Best Alternatives to Rob Atkinson

Top 3 Alternatives to Rob Atkinson

1. 1.Dan Ballard85% DNA match·Sunderland€20.0M
2. 2.Malick Thiaw84% DNA match·Newcastle United€45.0M
3. 3.Joe Worrall83% DNA match·Burnley€4.0M

Ranked by AI DNA similarity — 768 dimensions across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.

Playing Style Analysis

A Physical Stopper. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (6.3 clearances/90), wins the physical battle (75% duel success), dominant in the air (4.6 aerials won/90, 71%) and active off the ball (2.2 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions. The three most similar players to Rob Atkinson by playing style are:

• Dan Ballard(85% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (7.8 clearances/90), wins the physical battle (59% duel success), strong in aerial duels (4.4 aerials won/90) and uses long balls frequently (6.6/90).
• Malick Thiaw(84% match) — Thiaw has quietly become one of the Premier League's most complete defensive profiles — a towering centre-back who doesn't just win his battles, he wins them cleanly. His aerial win rate of 65.1% and duel success of 64.2% both sit in the league's top 20%, but the counterintuitive story is his attacking output: 0.16 goals per 90 and 0.98 shots per 90 place him in the top 10% among defenders, suggesting a genuine threat from set-pieces that opponents routinely underestimate. His pass accuracy of 90.6% reflects a ball-player comfortable in possession-heavy systems, and his above-average delivery into the final third adds genuine build-up value.
• Joe Worrall(83% match) — A Physical Stopper. Statistically, he stands out as a reliable supplier (0.18 assists/90), commanding in the air (10.9 clearances/90) and strong in aerial duels (3.8 aerials won/90). Note: this profile is based on 496 minutes of playing time this season.

Similarity is calculated using per-90 performance data across multiple playing style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →