Team Focus: Keeping Robert Snodgrass Will Be Norwich's Best Summer Signing
Ahead of every Premier League campaign, the main aim for teams that have either been promoted from the Championship or those that have survived the threat of dropping into England’s second tier is to reach the 40-point mark. For most, anything above that is a bonus. Upon their return to the top flight of English football in 2011, Norwich City ensured this was the case, accruing 47 points before gaining 44 last season.
Their form yo-yo’d over the campaign, though. The Canaries went 7 games without a win at the beginning of the season and then 9 midway through, and those two streaks sandwiched a 10-game unbeaten streak, but it was sufficient to see them finished 11th and again secure their top flight status. Manager Chris Hughton has aimed to build on this, already securing the services of Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Leroy Fer and Gary Hooper, to name three, this summer.
With Fabio Quagliarella also mooted with a switch to Carrow Road, excitement levels are expectantly high as fans prepare for the new season. However, while the arrival of a new player always makes for an enthralling period, keeping hold of a prized asset is often that bit more important to a club and having been a hit since signing from Leeds United, Robert Snodgress is certainly one that fits that category.
The Scotland international secured an average WhoScored.com rating of 7.22 in the Premier League last season; the highest of any Norwich player and the only one to attain a figure above 7. Tallies of 6 goals and 6 assists saw Snodgrass directly contribute to 29.3% of their 41 Premier League goals last year, with that percentile the largest for the Canaries.
In creating 16 clear-cut chances for his teammates, only Everton’s Leighton Baines (22) created more in the Premier League last season. That figure saw Snodgrass provide 32% of their clear-cut chances, an exceptionally high return for any player and one that only accentuates his innovational tendencies and importance to the club.
Yet, while Snodgrass excelled in that respect, Norwich as a collective boasted a clear-cut conversion of just 35.5% - only six teams were less clinical. While Paul Lambert used Grant Holt as his main weapon in his final year at the club, it’s understandable why Snodgrass has in turn become Hughton’s key asset.
The sale of Holt to Wigan places further responsibility on the shoulders of the 25-year-old as the club aim to go one better this season. It was evident that a revamped and improved frontline was necessary and the club addressed that by bringing in van Wolfswinkel and Hooper. The pairing bring with them ample European experience, not to mention an impressive goalscoring record, the former boasting a record of 38 goals in 56 appearances during his time in Portugal and the latter 79 in 133 in Scotland.
Should Norfolk based club also succeed in their reported pursuit of Fabio Quagliarella, they’ll be bringing in a striker who netted 27 goals in his 82 appearances with Juventus and one that boasts considerable Champions League experience. Yet, the striking capabilities of the trio would be wasted without a player to provide the ammunition behind them.
In Snodgrass, Norwich evidently have a player to do just that. The midfielder averaged 1.8 key passes and 2.2 accurate crosses per game, finding a teammate with 27.7% of his attempted crosses last term. What also stands him in good stead is his ability from set pieces, with only Baines (49) executing more key passes from dead-ball situations than Snodgrass (32), and only Jonathan De Guzmán (49) and Baines (48) playing more accurate corners into the box than the Scot (36) last season.
Furthermore, 3 of his 6 goals came from direct free-kicks; only Andrea Pirlo, Francesco Lodi (both 5) and Cristiano Ronaldo (4) scored more in Europe’s top five leagues 2012/13. Rarely can you find a way to put Snodgrass's name up alongside the likes of Pirlo and Ronaldo.
While Norwich’s overall goal conversion sat at a rather average 9.7% last year, it’s expected that with the new arrivals, that figure will improve significantly, especially if Snodgrass can replicate his exploits again in the upcoming campaign.
Norwich appear all but set to hold onto the former Leeds ace and playing a pivotal role in 37 of the Canaries’ 38 league games, that could well work out more important than any arrival at Carrow Road this summer. While consistency was often their Achilles heel last year, Hughton is building a squad capable of pressing on in the upcoming campaign as Norwich look to secure a top half finish and it’s fair to say that it’s achievable with that man Snodgrass pulling the strings in midfield.
