Herediano’s Jordy Hernandez could develop into a creative midfield conduit

Jordy Hernandez has been dreaming of being a footballer since the age of 8 as when he would tell his teachers and classmates of his dream, they would continue to make fun of him as nine years later, he would make his professional debut for Herediano and ten years later, he would score his first goal for the club. His parents supported his dreams as his mother was a fervent Herediano fan while both of his parents watched the Costa Rican giants regularly while Hernandez dreams of repaying his mother’s support of him by buying her a house. Hernandez is now 20 as he has spent two seasons on loan with Municipal Grecia as the youngster has been seen as a fleet-footed winger, but his skillset could be better utilized in a central role.

Hernandez has a serenely bobbling afro above a boyish face as in his first loan to Municipal Grecia, he played as an interior in a 4-4-2 with the ability to tuck inside and receive possession, connecting play with the ability to receive possession in the central areas. In his second loan stint where playing time has been more difficult to come by, he has been deployed as a more natural winger as his gifts are better tailored to a central role. The 20-year-old has a brilliant first touch, being able to drop into space and receive possession in tight spaces as he is a gifted ball-carrier and dribbler, but his dribbling style is more proficient in the central areas. He loves to change direction, cutting past players before attracting markers to release possession to a teammate in space as in the central areas, he will be able to connect play with teammates more effectively while he will be able to drive the ball in less constrained spaces with a wider variety of passing angles and options than in the wide areas.

Hernandez was not a starter for Municipal Grecia last season but in he showed some moments that exhibit his intuitive instincts in tight spaces as at home to Guadalupe, he was positioned on the left flank where he received possession after a turnover to play a one-touch pass in between the lines. The 20-year-old is innate with clever one-touch passes in tight spaces during transition as this skill could be better utilized if he was dropping into the eight space during build-up play to receive possession from his centre-back and work pass and move connections to evade pressure, create space for himself to drive the ball forward into space. He utilized this manoeuvre once more when he received possession near the touchline to play a delicate one-touch pass into the half-space for a runner before receiving possession once more to take a touch, cut past a defender and elegantly roll a pass into the central spaces.

Another facet of Hernandez’ dribbling style is his turn of pace as he can receive possession before turning and surging past defenders to drive into space as the youngster moved to the right flank to receive a switch ball, taking a measured first touch before rolling the ball off his left foot to beat his first marker before surging past a second defender to drive to the by-line to cut-back a cross which was cleared. He created another opportunity, this time from the half-space as he received possession in the right channel, swivelling to drive the ball forward and cut towards the centre before poking a through ball towards the striker as he was outmuscled by the centre-back before having an opportunity to take the shot. He received possession in the same area to prod the ball into the centre and work a pass to the ten space.

Against his parent club, Herediano, he would play in a hybrid second-striker role where he would have increased opportunity to drop deep and receive possession in the centre of the pitch as this would be one of the better games of his season. In the build-up phase, he would drop into the eight space where he would receive possession, take a touch and lay-off the ball to the six-space before making a movement in between the lines to receive possession as these are the type press-resistant passing interchanges that would become a staple of his game if he was to be deployed as a box-to-box midfielder. Defensively, playing in the wide areas has given him the awareness in covering his fullback as after a switch ball, he would shift across to the wide areas to close down an opposition attacker. The opposition attacker would work a pass to the wide areas as Hernandez’ fullback would push up to engage his marker with Hernandez dropping to cover the space as he would chase down a pass into the channels to regain possession.

Hernandez dropped into the left half-space to receive possession, skipping past a defender to play a back-pass which would facilitate a switch to the opposite flank before receiving possession near the right touchline to push the ball backwards and play an outside of the boot pass into the centre. The 20-year-old is comfortable in tight spaces but playing in the wide areas limits his ability to work passing connections with teammates closer to him, so he can receive possession, turn and drive the ball forward or so he can receive possession in spaces and angles where he can drive the ball forward and have a better range of passing options. He also possesses the directional first touch that allows him to evade markers as his directional first touch could be better suited to evading pressure in the centre of the pitch than in the wide areas. Hernandez had a sequence where he exhibited his directional first touch when he received possession on the right flank, using the outside of his right toe to receive possession, driving the ball inside to attempt another dribble and win a free-kick.

