The world of professional football is supported by data and statistics, especially in recent influential years, in which technology wins by a landslide. Technique, inspiration, continue to be the main reason for the game, but the numbers that support these actions gain greater momentum every day. “Direct participation (in goals)”for example, represent a growing trend.
Mainly, it is an area that midfielders and forwards usually occupy. From time to time, defenders with the soul of forwards are included. Or fliers, who travel a few meters forward, with the spear and personality. And class, of course. In the Premier League, the best league in the world, these data take on greater relevance: there is nothing more important on the football planet. In that area, if it is a defender, the logical thing would be for that area to be led by leaders of the last line of Manchester City, Liverpool y Arsenal, the teams that add the most points in that championship. However, that is not the case.
The leader in that area is an Argentine defender: Marcos Senesi. An Argentine defender who did not go to Qatar. An Argentine defender who is usually on the radar of Lionel Scaloni to integrate the selected one, but it is not among their favorites.
Marcos Senesi arose in Saint Lawrence, he is from Entre Ríos and he hits it with his left leg, with soul and life or… like a stylist. He is tall, he feels comfortable in the opponent’s area, he knows what scoring goals is all about. (15 in his career). He stood out in Feyenoord (Netherlands) for three seasons and today is part of the English magic circle. He works in Bournemouth, a noble and small team that resists among the giants. They are far from the worst, those who can be relegated, such as Luton Town, Burnley and Sheffield United. The fight with fewer weapons. What’s more: this Saturday he managed to definitively get out of the fight for permanence, since Manchester City’s 5-1 victory over Luton Town left him 17 points ahead of that team, the last one that would be going down, when there are only 15 left. points at stake. Thus, he secured another year in the top flight.
He is 26 years old, he defends and attacks. He defends and launches himself, as a kind of hook, a real novelty. So much so that he is the owner of the assists for his team’s goals, in the electric 2-2 against Manchester United. Just one slip: a harsh infringement on the kid Garnacho, which mysteriously came out at halftime. In the rest of the game, he lived up to the numbers, which truly catch fire.
It’s about the defender with more direct participation (7) in goals and assists of the Premier League 2023/24. Three goals and four assists in 32 games in a limited, orderly and proud formation. And he put his chest to Manchester United, which chained his fourth league game in a row without winning, by drawing 2-2 at Bournemouth. The Red Devils were always at a disadvantage in the match (in the game, especially). The locals went ahead twice, with shots from Dominic Solanke and Justin Kluivert and on two occasions the Portuguese balanced the score Bruno Fernandesa criminal one.
In the end, pure suspense. Referee Tony Harrington pointed to the penalty spot for Bournemouth in added time after Ryan Christie collided with Willy Kambwala, but VAR overturned the decision because the foul occurred outside the area. “We know that as we reach the final part of the season all this is not enough. But to be honest, we didn’t deserve more,” was the analysis of Ten Hag, the questioned United coach.
Senesi cares little about the giant’s misfortunes. He stands out from his beginnings in San Lorenzo, where he became an undisputed starter despite his youth, as well as when he arrived in Europe: during the three seasons he spent in the Netherlands he was a key piece of Feyeenord, to the point that he They made a documentary in his honor which they titled “Gladiator”and today it is a baseline reference.
This is, in reality, a continuation of Senesi’s excellent moment, something that was demonstrated in the first days of January, when he was chosen to compete among the best players of the previous month in the Premier, and was reaffirmed when his club awarded him a double award: on the one hand, he was chosen as the best player on the team during February and, at the same time, he achieved the best goal of the month for Bournemoutha shout against Fulham on the 24th round.
Senesi’s story is nourished by audacity. His beginnings in Salto Grande, the entity in which he started playing in his native Concordia, They were like central steering wheel and, although when he arrived at San Lorenzo at just 12 years old he was already positioned in the defense, he never lost his capacity for anticipation, his ability to drive with the ball on the ground and his good footing to release filtered passes. And the most valuable thing: with your head raised.
The goals (10 in the five seasons he has been on the Old Continent) are not a coincidence either. According to what his closest friends say, during his childhood in Entre Ríos, Marcos also knew how to divide his days into basketball and, although he soon ended up leaning towards the number five ball, those times near the orange gave him good jumping ability. and timing for the aerial game, one of his strengths. Added to the instinct and perception to go look for the ball in the rival area, he became one of Bournemouth’s attacking weapons, which often works with the stopped ball, focusing on blocks and screens so that the central defender reaches the space freely. .
Recovered from a tear, in his first time as a starter back on the field, Senesi defends and… goes on the attack. But he has something special about driving. Once, they asked him who his childhood idol was. “Román,” he declared. No more questions, Mr. Judge…