Sorry, this'll be a longish post, but here's the TL;DR -
Powell is a top player, sharing parallels in some ways with a world class footballer
RalfBall might not be something he's built for, but if a coach unlocks all that potential then they've got a brilliant free signing on their hands.
I'd like to see him play as a deep lying playmaker in the future.
Nick Powell is an interesting proposition for many clubs out there and his playing style, strengths and weaknesses, even in part his career trajectory, remind me of somebody, who I'll get to later.
Nick Powell is capable of doing the unexpected. He makes his play unpredictable, selecting a number of different options throughout the course of the match which keep his opponents guessing over the course of 90 minutes. How Powell achieves this is predicated on his ability to to assess the play as the ball is in flight - it is a massive strength of his game. Powell adjusts his body position as the ball comes to him and creates himself space and time on the ball even before he's touched it. Defenders tend to freeze upon seeing this which leads into Powell's first touch. Nick Powell constantly shifts the ball around his person, adjusting it subtly each time he receives the ball, offering more unpredictability and options for himself to choose from and more uncertainty in his opposition.
He's able to give himself options by adjusting his body position often, not necessarily charging around the field, but always giving himself passing lanes, both short and long, left and right. His pass selection upon receiving the ball is a work in progress but shows high level of tactical understanding.
Powell has a good range of long and short passes with both feet. He is able to switch play quickly, favouring to drive the ball with large amount of backspin, which slows the ball down before it reaches the target. He uses the outside of both feet wel for passingl whilst running with ball, making it difficult to get a read on his intentions and drawing the occasional foul. In the past Nick Powell was guilty of trying to do too much with his passes, however now he has shown a maturity in keeping the ball, recycling possession and making himself available for a pass.
Physically, Powell is tall for a Central Midfielder, although not imposing. His game is based around guile and disguise rather than all out action. Powell is no slouch and quite often his change of direction and pace fools opponents - it is again the unexpected and unpredictable nature of his game that upsets the balance of play. Powell however has had a chequered past with injuries, both niggles and major issues. Powell doesn't possess a great gas tank, very often not finishing matches. Numerous stories of a lack of discipline off the field in his formative years aren't to be ignored and for him to reach the next level, he needs to work on his stamina.
Defensively, Powell almost hardly ever makes a direct challenge for the ball. He can do it, but instead chooses to shut down space and options, intercepting the ball cleanly and looking to counter attack, stretching out the play. Powell is exceptionally good with the 2nd ball, hurting the opposition if they stand off him. It is a weakness of his game which I think is down to his physical condition rather than this unwillingness to do his part.
Set pieces are his forte - he's able to cross, score and has the composure to be an excellent penalty taker.
Red Bull Lepizig, under Ralf Ragnick play a 4-2-2-2 formation, which is based upon pressure from the front. Yussuf Poulsen and Timo Werner work hard in tandem to force mistakes from the defence and a midfield "box" behind them acts as a double-pivot - players are expected to be able to drop deep and push forwards into each section of the box. It is a dynamic and challenging system to play, known as "RalfBall". Occasionally this changes into a 4-2-3-1, with the wide players of the three tucked in to create congestion in the centre, before breaking into spaces down the sides of the field. Both formations are built upon counter pressing when possession is lost and a more direct style of passing. I don't know if Nick Powell would be up to that physically, however in terms of game intelligence and technical prowess he would be.
Powell has always reminded me of Andrea Pirlo, who had a tough start to his career, operating as a number 10, almost drifting through his formative years before Carlo Ancelotti moved him further back and he became the player we all know today. I often wonder if Nick Powell is more suited to being a deep lying playmaker in this way, alongside a bruiser (Pirlo and Gattuso). Nick's a top player in the making and I'm sure lots of coaches would be keen to work with him and see what they could finally bring out of him. I feel a motivated and fully fit Nick Powell could be as good a midfield player we've seen in some time. It'd be a tragedy if his career became that of a journeyman, a tale of what might have been.
