Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey has faced criticism from some corners of the internet for his involvement in the incident which led to two injuries to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
The Dutch striker was chasing the ball in the box and Cristian Romero put his body between the forward and the ball, which was a good save, which meant the Black Cats star had to use his arms to avoid a collision with the defender.
That, unfortunately, meant that Romero pushed his goalkeeper, Antonin Kinsky, which resulted in the goalkeeper needing bandages on his head and the Argentina defender being replaced with a leg injury.
It was nothing more than a bad situation for two Tottenham players, and Romero, who defended well, especially because he was forced to leave the field.
Despite this incident, Brobbey was outstanding in Sunderland’s 1-0 win against Spurs at the Stadium of Light, despite not scoring or assisting any goals.
Why Brian Brobbey is successful at Sunderland without scoring goals
Centre-forwards are often judged by the number of goals they score during the season. With a month left in the campaign, the Dutchman has scored six goals in 25 Premier League appearances for the club.
He was far from his first season at the Stadium of Light, having joined Ajax for £17.3m last summer, but the striker brings much more to the club than just goals.
The 24-year-old has received high praise from Premier League legend Thierry Henry, who praised the forward’s impressive performances and the way he used his body to block defenders in January.
Brobbey has been impressive at the Sunderland end of the pitch as he can pin down defenders and get the team up the pitch by holding the ball under pressure before finding his teammates.
He ranks in the top 15% of players in the division in offensive tackles (29) because defenders find it difficult to get past him, and his ability to dominate central defenders is his most valuable asset.
That’s why Brobbey is so effective against Regis Le Bris even without scoring a goal, and that’s why he keeps his place in the starting line-up ahead of some of the best players in the squad.
Sunderland should move on to the former Brian Brobbey 2.0
In the 2024/25 campaign, Le Bris and Sunderland had the exciting opportunity to move forward who was on his way to becoming the original Brobbey at the Stadium of Light.
Eliezer Mayenda, journalist Josh Bunting said he is “improving” and drew attention to the way he played admirably for the Black Cats in the Championship last season, scoring a goal in the play-off final against Sheffield United.
The Spanish U21 scored eight goals in Sunderland’s second-tier side, and his solo goal against Bristol City in April was Brobbey-esque in the way he held off multiple challenges and used his pace, agility, and technical quality to score.
He looked like a player who would flourish in the Premier League due to his status as a striker, just like Brobbey did this season as Le Bris’ number 9.
Unfortunately, however, it did not work for him in the top division this season. So far, the Spaniard has scored two goals and failed to register an assist in 19 games in this division.
|
25/26 Premier League |
Mayenda |
Position vs STs |
|---|---|---|
|
Goals |
2 |
down 26% |
|
Opportunities are created |
4 |
down 22% |
|
It helps |
0 |
down 1% |
|
A touch in the opposition box |
31 |
down 28% |
|
Duel success rate |
34% |
down 32% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
34% |
down 32% |
Mayenda, who ranks worst among his strikers in the Premier League, has only played one minute in the last two league games for the Black Cats.
He did not adapt to the step-up in fitness and physical fitness from the Championship. Although he can outmuscle and outmaneuver second-tier defenders on a regular basis, Premier League defenders have found it too easy to beat him.
The lack of playing time for Mayenda, who has started eight league games, and his struggle with form may mean that his future needs to be considered before the summer transfer window opens.
It may be best for both teams to move on in the summer as the striker will want to play regular football to continue his development, while Sunderland should look to improve to compete with Brobbey.
Therefore, Mayenda’s career at the Stadium of Light seems to be over at this point, 12 months after making Brobbey’s first appearance for Le Bris.
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