Breaking down Scott Kennedy's cool, calm and collected return to the CanMNT lineup vs Honduras
After nearly 5 months out of the CanMNT lineup, Scott Kennedy made his return in a 2-0 win over Honduras on Thursday. Here's what stood out from him in his first game back.
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Thrust right into a hostile environment, he didn’t miss a beat.
Yet, that’s been how Scott Kennedy’s Canada career has gone so far, and he added another memorable chapter to a quickly growing story on Thursday, when he started in Canada’s crucial World Cup qualifier in Honduras. The 24-year-old centre back might have just been making his 6th appearance for Canada at any level, including his first since September 5th, yet he didn’t skip a beat, looking a lot like the player that turned a lot of heads in Canadian circles in 2021.
It didn’t matter that he was up against one of the best offences in CONCACAF, playing in one of the most intimidating stadiums in Central America, as he just found a way to go out and do what he does best, which is to bring a cool, calm and collected nature to the backline.
Thanks to that, Canada were able to put up a memorable defensive performance, picking up a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory 37 years in the making, as Les Rouges were able to erase years of heartbreak in Honduras, all while cementing their spot atop the ‘Octagonal’, the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, inching them all that much closer to the 2022 World Cup.
And through 9 games, they owe a lot of their success so far to their defence, which has been among one of the best in the Octo, as they are tied with the US for the least goals conceded (5) and clean sheets (4), and along with the States, they are also the only other team to not concede more than 1 goal in a game at any point this final round.
Plus, their defensive play has been sustainable, too, as they’ve only conceded 8.65 Expected Goals (xG) in 9 games, for an average of 0.96 xG a game, which is quite impressive.
Thanks to that, Canada has been able to carry the mantle as the lone undefeated team remaining in the Octo, as due to their strong defensive play, and their balanced attack, they’ve been able to grind out results in this final round.
So seeing that, the question has to be asked - what has Canada’s defence been doing so well as of late? Just a few years ago, it seemed like a potential Achilles heel ahead of any potential World Cup run, but now it’s turned into a true strength.
And there are several good reasons for that.
One, for example, is Canada adopting a more team-first defensive approach, as they’ve shown excellent commitment to playing without the ball in all of their games, and that’s made a big difference.
Otherwise, another big one has been a tactical shift, one which sees them often play in a back 3 but defend in a very rigid 4-4-2, one that is hard to break down in games, as opponents have quickly learned.
But one thing that has played a big role is the emergence of new depth options at the back, as it feels like the player pool at centre back has grown exponentially in the past 1.5 years, increasing competition at the position. Before, it felt like Canada wasn’t only short on quality at the back, but also quantity, but now, the pool of defenders playing at a high level has continued to grow, making it harder and harder to claw into the Canadian squad at that position.
And just take a look at the 4 Canadian centre backs that saw the field against Honduras, in Alistair Johnston, Steven Vitoria, Scott Kennedy and Kamal Miller, as an example.
Heading into the start of 2021, that quartet had a combined 19 caps for Canada, but now, a year (and over 50 caps later) are a few of many that have helped make this Canadian defence one of the best in the region.
So if anything, it shouldn’t have been all that surprising to see Kennedy step up as he did on Thursday. Yes, he hadn’t suited up for Canada in almost 5 months, but he also did miss 2 camps with injuries, so it wasn’t as if he’d disappeared for no reason.
But due to that break, it made him a forgotten man in the eyes of many, who’d forgotten what the tall, lanky and technically composed centre back can bring to a backline, as he did when he burst onto the scene with some big performances in the front half of 2021.
After Thursday, though, they certainly won’t forget about him anytime soon, as he had a performance that was arguably the best from a Canadian outfield player, marking his return to the team in style.
So in this, I’ll take a deeper dive into what he did so well in this match for Canada, as well as why his skillset will have him competing for more minutes in big games like Thursday’s going forward.
Positioning a quiet calling card:
When looking at Scott Kennedy’s profile, a few things stand out.
Firstly, his height is an obvious one. Clocking in at 1.9 cm, which is well over 6’3”, he is a physical specimen, bringing some height to a Canadian team that actually doesn’t have too much of it.
Secondly, his technical ability is a marvel, as you can tell that playing in Austria and Germany has allowed him to develop a lot as a player, making him quite comfortable in playing the ball out of the back.
Lastly, though, the biggest thing very well could be his positioning, as he just seems to know where to be defensively, doing a good job of reading the game as a centre back.
And that’s where I’ll start.
When looking back at this Honduras game, the biggest thing that stands out from Kennedy’s performance is how well he was positioned defensively, as he just did such a good job of reading Honduran attacks, shutting several down with smart reads.
