Clement Defends Brooks Amid Criticism
Philippe Clement has urged patience with Andre Brooks amid scrutiny of the Norwich City winger's form, insisting it would be unrealistic to expect him to carry the attacking burden solely on his shoulders.
The summer signing, who City spent £8 million to bring to Carrow Road from divisional rivals Sheffield United, hasn't scored since his brace against Burnley in August and has struggled to maintain his bright start to life in Norfolk.
Brooks' Potential as a Game-Changer
Brooks' dip has coincided with City's wider struggle for consistency, but Clement believes the Jamaican international has already demonstrated his 'game-changing' qualities and backed him to rediscover his best form.
"I don't want to individualise things and, for sure, not the results of the whole period around one player," Clement said. "Andre is working really hard. Andre has already been really important for the club this season."
"We cannot say that Andre needs to put all the weight of our offensive line on his shoulders. There's not one winger in the world who scores every game, but he's trying to do all the good things for the team, offensively and defensively."
Clement's Consistent Philosophy for Success
Clement's patience with Brooks is mirrored by his approach to City's wider struggles, with the Belgian reluctant to make wholesale changes in search of a solution to a slower start to the campaign.
"It's important to be consistent," he said. "If you start to swap everything and change everything, there's no structure and there's no clarity anymore for the players. That stays one of the most important things in football."
Clement is hoping a greater consistency will help City and Brooks work through a slow start to the campaign. "Of course, there are tweaks and there are different things that you do every game," he added.
For more details, visit The Pink'un.