Ismail Jakobs – FC Koln’s forceful winger
FC Koln have long been a hotbed of high-level German talent as Lukas Podolski and Timo Horn can attest to as Jonas Hector spent the latter stage of his youth career with Koln. FC Koln have a new crop of burgeoning talents coming through in 17-year-old, Jan Thielman, 18-year-old, Noah Katterbach and 20-year-old, Ismail Jakobs. Jakobs is a Cologne native who has achieved his dream of donning the white jersey of the ‘Billy Goats’ as he has developed into a key starter under Markus Gisdol. The German of Senegalese descent has risen through the academy since joining in 2012.
Jakobs and Katterbach became close friends and could form FC Koln’s left flank for years to come as they rose through the academy together and joined the first team under Achim Beierlorzer. His successor Gisdol has relied on youth to drive the club into the higher echelons of the table as Jakobs has thrived, making a place on the left wing his own. A tall and lumbering force on the flank, he has the physical capabilities to hold his own against fullbacks as well as the pace to challenge markers in the channels.
Jakobs thrives as a link-up player on his flank, receiving the ball with his back to goal in the left half-space and stringing little moves together to get his team into shooting situations in the box as well as low crossing opportunities. His feet are quick as he has the initiative in the half-space to roll reverse passes into runners or nonchalantly play clever flicks into teammates, constantly playing the pass before the cross. He also has the physicality to hold up play, especially on breaks, to allow his teammates to make runs and movements into space before he slides play into them. Jakobs predominantly operates on the left flank but can sometimes trek into the opposite half-space to give teammates a passing option.
The 20-year-old does not just define his influence in dropping towards possession to receive the ball but can also chase long balls and loose passes into the channels, challenging his marker with his acceleration and physicality. He does not shirk shoulder to shoulder battles as he will chase lost causes into the channels. The long-legged winger will stride in the left half-space as if he wins the race as he can also work low crosses to the near post for teammates. Against Hertha Berlin, a teammate played a chipped ball into the half-space on the break which allowed Jakobs to stride forward and work a cross for Jhon Cordova to head in.
Jakobs can influence play when his team are carefully constructing attacking moves in the opposition half as he can link play together in the half-space or on the break where he can chase lost causes and turn them into high quality goalscoring opportunities. However, he needs to improve in making vertical runs into the nine space when Cordova vacates the area as he is usually caught offside or struggles to adjust his body to receive possession in the central areas. He rarely moves into the centre to receive possession despite having the physical tools and spacial awareness to be an attacking conduit in the centre.
Jakobs’ performances are astonishing as he had to be convinced to not force a departure last summer as he had found opportunities in the first team limited last season. He also had his development hindered by injuries as he has now sustained first team minutes as a starter as his luck with fitness has turned. The transition from Beierlorzer to Gisdol was smoothened by Koln promoting Jakobs’ former U21 coach Andre Pawlak into the first team coaching staff. The youngster has thrived under this stewardship going from strength to strength in the Bundesliga.
Jakobs also has defensive responsibilities as Gisdol has implemented counter-pressing as well as a 4-1-4-1 defensive shape as he is constantly tasked with acting as a left back and covering for his left back. He frequently makes crucial tackles and interceptions in his own box as if his fullback pushes up, Jakobs will drop into the left back role to cover for his teammate. The German is an astute counter-presser, constantly charging at opposition players when he loses possession using his frame to regain possession and shield the ball for teammates. However, Jakobs does struggle when his team are switching from a low block to a counter-pressing situation as he can be caught to deep, giving the opposition access to his flank. This is a matter of getting accustomed to the rigours of Gisdol’s tactics rather than his own shortcomings as he always shows willingness to shoulder his defensive responsibilities.
In the future, with more refinement and tutoring, Jakobs has the potential and tools to be an effective central player with his ability with his back to goal, initiative in tight spaces and pace as well as physique at chasing through balls. He already acts a hold-up player but in the left half-space rather than the central areas as he needs to improve the timing of his runs with offside traps as well as perfecting his timing and body shape at receiving possession in the central areas. His play allows Cordova to play facing the opposition goal while he gives deeper players a direct passing option as well as allowing his fullback to overlap him. He is also a positional play attacker with his ability as a connector in the half-space and authority in receiving the ball in between the lines. He does not need many touches to shift the ball to a teammate as it is interesting to see his career trajectory from this point.
"If someone had presented me with a contract at the beginning of the season saying that I would do three games over 90 minutes, I would have it immediately I would never have believed that things were going so well a few months ago," said Jakobs to Kicker at the beginning of this month.
FC Koln have risen seven places in the Bundesliga table as the tactical know-how of Gisdol has facilitated the youthful endeavour of the players. Jakobs had one foot out of the door on his way to Paderborn before Armin Veh vetoed the move as the 20-year-old is now playing in front of 50,000 fans at his hometown club. He believed that he would need 25 tickets for his debut for his friends and family to support him as he has marked his debut campaign with 2 goals and 1 assist. He has yet to play for the German U21s as a little faith has gone a long way in him becoming a vital part of Koln’s mid-season reclamation project.
