A surprising profile, technically adept and highly intelligent, Georges emerges as one of the revelations in Ligue 1 this year and is climbing the ranks to become a significant forward on the European stage. A report on a particularly unique attacker, capable of moving mountains.
General Information
| Georges Mikautadze
Age: 23 years old
Citizenship: 🇬🇪
Position: FW
Club: FC Metz loaned from Ajax
Foot: Right
Height: 176cm
Under contract till: 30.06.2028 (Ajax)
Biography
Georges Mikautadze’s journey in professional football began at various clubs including Olympique Lyonnais, ASSP, and finally FC Metz, where he completed his formation and made his professional debut against OGC Nice in 2019. To further his development & establish himself at the pro level, Mikautadze embarked on a loan spell in Belgium for 2 seasons. There, he showcased his talents, tallying an impressive 36 goals and 4 assists in 58 appearances, with a decisive contribution every 120 minutes. His stellar performance in Belgium caught the attention of clubs back in France. Returning to Metz for the 2022/2023 season, Mikautadze proved instrumental in securing promotion to Ligue 1, amassing 24 goals and 9 assists in 40 games, with a decisive contribution every 100 minutes. During summer transfer window 2023, Ajax made a lucrative offer of 16 million euros for the forward, marking a significant milestone in his career. However, Mikautadze’s stint in the Netherlands did not unfold as expected, with limited playing time.. Undeterred, Mikautadze returned to Metz on loan, demonstrating his resilience and determination. In just 17 games, he has already contributed 11 goals and 3 assists, playing a crucial role in the team’s quest to avoid relegation. His remarkable season serves as a clear message to the Ajax board of his capabilities and potential impact on the pitch.
Player Profile (General Analysis)
Mikautadze is a special striker, blending technical finesse with physical prowess to make a significant impact on the pitch. His clinical finishing, adept ball control, and intelligent movement make him a constant threat in the attacking third.
Physically agile with a good balance, Mikautadze has good protection skill to save the important balls. His malice & football awareness allows him to exploit defensive vulnerabilities and create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
Renowned for his relentless work rate and competitive spirit, Mikautadze is a tireless worker who never backs down from a challenge.
Detailed analysis to read in the thread!
Position
Georges Mikautadze primarily operates as a striker on the field. While he predominantly plays centrally, Mikautadze is also often drifting wide to create space or drop deeper to link up play with midfielders.
However, his greatest impact is typically felt in and around the opponent’s penalty area, where his clinical finishing shine brightest.
Physical Attributes
Georges Mikautadze possesses a formidable combination of physical attributes that make him a potent force on the field. Robust, coordinate & balanced, Mikautadze boasts impressive strength, enabling him to hold off defenders and keep the ball in duels.
Additionally, his agility and acceleration allow him to make explosive runs behind the defensive line, often catching opponents off guard. Mikautadze’s speed, coupled with his agility, enables him to evade markers and create differences, providing him with scoring opportunities.
Overall, Mikautadze’s physical attributes contribute significantly to his effectiveness as a striker, making him a formidable presence for opposing defenders to contend with.
Technical Attributes
Georges has a great technique that are very useful to help Metz getting possession phases. His ball control is on a high level, allowing him to receive passes smoothly and maintain possession in tight spaces.
Mikautadze’s dribbling skills are good but coupled with his acceleration are great, enabling him to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. What is great about Georges is that the majority of his decisions are well prepared and thought out.
In addition to his ball control, Mikautadze boasts clinical finishing ability, demonstrated by his composure in front of goal and his knack for finding the back of the net. Furthermore, his ability to anticipate rebounds and capitalize on half-chances highlights his predatory instincts and goal-scoring prowess.
George’s passing ability should not be overlooked. While primarily known for his goal-scoring exploits, he is also adept at linking up play with his teammates, often providing key passes and assists to create scoring opportunities. His vision and creativity enable him to pick out teammates in dangerous positions, adding another dimension to his attacking repertoire.
Overall, Mikautadze’s technical attributes make him a complete striker, capable of influencing games with his skill on the ball, goal-scoring ability, and playmaking prowess.
Finishing skills
With a non-penalty goals per 90 rate of 0.48, placing him in the 72nd percentile, Mikautadze consistently demonstrates his ability to find the back of the net. Additionally, his non-penalty expected goals (npxG) per 90 of 0.38, ranking him in the 55th percentile, further emphasizes his effectiveness in converting scoring opportunities.
Moreover, Mikautadze’s Shots Total per 90 of 2.71, positioning him in the 59th percentile, reflects his proclivity for taking shots and actively seeking goal-scoring opportunities. When examining his goal-scoring efficiency, Mikautadze’s Goals per Shot on Target stands at 0.40, placing him in the 66th percentile.
This statistic underscores his ability to convert a significant portion of his shots on target into goals, showcasing his clinical finishing ability. Additionally, his Goals per Shot ratio of 0.18, in the 75th percentile, further emphasizes his effectiveness in finding the back of the net.
Attacking/With the ball
Mikautadze is a highly intelligent player and is currently demonstrating it in Ligue 1, able to fade into the game by roaming across the front of the attack to seek out new opportunities and strike where it hurts. He possesses a natural instinct, & his understanding of the game is at a very high level. Shot-Creating Actions per 90 of 2.65, positioning him in the 64th percentile, reflects his ability to initiate attacking moves and contribute to his team’s offensive play.
Furthermore, Mikautadze’s Successful Take-Ons per 90 of 2.17, ranking him in the 95th percentile, highlights his exceptional dribbling ability and his capacity to beat defenders in one-on-one situations. This proficiency allows him to create space for himself and his teammates, as well as advance the ball into dangerous areas of the pitch.
Additionally, Mikautadze’s Progressive Carries per 90 of 2.59, positioning him in the 86th percentile, underscores his capability to drive forward with the ball and progress the play into the opposition’s territory. This indicates his willingness to take on the responsibility of carrying the ball forward and instigating attacking opportunities for his team.
Attacking/Off the ball
Excels in finding pockets of space to receive passes, creating scoring chances through his movement. His well-timed runs behind defenses stretch opponents and open up space for teammates.
Moreover, his relentless pressing disrupts opposition build-up, adding an extra dimension to his attacking prowess.
Out of possession
His defensive contributions extend beyond just tracking back and tackling. Mikautadze’s off-the-ball defensive efforts are characterized by his intelligent positioning and anticipation, allowing him to effectively press opponents, cut passing lanes, and intercept opposition plays. His work rate and commitment to defensive duties make him a valuable asset in regaining possession and disrupting opposition attacks.
Like in possession phase, Mikautadze is very free on the field & can be up front, on the right or left flank.
Mental Attributes
His composure under pressure, tactical awareness, and determination are key factors in his success on the field.
Whether facing difficult times in Ajax, Mikautadze remains focused & resilient, consistently striving to show his qualities, solid mentality. His mental strength is a defining aspect of his playing style!
Compared to Ligue 1 Forwards
When studying statistics, it’s important to put things into context because when looking at this graph, one might question Georges’s actual abilities.
Is he the player he claims to be?
Of course, yes, because we’re talking about Metz, one of the teams with the most limited gameplay (close to 1000 touches less than their opponents + x2 less prog. carries than their opponents too), employing a highly defensive style with one of the lowest possession rates in Ligue 1.