Martin Ojeda – Godoy Cruz’ instrumental playmaker
Martin Ojeda has been the best player in Argentina, leading the league in expected goals and expected assists in the first half of the Argentine Primera Division season. He came through the academy at Ferril Oeste Carril as Racing signed him, believing that he could be a replacement for Marcos Acuna who had been sold to Sporting Lisbon. Racing still own a percentage of his rights and stand to profit from his move to Botafogo but it is a symbol of the instability at the club, that they missed on what has been the best player in Argentina in 2022. Ojeda’s exploits have taken a Godoy Cruz side that were looking to avoid relegation to a team occupying a position in the higher reaches of the league table.
Ojeda’s improvement and efficiency in the Argentine Primera Division is due to his coaches placing him in the perfect position to be effective as an enterprising inverted winger. He was deployed as a winger in Diego Flores’ 4-2-2-2 shape where he would frequently receive possession and occupy central striking positions while he is currently deployed as a winger in a 4-2-3-1. Ojeda’s intelligence and movement are also key in allowing him to make intelligent runs into the channels to receive possession in positions where he is able to take high quality shots and create high quality opportunities around the opposition box. In the build-up phase, he will frequently move into space, receiving possession and playing progressive passes while he is also capable of working quick connections to manoeuvre into high quality situations to create opportunities or utilize his close control and dribbling ability to weave into the box.
Away to Independiente, he showed this penchant for intelligent combination play as a long ball was played into the channels for him to flick on a pass for his striker before making a run beneath him into the central spaces, receiving possession to re-direct the ball past the goalkeeper and calmly apply the finish into an empty net. Under Flores, Ojeda was more educated on counter-pressing, transitions and pressing triggers which proved fruitful for him as in a counter-pressing situation, he would regain possession, holding possession to flick an outside of the boot pass to the ten space before receiving possession once more to cut past his man and work another pass to the central spaces. He showed his ability in transition once more, making a tackle on the right flank and regaining possession to angle a perfectly weighted through ball to a striker making a run in behind who turned his man and cut-back a pass for a teammate to score.
At Godoy Cruz, Ojeda is more than a goal scorer and chance creator as shown in his league-leading metrics, as he is also an integral transitional tool, receiving possession in the build-up phase, threading passes through tight lines or looking to work connections to drive his team forward and create situations where he is able to create opportunities. The team’s tactical systems have consistently allowed him to occupy positions and spaces where he adds value as when he receives possession in the wide areas, he will have an overlapping or underlapping fullback, creating space for him to have 1v1 situations or to drive the ball into the central spaces where he will have low crossing or shooting opportunities. The strikers are consistently encouraged to drop deep, allowing Ojeda to tuck into the nine-space as when the ball is progressed, he can drop into the ten space to receive possession, connect play and make runs into the channels.
Ojeda is such an integral player to Godoy Cruz because of the wide variety of ways that he can create opportunities as a playmaker as he is a gifted through ball player, possessing immense vision to thread the ball through tight lines and gluts of players to runners. He can also play through balls from a variety of areas and angles as one of his favourites are through balls from the wide areas, receiving possession near the touchline and angling through passes to runners or cutting inside to play reverse passes to teammates making runs into the box. The 23-year-old is also an accomplished crosser as he is a threat from set-pieces, especially corners, as he can loft crosses into the box that will land directly on a teammate’s forehead with perfect angling and weighting while he is also a phenomenal cut-back player. His ability in crossing from cut-backs is exemplified with his movement and occupation of space in the half-space and central areas as he makes intelligent runs into the box to play phenomenal cut-backs to teammates while also being able to weave past markers and drive to the by-line to cut-back crosses.