That was backed up statistically, as he had the rare 5x3, which might be more of a basketball term, but certainly applies here as Kennedy had 5 interceptions, 5 tackles and 5 clearances, which shows how involved he was defensively in this game.
Along with his ability to win his battles, as he won 6/7 of his duels on the night, he just overall had the sort of lockdown defensive game that Canada needed from him, making it no surprise that he helped them pick up a clean sheet.
At the same time, though, you could actually have some concerns about those stats. While they’re nice to see, of course, as some have pointed out, defenders completing a lot of defensive actions isn’t always a sign that they’re doing well, but instead that they’re busy.
But the good news about that statement? It doesn’t really apply to Kennedy’s performance on Thursday.
Not only does it not make sense on paper, especially given that Canada held Honduras to just 0.66 xG, it doesn’t really pass the eye test, either, as Honduras’s good chances didn’t really come off of any Kennedy mistakes.
When watching this game back, you can see as much, as Kennedy flexed his strong positional awareness throughout the 81 minutes that he was on the field, showing why it’s such a big part of his game.
Not only does he do a good job of finding himself in good positions to be able to engage in duels and create defensive actions, but he does a lot of subtle things to help his team win the ball back before him, finding a good balance between being aggressive, and sitting back.
And that’s what makes him such a good modern centre back.
He can play in a back 4, he can play on the outside of the back 3, and he can probably play in the middle, showing his versatility. We see that for both club and country, as he’s often been deployed in a back 3 for Canada, yet plays in a back 4 for Jahn Regensburg, showing his tactical flexibility.
So when returning to the Honduras game, you could really see that flexibility shine through in certain situations.
Here’s a look at some examples that help highlight those subtle details that he does so well of paying attention to.
First, here’s a look at him finding ways to be quite aggressive in certain situations.
Take this next clip, for example, as an idea of what that can look like.
There, he might’ve not done anything too groundbreaking, but after an excellent pass into Honduras’s dangerman, Alberth Elis, Kennedy recognized that he had a chance to step up and force Elis, who prefers to go forward with the ball at his feet, to make a pass backwards.
So not only did he deny Elis of a key transition moment, but he also forced him to play a pass backwards into a Honduran midfield that isn’t really known for playing around with the ball too much, and it showed there, as a sloppy touch led to Atiba Hutchinson being able to win back possession.
And those sort of aggressive reads are crucial from defenders.
Naturally, a lot of centre backs like to sit back, getting a head start to allow attackers to run at them, but Kennedy likes to be very aggressive in how he steps up whenever possible, especially on the strong side, and it can make such a big difference on how a team defends, especially in the middle of the park.
Here’s another example of that, as he once again pressures Elis here, forcing him to turn back, leading to yet another dispossession from Canada’s midfield.
But that’s one of the reasons why Kennedy has fit in so well into this Canadian backline. With reads like that, he buys time for his midfielders to make challenges like that, instead of dropping back and forcing them to stretch the play out a bit more.
And that was how he was able to rack up so many interceptions in this game.
Take this next clip as an example.
It was a very risky gamble for Kennedy to take here, as despite having Elis, who we have to remember is one of the most in-form (and not to mention, speediest) forwards in CONCACAF right on him, he still gambles to make a move forward, and he was successful in his pursuit.
He misses the ball, and he’s chasing Elis’s shadow towards his goal, but having already calculated the risk, he knew that he had a chance to win the back possession, and he did.
And that leads to one of the reasons why Kennedy does such a good job of holding down the fort at the back. As mentioned earlier, he’s a physical specimen, but he’s also someone who knows the full force of his physical powers, which is crucial for a defender.
Kennedy is a lanky, long defender, and he knows that, as he just has a knack of extending his legs and disrupting routine passes, such as in this one below.
As well as in this next one.
But while Kennedy’s length is a massive physical asset to him, and he realizes that, it’s also arguably not the most important one that he uses.
That, actually, is his speed, and that’s the part of his game that really allows him to do some damage. He might not look like it, but he can jet, especially when he gets going.
Many might not know this, but Kennedy’s top speed for Jahn Regensburg this year was clocked at a cool 34.44 km/h, which is actually the 26th best speed in the 2.Bundesliga this 21/22 season. Not bad at all for a lanky centre back.
Just look at how fast that can look in practice, too, as here, he reminds Romell Quioto of his speed in a footrace, leading to a key dispossession.
And it’s that speed that allows him to be aggressive as he is. He knows that he can step up, or stick his leg into tackles, as if something goes wrong, he can recover quickly enough to limit the damage.
So when he puts all of those parts of his game together, it can frustrate opponents.
