Jordan Bos has had a scintillating start to life in professional football, stretching far beyond his prominent performance against World Cup Winners Argentina last week.
Playing his first game for Melbourne City in the A-League Men on the 27th of November 2021, the left-back has hit remarkable heights in the 553 days between his debut and his last game for the Victorian club.
In that period, Bos has become one of the outstanding talents in Australia, making his Subway Socceroos debut, securing an almost 2 million AUD transfer to KVC Westerlo and deservedly winning the A-League Men’s Young Footballer of the Year accolade.
Throughout the season, Bos has mixed exciting attacking output with defensive solidity, conforming to the norm of a true modern fullback.
It’s his unique ability going forwards, however, that makes him such a prospect, with Bos’ consistent ability to dribble the ball up the field a key mechanism for City progressing play this campaign.
Bos made 141 dribbles throughout the 2022/23 A-League Men season, while he carried the ball for a startling 6637 metres this campaign - both are more than any player in the competition.
The fullback’s ability to receive the ball and break out of pressure makes him an invaluable addition to both the Socceroos and new side KVC Westerlo, with his athleticism, understanding of space and body positioning and technique allowing him to breeze past opponents with ease.
This dribbling ability continues into the final third, where Bos often played as a left-winger, positioned high and wide when City was in comfortable possession.
A key factor that separates Bos from other fullbacks is when being in advanced positions, the Socceroo plays as a true winger.
Upon finding himself in 1v1s, rather than backing off and recirculating possession, Bos looks to directly take on opponents to drive into the box and create chances for his side.
Bos made more take-ons (157) in the A-League Men this season than any other player in the competition while gaining a 51% success rate from those take-ons.
It’s this that spells the Socceroos’ unique selling point; beyond his ball retention and ability to move forwards from deeper areas, his cut-throat nature in the final third, and his ability to play as a true, productive, direct winger in possession, brings a special edge to sides looking to play with attacking fullbacks.
This extends to the fullback’s ability on his supposed ‘weaker leg’ - as part of his ability to take on players, Bos is able to go down the outside or cut inside, once again adding to his versatility in possession and his winger-like nature.
Both of Bos’ goals this campaign have come from stunning shots with his right foot, demonstrating his confidence and all-round ability.
The threat Bos poses when cutting in allows him to go on the outside and produce clever crosses more often, as a result of his threat from either position.
This was present throughout the Argentina match, as Bos cut in on two separate occasions to unleash with his right-peg.
While not finding the target with either effort, the ease at which he found himself in a shooting position demonstrates the left-back's ability to take players on and create opportunities, with the Socceroos' best chance of the match coming from a right-footed Bos cross.
Meanwhile, he’s able to create opportunities for cutbacks by coming in onto his weaker foot, opening up space for his teammates to overlap.
He has a fantastic weight of pass on both feet and is able to find players in both overlapping and underlapping positions with intricate, well-timed balls.
Bos also has demonstrated an excellent aerial ability - according to data from Ben Griffis’ Radar Creation software, Bos is in the 100th percentile (top percentage) for aerial win percentage, and the 83rd% for aerial duels won.
He’s also demonstrated his competence in the traditional aspects of a fullback - while having a lower output for defensive actions, Melbourne City’s play style and dominance has influence.
His side from the recent season has the second least expected goals conceded in the league and by far the highest average possession in 58.5%, indicating chances for defensive actions are lower.
Bos does sit in the 72nd percentile for interceptions (pAdj), indicating an ability to break down play through anticipating passes, particularly in more advance areas, which forms a method of chance creation in itself.
Bos’ all-round game, combined with his unique abilities in possession and in the final third, make him a thoroughly exciting prospect for the future of Australia, and he will look to continue his formidable form with KVC Westerlo as the Socceroos, after the match against Argentina, turn their heads towards the next AFC Asian Cup in early 2024.