Norwich City prop up the Premier League table on 18 points from 25 matches and though they have struggled to adapt to moving up a division, the side have received praise from the likes of Jose Mourinho who said: “I like them very, very much.”
However, this praise has often been aimed at the attacking stars such as Teemu Pukki, who has 11 Premier League goals, or Emiliano Buendia, with seven assists. But one player who has provided a significant contribution which has largely gone unnoticed is Christoph Zimmermann.
The German centre back arrived on a free transfer in 2017, along with Farke, after the pair had worked together at Borussia Dortmund II. But this season he has adapted to life in the Premier League better than most defenders at Carrow Road, averaging 4.9 clearances per match in his 14 top-flight appearances. Along with recording the third-highest number of clearances, the 27-year-old German has caught opposition players offside more often than any other Canaries player, 0.6 per match.
Furthermore, Zimmermann has recorded 0.9 blocks per match, bettered only by fellow centre backs Ben Godfrey and Grant Hanley, who have both completed 1.3 blocks. The 27-year-old German also has shown acute vision and positional awareness to step in and make 1.1 interceptions on average in the Premier League, along with 1.9 tackles per match. He has also shown himself to be a strong passer of the ball, helping the Canaries to keep an average of 50.6 percent by playing 42.5 passes per game, with an average success rate of 80.5 percent.
Norwich City have the worst defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded 47 goals in 25 appearances; though in challenging circumstances Zimmermann has proven himself to be a cut above his fellow defenders, earning him an average match rating of 6.65.
His strong performances this season for the top-flights bottom side will have provided the German defender with a heap of experience should the Canaries go down and attempt to make an immediate return to the Premier League.
