Noah Botic (2002) - CF - Western United (Australia, Band 5) - Contract Expiry: 2025
An Australian who is physically ready for the UK
There has been a small influx of Australian talent since the A League was made into a Band 5 league in the most recent FA GBE/ESC regulations in 2024.
Portsmouth signed Thomas Waddingham and Hayden Matthews in January as an example, and no doubt there will be more movement from Australia direct to the UK in the summer.
One of the players in demand could be Noah Botic. The Western United forward is into double figures in terms of goals for the season, and we asked Chris Kearney (@AnalyticsForest) to watch Botic and report back on him.
He is ranked #1 in our AWRSS as a pure goalscorer, so the data certainly supports him as a prospect to know about.
Biographical Details
Name: Noah Botic
Age/D.o.B: 23 (11/01/2002)
Citizenship: Australia
Position(s): CF
Club: Western United
Height: 1.83m
Preferred foot: Right (Can use both)
TM Market Value: 400k
Contract: Expiry: 30/06/2025
GBE Status: Fail
ESC Status: Eligible (playing in a Band 5 league)
Relevant Data
AWRSS Best Role:
Pure Goalscorer (#1 ranked in A League)
Inside Forward (#2)
Wide Target Man (#3)
Target Man (#4)
AWRSS Best Characteristics:
Composure (offensive)
Goal contributions
Shooting
Match Info
Observed: 2/3/2024 WESTERN UNITED v Perth Glory
Final score: 1-0 (Botic)
Shape: 442 v 442
Brief match report:
Western United controlled this game for vast majority. Field tilt was massively in their favour and in truth should have won by more than 1-0. They consistently got into dangerous areas in and around the opposition box but too many times the final ball for the strikers wasn’t good enough to decision making was poor.
Perth were relatively poor in build up and found it difficult to play through Western’s disciplined mid block.
Match report
Effectiveness of role
Botic showed a strong understanding of his role as a CF, he consistently showed a willingness to drop in deep and be an outlet to his teammates. Linking play well off one and two touches when dropping in, and then had a willingness to stretch play by looking to run in behind whenever possible.
He showed some nice glimpses of anticipation and good movement inside the box leading to some half chances. Whilst Western Utd dominated the majority of the game, service into Botic wasn’t the best, but regardless he managed to produce the decisive moment of the game, running in behind from a rare transitional opportunity and slotted home a left footed placed effort past the keeper.
Out of possession the front two of Western Utd sat in a disciplined mid-block and generally shadow marked the CMs of Perth in build-up. I would have liked to see him scan his shoulder a little more and be more aware of opposition players moving into passing lanes behind him.
Physical attributes
Botic stands around 6ft with a strong but athletic build to him. He looks to have a nice mix of strength and agility.
Whilst there wasn’t a great deal of evidence to go off regarding his aerial ability we did see a moment of him challenging well in the air, a difficult chance whilst moving backwards but got his header on target nonetheless. I think he has the physical attributes to be effective aerially, though he is unlikely to be dominant in the air in the UK.
He also had good acceleration and was able to hold his pace very well over a distance.
Technical skill
Botic showed a good level of shooting ability off both left and right foot. He scored with a nice placed effort on his left foot and had two powerful efforts with his right from inside the box. He demonstrated a short back lift but garnered a lot of power from a couple of right footed efforts, one smashing off the bar.
His passing was generally kept short and neat and a mostly off one and two touch. He liked to come to receive, pop it off and then make good movement into dangerous areas.
I really liked one movement in behind in particular, with the opposition sat in a semi low block he was a nice dart in behind but was just fractionally caught offside.
Western United didn’t like to play long up to Botic and would look to play through the thirds. Whilst he did well linking play which came into feet we weren’t able to see how he would deal with aerially direct balls into him.
Decision making under pressure
Botic showed he has a venomous shot on him but perhaps could have shown a little more composure to take a little off the shot and find the target, especially with the effort that rattled the crossbar from inside the box.
Did show nice composure with his goal.
Didn’t look comfortable trying to play a more expansive pass under pressure later on in the game.
Psych & Social
Showed a great work ethic throughout the match, eager to make forward runs but also to not slack on his defensive duties, sprinting back to get goal side on multiple occasions and was disciplined in the teams structure to sit in a mid block OOP.
AOB
Noah Botic has a lot of attributes I really like in a modern forward. He likes to play simple when getting involved in build up but has the ability to be a threat in behind with his pace and the presence to be good inside the box.
The power he can create with his right foot from such a short backlift is impressive and I don’t have doubts about him being able to add goals aerially.
Add to that his ability to score off his left side and not shirk defensive responsibility, he’s a really nice prospect that can continue to improve and move up in league quality in my opinion.
He looks to be going from strength to strength this season in the A League and shows up really well in the data for the league.
Verdict
Key strengths
Acceleration/Pace
Movement in behind
Shooting ability off both feet
Defensive contribution
Risks to mitigate
Awareness OOP.
Expansive passing/Creativity
Ability to hold up long direct passes?
Current level recommendation
CH- : Bottom range of Championship
SP: Mid-range of Scottish Premiership
Potential level recommendation
CH+ : Top of Championship
SP+: Top of Scottish Premiership