by CountryRoyal »
30 Oct 2015 20:51
SCIAG Anyone who's seen Kuhl and Tshibola play together will tell you which of them is more defensively orientated (and better defensively, for that matter). Kuhl is a defensive midfielder who can pass, Tshibola is a box-to-box midfielder.
Norwood is great defensively. I think people underestimate him because he doesn't rely on his physicality, but he's very tough and makes a lot of tackles.
Norwood makes 2.6 tackles per match, Tshibola makes 1.2. Norwood's actually making less than he did last season. Norwood also has the edge in interceptions, 3 to Tshibola's 2.6.
Now that could indicate that Norwood is just more aggressive in the tackle - Obita makes three times as many tackles as Gunter - but I think most would agree that Tshibola's the one who presses high up the pitch, whilst Norwood sits and provides a shield.
I've not seen much of Alex, and he's not played enough to generate statistics, but based on the Everton match, he's another who is inclined to sit and shield the defence as a defensive midfielder rather than running box-to-box like Tshibola, Quinn, or Williams.
Well I guess we will have to agree to disagree with the first point. I'd argue that Norwood has a higher stats because he's involved a tad more being a bit behind and centrally. I agree that positionally Tish is a box to box CM, like Quinn and Williams, but his strengths in defending are far more natural than your Kuhls Norwood's and co.