
Sotoca offers multiple ways of attacking in the final third. He’s very good on timing his movements and attack the space at the right time. At the first example we see Sotoca attacking the space in-behind his marker (due to the marker attention is focused on da Costa), and successfully receiving the Lens №10 player assist.
The second example shows Sotoca’s ability to identify gaps in-between the defense. Lens overloaded the right side, pulling six Angers players out wide (with emphasis on the wing-back and left centre-back). Three Angers centre-backs provided balance on the left side, creating a large gap that Sotoca can exploit. He turns around to attack the space, before controlling the ball with his chest and half-volleying the ball, which ended up as an assist.
Sotoca is indeed pretty good whith crosses; he crosses the ball a lot (0.49 crosses to penalty area per 90 minutes, standing on the 90th percentile among Top 5 Leagues wingers/№10s). His assist against Toulouse shows that he can combine good crossing with good positioning, exploiting the Tours-based team fixation to the ball.
Sotoca also often drops to bounce the ball to his teammates; his specialty is to offer himself as a support/connective option. In this example, Fofana high positioning attract a Rennes CB’s pressing. Sotoca that positioned himself as the third man is able to receive the ball and target the onrushing Openda.
Although often being the connective hub for the team when attacking, Sotoca has a very limited array of skills when receiving the ball. Also due to his physicality, twisting and turning isn’t his specialty, and thus, he may slow down the attacking tempo or get dispossessed. This example against Inter shows Sotoca’s inability to change directions.
This physical limitations makes Sotoca a bad 1v1 dribbler: he is the worst among Ligue 1’s №10/winger in terms of taking on his opponents (1.11 attempted take ons per 90 minutes with 34.6% successful rate as per FBRef). Sotoca’s physicality, though, has some advantage, that will be explored on the following paragraph.
One of Sotoca’s most visible advantage is his height. Being an inside 10/winger that stands 187cm, Sotoca is one of the most threatening attacker in the air, engaging in aerial duels and being successful at it (1.93 aerial duels per 90 minutes with 57,3% success rate per FBRef).
Here, we can see Sotoca winning a header against the Nantes defender. However, the №7 player targeted it straight to the goalkeeper, making it easy for him to save the ball.
Aside from crossing, Sotoca sometimes has been designed as a set-piece target. As we can see at this graph, Sotoca has created several chances from corners.
During Lens’ second goal against Brest, the player at near post made a run to attract his marker. This opened up space for Sotoca to head the ball into the goal.
Sotoca is often involved at Lens’ scheme to bypass compact low-blocks; the scheme includes putting a lofted ball to Sotoca. However, this scheme isn’t seem to be that effective due to Sotoca’s far distance from the goal.
On the defensive end, Sotoca is known for his selfless display, often willing to cover defensive gaps, even at the final defensive line. At this example, a 1v1 situation out wide attracts the right wing-back, opening up gaps in-between the wing-back and the right-sided centre-back. When the Lorient player tried to exploit the gap, Sotoca provides cover and able to bring the ball out from the pitch.
Sotoca’s proactive display is shown at the stats, where his interception and clearance stats are the best amongst Top 5 League wingers (90th and 99th percentile respectively). However, Sotoca sometimes is late to identify players in-behind the defensive line, which often made him susceptible to line-breaking passes. His height also hinders him on intercepting the pass.
Sotoca is also late at doing recovery runs. While he is able to stop the opponents from progressing centrally, he is unable to recover back effectively, allowing the opponents lots of space to operate and create chances.
Florian Sotoca has been one of Ligue 1’s most consistent performer, giving Lens various ways to build-up, progressing, and finishing attacks. Defensively, while Sotoca sometimes had shown lapses, he is, more often than not, net positive for Les Sang et Or.
