A strangely economical performance against Hearts on Sunday was the latest in the new season for captain Brown. I detailed his slow, graceful but inexorable regression in my end of season review Brown: Growing Old Gracefully.
898 minutes into the new season, what has changed?
Defending
Firstly, there is continual decline in the number of challenges Brown is winning.
Both aerially and on the ground, he is winning less. He is losing around the same number of tackles as the last two seasons but aerial challenges have seen loses increase from 0.78 to 1 per 90m.
Consequently, he is winning possession back from defensive actions less often. From 5.97 two seasons ago, it is now 3.81 per 90m.
He is being dispossessed less also, suggesting overall less engagements in defensive midfield.
The defensive action success rate metric (DASR%) is my overarching measure of defensive performance:
Given his DASR% is well above any of the other central midfielders, it serves to highlight that no one else in the team does the job Brown does.
It should be noted the number of interceptions he is actioning has gone up from 1.11 last season to 2.71 this.
Ball Distribution
But on the other hand, Brown is completing more passes than last season (68.2 up from 66.7) and creating more chances (1.1 up from 0.67 per 90m).
Also, he is getting the ball forward more.
The number of Pack Passes is going back up after a big drop off last season.
Consequently, his overall Total Impect score has also increased from 37 per 90m last season to 56 this.
What Does It All mean?
I believe we can explain by considering two major factors.
Firstly, physical regression results in less physical engagement around the park – less challenges.
Secondly, we are seeing Lennon’s style tweaks impacting on Brown’s performance in two ways.
- The more aggressive press that started to wane under Rodgers, is now back, and Lennon is intercepting the ball more frequently.
- The message to get the ball forward quicker is evidenced by Brown’s increased Packing rates.
Whereas Rodgers asked Brown to sit deep and fill in at centre back where needed, Lennon expects him to engage in the press and to help the team get forward more quickly.
My concern is that Lennon’s style may fatigue the captain more quickly.
All the more reason to manage his time carefully and have a definite succession plan in place.
You always need Scott brown for the sevco game and European nights at celtic park we need him badly
Correct me if in wrong but Brown was present at Ibrox last season when the midfield was completely overrun on both occasions?
He also played against Valencia and put in one of the worst performances of his career.
He didn’t play at home against Leipzig which was imo out most impressive home performance since MONs team battered Lyon.
Now these things don’t necessarily correlate. But most people favour more ‘dig’ going to Ibrox. Which given our squad either means Bitton coming into midfield or more likely Johnston dropped for Ntcham, and Christie or McGregor asked to play out of position.
Personally I prefer a technical midfield 3 of McGregor, Christie and Ntcham to play through the press and expose the space that leaves, as we did against Leipzig, albeit with Rogic instead of Ntcham.
Aberdeen need dig. Hearts need dig. We have the quality to outplay them. Lenny will almost certainly go with the ‘more dig’ option, since Brown appears to be the only player he deems untouchable and who must play every minute of every game. I don’t know anyone who is confident heading to that midden. A helluva week for the manager and CEO awaits.
The reason Brown struggled so badly in the December game was the same reason he struggled v Cluj.
Taking McGregors work rate and close Support away and replacing it with Ntcham doesn’t work in games where we need all our Midfield working as a unit.
Ntcham flatters to deceive and seldom turns up for these game but even more so when closed down and not allowed the luxury of space and time.
Our best Midfield last Season was
………McGregor
Rogic………Christie
As soon as it reverts back to the Brown Ntcham show it all slows down and falls apart.
Lennon got peters for the Tactical shift of McGregor to accommodate Ntcham but next to no one pointed out his No2 sat beside Rodgers when he deployed McGregor at Left Back no less than 11 separate occasions.
I doubt very much Lennon will try it a second time.
Injuries aside.
It’s not just the physical side of Brown’s game which is important . It’s the psychological effect of his leadership qualities , particularly on the younger and new players . His ‘character’ is almost as important.
Spot on.
I also believe that if he can no longer do the job week in week out he will be the first to hold his hand up and declare time on his career.
He’s not going to be the type happy to sit on a bench winding down what has been a very successful Celtic career.
I think at this moment in time, nobody comes near to Broonie, hes one of the very best in his roll of Captain and leader still supremely fit ,managed correctly has got at least 2 more seasons left in him , I also believe one of the earlier comments ,said the player himself would be the first to hold his hand up ,that he could no longer give his 100% on match days, enjoy the man whilst hes still captaining the famous Glasgow Celtic HAIL HAIL