At home to Estudiantes, he received possession from a throw-in, occupying the right half-space, threading a through ball to the flank for a cross into the box that bounced to the opposite flank as Ojeda made an intelligent run into the box in between the centre-back and the fullback at the back-post where he was perfectly positioned in a pocket of space to receive a cross and volley home. He then created another opportunity, receiving possession on the right flank, driving the ball forward before cutting back onto his left foot to lob a cross into the box and lofting an accurate cross to the back-post for the striker to mis control. He had another moment that meshed his combination play in build-up and his sense of timing and movement to occupy high quality shooting areas in the final third as from a kick-off, he received possession on the left flank, playing the ball into the central spaces, then moving behind the teammate he played the ball to as he received possession as he played an outside of the boot pass to the nine-space, making a third man run behind the striker who dropped deep as he occupied the space in between the centre-back and fullback as the pass played into his zone was too heavy.
He repeated the trick when he moved into the left half-space to receive possession, skipping past a defender before driving the ball forward and flicking an outside of the boot pass to a teammate on the right flank before making a run to occupy his favourite area, in between the centre-back and fullback. At home to Platense, he made a movement that led to a high quality shooting opportunity as he dropped deep towards the left flank after a deflection from a crossing situation, receiving possession and threading a pass in between the lines, before making a run to occupy a space in between the centre-back and fullback on the right as the fullback had shifted across to defend the wide areas, allowing Ojeda to receive a pass in the box and have a shot saved from close range. He then received possession on the flank and angled a through ball into the box before receiving possession in the ten space, turning and threading a pass in between the lines. The 23-year-old virtuoso received possession with a defender on his shoulder, holding off his man and threading another pass on the half-turn to the ten space which nearly led to a flick-on for a teammate making a run in behind.
At home to Aldosivi, the 23-year-old showed his prowess from low crossing situations as he traded passes with a teammate from a throw-in, then worked another one-two to drive to the by-line, faking a cross before playing a lovely cut-back to the top of the six-yard area where an attacker hammered over from point blank range. Ojeda received possession in the right half-space, turning and poking a pass to the half-space as he was about to make a run beyond the striker before dropping deep to receive possession, driving the ball into the centre before playing a penetrative pass to the left flank. He created another opportunity from a corner when he played a cross to the near post from the left for a teammate to head into the side-netting as Ojeda received possession on the left flank, driving the ball forward to loft a cross into the box for a striker to head wide.
At home to Tigres, Ojeda started a counter-attacking move, receiving possession outside his own box by using his outstretched left foot to flick a ball back towards his body to evade an opposition defender before poking a penetrative outside of the boot pass to a teammate to push his side forward. Ojeda then tucked inside from the left flank, receiving possession and using his first touch to shield the ball from a marker, driving the ball inside to thread a pass in between two players to a teammate as he made a run for the cut-back was blocked. The 23-year-old is so efficient due to the spaces which he occupies, his decision-making in the final third as well as the intelligence of his movement as his shot locations and crossing locations are intuitive and high level. After a turnover, the Argentine attacker would take a touch and play a direct deep vertical pass to the nine-space.
Away to Racing, Ojeda would receive possession on the right flank after a kick-off, playing a one-touch pass for a teammate in the half-space before making a run into the central zone, to receive possession, drive the ball towards the centre and play a disguised pass for a teammate on the flank while continuing his run to the near post for a cut-back as the cross was blocked. Sequences like this are a constant in the 23-year-old’s game as the regularity with which he can create opportunities with movement and connections is exceptional. He created a high-quality opportunity when he made a run to receive possession on the right flank, driving past a fullback to the by-line before cutting back a cross which was missed.
At home to Estudiantes, Ojeda made a run into the channels to receive possession and play a cut-back Salomon Rodriguez who had an opportunity saved. In the build-up phase, he would play a penetrative pass and make a run into the centre where he would have the opportunity to receive possession in between the lines. Away to Arsenal de Sarandi, he would earn an assist from a corner, lofting a pass into the box for a teammate to head home before he nearly had another assist from a free-kick, lofting another cross into the box for a teammate to head wide. Ojeda received possession in the ten space, turning to work a pass to the flank before dropping deep, receiving possession, flicking the ball up and angling a pass for a teammate in between the lines before making a run to receive a lay-off which was inaccurate. The 23-year-old scored a goal of his own, volleying in a Matias Ramirez cross before he took on a long throw from the goalkeeper, evading a marker to drive into the box before having a shot smothered by the opposition goalkeeper.
