Player watch: Baba Diawara

Marítimo 2-1 Benfica, Taça de Portugal, 2/12/2011.

Baba Diawara’s name has been mentioned in connection with Celtic since the end of the summer transfer window, when it was widely reported that only work permit problems prevented him completing a move from Madeira to Glasgow.

Since then Baba has been in great form for Marítimo and leads the goalscoring charts in Portugal with 9 in 11 in the league and 11 in 14 in all competitions.

Since the alleged collapse of his move to Celtic there have been speculations that Celtic may come back in for him in January, that they will have first option on him in that window and even that a deal has already been agreed. With this in mind I decided to take a closer look at Marítimo’s Senegalese number 9, having only previously seen him in highlight clips or part of a match, so I watched his club’s cup game at home to Benfica tonight to do a bit of scouting.

Baba plays as the focal point of Marítimo’s attack, a typical number 9 in many ways, and maintains a central position for the majority of the time, being the lone striker in a 4-3-3 system.

It is evident that he can be an outlet as a target for long balls and on numerous occasions he was asked to win a high ball, and he often did so, sometimes winning a free kick off the defender in the process. He displayed that ability of a good centre forward who knows who to play his defender, how to back in without conceding the foul but winning one instead. He appears strong but not monstrously so.

Although Baba is comfortable with his back to goal and challenging aerially, he also is more than capable of making a run in behind the defence and has the pace and timing to do so. On a couple of occasions against Benfica he made an intelligent run but the pass was just overhit.

He also displayed an ability to receive the ball as the furthest man forward, hold it up and then have the composure to play it on, keeping the attack moving. A number of times he came deeper to link play up, but only when necessary and not out of a desire to be needlessly involved, nor in a way that left the attack deficient. He was usually quick to move the ball on, simply and calmly, before making a forward run.

Baba appears an intelligent player, particularly in and around the penalty area. He knows how to take up a good position and use his body too. A couple of times he won the ball in the box when he didn’t appear the favourite and was then able to shield it from defenders and lay it off to a team mate. On another occasion a clever dummy on his part at the edge of the area presented a team mate with a decent chance.

What surprised me slightly tonight was that Baba himself didn’t have a chance on goal, bar a couple of blocked shots. This can partly be attributed to a lack of service and the fact that Marítimo were facing top opposition in Benfica but it must be said that Baba doesn’t seem the type of player who will fashion a chance out of nothing for himself. That’s not necessarily a big criticism as many goalscorers are similar (one that springs to mind is Sporting’s Ricky van Wolfswinkel). He can link up play well, lead the line, provide a focus for the attack and lay on chances for others but without good service he likely won’t produce goals himself.

Tonight wasn’t his night on the goal front (although it was certainly a fantastic result for his team) but he still put in a good shift and impressed me. I could see his qualities, although I was a little disappointed I didn’t get the chance to assess his finishing skills. What was encouraging, though, is that I could see he was getting in good positions and still being of value to the team, and clearly, given his record this season, he does know how to put chances away when he gets them. 

Would Baba Diawara be a useful addition to Neil Lennon’s Celtic squad? I think he would. He offers something a little different to what is already there. Although Anthony Stokes has performed admirably as the lone striker in the last couple of European games it is not a role that is entirely natural or suited to him. Gary Hooper is a fine poacher and penalty box striker but can’t be expected to win many aerial balls and has previously proved ineffective when asked to lead the line alone. Georgios Samaras is tall and physical but tends to drift out wide and into the channels and likes to run at players. Recent evidence suggests that the Greek forward’s most effective role may be on the left, rather than central. I’ve not seen enough of Mo Bangura to make a proper judgement but he does not appear to be a “number 9” either, more someone who likes to run the channels and take a man on. Baba stays central, receives the ball and plays it on, bringing others into play. He can be a target man and more besides. He can drop deep and run in behind too.

Bringing in a fifth first team striker might be overkill, and I do not want to downplay the merits of the four at the club right now, but I think Diawara is different enough that he would be of use to the squad and offer something Celtic don’t have right now. It may be that if he comes in, someone else will have to move on but if that is in the name of progress then that’s football.

One stumbling block, should Celtic wish to sign him, is his recent form. If no deal has already been agreed or no fee already set then Celtic may find his price has soared beyond their reach since August, and they are certainly not the only club who have been linked to him.