We've taken a look at the impact Brian Brobbey has had for Sunderland this season following links to Bayern Munich.
Brobbey arrived from Ajax last summer in a deal worth around £17million. signing a five-year deal, and after an initially slow start, he’s become a cornerstone player for Regis Le Bris. The Dutch striker is Sunderland’s top scorer in the Premier League with six goals, but with four of them coming in 12 appearances since 4th January, it’s clear that his form has been improving as the campaign has gone on and he’s adjusted to Le Bris’ demands.
Clinical in a conservative system
Six goals may not sound too impressive as we reach the final sprint of the Premier League season. However, there are a few key considerations:
That total accounts for just over 18% of Sunderland’s total Premier League haul this season (33).
They’ve come in just 1,460 minutes, at a rate of 0.4 per 90 minutes.
Brobbey’s conversion rate of 23.08% and 50% shot accuracy are first and second, respectively, among Sunderland players.
In short, Brobbey has become more and more clinical in one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league, which relies heavily upon defensive solidity. His goals per 90 rate is ranked 22nd among all Premier League players with 1,000+ minutes played, proving he can be relied on to find the net in rare clutch moments.
Sunderland’s physical focal point
While a striker’s primary remit is to score goals, we all know that Brobbey is at the Stadium of Light to offer much more than just that. The 24-year-old is arguably the Premier League’s best when it comes to hold-up play, physicality and causing trouble for opposition centre-backs.
Only Dan Ballard (4.53) has won more aerial duels per 90 than Brobbey (3.21) among Sunderland players so far this season, and while he’s also second for aerial duels lost per 90 (4.14), that only further proves he’s battling out with centre-backs and never giving them a moment to rest. Brobbey has been fouled at a rate of 1.8 per 90, which is first among Mackems with more than 401 minutes played this season, and acts as a pressure relief valve for the defenders behind him. Meanwhile, his 0.43 fouls won in the final third per 90 and 66 overall touches in the opposition box are also team-highs.
It’s no coincidence that wingers and attacking midfielders like Chemsdine Talbi, Enzo Le Fee and Eliezer Mayenda have been able to register 10 goals combined this season (4, 4 & 2, respectively), with Brobbey creating space by dragging defenders into his considerable gravity well with physicality and force, but also a touch of class with the ball at his feet.
Sunderland are on a strong run of form at present, and if they continue in this manner, you’d back Brobbey to hit double figures before the campaign is out. But even if he doesn’t, he’s still established himself as a key figure in Le Bris’ team, and one they can ill-afford to lose in the summer if they’re to avoid a second-season slump in the Premier League. Stats viaWhoScored &FotMob.
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