Championship Right-back of the Season: Ivo Pinto

Passionate Pinto – canaries.co.uk

Speak to Norwich fans and most will say that big changes to the squad are needed this summer. A player the majority want to keep however, is Ivo Pinto.

That is partly for his passion for the club and the way he embraces supporters off the field. On it, he has also been one of the bright sparks in an underwhelming campaign for the Canaries.

As against Barnsley last time out, his average position is often above the halfway line. He goes on mazy forward runs, producing key passes and pinpoint cross, forming a dangerous right-sided partnership with Jacob Murphy, who has burst onto the scene this term. The duo’s attacking output is a big part of why Norwich have the third best goalscoring record in the league. The team has scored 65 goals overall and three or more of them on nine occasions – as often as pace-setters Newcastle and Brighton.

Sometimes the right-backs cavalier approach leaves his side a tad short-changed at the back, not helped by slow centre-backs and a lack of midfield protection. The Football Lab is incorporating two holding midfielders into this theoretical Championship team, so full-backs are given licence to attack. When Pinto has that, he is a tough man to play.