Take this next clip, for example.
There, Elis got the ball out wide, but almost like that annoying guy at the pickup basketball game that thinks he’s Kawhi Leonard, Kennedy gets right into his face, daring him to try and push the ball past his lanky legs and run, like Elis might’ve usually done to a defender.
Instead, Elis tried to play the ball and run into space to get it back, but then Kennedy just flexed his speed, keeping up with him and making a return pass impossible, which led to Honduras getting dispossessed.
And there were countless instances of that. Take this next one as an example.
Once again, Kennedy did well to get right up on Romell Quioto, and forced him to pass the ball instead of dribble forward, and then when Quioto got going into space, Kennedy was able to recover to join the rest of his backline, where he used his height to get up for the attempted long ball forward.
Otherwise, though, another part of his game that is also good is that his positioning isn’t always just about being gung-ho about pushing forward and being aggressive, as he also is comfortable sitting back and letting the game come to him sometimes.
That probably comes from the days where Regensburg was one of the bottom teams of the 2.Bundesliga (now they’re a promotion candidate), but it obviously served him well, as he doesn’t look uncomfortable when defending a little deeper.
Here’s an example of that.
There, in that clip, he sits a bit deeper than in the other sequences, as the ball came from the other side (typically in most 2 or 3 centre back systems, the ball-sided centre back pushes up high, while the other(s) drops, hence the aggressive steps forward), but he is still able to make a great read, sticking his leg out to make a tackle.
It was risky, as he easily could’ve gotten beat, or given away a foul, but thanks to his length, it was a gamble he could afford to make once he deemed the moment right, and when he did that, he made the play happen.
And that shows how he can balance his aggressive nature with a little patience at times.
For example, here’s another look at his ability to know when to be a little patient before then stepping forward.
In that clip, he’s even deeper than the other one, as it came after a set-piece, but knowing that a cross was coming in, Kennedy gambled and almost cheated a bit forward, and it paid off.
But while it was a gamble, it was a calculated one, as Kennedy also scanned his surroundings, saw where the white shirts were, and stepped forward to intercept the ball.
And that’s the sort of aggressive reads that make him such a good defender. There are times where it will hurt him, such as in Canada’s 1-1 draw against the US in September, where he had a few moments where he got burned in transition because of that, but for the most part, when he’s on his game, it doesn’t happen too often.
That was the case on Thursday, and for Canada, they’ll hope that he’ll keep that up going forward, as it can make such a big difference for their backline and midfield, as we saw in those clips.
Aerial prowess an important factor:
But while his positioning is certainly a calling card to his game, thanks to his speed and length, there is one last physical attribute of his that plays a big role in how he plays - his height.
With him being one of the tallest players on the pitch in most games, he takes advantage of that, as he is quite good in the air, doing a good job of winning balls in the air.
He doesn’t mind if it’s via stationary defensive situations, such as corners or deep free kicks.
Or on crosses into the box.
Or when teams try to go over the top in open play.
No matter the situation, if it’s played in the air, and it’s close to Kennedy, he’ll find a way to win the ball in most circumstances.
And that’s always nice to have.
If it was the only part of his game, you’d be a bit worried, but when you realize that he’s aggressive, he’s quick, he’s got length, his strength in the air is just a bonus, as it’s one of many tools that he has at his disposal.
So now, for Canada, the one key will be to now figure out how to use his height on set pieces. With them being one of the best teams off of set pieces in the region, it just feels like Kennedy’s height would be deadly once they figure out how to use it in the right circumstances.
Given that Kennedy’s averaged a goal around every 10 or 11 games at the club level across his career, he’s got a knack of putting the ball in the back of the net in certain scenarios, and even if he isn’t the one scoring the goal, he could also be used as a decoy, or as a flick-on option, roo.
And to be fair, Canada did find him on a few occasions, including this header that he probably wanted to do better on, but you have to imagine that the more he works with this group, the more they’ll find a way to use his height in those kinds of situations.
Play in possession a vital attribute:
But for all of the talk of physical attributes, it’s important to finish by talking about one of Kennedy’s calling cards - his passing game.
And that’s where he has really brought value to this Canadian team, who have really started to become a team that wants to play out of the back, and Kennedy’s addition has been someone who has really helped them do that.
There’s no doubt that his profile absolutely fits the mould of a modern, ball-playing centre back, and the stats back that up, too.
Just look at the passing numbers he put up in each of the 5 games that he’s started for Canada so far in his career, as seen below here.
