How to put together a player report
Trawling through some old player scouting files on my Obsidian account I found an old player report I write. I’ve copied it below.
It’s on Halle Housain, who was on loan at Gillingham Ladies when I put the report together. She has since returned to West Ham United.
I don’t do much playing scouting, apart from notes added to a team report about key players, so I remember this was a bit out of the ordinary. I watched Houssein in two games and used the template I’d been taught, split into relevant sections.
I hadn’t gone to scout Houssein specifically. I was at the first game to pick out any players who stood out for a scouting agency. And who might have the potential to play at the top flight in the women’s game (which also meant being under 23).
Gillingham had a few decent players, but I thought Houssein stood out. So I went back the next week to watch her again.
As you’ll see the first game was a cup match against Millwall. The second was a league game against MK Dons. Both were home games, played at Chatham Town.
For context Gillingham (who are now Chatham Ladies) were in the third tier of women’s football. I’ve copied the report (from 2023) as I sent it, with abbreviations and typos. Read the reports below. Then beneath that I’ll add a few notes about how I put this together.
Halle Houssein, 18
Gillingham Women v Millwall (Cup)
PHYSICAL
5’2 (approx). Strong build.
PACE
Can be beaten for speed over distance. Better over short distance. Not great speed but decent enough.
TECHNICAL ABILITY
Showed good control and technique. Looked comfortable in possession and wanted the ball. Passing range was very good. She keeps her head up and is aware of passing options. Switches play quickly and into space making it easy to start attacks. Can also play well weighted long passes to the flanks or in behind the defensive line especially with time and space. Didn’t see her in these situations under pressure. Heading was mixed. Could lack power needed to clear well.
TACTICAL AWARENESS
Disciplined positionally in attack and defence. Played in a defensive midfielder role. Showed ability as a ball winner. More of a playmaker in possession, with good forward passing to exploit space. Reads the game well. Always positioned as a pass option on left side either to advance play on flanks in support of attacking play, or to switch play to the right.
INTELLIGENCE/ ATTITUDE
Was making first appearance on loan from West Ham. Came on to start the second half. Made immediate impression, with calm temperament.
Gillingham v MK Dons
PHYSICAL
Short, but strength to protect ball. Uses her body well.
PACE
Looks to be a big weakness. Not poor, but when beaten by the MK Dons Atk Mid (7) she lacked pace to recover. Was playing alongside slower partner in double pivot, which left space to cover. But speed is a problem when beaten.
TECHNICAL ABILITY
As before, she looks very comfortable in possession. She’s two footed which gives her good range to the right and left. Impressed picking out players with short and long passes.
Tackling does let her down a bit. Tends to throw a foot at the ball, overcommitting and getting beaten, lacking pace to recover. But improvements in this area, and a stronger pairing in double pivot, might lessen effects of pace problem. Much better blocking play, and forcing opponents wide.
Had one shot from 18-yard line, which she hit with power and passed inches over the crossbar. Took free kicks on the day with good range and accuracy.
TACTICAL AWARENESS
Played as deepest of double pivots in same DM role as before. Got caught between opponents at times, with MK having a 3v2 in midfield. Caused her to overcommit. Scanning and positional awareness is extremely good. Reads the game well wants the ball. Usually knows her next pass wide or into space.
INTELLIGENCE AND ATTITUDE
She’s an organiser defensively, giving out frequent instructions. Mature for 18. Good game awareness and quick thinking. Switches from defence to attacking role very quickly. Cannot fault work rate, her focus or attitude. First out after half time. First to shake refs hand. Maybe gets influenced by her father in the stand. Seemed to hear everything he said in the second half, and moved according to his instructions.
How to put together a scouting report on a player
Key to putting a player report together is to get to the game early. I liked to get there an hour before. Make sure you beat the players to the pitch.
Chatham has a nice little ground, with a decent stand. Get a good seat. Get your notebook and pen ready. Then, when you see the player you’re watching don’t take your eyes off them.
That’s my basic approach. Watch that player. Then use your peripheral vision almost to see how they fit into the bigger picture.
If you pay attention you’ll get the bigger picture. Not only what they do when they have the ball, but also when they don’t.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of seeing only good things or only bad things. You need to get a good balance. It’s useful for the team or the agency you’re working for to know the good and the bad.
I remember at one of these games I ended up sitting next to one of the parents of the players. She gave me more information about Houssein. Things like her character, and that she was well liked by her teammates. That’s not in the report above but if I was giving this to a team I’d include things like that. The little details. So who you sit next to can sometimes be important.
Last thing. Midway through the second half I left my seat and went behind the goal to watch Houssein play from there. To get a different perspective. And always be writing notes. A lot of what you write might not come to much. But tiny details can become important. That happens a lot.
If you’re interested in finding out more on how to scout players, from youth level to first team, I recommend checking out IPSO courses. Or their workshops. They’re brilliant. The depth of analysis they go into is dazzling. It’s like discovering the solutions to complex magic tricks, and worth every penny. You can find those courses here.
I’d forgotten about this report until I stumbled on it. I looked up Houssein who is now back with West Ham, mostly off the bench. But I’ll be tracking her career for sure.