Brennan Johnson can become a key player for Spurs, fans must be patient – opinion
Brennan Johnson has struggled to find form so far for Tottenham this season with Postecoglou’s side finding it hard to earn results in the Australian’s second season, but the Welshman’s back-to-back goals could revive Spurs and Johnson’s chances of success.
Johnson put up impressive numbers for Spurs last season
Brennan Johnson appears to have been a player that many Tottenham fans have struggled to support from the minute he held the famous Lilywhite shirt aloft, mainly due to the Welshman signing in a deal worth £47.5 million (Sky Sports).
Many fans’ aggrievances will be with the forward’s price tag, considered to be inflated for a player of Johnson’s quality – although, hindsight has suggested the price paid for the winger at the time may have been accurate.
Dominic Solanke signed for Spurs for a higher price than Johnson after having a similarly impressive individual season for a lower-end Premier League side, the same rule applies for Pedro Neto who was sold for significantly more than Johnson despite being constantly injured.
Johnson’s debut season in Lilywhite was by no means a disaster. The 23-year-old signed for Spurs after being one of Nottingham Forest’s key attackers, netting eight goals for Forest mainly as a striker, although Johnson was made to readjust to his former wide role under Postecoglou.
The Welsh wideman managed to record more goals and assists than he did at Nottingham Forest however, netting five times, many being key late goals, whilst also providing ten assists, the joint-third highest tally in the league.
Postecoglou clearly has a plan for Johnson
If you asked Spurs fans what a typical Brennan Johnson assist would look like, almost every person could describe it to you; a driven ball from the right wing delivered across the heart of the box that is touched home by either an opposing defender or on running Spurs attacker.
The fact that Johnson clearly has a signature way of playing proves two things, he’s extremely good at carrying out tactical instructions, the assist is a typical Postecoglou routine, and the winger can perform a routine that is almost unstoppable when executed perfectly.
Both points are reasons to retain faith in Johnson. The Premier League’s best forwards all can perform routine moves that if the environment allows it, are near on unstoppable; Salah’s cut inside, Kane’s shot across goal, Son’s long-range curled finish – Johnson is slowly forging a deadly routine of his own.
The stats reflect Postecoglou and Johnson’s clear attempt to beat teams by driving crosses into the opposition’s penalty areas when exploiting the opponent with the pace of either of Tottenham’s wingers.
Spurs are the league leaders in crosses into the opposition penalty area (13) with Johnson averaging 0.43 crosses per 90 into the opposition box last season, although there has been a drop off this season to 0.26 per 90. (FBRef)
The falloff in this season’s statistic not only reflects Tottenham’s early season struggle to effectively disrupt low blocks but explains why Pedro Porro has the most crosses into the opposition penalty area in the Premier League this season. (FBRef)
Porro has often had to either cross the ball in from deep as Spurs have struggled to find space in behind the defence or Brennan Johnson has clearly lacked the confidence to take on his man, allowing Porro to overlap and deliver the cross instead.
Johnson’s super sub ability proves the winger’s potential
The explanation above as to why Brennan Johnson has been less effective this season can be further proven by the fact that the former Nottingham Forest man has been so effective off the bench.
Johnson was clocked as the fastest player in the Premier League in a pre-Van De Ven era with a speed of 22 miles per hour, it’s therefore no surprise that the Welshman tears apart defences with tired legs when coming on fresh off the bench. (All Football App)
There is also however something to be said about the psychology of being substituted on rather than starting, especially as we’ve seen Johnson clearly struggle with confidence in recent months.
One of football’s most famous super subs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has admitted previously that rather than feeling pre-match pressure, the Norweigan thrived under the conditions of feeling you have a point to prove when handed your brief chance, stating:
“Obviously I wanted to prove to the gaffer that I deserved to play more, but he had me exactly where he wanted me. He knew that when he put me on the bench, I’d be rather irritated [we may have changed his words here a little], but I’d come on and give my all”. (FourFourTwo)
That appears to be the case for Johnson who, against Newcastle United, shone when given a chance off the bench, even forcing a goal that breathed life into the game.
Johnson’s impressive cameos off the bench where he appears full of confidence and a constant threat should provide fans with promise that the 23-year-old can start to build his confidence from starting matches and eventually replicate his short spurts of brilliance to game-long displays.
A clinical touch can transform Johnson’s game
Composure. An attribute that has seemingly hamstrung Spurs’ campaign so far this season. Tottenham have underperformed their non-penalty xG by 1 this season and failed to find a consistent flow of goals, with a combination of a lack of creativity and top-quality finishing preventing Spurs from winning games. (FBRef)
Fans may look at the likes of Maddison to correct such an issue, but Johnson equally wields the power to transform Tottenham’s season, with his performance against Coventry suggesting as much.
Johnson could well have missed his 92nd chance to put Tottenham through to the Carabao Cup fourth round after facing a week of abuse from fans which led him to deactivate his Instagram account, but the forward calmly lifted his shot beyond the Coventry ‘keeper.
His composure shown was something that not only Johnson has lacked, but the entirety of Spurs’ frontline.
Johnson has struggled to receive the ball in positions as he did against Coventry, with the winger usually so wide that his boots are painted white, but Brennan’s run more centrally could be a sign of things to come, especially when playing with a striker such as Solanke who tends to drift wide.
The game against Coventry also displayed Johnson’s deficiencies. The 23-year-old delivered effective crosses on the break last season but has struggled this campaign, only completing one of his four attempted crosses against the Sky Blues. (FotMob)
However, should Tottenham reassert the pace of play that they showed towards the start of last season, the corridor for Johnson’s crosses should reopen and his deliveries will become more effective.
That doesn’t mean that Johnson himself shouldn’t be working relentlessly to ensure that when he does get the chance to cross the ball, it’s more dangerous. That could mean either delivering more floated balls to Solanke or even taking on his man to then cut the ball backwards from the byline.
Fans must support Johnson
Whatever your opinion on Johnson, my points above prove, statistically and in-game scenarios that the forward is a work in progress but remains a promising player who could hold the keys to reviving Tottenham’s performances so far this season.
Spurs are also facing the prospect of playing matches with only a matter of days rest as well as Wilson Odobert facing a period on the sidelines, therefore, there’s no better time to support the Welshman who will undoubtedly be called upon continuously in the coming months. (The Atheltic)
Fans don’t need much more proof too that their support of the winger can inspire his performances, clearly with a skip in his step, Johnson fired home Tottenham’s key second goal against Brentford.
Johnson’s goal was an incredibly welcome one. Within 90 minutes, fans chanted the 23-year-old’s name again, and the winger has now made it two goals in two games.
Supporters have been showcased what Johnson can become in his last two games, a key attacking play for Spurs whose pace and, when on form, finishing adds a sharper aspect to Tottenham’s attack
As we have seen with Dele and Richarlison, us fans likely have little idea what’s going on in player’s minds.
Brennan Johnson faces a pivotal period in his Tottenham career and his performances may sometimes underwhelm, the winger’s effort is never in doubt, showing there isn’t truly a reason to not support a player who is trying to do his best for the shirt.
As Wednesday’s game against Coventry night showed, football’s a fickle game, one day you may be lamenting Johnson’s performance, and the next you’re celebrating his last-gasp winner. There’s no harm ever in supporting one of your own players – it’s a whole lot more likely to help them than criticism is.
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