Vs Honduras, WCQ, Jan, 2022: 23/29 (79%)
Vs USA, WCQ, Sep, 2021: 10/14 (71%)
Vs Haiti, WCQ, June, 2021: 40/46 (87%)
Vs Haiti, WCQ, June, 2021: 30/35 (86%)
Vs Suriname, WCQ, June, 2021: 57/64 (89%)
As you can see, he’s yet to miss more than 7 passes in a game for Canada, completing 85% of his passes when you combine all of them together (and is averaging an 82.4% completion rate per game), which is very solid.
Especially when you consider the fact that he completes a lot of long balls, which can bring down your passing rate, as his short passing rate is often sterling, only further highlighting his strengths as a passer.
And this Honduras game was no exception. In that match, he completed just 79% of his passes, yes, missing 6 passes, but 5 of those missed passes were failed long balls, meaning that he otherwise completed 20/21 short and medium passes, which considering the state of the pitch on Thursday, is quite impressive.
But a look at his offensive heatmap from that game shows how effective he was in possession, as he really helped Canada play out of the back down that left hand side.
And when watching back the game itself, you can really see how impressive his passing range is.
For example, how about this nice powerful low driven pass to Sam Adekugbe, one that unlocked one of Canada’s key creative hubs in space down the left hand side?
At first glance, it might not seem like a hard pass, but when you watch it again, the weight that he puts on the ball is something that really stands out.
You play that ball too softly, and Adekugbe is running back to get it, or the ball is getting intercepted, but if you slam it at him too hard, his touch is going to be tested a little more than is necessary in that situation.
Instead, though, Kennedy just zipped it enough to slow down right in front of Adekugbe, allowing him to do what he needed to with the ball.
And that sort of technical skill makes a big difference for teammates.
Take this next clip, for example.
It’s once again another routine pass from Kennedy, who does well to find Adekugbe in a bit of space, but what’s so nice about it is the weight that he puts on it despite doing it on his first touch, allowing his teammate to receive the ball quite comfortably.
Yet, Kennedy played those balls with ease all night, unleashing Adekugbe on several occasions.
Be it on his left, or even his right, as he does in this next clip, that allowed Canada to play out of the back quite comfortably on several occasions, and that can make a big difference for a team.
So for Canada, it’s nice, as while they’ve certainly got some solid passing centre backs, especially with the likes of Steven Vitoria, Kamal Miller, Alistair Johnston and Doneil Henry in their squad, Kennedy might very well be the best of the lot, and with low-driven passes like this one, it’s hard to argue with that.
And, most importantly, he looks to be someone who not only has the ability to make those passes, but trusts himself to use it, which isn’t always the case for many players, who will shy away from playing difficult balls.
Not Kennedy, though, who has no hesitation in attempting some tricky plays.
Take this next clip, for example. At first, it seems like a wild gamble to play this ball, especially given that he’s almost falling over, but he nails it, doing well to find Junior Hoilett in the pocket, who sensing contact on his back, wins a foul, alleviating some Honduras pressure.
Had Kennedy gone for the long ball, that likely wouldn’t have happened, especially given that Canada doesn’t really have many target men up front, so you have to like to see him go for a short pass there if you’re Canada, even if it’s a risky one, given that he’s shown to be able to make them.
So if anything, the lone complaint with Kennedy’s passing is that he can tend to go for the ‘Hollywood’ ball at times, which is to say the massive long ball that tries to unlock someone in behind. That typically is where he tends to misplace most of his passes, and there were a few examples of that in this Honduras game.
But if he can find a way to limit that, and instead go for these more short, clipped balls that he’s also quite good at (like this one below), that could make a big difference, but at the same time, given his sterling passing rate for Canada, that’s just nit-picking at this point.
Looking Forward:
So when looking back at all of this, you can now see why Kennedy was winning many plaudits online with his play on Thursday, and for good reason.
Not only that, though, but he was also doing a lot of subtle things, too, as we saw here, just quietly putting together an overall complete performance on both sides of the ball.
And it’s that sort of performance that has to excite you if you’re Canada, as it’s another growing sign of what this backline might be capable of going forward, especially if Kennedy can fashion a few more games like that together.
Plus, there’s also no doubt that the likes of Kamal Miller, Derek Cornelius and Doneil Henry were on the bench and looking on at Kennedy’s performance with hungry eyes, eager to now push back in the lineup. That’s why having depth is important, as the emergence of someone like Kennedy probably helped get the most out of Miller and Cornelius last year.
So now, Canada will look to continue to use that competition to their advantage, but looking back at this Honduras game, Kennedy certainly scored himself some positive points in the race for minutes in his return to action, standing out as a key performer in a long line of them in what proved to be a game to remember for Les Rouges.
Scott Kennedy looks on ahead of Canada’s game vs Honduras on Thursday (Canada Soccer)