Stats amazing! TNS midfielder Ryan Brobbel up there with the very best

But after a stellar season so far, that is exactly what has happened to The New Saints’ Ryan Brobbel lately.

The Saints, until last week, remained unbeaten in the league and that was largely down to the former Northern Ireland Under-21 international.

And now he has been named in the overall goal involvements above the likes of Neymar and Lionel Messi.

Brobbel, has so far notched up 28 goal involvements – that includes 13 goals and 15 assists so far this season – and is level with Manchester City goal-machine Erling Haaland in worldwide statistics.

And the playmaker is just just five behind the overall leader, Swift Hesperange’s Rayan Phillipe, who’s racked up a figure of 33 in Luxembourg’s BGL Ligue.

The Saints midfielder was delighted to be mentioned in the same sentence as the world’s leading players and just wants to contribute in as many ways as he can.

He said: “It’s obviously a nice stat to have against your name and it’s nice to be up there and mentioned alongside the top players that they are.

“My targets at the start of the season were always to try and reach double figures in both, and obviously being the type of player that I am, I need to create goals and score goals.

“I’ve managed to do that now so I just want to get as many goals and assists as I can between now and the end of the season.”

His manager Craig Harrison was also full of praise for the work he has done this season.

However, as someone who expects high standards, he insists Brobbel is performing at the level he expected him to perform at.

Harrison added: “We all know how highly we think of Ryan and he’s on a fantastic goalscoring run at this moment in time. He’s just pipping Neymar and Lionel Messi as well I believe!

“From my personal point of view, it’s what I expect from Ryan because I’ve got high expectations of him. But he’s a top player and let’s hope he keeps that vein of form going between now and the end of the season.”

Brobbel will have chance to add to the statistics when the Saints face Newtown in the cross border derby on Saturday at Park Hall.

For Newtown, it will be a chance to avenge their 7-0 hammering at the hands of the Saints earlier this year in the Welsh Cup.

However, Chris Hughes’ side have good memories of Park Hall, having picked up a number of positives results in Oswestry over the years.

Their last victory on the Saints’ home turf came back in 2020, when Alex Fletcher and Fumpa Mwandwe netted first-half goals in a 2-1 victory.

However, it was in 2017 when Hughes’ men recorded one of the most remarkable comebacks ever by an away side at Park Hall.

The Robins were 2-0 down inside 15 minutes before Ryan Sears and Luke Boundford brought them level at the break, with the home side having had Ryan Parry sent off.

And the Robins then went on to strike twice in the final 20 minutes of the game to round off a famous comeback.

So far this season, Hughes’ men are one of only four sides to take points off the Saints, as they held the champions to a 0-0 draw at Latham Park on the opening weekend of the season.