While the typical modern-day forward has experienced a bit of a makeover in recent years towards a more cunning, fluid false-nine profile, Hojlund is more of a throwback — his hurried, tenacious style of play often looks like he’s playing on fast-forward.
The blistering speed he possesses is a huge advantage within
Atalanta’s counter-attacking style. Only Fiorentina (70), Sassuolo (72) and
AC Milan (84) have accrued more direct attacks — defined as the number of open-play sequences that starts just inside the team’s own half and has at least 50 per cent of movement towards the opposition’s goal and ends in a shot or a touch in the opposition box — than Atalanta’s 68 this season.