Hernandez received possession and sent a shooting opportunity outside the far post before using his defensive diligence to chase down a marker in the defensive phase and regain possession by flicking a pass to a teammate with the outside of his boot. Hernandez positioned himself in the centre during an attacking interchange as he was positioned in the eight space while his ball-near centre-back was driving the ball forward as the 20-year-old side-stepped twice to his right while facing his defender to make an unmarking movement to receive possession in space while also opening a passing lane for a teammate in the front line who would eventually receive possession. These unmarking movements would be crucial in the attacking phase and build-up phase as an 8 as Hernandez possesses an awareness of the positioning of his teammates in the central spaces as throughout the sequence, even when possession was on the far side, he was constantly scanning to adapt his position to aid his teammates.

During an opposition goal-kick situation in the pressing phase, Hernandez was marking a centre-back in the central positions after a lobbed pass to the flank where the Costa Rican would regain possession for his team in the opposition half. The 20-year-old received possession on the right flank to hold possession and play a penetrative pass into the central spaces. After a turnover in the defensive phase, he would chip the ball past an opposition defender to drive forward to lead a counter-attack, changing direction to evade a sliding defender to drive into the centre and attempt a through ball which was inches away from the striker. He received possession on the right flank to take a touch to drive the ball inside and lay-off a pass to a teammate to switch the ball to the flank before receiving possession on the half-turn near the touchline to flick the ball past a defender to burst forward as the ball rolled out of bounds.

Away to Alajuelense, after a corner was deflected and an opposition player had an errant first touch, Hernandez used his first touch to flick the ball to a teammate to regain possession and start a counter-attack. The 20-year-old had another lovely first touch when he received a switch ball on the right flank to drive the ball forward before he was closed down by two opposition defenders before the ball rolled into touch. On the right flank, he worked a one-two with a teammate by back-heeling a pass to a runner in a sequence that led to a shot on goal before receiving possession near the touchline and chipping the ball to a teammate over pressure. After another deflected corner, Hernandez received possession at the edge of his own box, twisting and turning away from opposition players before playing a line-breaking pass to a teammate.

Hernandez has immense potential in a central midfield role as a distributer and ball-carrier as he can receive possession, work passing connections to move into space and drive the ball forward while he is comfortable in receiving possession while facing his own goal as well as on the half-turn which has become crucial in a central midfield position. In the past season, Hernandez did not have enough playing time as once he played, he played in the wide areas where he did not receive possession enough to have a greater impact on games. Moving him into the centre would allow him to receive possession in spaces where he would have teammates to connect with as once he evades his first marker, he would have a plethora of space to drive into while playing on the flank means that he does not have the opportunity to utilize his progressive passing as regularly as he should. The 20-year-old can work connections in tight spaces but can also scan and play penetrative line-breaking passes with his first touch or he can receive possession in space, hold possession and then play a penetrative pass in between the lines as this is an aspect of his game that would grow as a box-to-box midfielder. Defensively, he can man-mark and cover space with his mobility as well as track runners to make important interceptions and clearances in the defensive phase.

Hernandez skillset not only suits a box-to-box role, but he could also be deployed as a modern-day ball-playing right-back which is another position which is tailored to his skillset. Sergio Gomez who played as a winger and midfielder who moved to fullback at Anderlecht to precipitate a sharp rise as the 20-year-old Costa Rican could also make the transition to fullback. His first touch in receiving possession from his goalkeeper or centre-back would allow him to evade the first marker and drive the ball forward before working penetrative passes into the central spaces which he has already shown that he is capable of doing. He could also evade his marker to drive the ball down the line or into the central positions or he could receive possession on the flank near the touchline and work passing combinations to evade his marker and drive the ball forward as from a possession perspective, Hernandez could develop into a high-level modern right-back. Defensively, he has the recovery speed, but he would need to be tutored on the nuances of defending 1v1 situations, pressing from the right-back area as well as defending the back-post.

Herediano have shown interest in keeping Hernandez for the season instead of sending him out on another loan as if the 20-year-old is to develop into a high-level box-to-box midfielder then moving to a team that plays with a 4-3-3 system would be crucial. The Italian Serie B would be a good level for him to develop as teams like Brescia, Benevento, S.P.A.L and Venezia would be good teams for him. Hamburg in the 2. Bundesliga as well as Eredivisie teams like Heerenveen and Utrecht. As a right-back, Belgium would be a good place for him in the formative stages of his career in a new position as would teams in Switzerland as well as teams in the Segunda Liga in Spain. Hernandez is a young player with high-level potential who will need to be repurposed to fully fulfil his potential.