What stands out most about Joachim Andersen is his ball playing ability, a trait that has become critical to any centre-back hoping to reach the elite level. Indeed his ability to play long accurate balls from the heart of the defence has served Andersen well during his stints across Europe; from his native Denmark, to Sampdoria and Lyon in Italy and France respectively.
To understand how Andersen has become such an asset in both attack and defence for Palace, it’s useful to study his journey and his willingness to learn new systems in new surroundings. Beginning in the youth system at Greve, Andersen was usually deployed as a striker once, even scoring nine goals in a game. His move to FC Twente in 2013 however, was when he started to become the player we see now. There aren’t many better places for a defender to learn how to be comfortable with the ball than the Eredivisie and by learning to move through the lines and perfect that arcing long pass we’ve all become so used to, Andersen was becoming an attacking managers dream.
Keen to learn and expand his understanding of the game, Andersen soon found his way to Sampdoria under Marco Giampaolo where the tactic of the day was a low block. It took a while for 21 year old Joachim to force his way into the team (he only played eight times in his first season for the side from Genoa), but he became a key player in his second season helping Samp to a top half finish and 11 clean sheets. It was off to Lyon next in a £21.6m move that was the next step in Andersen’s development. On the banks of the River Rhône the big Dane became a lot more physical and although Lyon had a poor season in Ligue 1, finishing a distant 7th, they did knock out UCL favourites Man City and reach a Champions League Semi Final.
Finally, Andersen achieved what is clearly the dream for all footballers (according to Gary Neville anyway), a chance in the Premier League. Newly promoted Fulham acquired the defender on a season long loan and whilst that season ended in relegation, his passing and intelligence caught the eye of Crystal Palace. In 2021 Patrick Vieira signed the Dane for around £20m. The French coach’s positive high line with willing runs from attackers was a perfect system for Andersen and his quarterback style to thrive. Last season, the defender’s assists per 90 was 0.09 putting him in the 94th percentile for a centre-back, a big improvement compared to his previous season at Fulham when this same statistic was 0.03. His xG assisted per 90 has also improved from 0.02 (58th percentile) to 0.06 (92nd percentile).
In Marc Guehi, Vieira has perhaps found the perfect partner for Andersen. Whilst the Danish international is many things, quick isn’t one of them. To succeed in the high line, it’s key that the defenders be comfortable on the ball and be prepared to cut out passes. Andersen is comfortable with all of these elements but in situations where pace is key, it’s usually Guehi who comes to the fore. Both of these defenders are positive thinking ball players – which is becoming more and more important in the modern game – not just because of the ability to play line breaking passes, but also to remain calm on the ball against a high press. With the forwards Palace have it’s understandable that Vieira would want players at the back who can play those long diagonals into channels for the likes of Wilf Zaha or Jordan Ayew.
The Palace squad isn’t the only thing Andersen has adapted to seamlessly, the Palace faithful have also really taken to him. Perhaps due to his ability to turn up in big games so consistently. His performance against Arsenal in April for example was one of perfect poise in both defence and attack; the defender had a hand in two of the Eagles’ three goals that day. The first a header across the goal for Jean-Philippe Mateta to tuck home the opener from a set piece, Impressive but perhaps not breathtaking. The second however was masterful, under pressure from the Gunners front line, Andersen kept his cool and sent a spectacular pass to the feet of Ayew who tucks home the second and seals both the game and Arsenal’s hope for a top four finish.
It’s not all just goals though, Andersen also has a great knowledge of the dark arts of defending. The game against Liverpool this season is the perfect example, leading 1-0 at Anfield through an excellent Zaha finish, the Palace players set up shop on the edge of their own box hoping to both shut out and frustrate Liverpool. The Reds new signing Darwin Nuñez, clearly targeted by Andersen (if not as a player likely to be sent off then as a player not accustomed to the physicality of the league), takes the bait that every Liverpool fan in the stadium and at home was begging him not to. If not for that red card perhaps Liverpool wouldn’t have drawn that game and given Palace their first point of the season.
Above all, Andersen is a player whose mind is made for football, his ability to see things on a pitch and understand a game’s state is perhaps his greatest skill. Andersen can understand his manager’s instructions and translate them perhaps better than any other Palace player. He’s not the only Scandinavian in the league with his manager’s trust, there are similar roles being carried out by Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard as well as fellow Dane Mathias Jensen at Brentford. The ability to translate tactical changes onto a pitch is not a universal one and it can often mean a role as a manager in a players future. With Andersen’s understanding of the game and appetite to learn and improve, it would not be difficult to imagine a coaching job on his horizon.
A significant change from previous iterations at Palace, Andersen is the archetypal modern centre-back and the perfect player to keep Patrick Vieira’s Palace in the top half of the table as well as the perfect base to build on in future windows and perhaps lead a charge for European football in the near future. Considering all he’s already learned and everywhere he’s been, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Anderson is still only 26 and could be the cornerstone of this team for a long time to come, unless a bigger club comes calling first.
By Tom Haddock
