Player Focus: Robbie Brady's Promising Start to Life at Norwich
Norwich’s pursuit of Robbie Brady over the summer said plenty about how highly Alex Neil rates the player. After a lengthy saga, the Canaries boss finally got his man in July, forced to spend £7m to secure the services of the Republic of Ireland international after Hull rejected numerous bids for the 23-year-old. Their relentless tracking of Brady has certainly been rewarded given his impressive start to life at Carrow Road.
After the opening eight games of the season, Brady is Norwich’s highest rated player according to WhoScored with a score of 7.49, with that figure enough to rank 15th in England’s top tier this term. Injury has blighted Brady’s impact in the Premier League, meaning Hull fans were arguably unable to see the left-back at his very best, at least over a prolonged period. Steve Bruce’s wayward tactics also limited the youngster’s impact following the Tigers’ promotion, with Brady unable to really showcase his talents.
In Norfolk, though, the wide player is proving his worth. When Neil took charge of Norwich back in January, there were concerns over whether the 34-year-old could transfer his managerial ability to English football. The young Scottish manager worked wonders during his time at the Hamilton Academical helm, yet the Canaries’ decision to appoint Neil as Neil Adams’ successor was viewed as a risk. However, the board’s leap of faith paid dividends. Norwich lost only three of the 25 Championship games Neil managed following his arrival, which included success in the playoffs.
Of course, promotion to the Premier League meant Norwich needed to invest in players capable of retaining the club’s place among England’s best. Brady was the main port of call over the summer and he is quickly living up to expectations for his new team. The onus is clearly on the Irishman to provide an offensive threat from deep, adding another dimension to the Norwich attack where possible. This is adequately highlighted in that only Ashley Westwood and Dusan Tadic (both 19) have played more accurate crosses in the Premier League this season than Brady (18), reinforcing his statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘crossing’.
Utilising his impressive attacking qualities, Brady breaks forward at any given opportunity to help stretch the opposition defence. While he is yet to register a league assist this season, his attempts are not for want of trying. Indeed, the Norwich star is averaging more key passes per game (2.1) than any other defender in the Premier League this season. Furthermore, no Norwich player is averaging more successful dribbles per game than Brady (1.4) in England’s top tier this term. It’s little wonder Norwich have developed a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘creating chances through individual skill’ given Brady's ability on the ball.
The player has been unfortunate in that the strikers have not had the quality to capitalise on the chances he creates at times, which are evidently fairly regularly. Of course, a left-back pushing so high up the pitch runs the risk of being caught out defensively, but Brady does not shirk from these responsibilities. Only Jordan Amavi, Lucas Leiva (both 34) and Fernandinho (33) have made more tackles in the Premier League this season than the Norwich man (32). Yo-yo’ing up and down the left flank, Brady is carrying out the necessary duties of a modern day full-back with aplomb.
Of his eight league appearances, five have seen him gain a rating upwards of 7.50, which again denotes his consistency, the only real blips coming against Crystal Palace and Southampton. After his move from Hull, Brady has quickly established himself as one of the most important players for Norwich and it’s shown in a series of impressive displays in the Canaries defence.
Compatriot Wes Hoolahan may be stealing the plaudits having registered 5 assists this season - only David Silva (6) has more in the Premier League this season - but Brady is deserving of the praise. The latter’s fine form at left-back has helped Norwich to a respectable 13th place upon their return to England’s top tier. The Canaries may have shipped a disappointing 14 league goals this season, but Brady has hardly put a foot wrong, both in attack and defence.
Norwich may have been forced to dig deep to secure the services of the Irishman, but the notable fee is proving to be well spent. If Norwich are to retain their top-flight status this season, Brady is expected to play a crucial role, as he has been doing already.
How important a role will Robbie Brady play for Norwich this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
