The bargain purchase was stationed to the right of Brendan Rodgers’ midfield three, in the position most occupied by Arne Engels last season, and Matt O’Riley before him.
The comparisons are likely to become most germane with the Denmark and Brighton star, given they are both left-footed, and their respective styles of play.
Nygren played for 78 minutes before being replaced with match-winner Luke McCowan.
Technique and balance
Firstly, the non-data scouting perspective. What does he look like?
I like an upright player who plays with his head up and looks what I call well-organised.
What I mean by this is the implications of balance, a good first touch, and a credible body shape on receipt. Simply, his technique and physiology as a professional footballer appear on point.
Predominantly left-footed but appears comfortable off both feet.
Whilst principally an attacking midfielder, he was diligent in his recovery runs and filled in to the right centre of midfield out of possession.
A bit of data now!
Not overactive in physical duels, he relies on positioning. Often part of an aggressive front-foot press, he was second in pressures (12) and topped Celtic’s chart in counterpressures with five. As measured by duration per pressure, he was around the average for pressing intensity.
Crashing the Celtic box
How will Rodgers use him in his midfield organisation?
What was clear very early was that it is Nygren’s job to support the central striker and hit the box when Celtic are in goal-threatening situations.
The three examples below are all within the first seven minutes, emphasising how obvious a pattern this was.
He did not touch the ball in any of these situations, but was on hand around the penalty spot. For a player averaging 0.37 goals per game in top-tier league football, this seems wise.
Only at the end of the first half did he get on the end of two chances in one passage of play. Shamal George made a Gordon Banks-esque save to keep out his initial effort, somehow diverting a low shot from close range up onto the crossbar. His subsequent header from the rebound was routinely saved.
Those were his only touches inside the St Mirren box. However, given the positions he took up, expect that to increase significantly as the season unfolds.
This is more team orders-based than player profile. It appears that whilst Callum McGregor will do the deep-lying tempo-setting role that is his trademark, Reo Hatate will also stay relatively deeper, which suits his skillset, and Nygren will be one of the three tasked with breaking the box.
Model pounding
Statsbomb appears not to have been enamoured by Nygren’s debut based on their proprietary on ball value model that scores every action in terms of the extent to which it helps or hinders the team in scoring a goal.
His OBV was -0.06, the highest of the four attackers, with Adam Idah a toe-curling -0.99. In essence, you are doing more to help the opposition score than help your team score, according to the model.
His overall game profile.
He appears to be a good ball progressor, per his first showing. Both running with the ball at his feet and through progressive passing, where he completed seven pack passes. ‘Getting the team up the pitch’ is an underrated attribute that speaks to decision making, ball control, physicality, especially pace, and challenge resistance. It will be vital in Europe against the higher-rated teams.
He also created two chances, one from a corner where he appears to be the nominated taker. Only Liam Scales (eight) took out more defenders with forward passes than Nygren, with six (same as Alistair Johnston).
His overall expected scoring contribution of 0.57 was the third highest after Daizen Maeda (0.72) and Johnston (0.69), which speaks to involvement in final third play.
Celtic looked a bit undercooked, given this was their first competitive match of the season, and the lack of attacking signings has not given the squad the depth it needs.
Nygren was comfortable and steady in terms of a qualitative assessment of his debut.
There were hints and echoes of a greater attacking threat to come, with an additional benefit that he appears to be a productive ball progressor.
Given his fundamental soundness of both technique and physicality, this is one signing Celtic fans can be optimistic about, but oh boy does that forward line need some help!
Sunday’s trip to Pittodrie will be a further test of Nygren as he adjusts to life in Scottish football, and will tell us more about his role in this Celtic team.
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