Why Emyr Huws Is A Good Signing For Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town fans, like so many of Championship clubs, have levelled their share of criticism at their owners in recent times and it’s easy to see why.
Selling star striker Daryl Murphy to Newcastle last summer and not replacing him was a particular low point for the East Englian supporters, and perhaps led directly to the club finishing in their lowest league position for well over 50 years.
Plenty of big names have managed to leave Portman Road for no fee and those moves cannot always be blamed on the owner, though it does mean a lack of transfer revenue which means reinvesting in the squad can prove tricky.
The signing of Emyr Huws from Cardiff though looks like being a major positive for the club. Huws is young, full of ambition and talent, and would potentially bring the club a handsome sell-on fee should he leave in a couple of season’s time.
Huws was obviously manager Mick McCarthy’s top transfer target for the summer and so with him in the bag early the mood is suddenly much more positive around Ipswich. Unlike recent movements at the club, Huws arrives on a long-term contract, and that represents a more positive move from the hierarchy at the club.
Huws scored a belter against eventual champions Newcastle last season and fans are hopeful that there is a lot more of that to come.
The 23-year-old midfielder started just 14 times in the Championship last season, but his stats certainly go some way to back up the reputation he has built in South Wales. 1.6 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per game show the defensive and combative side of his game well. He is about hustling the opposition and attempting to win the ball back for his team, something Ipswich have definitely lacked in recent times.
His pass completion rate of 72% could be improved, something that may get better over time though, and his ability to find an average of 0.8 key passes every game for a somewhat underwhelming team last season is not a bad stat for a man playing quite deep, so he is certain to provide assists as next season wears on.
He managed one of those last term to compliment the 3 league goals he scored, meaning that he had a hand in a league goal every 270 minutes (exactly 3 games), which for a deep-lying midfielder is very impressive. Huws is sure to be a success.
Stats Source: Squawka.com