#038 - Secret Superstars in WoSo - Part II
With 2024-25 season halfway done, where the gems at?
Hey everyone, I wish 2025 brings great things your way in every capacity.
Every newsletter I write this year will be an attempt to help keep my best friend, Om Arvind’s, dream and vision alive.
If you can, please donate to this gofundme to honour his legacy in WoSo. Miss you my friend!
The 2024-25 season is at the halfway mark. The favorites are favorite-ing, some are punching above their weight while the others are doing just enough to carry theirs. New systems have been tried, tested, failed and succeeded and the same goes for player roles in them.
As the season starts begins to mature, star players take center-stage, deciding games for their respective sides. Some new stars are born every season, in every position. And this season is no different.
Here is a look at three players who have been extremely important for their team but have also flown under the radar.
Laura Freigang (Midfielder/Forward, Eintracht Frankfurt)
Laura Freigang is far from an unknown player in WoSo. She has been at the heart of everything Eintracht Frankfurt for a long while now, scoring 10+ goals in six of her last seven seasons in the league. She is a cult legend at Frankfurt.
Her role under different managers, in different setups, at Frankfurt has changed over the years. This season she is a different beast.
As a part of Frankfurt’s attack this season, playing behind Lara Prasnikar and Nicole Anyomi, Freigang has seen an increase in her activity in the penalty area. With the duo of Prasnikar-Anyomi spreading out wide to run the channels, Freigang is able to be on the receiving end a lot through the middle.
The 26-year-old is averaging 7 touches in the opposition box this season, almost two more than her average in 2023-24 and 2022-23. She is averaging one more shot per game this season, while hitting the target more often.
It’s not just the volume that has gone up but also her average chance quality (non-penalty xG per shot) has also gone up. The new role with the forwards splitting wide has seen her shooting from closer to goal, seeing a drop in her average shot distance from 14.4 yards last season to 11.9 yards this season.
While her goalscoring numbers have gone up, playing in the hole behind the strike partnership has also allowed her to thrive in a familiar role as a #10. She is now able to slip through passes to them on a consistent basis. She has already played twice as many through-balls this season as compared to the last two seasons combined.
Her involvement in the attacking third has significantly gone up, she is shouldering the goalscoring and creative responsibilities for her side. As her legend continues to grow for Frankfurt, she continues to adapt in a new and better version of herself.
Sofia Cantore (Forward, Juventus)
Sofia Cantore has been around Italy over the last few years, having short stints across clubs while being a Juventus player. After loan spells at Hellas Verona, Fiorentina and then Sassuolo, the forward is now back at Juventus and showcasing her qualities.
Cantore seems to have finally hit the stride, unlocking another stage of her development by producing the end product that has often alluded her. She has already scored seven goals this season, just two short of her career best tally in a single league season (9 in 2021-22).
She is ranked in the upper quartile for multiple attacking metrics this season, averaging 0.9 goal contributions per game this season. She has averaged 4.7 shot-creating actions this season, her career best so far, showcasing her overall ability to score and create equally well. The Italian is averaging over two more touches in the opposition box per game this season as compared to the previous one. She has been an omnipresent figure in the attack for Juventus.
The right footed forward is capable of playing across the frontline. She can attack the fullback, can run in behind and has looked decent when receiving with pressure on her back in crowded spaces. The 25-year-old loves to eat up the ground and thrives the most with free spaces to run into.
While Cantore’s strengths has always been her ability to drive forwards with the ball, the decisive action often let her down. She is still carrying the ball forwards, averaging over three progressive carries per game but has coupled it with a decisive final ball, either a shot or pass.
This season she seems to be playing with a certain swagger and confidence when inside the penalty box. Although she is over-performing her xG this season, more than her career average and there will be lean period, her instrinsic decision making in front of goal coupled with her movements seem better than the previous seasons.
With Cristiana Girelli still kicking around, Cantore can continue to develop and takeover the mantle in the very near future. There are shades of Caitlin Foord in Cantore and while she needs to produce good volume at a consistent rate, at 25 years-old, her time is now.
Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir (GK, Inter/Bayern Munich)
Inter have been one of the teams to watch in Serie A this season. Reinforced in the last year with the arrivals of players like Ivana Andres, Lina Magull, Annamari Serturini among others, Inter have shown real signs of improvements this season.
They are currently second in the league table behind Juventus and have lost just one of their 14 games in the Serie A. Their 27 goals scored is the joint second most and they recently beat AS Roma in the league as well. The department where they have solidified 10x is their defence.
Inter have conceded just eight goals in 14 games so far, the best defensive record in Italy. They have kept seven clean sheets this season, joint most with Juventus. Le Nerazzurre have conceded the lowest non-penalty xG this season of just 11.4 in 14 games so far. The overall defensive improvement could not be more evident.
As the chart above compares Inter’s performance in different departments in the last two seasons, the biggest improvement can be seen in the defensive department. Not only are opponent struggling to create chances against them but also their buildup completion is also lower when compared to previous season.
While Ivana has become the backbone of Inter’s defence this season, forming a formidable core along with Katie Bowen. The Spaniard has been key defensively as well as helped the progression with her ball playing skills in the back 3.
But even if the opposition manage to breach the defence, they come up against the Icelandic wall. Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir.
The 21-year-old, currently on loan from Bayern Munich, has been one of the best goalkeepers across Europe. At 188cms, she is a towering presence in goal with excellent reflexes to save from close range. Despite her height, she is very quick to make low saves and has excellent reach to cover the frame of goal.
Her 88.7% save percentage puts her in the top percentile among goalkeepers in Europe. She has allowed four fewer goals than she was expected to based on post-shot expected goals model.
One area of improvement, however, is her ability to claim crosses. Despite her frame she doesn’t often stop opposition crosses by coming out and claiming them, thus letting the danger persist. Her punching when dealing with these balls isn’t the most reassuring either.
While a return to Bayern is looming in the summer, Cecilia’s performances in goal are one of the main reasons for Inter’s strong defensive showing this season. At just 21, with scope for improvement, she could be on course to fulfill the promise she showcased at Fylkir and was touted as the most promising player in the Icelandic league in 2020.
A nutmeg to start the year!
Until next time!!