Ojeda accrued a second assist from a set-piece, lofting a cross into the box which was touched home by a teammate before he created another opportunity, receiving possession on the left flank to loft a switch to the right for a shot at goal. After a turnover, the 23-year-old surged forward on the right flank before cutting back and threading a through ball into the box which rolled directly to the feet of a teammate. At home to Velez Sarsfield, he took a brilliant first touch with his back to the opposition goal to work a pass for a teammate before making a run into space to receive possession. He then tucked inside from the right flank to receive possession and play a through ball to a teammate at the top of the box whose first touch was heavy. Ojeda would make an interception in the pressing phase, steadying himself before lofting a pass to Rodriguez in behind who prodded the ball over the goalkeeper before it was cleared by a centre-back. After his striker moved into the wide areas, Ojeda would then move into the nine-space, holding his run to ensure he was onside before receiving possession and firing a shot wide.
At home to Platense, he received a lobbed pass in the ten space to angle a perfectly weighted through ball to the flank for a cut-back opportunity. He received possession in the same area to spin away from three players and work a pass to a teammate before working a one-two with Ramirez to receive possession in the central spaces to play a line-breaking pass to a teammate who had a shot saved. He then played a corner into the box for a teammate to have an opportunity blocked as he created another opportunity when he received possession in the right channel, flicking the ball past a fullback to poke a cut-back for a teammate who sent a shot over the bar. Away to Huracan, he showed his penchant for well-drilled crosses, working a combination with a teammate to drive forward on the left, steadying himself to play a deep and well drilled cross onto the head of Rodriguez who headed wide. He then received possession in the opposition box to drive to the by-line and cut-back a cross which a striker sent wide.
Ojeda currently has an 8.7 expected goals number with 9 goals as he ranks third in Argentina in expected goals as well as an 8.63 expected assist number with 10 assists, ranking first. His combined number is 17.43, ranking first with almost 6 points separating him from second. He leads the league in shots, especially shots from outside the penalty area as he is also in the top 25 in accurate crosses as he is 11th in general crosses. He ranks in the top 25 for through passes while ranking first in key passes as the 23-year-old ranks 4th in deep completions.
Ojeda’s ability to cross from both flanks with deep crosses with his favoured left foot from the left flank as well as cut-backs from the right flank makes him a threat from a wide variety of areas. His ability to play through balls from a wide variety of areas and angles allows extends the range with which he can create opportunities from as the 23-year-old has become unerringly efficient in creating opportunities from crossing situations, through ball situations and set-piece situations. In terms of his goalscoring, he can be audacious with trying and attempting shots from range as his role at Godoy Cruz allows him a great variety of freedom. However, he is capable of making intelligent runs in or around the box to have shooting opportunities from great locations. In the build-up phase, he can receive possession in between the lines, connecting play and making runs off the striker while his ability to consistently play progressive passes to instigate attacking moves allows him to be more than a final third creator. Defensively, he is astute at applying pressure and regaining possession as once he regains possession, he can act as an essential conduit in creating opportunities for his teammates.
Ojeda had a move to Dinamo Zagreb fall apart in January while he seems like he will be on his way to Botafogo in Brazil as a move from Godoy Cruz seems likely for the 23-year-old. The Brasiliero Serie A would be a good step up in competition for the Argentine attacker as players with an established repertoire in Argentine football seem to thrive in the league while he has the requisite tool to be a key player for the side. At his reported $5 million price, he would have been a sound acquisition for teams like Ajax, PSV Eindhoven as well as mid-table La Liga teams. It will be intriguing to watch his progress at Botafogo as if he could earn more continental football, he could become an intriguing option for an English Premier League team in two years with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton or Jesse Marsch’ Leeds United being the most suitable landing spots for him. Ojeda has been thrilling to watch for Argentina in the last year as he has hoisted Godoy Cruz on his back and carried them forward under two different coaching staffs.
