Todd Cantwell in action for Norwich City. (Getty Images)
Almost halfway through the 2018/19 campaign, Norwich City sit at the top of the EFL Championship table with 43 points from 21 matches.
Summer signing Teemu Pukki has been the chief driving force behind Daniel Farke’s men’s run to the summit of the standings. However, there have been valuable contributions by promising young players that have come through the youth ranks at the club.
One such player is 20-year-old Todd Cantwell, who has been making all the right noises in the English second division this campaign. The attacking midfielder joined the Canaries’ youth academy back in 2008 as a 10-year-old and has risen through the ranks rapidly.
Cantwell made his first-team debut in an FA Cup game against Premier League heavyweights Chelsea earlier this year in January. He was loaned out to Dutch outfit Fortuna Sittard for the rest of the 2017/18 season, where he made a solid impression.
Following James Maddison’s departure to Leicester City in the summer, Farke pushed Cantwell to the first-team at Carrow Road and the move has paid off. So far in the season, the 20-year-old has netted one goal and set up 2 more in 12 appearances in the Championship. His performance in the 3-1 win over Rotherham United earlier this month stood out in particular.
Cantwell has been heavily used on the left flank by the Norwich manager this season. And the 20-year-old has repaid the faith shown in him with some eye-catching displays. Blessed with good dribbling skills and a keen eye for a pass, the Englishman is a menace in the final third and doesn’t shy away from the defensive side of things either.
So far this term, the Norwich City academy graduate has averaged 1.6 shots every ninety minutes he has been on the field. The 20-year-old has attempted a total of 29 dribbles at a rate of 2.9 every 90 minutes and has successfully completed 17 of those.
In his 12 matches, Cantwell has averaged 33.5 passes per game, with an accuracy of 81.3%. The attacking midfielder has attempted 18 key passes so far, averaging 1.5 per game. He has also shown the ability to hold on to the ball in key areas, having been dispossessed just 1.3 times per game so far this term. The fact that he has drawn 22 fouls at a rate of 1.8 fouls per game indicates the kind of threat he carries in the final third of the pitch.
Coming to the defensive side of things, the midfielder has attempted 2.3 tackles per game, successfully completing 1.4 of those. He has also affected 1.2 interceptions and clearances apiece for every 90 minutes he has been on the field. Moreover, he has conceded just 7 fouls in his 12 games.
He may not have scored or assisted a large number of goals but Cantwell is turning out to be quite an effective player for Norwich. It might be a bit premature to claim that he is set to follow the footsteps of James Maddison but clearly, the 20-year-old has great promise and potential. Suffice to say, he will have a huge role to play as Farke’s men chase promotion back to the Premier League.
**Stats courtesy: WhoScored.com
