2018 Fulham Player Profiles: Oliver Norwood

Basic Stats: 39 appearances | 22 starts | 17 substitutions | 2,141 minutes | 5 goals | 3 assists

Economics: Year-Long Loan from Brighton & Hove Albion | Signed: 2017 | Contract Ends in Summer 2018

Stats by Seven-Game sequences

WhoScored Rating Chart

Radar

Goals vs. Expected Goals

Transfermarket Value Chart

CC Thoughts: At first, it looked like Oliver Norwood’s addition to the Fulham squad was going to be an unmittigated disaster. No performance stood out more than his performance full of wayward passes in the club’s embarrassing League Cup defeat to Bristol Rovers. Add in the fact that there was no choice but to start the Northern Ireland International when Tom Cairney was dealing with his knee issues and it was looking like Fulham were in a world of hurt.

But once Cairney returned to full fitness and Norwood was used in his proper position, a fourth midfielder best suited to provide more defensive cover and give Cairney and Johansen rest during the grueling Championship season, then everything fell into place for the club’s campaign. His defense was truly outstanding as he was the team leader in defensive contributions (combined tackles and interceptions) per 90 minutes at 3.78 and he lead all Fulham players in interceptions at 1.60 per 90 minutes.

But that doesn’t mean some of his attacking play went unnoticed either. His 1.68 key passes per 90 minutes was fourth among Fulham players behind StefJo, Cairney and Matt Targett and a handful of his goals were required throughout the course of the season. None stood out more than the penalty he converted to break a 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough. His most colossal display came in the come-from-behind madness that was the 4-1 win over Ipswich at Craven Cottage where Norwood assisted on Aboubakar Kamara’s goal (that turned out to be the game-winning goal), took three shots and completed six tackles.

Even when his role diminished as the season went along, he was still a valued member for Slavisa Jokanovic and provided a different dimension to the midfield to close out games. On the whole, Norwood’s 2017/18 basically went hand-in-hand with the whole club’s 2017/18. But that makes it no less the fact that Oliver Norwood was a valuable member to the squad. Whether it is enough to make him continue as a Premier League player for the upcoming season is up for interpretation.

Key Stat: 3 goals scored from the penalty spot. That’s right Fulham supporters! Our man temporarily cured all of your ailments towards scoring off of penalties in 2017/18. Aboubakar Kamara can lay claim to the only other penalty goal that was scored by the club this season when he did so at Hull City. Wierdly enough, Norwood’s other two goals came once via a free kick and once in open play in Fulham’s embarassing defeat at Burton Albion.

Your thoughts: So what say you of Oliver Norwood? Even with Jean-Michael Seri signed with the club, would you like for Fulham to bring back the 27-year old? If so, for how much? And what would you like to see Norwood improve upon to make him a Premier League mainstay in 2018/19? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.